Hello everyone! Any idea what I've purchased? (1966 International Harvester Custom)

[JABMotorsport]

Hello Everyone!

I'd been halfway plotting a replacement of my current racecar hauler for some time when I found the ad for this wonderful machine. I assumed it was already sold by the time I'd seen it, but I'd had the proper amount of beer to send the guy a message anyway.

He responded, told me it was still available and was very technically knowledgeable about it. I sent him a deposit, and the next Friday we set off from Minneapolis to exotic Ohio to retrieve it.

Here's what I know:

It's titled as a 1966. The body was put on by the Aluminum Body Corporation of Montebello, CA.

It's an International Harvester Chassis, most likely an 1853FC. It has a Gas RD450 I6 attached to a 5spd with the most interesting shift pattern I've ever seen, and a 2spd rear end. It will probably eventually get a diesel and an automatic, but that's down the road.

Anybody know the history of this thing? I've been looking at pictures, but haven't found anything like it. I know it was used as a hauler for a dirt track car, maybe somewhere around the early 2000's in Ohio.

Thanks everyone!

I'll upload pictures in just a second.

 

[JABMotorsport]

 

[JABMotorsport]

 

[Crazy]

I don't know anything about it but it sure is badass.

 

[jazty]

Wow! That is one of the strangest buses I have ever seen... How does that shift pattern make any sense?? I want to take it for a spin.

 

[JABMotorsport]

It's easy. First you jam the shifter into the doghouse for first. Then you slam it into your knee for 2nd. After that, It's pretty smooth sailing!

 

[leadsled01-SKO]

I saw that on Craigslist some time ago. HAHAH "exotic Ohio" your twisted....

 

[cowlitzcoach]

That transmission is the coveted overdrive transmission so many people desire.

If you do decide to swap it out you will probably be able to get a lot of what you paid for your bus/truck just out of selling the transmission.

The RD450 is a great engine but it isn't a major powerhouse. A lot of school buses in the '50's and '60's used it and the RD501. Some of the companies that used them include Crown who laid it on the side and mounted it under the floor between the axles.

As for what it is, Crown called versions of their buses like that brucks--a bus truck.

There were several specialty companies that made some really odd stuff in the '50's, '60's, and '70's. Some of the odd ones that Crown made were used by Red Skelton as mobile television broadcasting vans. It took three 40' brucks with 8' ceilings with gen sets to power everything and monster A/C units to cool everything to do what can now fit in a standard Ford E-350 van today.

Other odd brucks were used as commercial display vehicles.

One of the oddest was the GM Futureliner.

As to what the original owner used your bruck to do I have no idea. But whatever it was required some serious $$$$ because I wouldn't imagine your bruck was cheap when it was first built.

A very easy power package swap would be a DTA360. The exterior dimensions would be almost identical to the RD450/501.

 

[JABMotorsport]

Wow, thanks for all the info! I love the term 'Bruck'! Interesting on the transmission. Any idea how much bigger the DT466 is than a DT360?

 

[Polarweasel]

So is that a granny low first, and you'd normally start up in second? If so, the shift pattern looks incredibly sensible. It would keep you shifting closer to the driver for most driving, and low and reverse are together for low-speed maneuvering and getting unstuck. If not...yeesh.

 

[JABMotorsport]

Hmm, that's possible; maybe if we started out in the low range of 2nd. There's some talent required to operate this thing proficiently.. And we're working on it!