1954 International Model - R-140 Station Wagon - 4x4

Original purchased by the North Dakota U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for use either during dam construction or to scout locations for Minuteman missile silos. Although President Dwight Eisenhower didn’t authorize the Minuteman program until 1958, the military was already planning a missile defense in 1954.
Although International produced a steel-bodied Travelall wagon, it was smaller and not available as a 434. The Army Corps special ordered three larger wood-bodied wagons from Mid-State Body Company of Waterloo, New York. All three identical wagons were built with ash framework and mahogany panels. To cope with frigid North Dakota winters, an additional rear heater and extra body insulation were ordered. The 130-inch wheelbase provided ample room for two vinyl bench seats and a cavernous cargo area. More gear could be carried on the roof rack.
International added factory-built 4x4s in 1953, several years before Ford and Chevrolet came out with their own four-wheelers. International’s set-up included a two-speed transfer case with a low range for crawling at low speeds off road. A raised suspension provided monster-truck-like ground clearance. The Army Corps also ordered front-bumper-mounted winches for the unlikely event that these wagons ever got stuck and had to be pulled out of the mud.
Like factory-supplied four-wheel drive, the R-series itself dated to 1953. The R was a facelift of International’s postwar L line brought out in 1949. Both series featured leaf springs and solid axles at each end. Power for the R-140 was a “Silver Diamond” 240-cid ohv six rated at 107 hp. The standard transmission was a four-speed manual. Internationals were heavy-duty trucks and that solid construction contributed to a total weight of almost 8500 lbs for the wagon. The R-140 was rated as 1¼-ton truck, which meant it could carry a 2500-pound payload.
Like the L line, the R had a wide cab for three-across seating and a curved windshield for better visibility. The R had a simpler grille than the L, which gave it a cleaner, more modern look.
The truck won Best in Class at the 2008 Carmel Concours and Best in Show at the 2008 Santa Barbara Woodie Club show. The International runs as well as it looks, with a cruising speed of 45 mph and a top speed of 60, very good for an off-road vehicle weighing more than four tons. Just as important, it has good brakes.