41? Ih 4x4

[shorty]

Hi folks
I recently acquired my grandfathers ol "cornbinder" and stumbled into this forum while trying to figure out just what I have. It looks like a M-2-4 except it has a cab. I will try to get a picture posted and would appreciate any input. It sat for about 15 yrs in the woods till my son and I played around with it, did some minor stuff, poured raw gas down the carb and got it to fire off. got me excited and I towed it home. Hopefuly it will become more than just "yard art". Would like at the very least to get it running, who knows maybe more.

[Dave Ball]

Nice truck is it somewhere near Port Angeles WA.
When you find the frame number post it for Paul to put in the M2 list.
Keep us posted on what you are working on and how its going.
PenPly had several WW2 trucks and a couple of Internationals.
I had a Dodge (crummy) from that area in WA.
The Cab maybe original, does it have data plates in it on the dash?
Take a picture of the firewall and post it.
Is the carb still an updraft zenith?
Very nice truck, now that you got it to run thats a start but I bet once you drive it you will not be able to part with it.
There is just something about wrenching on a vehicle your Dad or Grandfather also wrenched on its hard to put into words but I bet you felt it when the motor belched to life.

:):):)

[m29c]

Hey Dave it sounds like it is a downdraft if he pour gas in carb.

[tdc]

Very way cool.:beer:

[Dave Ball]

Yeah but if you take off the air cleaner you can pour it down the tube.
Just like an old tractor.

:):):)

[George Yingst]

I'm guessing a civilian cab from what looks like chrome door handles and the fuel filler hole in the second photo.
Never seen an original closed cab M2 though so its just a guess on my part. Still a nice rig to aquire.

[Dave Ball]

Hi George...

I have seen two closed cabs with military ordered cabs both were Seabee trucks and I have posted a while back pictures of the one here in California.
They are early trucks on Navy contracts.
There are many war time pictures of closed cab M-3H-4 trucks and only a couple M-2-4 trucks with closed cabs that I have seen.
It is a well known fact that USMC did not favor closed cab trucks in front area's doing tactical work. At some point in 1942 all the M3 and M5 trucks were built with the new USMC spec'd open cabs.
There are several books that show the time frame.
The USN on the other hand had many closed cab trucks and did not worry about getting straffed or being able to egress the vehicle in any direction including ballistic.
There are lots of pictures of the Yards and docks division of the Seabee's with closed cab Internationals in the units cruise books.
I also collect cruise books and there seems to be a glut of them on ebay these days and I hate to even think about why.
I have posted flyers from seeral outfits that did whole unit reconditioning of these trucks after purchasing them at auctions. Many of them added equipment for logging outfits and other uses by adding winches, oilfield beds and closed cabs.
The one dead give away is the dash its switches and dataplates.
The trucks upgraded with closed cabs by these reconditioners were often not in need of these military items like the B.O. light switch or the volt meters and the dataplates showing the original owners were discarded and a new builders plate was added.
Backyard upgrades are a different story and are difficult to pedigree, although a sharp eye and someone that knows about the shielding and special filters used on the military trucks firewalls can usually pickup on these visual que's and will be able to discern if the cab was military, reconditioned or bubba'd. Make no mistake they were original closed cab M-2-4's built by IHC.

:):):)

[McIntire]

Whats up with the elevated spare tire carrier. The first thing I thought was M-1-4.

[shorty]

Thanks for the input guys!
Yes it was from Port Angeles and is now in Sequim Wa with me. My granddad used this rig as a tractor and had horse drawn mowers and rakes we used for his hay field. When we were young the deal was, if you could get it started you could drive it (on his porperty) as long as you brought it back filled with firewood (and he would help getting it started) and you are right, I wont be selling it. Too many memories! I will get some firewall pics and post them . Once again, I really appreciate the help.

[spooner]

Hi shorty,

Welcome!!. I have a house on the bluff above Marine Dr and Peninsular Plywood in Port Angeles WA. In a few years I'll be there with my 1943 USMC M-2-4 watching the ships go by!!!:yes:

Glad to hear you're keeping the truck. Let's go for a drive in 2015.:)

Paul S

[Dave Ball]

It is a small world I have a sister near Port Townsend off of 20 she has a small farm.
Hi Shorty your M2 looks to have a lot of red paint peeking out from under the green was it once a Navy fire truck? Do you know how your Grandfather found it. Did it ever have dual tires on the back axle? There are a lot of Navy yards nearby could have been a Navy truck used at Bremerton (Puget Sound Naval Shipyard) lots of work went on there repairing battle damaged ships used by the Pacific Fleet durring WW2.
It is one of the largest Naval yards and was full of Naval equipment durring WW2 including International Trucks of all types.
Good Hunting Grounds.


:):):)

[spooner]

Hi Dave,

I took a drive around Port Townsend the last time I was up in Washington. I spent some time in New England and it sort of has that feel about it.

In the Library in Port Angeles they have a wartime photo of the PA harbor. During the war it was where the Destroyer Fleet was based. They provided Convoy Escort and Patrol Duties in the Strait of Juan De Fuca.

[George Yingst]

Guess maybe I better start paying attention to what is selling on ebay book wise.
I know they made closed cab models but I have never seen one in real life. Just lots of pictures in books and articles.
All that I have ever seen were original open cabs.
George

[Dave Ball]

I was skeptical as well George, until I met Fred Crismon at an MVPA convention and talked to him a couple of times on the phone. Those conversations and some with Shirley Laird and seeing Fred’s pictures put it into perspective. When it comes to Military trucks you just cannot say it did not exist.
There is picture proof and there is up close and personal proof, and until I saw Matt’s truck in Southern Cal and confirmed it was an original Data plated closed cab I had only seen one other at an MVPA convention in the 80's.
I am not sure where that truck went and it has not popped up on the radar for at least 20 years. I do know it is somewhere in Arizona and was originally from YPG.
I should state that any unscrupulous person can add a seat pan data plate to any truck. Very few people can decode that seat pan tag though.
That tag is the cab build code. If you do fake a cab tag at least take the time to use the right rivets.:(


:):):)

[shorty]

cool Spooner I grew up on on 4th street about a block from where your house must be. Look forward to meeting you.

[spooner]

cool Spooner I grew up on on 4th street about a block from where your house must be. Look forward to meeting you.

You have to be joking!!!!:)

I'm on the 1300 block of 4th St and F. I love that little Street and the View ain't bad either!!