T-alls/Travelers

[Jim Grammer <jimg@domain.elided>]

>What's the difference between a traveller and a travelall.  I gather that
>one came after the other.  Other than that...

>Here's my stab...
>
>The Travelall dates back to.. gosh, I don't know.. pre 60?  Large, 
Suburban
>like station wagon, similar platform to the pickups.
>
>Traveller is based on the Scout II chassis stretched 18", introduced in 
1976.

Earliest known actual Travelall models were built on the L-series chassis, 
but never cataloged as an L model. The R-series introduction in '53 
included the T-all, as well as the first official factory All Wheel Drives. 
Prior to that, there were panel bodies modified as crew carriers, and woody 
wagons. Remember that the 'station wagon' started out as literally that; a 
way to get passengers and their luggage to and from the train station. 
Starting in '53, the Travelall could be had as the body selection for 
pretty much any of the light line chassis with the correct wheelbase. Want 
a 1 1/2 ton 4x4 station wagon? No problem. This continued through the 60's 
and into the early 70's. Sometime in the early 70's I think an attempt was 
made to standardize the offering somewhat and reduce the huge # of 
possibilities. Of course these is the same era of very complex smog gear 
and options like air ride and mechanical ABS, so I doubt much simplifying 
could be done. The T-all went the way of the rest of the light trucks in 
'75. It had arguably the strongest following of any of the light line 
besides the Scout(the travel trailer crowd), and I think IH realized there 
was still a market for it. That and the lack of any decent sized pickup 
bodied truck probably led to development of the Terra/Traveler.

Jim