International Sundance

[85snowdog]

Anyone that knows me , knows I have a soft spot for International Loadstars. My father always had them, and I got my CDL on one. 

Last week I had a Loadstar Sundance cross my path.

It has  a special decor package that was offered in late 75,  76 and 77.(I think) 

It had an upholstered dash, door panels, two tone paint . The frame and wheels  were painted the same colour as part of the cab.

To me a Sundance was like a unicorn, people said they where around , but I had never seen one .

Now I am fortunate enough to have  my own Sundance. It needs a little  attention, but it will be worth it. Didn't run. (does now) No brakes . Rust issues . Cracks in hood

!976 Loadstar 1700

MV 404 gas engine

5 speed with 2 speed axle 

25,000 original miles 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 7, 2017 by 85snowdog

[41chevy]

I saw on of those last fall up in Maine near my sisters horse farm. Didn't know they are rare, just thought  it had a nice stripe job. Good luck with yours.   Paul

Edited March 7, 2017 by 41chevy

[85snowdog]

Thanks Paul. I'm not sure how rare they are . I am going to try to figure it out. I just know they are rare around me in southern Ontario.

[41chevy]

1 hour ago, 85snowdog said:

Thanks Paul. I'm not sure how rare they are . I am going to try to figure it out. I just know they are rare around me in southern Ontario.

Where we farmed on  Eastern Long Island it was International Harvester,  REO and GMC country never ever saw or heard of one.

[carlotpilot]

thats the first one I have seen or heard of and I used to work for an ih dealer

[tjc transport]

nice score. and it sorta matches the paint on the low boy.

[85snowdog]

Thanks for the comments. I know GEOFF, a BMT member has one. He hasn't posted for a long time . I think he is on "just old trucks" He might be able to tell me how rare it is . I will have to try to track him down . 

[j hancock]

Super clean interior!

[fxfymn]

Quote

He might be able to tell me how rare it is .

 

I believe the University of Wisconsin ended up with the IH archives. They might be able to help you out.

Check behind the glove box to see if there is a line ticket there. I found the ticket for my 72 there.

[41chevy]

21 hours ago, 85snowdog said:

Thanks Paul. I'm not sure how rare they are . I am going to try to figure it out. I just know they are rare around me in southern Ontario.

I talked to my old mechanic friend at Syosset Trucks a 75 plus year old I.H. dealer. He only saw one and it was a 1975 Sundance I, he said the 1976's were Sundance II's. Told me that "you cheap S.O.B. farmers wouldn't spring for the extra couple of bucks to have the prettiest truck at the market"    Paul

[Mack58B42]

Nice!  I've always liked the Loadstars.  It's what our town bought all its school busses with, so I spent a few years riding in them, and actually learned how to drive a standard by closely watching one of my better bus drivers.

When I became a firefighter, our department had a '73 Loadstar in reserve that I drove a bit, and now my neighbor owns it.  I think I drive it more than he does, even though I have my own rig!  I still love the slight gear noise from the transmission, and the particular squeak of the clutch and rear springs, and it seems to have a unique exhaust odor that reminds me of being a kid when the bus pulled away from the stop....

Hope you enjoy yours!

[85snowdog]

Thanks very much for the info Paul.  This has me really interested now. I just thought they were rare around me.

I have heard of Sundance II's , but I have never been able to find out the difference between the 2 of them. I did find out that the Sundance decor package was $333.56.

My International has everything listed below. 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 8, 2017 by 85snowdog

[85snowdog]

7 hours ago, fxfymn said:

I believe the University of Wisconsin ended up with the IH archives. They might be able to help you out.

Check behind the glove box to see if there is a line ticket there. I found the ticket for my 72 there.

Thanks for the info. I tried to find the line ticket already. Didn't have any luck. I've been told that I can get one from International. One day I will try that .

[41chevy]

1 hour ago, 85snowdog said:

Thanks very much for the info Paul.  This has me really interested now. I just thought they were rare around me.

I have heard of Sundance II's , but I have never been able to find out the difference between the 2 of them. I did find out that the Sundance decor package was $333.56.

 

 

From my I.H. contact. The difference seem to be more color combinations available on the Sundance I.

Sundance I
Available on all Loadstar models, metal and fiberglass hood.

“The paint scheme for the cab and hood was essentially white with a contrasting color used for most of the cab and the top of the hood.

The contrasting colors offered were Fire Orange, Solar Yellow, Tamarak Bronze or Terra Cotta, and the frame and wheels were painted to match the darker color.

The trim package included a bright windshield molding, west coast mirrors, a rubber running board step, and a chromed bumper, a premium seat, vinyl-covered dash, and engine-turned Instrument panel, with matching glove box door .

Sundance II
Available on all Loadstar models, metal and fiberglass hood.

“It involved a white cab roof and hood, medium metallic brown lower panels, an orange stripe on the upper body, and orange paint on the chassis, running board and wheel spokes.
The wheel rims where gray, and the grille and bumper were painted silver.”

