Rare International Travelall Hauls History Too
Truck-based station wagons like the International Travelall made family hauling an art long before the days of the SUV.
International’s OG SUV
Long before the ascension of the SUV as the vehicle of choice on American roads, it was station wagons that did our hauling. Many of these wagons were car-based affairs that traded out the trunk area for a covered cargo bed. But a few were truck-based, like the Chevrolet Suburban and International Harvester’s Travelall, proto-SUVs that existed long before the emergence of that acronym.
International Harvester has long been known for their farming and heavy equipment, along with their minor but memorable foray into mass-market autos consisting of the Scout and Scout II jeep-like off-roaders. But in decades past International’s output of consumer vehicles was broader and included light pickups and station wagons. Indeed, for over two decades, International offered a direct competitor to the Chevy Suburban in the Travelall.
We have a keen affinity for old school SUVs and station wagons, so when we found a 1971 International Travelall listed on our site, we jumped at the chance to highlight this rare and unique vehicle.
Travelall Background
The International Travelall was produced from 1953 through 1975 and saw four distinct generations. The first generation Travelall was a three-door station wagon based on International’s R-Series pickup and powered by a 220 cu.-in. straight-six engine. Four-wheel drive became a factory option for the Travelall starting in 1956.
A brief three-year second generation saw the Travelall migrate to International’s A-Series truck chassis and a modernizing facelift to improve curb appeal. Despite their rugged truck underpinnings, big wagons like the Travelall and Suburban were marketed like SUVs are today, as family vehicles perfectly suited for camping trips or to a jaunt to the lake. The Travelall’s third generation, beginning in 1961, saw the introduction of four-doors (the Suburban still would not adopt a four-door design until 1973) as well as larger and more powerful V8 engines.
The Travelall’s fourth generation kicked off in 1969, now based on International’s new D-Series, this was the first Travelall marketed as its own model rather than as an offshoot of their pickup. International had also introduced the Travelette, a four-door crew-cab version of the D-Series. A third row was now on offer, allowing the Travelall to ferry up to 9 passengers across three bench seats.
Engine options included International’s 304-, 345-, and 392-cu.-in. V8s as well as an AMC-supplied 232 cu.-in. I-6 as the standard engine. When supply constraints hit International’s V8 output in 1973, they pivoted to AMC’s 401 V8 to fill the gap.
The fourth generation of the Travelall also saw the introduction of the Wagonmaster, a new variant that swapped the covered load floor for a truck bed. This was an odd choice given the existence of the Travelette, the crew cab version of International’s pickup line, which had been in production since 1957. The multiple versions of the same body styles were both confusing and unsuccessful as the Wagonmaster saw a swift cancellation in 1974 with the Travelall following a year later. In the mid-1970s, the twin forces of the Oil Crisis and low demand saw International winnowing their consumer vehicle offerings down to just the Scout II, which lasted through 1980.
This 1971 International Travelall
Old school wagon/SUVs were not the default vehicle they are today, which makes surviving examples of International’s Travelall a rarity. This 1971 International Travelall has seen thorough refurbishment, including the addition of a new 5.7L V8 Blueprint racing engine, automatic transmission, digital gauges, and leather bucket seats. Bead-lock wheels are wrapped in new off-road tires. This example is finished with a Cream exterior with black and green interior (the vehicle retains its original green door cards).
A big part of the charm of vintage International Harvester vehicles like the Travelall is the combination of familiarity and uniqueness. When everyone else is doing Coyote-V8 swaps in their Gen-1 Broncos, you find an International Scout II for your restomod project. Classic Suburbans are cool and all, but a well-kept Travelall is sure to be the toast of your next Cars & Coffee. This one is listed for $74,900.
