One of the essential steps after saving a vehicle from a field or rescuing a barn find is giving that classic car a good wash. On his YouTube channel Theetravisb, Travis washes his 1946 International Pickup truck for the first time in fifty years after rescuing the truck from a farm. The eventual goal for the truck is to get it to a point where it can “run, drive, and stop” as he isn’t aiming for perfection or a full restoration to like-new condition. Check out the video to see this truck get some TLC for the first time in many years.
First Wash In 50 Years
Travis has other videos on his YouTube channel related to this truck. However, this one is specific to getting it cleaned up and returning functionality to some of the components like the passenger side door, window, and windshield. The truck needs a radiator, brakes, and some other parts.
Some of these parts are available new but his goal is to get the truck running as cost-effectively as possible. Starting off with a pressure washer in the engine bay, years of dirt and dust get washed away. You can now see the truck’s original teal-like exterior paint color which has been better preserved under the hood from the elements.
He takes a break from washing the truck to address a stuck window on the passenger side door. The window does not roll down and his goal is to have the truck function as it would have originally. After disassembling the panel on the interior of the door, he adds some lubrication to the window track and within the interior components of the assembly. All of these have become damaged after years of idle time and exposure to the elements. He eventually manages to get the window to roll up and down smoothly and get the door latch functioning properly. This is an early win in the process of getting the truck up and running again.
Unique Features On This Classic Truck
While washing the bed of the classic International truck, he discusses the advantage of the International’s full metal bed. This option was less common in pickup trucks of the era. With the alternative being a wooden bed that can become damaged or disintegrates much more quickly over time, a full metal bed is a more durable choice and he is grateful that this truck has one. A purist at heart, he prefers to keep the bed original and says that if it had been a wooden bed, he would have worked with it rather than replacing it with a metal one.
After a pressure wash inside and out, he addresses a stuck glove box which is missing the compartment inside. He manages to get the door open and also takes a look at the unique windshield on the pickup. The windshield glass comes in two pieces and allows the glass to open, something that is fairly unique to the truck and a feature he plans to get back to working order
Witness a 1946 International Pickup Truck’s First Wash in Half a Century