 

Sundance option was available to at least 1978 I'm told.    Paul

Edited March 8, 2017 by 41chevy

[fxfymn]

Quote

When I became a firefighter, our department had a '73 Loadstar in reserve that I drove a bit

One of Clarence Farrar's specials? We had one in my home town of Ashland, MA that I cut my teeth on. A 68 Loadstar, 345 V8 and 5 speed tranny with the usual Farrar front mount pump, 500 gallon tank. The guy who taught me to drive it told me "Anybody can drive this, the transmission is synchronized." A comment that was no doubt driven by the 46 Mack LS85 which many folks had a really hard time driving due to the usual non-synchronous tranny.

 They also had a 57 F-750, and at one time a 46 Ford. Farrar sold a lot of fire trucks in New England, especially to those communities that were "cost conscious".

[BillyT]

Snowdog that's a sharp " binder" the previous owner HAD to have covered that seat, even with 25000! I consider that front end treatment the best looking loadstar! Fxfym, when we were building the community of Margate Florida one of the several dumps I drove was a late sixties loadstar 345, 5 and 2, manual steering, boy did that puppy steer hard! The B model with the air steering was really sweet!

[Mack58B42]

On 3/9/2017 at 8:06 AM, fxfymn said:

One of Clarence Farrar's specials? We had one in my home town of Ashland, MA that I cut my teeth on. A 68 Loadstar, 345 V8 and 5 speed tranny with the usual Farrar front mount pump, 500 gallon tank. The guy who taught me to drive it told me "Anybody can drive this, the transmission is synchronized." A comment that was no doubt driven by the 46 Mack LS85 which many folks had a really hard time driving due to the usual non-synchronous tranny.

 They also had a 57 F-750, and at one time a 46 Ford. Farrar sold a lot of fire trucks in New England, especially to those communities that were "cost conscious".

It is, in fact, a Farrar!  My neighbor and good friend bought it because his grandfather had spec'd and purchased the truck when it was new and he was the chief.

[fxfymn]

I always thought there would be a good book that could be written about the many regional companies that produced fire apparatus. In New England we had Farrar, Middlesex, Providence, and Continental for example, and I'm sure many more I don't know.

Farrar was built in Woodville, MA, a village in Hopkinton which is adjacent to where I grew up. My Dad knew most of the folks at Farrar as well as Continental which was started by a former Farrar employee.

Farrar built a lot of apparatus, but never seemed to sell much anywhere but New England. My bet is they sold more front mount pumps than any of the well known builders like Maxim, as that seemed to be their niche. Their apparatus was simple and cost effective, especially in an era when jump seats and enclosed riding areas were not the norm.

[dogg rescue]

There was a farm up here in ND that has one of these orange loadstars it had a grain box painted to match. I never knew it was a special edition til now. They sold it about 5 years ago.

[mikeand217]

I was searching loadstar information and just happened across the post. There was a youtube video that I think is the same truck. Anyways just thought I would share a couple pictures of my 1976 IH 1700 Loadstar Sundance. it has 309XX miles and from what i can tell was sold new to a farmer around Terre Haute, IN. It has the MV 404 two barrel Holley and an Eaton 5 +2.. I bought it four years ago from a  from a contractor who used it for a while. I have converted the 9.00-20 tires to 10 R 22.5 to get away from the split rims and have just be trying to clean it up here and there. The only major additions other than the tires are a shurlok tarp. I will get some pictures of the interior tomorrow,but it is basically identical with the brown minus a tach. For some reason mine is missing the chrome bumber. A Friend has a 1975 Sundance as well and it has the chrome bumper.

[85snowdog]

On 3 October, 2017 at 5:37 PM, mikeand217 said:

I was searching loadstar information and just happened across the post. There was a youtube video that I think is the same truck. Anyways just thought I would share a couple pictures of my 1976 IH 1700 Loadstar Sundance. it has 309XX miles and from what i can tell was sold new to a farmer around Terre Haute, IN. It has the MV 404 two barrel Holley and an Eaton 5 +2.. I bought it four years ago from a  from a contractor who used it for a while. I have converted the 9.00-20 tires to 10 R 22.5 to get away from the split rims and have just be trying to clean it up here and there. The only major additions other than the tires are a shurlok tarp. I will get some pictures of the interior tomorrow,but it is basically identical with the brown minus a tach. For some reason mine is missing the chrome bumber. A Friend has a 1975 Sundance as well and it has the chrome bumper.

Thanks so much for sharing this. 

I'm so sorry that it took more than 7 months to see this.

Its a good looking truck that is very similar to mine. Even the low miles.  

[85snowdog]

I have been working on my loadstar Sundance and wanted to share some of my progress .

After a tune up , the MV404 runs like a sewing machine . 

I fixed the hood, painted the frame , polished the original paint of the cab . I put a new rad in it , cleaned the interior. 

I still have to clean up/ fix the running boards and quarter fenders. they are pretty rusty.

I am going to clean up and paint the original flat bed and reinstall .   

[j hancock]

Good job on buffing out the Binder!

[hurstscrambler]

It really is cleaning up nice, congrats.  Andy

[BOB DINGSDALE]

that's a pretty looking truck.is it on air or hydraulic.