International Question

SkicoFab · Oct 18, 2006

My grandfather has a 1973 International pickup up in ellensburg. i am going to pick it up here pretty soon for a tow-rig. it's 2WD, don't know if it's auto or manual, but i know it has a posi rear-end and the bigger 392 motor. never been wrecked, and has 60k original miles (he's the original owner). my question is what it would take to convert this to 4wd. all i know is toyota, so would i use a scout dana 44, then could i use the stock steering? different steering gearbox? spring over, spring under? i am going to use this truck for towing my 81 toyota on a flatbed trailer, and my grandpa says it gets up and goes, i dont really care, i just want a fullsize truck that i can tow with, because i have no money to go buy a new diesel. i could always throw chains on this thing and get into some snow, but i'd like to be able to get to huntin camp in the dead of winter. so anyone that has any information about anything international that would be awesome. thanks for the help.

binderbound · Oct 18, 2006

To make it the easiest swap you pretty much need anothe one in 4x4. You can't use any scout parts.

They used a divorced 205 like ford or dodge. Good thing is, most places can't give away full size IH parts so if you keep your eyes open you could score what you need easily.

Tow with it as is for now and upgrade when you can. Be wary of home made hitches and crappy wiring. Keep the engine oil up. It either has a TF727 or a T98 tranny so its plenty tough.

SkicoFab · Oct 18, 2006

good information to know, thanks. so i'm going to want to find a 4x4 pickup for the 4wd parts? maybe one with a blown motor or something. it seems like these things are hard to come by, so that kind of scares me about parts. is there any other front axle that would work, i dont need a d60 because they cost too much and im not looking for strength when wheeling. a 44 will do fine and much cheaper. and i think this truck is a 3/4 ton so it would've had a d44 in it anyway. and if this truck were 4wd, was it a drivers side drop front axle?

Trevor · Oct 18, 2006

Nope, it was a passenger drop front axle. It was a divorced t-case, so you will need several parts from a donor 4x4, but can re-use some of your stuff. You need a t-case, t-case shifter, the crossmember that it bolts to, the driveline for inbetween the tranny and t-case (you can re-use your current tranny), you will need the front axle, the other 2 drivelines, and you really should use the springs from the 4x4 so that it will lift you up a little bit and get you out of the dirt. My dad converted his 2 wheel drive travelall to 4x4 in one day. He re-used the stock 2wd steering gearbox, leaf springs, and brake lines. All he had to do was cut a hole in the floor for the t-case shifter to stick through.

binderbound · Oct 18, 2006

Since its a D44 front, a lot of guys do a knuckle swap to chevy stuff so they can have disc brakes and easy to find parts. Drums arent awful if you have trailer brakes and parts arent that hard to find, but still not chevy easy. Rear drums are getting harder to find but as far as I know you can still find them new. Make sure you have a good napa near by. Dont even try and get parts anywhere else cuz you'll just get fawked. Napa seems to be the only parts store that still uses the books.

these trucks like to rust around the windshield, then water leaks into the cab. Keep your eye on that. Once it makes it into the cab, the floors disapear fast.

Let me know if it becomes too much of a headache. I might be able to take it off your hands. PM me if you need anything.

Boomer · Oct 18, 2006

I don't now if it is still there, but a few months ago there was an early 70s IH 4x4 pickup at Pull-A-Part in Lynnwood. The front axle had been scavenged of a few parts, but at the time it was otherwise complete.

SkicoFab · Oct 18, 2006

thanks for all the help. since it was a passenger side drop, could i just use a chevy d44? my buddy has one under his xj right now, but hes thinking about abandoning that project. it has disc brakes, ctm joints, cromo shafts. and leaf springs aren't a problem. i wouldnt use the 2wd ones, i was thinking about getting dimensions and finding a spring that might lift it a couple inches. maybe ford superduty springs will be a 4" lift on that truck who knows. well sounds like if parts for these trucks can be found, they will be cheap. i am hoping not to have to buy a complete 4x4, even if it has a blown motor, all i want is a few parts and i dont want to deal with getting rid of the rest of it. you guys have been very helpful, thanks for the information.