1956 International Harvester Other

Pickup Truck

240 CI 6 CYL

4- SPEED

22480

Clear

Gasoline

*****VIDEO***** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sayN-AMynok ****video**** IN THE YEAR OF NINETEEN HUNDRED AND FIFTY FIVE WILLIAM BLANDING OF BLANDING HARDWARE COMPANY BARNARD KANSAS ORDERED HIMSELF A 1956 INTERNATIONAL S-110 SERIES PICKUP AMIDST A DISPUTE BETWEEN HIS HARDWARE AND INTERNATIONAL HARVESTER COMPANY TO USE AS HIS SERVICE DELIVERY TRUCK FOR HIS THRIVING AGRICULTURE IMPLEMENT BUSINESS. LITTLE DID HE KNOW AT THE TIME IT WOULD BE HIS FINAL ORDER FROM THE HARVESTER CO. AS ONE OF ITS DEALERS. W.R. BLANDING WAS PRESIDENT OF THE BLANDING HARDWARE COMPANY IN BARNARD KANSAS. STARTED BY HIS FATHER A.H. BLANDING WHO WAS AT ONE TIME A PRISONER TO THE CONFEDERATES DURING THE CIVIL WAR. PASSING DOWN HIS STAUNCH ATTITUDE AND BUSINESS MORALS TO HIS SON WILLIAM ALONG WITH THE HARDWARE BUSINESS. WILLIAM MADE SURE TO ORDER THE LITTLE 1/2 TON PICKUP WITH THE EXTRA DUTY COOLING FOR THE WARM KANSAS DAYS BUT ALSO THE RECIRCULATING HTR WITH DEFROST FOR ITS COOL NIGHTS. A DRIVER SIDE ARMREST AND SUN VISOR WOULD SURELY HELP THE LENGTHY TRIPS TO SOME OF HIS MORE DISTANT FARMING CUSTOMERS. FOR THE GRAND TOTAL OF $1.00 HE ADDED THE DOME LIGHT ( STILL OPERABLE TODAY) FOR WHAT IM SURE WOULD BE THE SOMETIMES LATE NIGHT EMERGENCY PARTS DELIVERIES. THE SURPRISING OPTION TO ME WAS THE RATHER EXPENSIVE OPTION OF THE TWO TONE PAINT OF MAGNOLIA IVORY OVER ADOBE TAN. TYPICALLY THAT OPTION WOULD BE RESERVED ONLY FOR THE TOWNSPEOPLE WHO WOULD LOOK MORE FAVORABLY ON GIVING A FLASHY APPEARENCE. THAT IS UNTIL I LEARNED THAT WILLIAM HAD ANOTHER DUTY IN THE TOWN OF BARNARD. VICE PRESIDENT OF THE FIRST BANK OF BARNARD! A POSITION IM SURE CAME IN HANDY WHEN ISSUING CREDIT TO ONE OF HIS IMPLEMENT CUSTOMERS. THOUGH GIVEN HIS FATHERS UPBRINGING AND TIME SERVED WITH THE UNION ARMY I DOUBT HE EVER ABUSED HIS POWER. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WILLIAMS THOUGHTS OF HIS FATHERS STORIES AS HE LAZILY DROVE ALONG THE DUSTY KANSAS BACKROADS IN THE OLE IH. AS STATED EARLIER WILLIAM LOST HIS FRANCHISE WITH THE INTERNATIONAL HARVESTER COMPANY BUT RETAINED HIS OTHER IMPLEMENT FRANCHISES. DELIVERING PARTS AND SERVICE TO THE AGRICULTURE COMMUNITY OF BARNARD FOR SEVERAL MORE YEARS UNTIL HIS DEATH. UPON HIS DEATH THE HARDWARE WAS CLOSED AND THE LITTLE INTERNATIONAL SAT IN A SERVICE BAY GATHERING DUST AMONG MANY OTHER ITEMS FOR OVER 20 YEARS! THEN IN 2004 UPON LEARNING OF THE LITTLE KANSAS HARDWARE THAT SAT CLOSED UP FOR OVER TWO DECADES WITH PRODUCT STILL ON THE SHELF A BUSINESSMAN FROM MICHIGAN MADE IT HIS FAMILIES VACATION TO DRIVE TO KANSAS AND RESCUE THE LITTLE S-110. HE STILL LOOKED FANTASTIC INCAPSULATED IN DECADES OF DUST. TIRES STILL INFLATED AND CHASSIS STILL COMPLETELY RUST FREE. THANKS TO THE LACK OF HUMIDITY IN THE DRY DAYS AND NIGHTS OF KANSAS. WITH A NEW LEASE ON LIFE THE LITTLE INTERNATIONAL ENJOYED A HEATED GARAGE AND A FEW SUNNY WEEKENDS A YEAR OF PURRING AROUND THE BACKROADS OF MICHIGAN. WITH HIS NEWLY RE-SEALED BIG 240 CI. 6 CYLINDER AND NEW BRAKES, LINES AND HARDWARE HE WAS AS HEALTHY AS EVER. I JUMPED AT THE RARE OPPORTUNITY TO BE SHORT TERM CARETAKER OF THIS AMAZING PIECE OF AMERICAN HISTORY WITHIN HOURS OF HEARING THE OPPORTUNITY EXISTED. I REPLACED THE GET THIS....ORIGINAL BIAS PLY TIRES WITH SOME NICE RIDING RADIALS AND APPLIED SEVERAL LAYERS OF CLEAR COAT TO ENSURE THE LITTLE PICKUP WOULD BE PRESERVED ORIGINAL FOR YEARS AND YEARS TO COME. I GAVE HIM A NEW HEADLINER AND ORIGINAL RUBBER FLOORMAT. THE ORIGINAL SEAT IS AN ALMOST UNBELIEVABLE 60 YEARS OLD AND AS NICE AS CAN BE! THE LITTLE TRUCK DRIVES DOWN THE ROAD PROBABLY BETTER THAN IT DID THE FIRST TIME W.R. BLANDING HOPPED IN TO TAKE IT FOR ITS FIRST CRUISE. THIS IS AN ICONIC PIECE OF 50'S ERA FARMING AND AMERICAN HISTORY WITH AN UNBELIEVABLE DOCUMENTED STORY. DO NOT ALLOW A FEW DOLLARS TO GET IN THE WAY OF BEING YET ONE MORE PART OF THIS LITTLE TRUCKS HISTORY. AS IT IS SURE TO GO ON AND ON FOR DECADES TO COME. GET IN AND DRIVE HIM ANYWHERE, PASS ALONG HIS PROUD HISTORY OF AMERICAS BEST BUILT VEHICLES BY ONE OF THE LARGEST COMPANIES IN THE WORLD. BID WITH CONFIDENCE AND BE SURE AND WATCH THE VIDEO.