Re: [ihc] ebay alert! B series Travelall in NorCal/Nevada

["Allan Ericson" <lowvolt@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I'll have to chime in here, since I'm partial to both the B and C
travelalls. I'm actually most fond of the L, R, and S series travelalls, but
I've never owned any of them. I have B, C, and D series travelalls.

The C are the most comfortable. My wife's 1200A rides like a Cadillac on a
washboard road. The 66 and earlier have braking systems that should be
upgraded, but that's the only real objection I have. The bodies develop
cracks around the tailgate where the window drops down inside, but those can
be dealt with using a tensioner and some diamond plate and some ingenuity.

The D series travelalls (and pickups)  have the best parts in them, and are
by far the ugliest vehicles IH ever produced. No offense folks, but rounded
bodies are way cooler than square ones.  However, my 73, with the T34,
NP205, 345, AC, and original interior is still a sweet machine, and it would
take a whole lot (and references) to get me to part with it. Rotted out D
travelalls are great parts donors for C and B series, which is another
redeeming quality. The only thing I don't really like about the D series is
that they NEED the torsion bar stabilizers or else two extra leaves in each
spring pack. The C, on the same frame, for some reason doesn't, even though
it's taller and looks like it would be more unstable. Go figure.

The B looks like it came out of a cartoon. It's simply an awesome looking
machine, and it has loads of personality. I'm fortunate enough to have a 110
and a 120. The 110 is a barn door, panel wagon style. The cutouts for the
windows are present, but they were not cut out, and windows were never
installed. The B110 did not come in 4x4, but I'm sure one could be converted
in the same manner as the B. The B120 has an NP202 and a PTO winch. The
original 266 is perfect for this vehicle, but mine came with spun bearings,
so I dropped in a 304.

For some reason the B120 cruises down the road at a pretty good clip, and
it's comfortable to drive on the interstate, even pulling a trailer. It's a
well designed machine, and the lift gate setup (much like the 80/800) on
mine is still in good shape after 40 rough years. The chrome on both my B
travelalls looks close to new, so whatever process they used on it worked
like a charm.

In June, Joel Brodsky snagged me one (the barn door B110) that I first saw
back in December of last year when I was visiting Tucson. Jay George helped
him tow it home. I went down to Tucson and picked it up and hauled it up to
the land of resting binders, some land I have near the petrified forest. As
soon as I can manage, it will get sanded down and painted. I expect this to
be the coolest ride I've ever owned.

-Allan

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John M. Adams" <jma@domain.elided>
To: "ken.dunnington" <ken.dunnington@domain.elided>; "J Grammer"
<jim@domain.elided>
Cc: <ihc@domain.elided>
Sent: Tuesday, August 31, 2004 10:02 AM
Subject: RE: [ihc] ebay alert! B series Travelall in NorCal/Nevada


> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: owner-ihc@domain.elided [mailto:owner-ihc@domain.elided]On Behalf Of
> > ken.dunnington
> > Sent: Tuesday, August 31, 2004 8:57 AM
> > To: J Grammer
> > Cc: ihc@domain.elided
> > Subject: Re: [ihc] ebay alert! B series Travelall in NorCal/Nevada
>
> ...
>
> > The B series Travelall is the best looking of them all, including
> > the earlier ones(which come in second).  Simply put, the B series
> > front sheetmetal seems to match the travelall body proportions just
> > right.  The "Z" trim is nicer than the later lines and precludes the
> > "droopy" look the '61-'69 models have(depending on viewing angle).
> >
>
> No, no, no, no... Ken, my '67 begs to differ. Also, my '64, rest its soul.
> The sixties styling is the best. The "Z" trim is OK, except that it lends
a
> "mismatch" quality to the B series, like the top was set down on the
bottom
> of another vehicle. The later lines don't look *droopy*; they look
> streamlined compared to the blockiness of the B. The sixties T'Alls are
> sleek, yet strong. Wasp-like, yet solid. They look like they were built to
> go fast, uphill, carrying load. They are, in a word, BEAUTIFUL.
>
> Tongue-not-even-in-cheek (lest ye misread me),
>
> John A.