Most old iron goes into a retirement phase that may or may not involve a terminal point where bad things happen.
This 1951 International L-130 almost ended up at that terminal point when the previous owner took it apart.
Jerry Sutherland
Erik Thornton is the current owner of this vintage workhorse. He found the truck in pieces when the last owner fumbled the ball on the project. Erik said he “wanted something to drive, so I put the cab back on, it had the original engine, so it ran and drove”.
The original setup wasn’t what Erik wanted in the IHC, so he mapped out a game plan for the old warrior. He bartered a plow for a 2004 Chevy truck and the project was on track.
Erik wanted to turn the old L-130 into a functioning work truck, so he fit the IHC body to the Chevy chassis. There were no serious rust issues with the IHC body, so Erik focused on the mechanical side of the project. The original plan was to make it a tool truck, but Erik didn’t like asking prices for used truck toolboxes, so he went the flatbed route.
He custom-built a flatbed for the ‘51 International because he knew it would make a great platform for a functioning welding truck on a jobsite. He covered the bed with his own pinstriping because Erik is not only an artist as a welder—he’s also a pinstriper, so this truck has function and form. The clearcoat tells a story—this old IHC didn’t live an easy life.
He applied that talent to the doors on the truck, so the design is fashioned after the Esso logo. He saw the faint outline of an Esso sign on the door, so he made his own version of the famous logo. He also saw the words Lethbridge (Alberta, Canada) on the metal so he’s trying to track down the history behind his old International.
The interior of his truck is an interesting blend of old, new and ratrod.
The old license plates on the floor are for show because the cab was in great shape. The dash is relatively intact, but the dashboard and steering column are pure 2004 Chevy truck plus there are new gauges to tell Erik exactly how the small-block Chevy is doing. He also has a hidden Bluetooth sound system to make the driving more of 21st Century experience.
Erik’s goal was to make his truck into a daily driver. That’s a common goal for most car guys, but Erik took his ’51 International to another level. He contracts his welding truck out to his employer, so the old truck goes to work every day—it makes a big impression at every jobsite.
He has had one incident when a front driver’s side tire exploded at highway speed and blew up the front fender, but Erik put it back together and the truck was back on the road. There’s a brilliance to Erik’s plan for his 1951 IHC L-130—he summed it up this way.
I get to drive my fun stuff every day and the boss pays my gas bills.
Erik Thornton
By: Jerry Sutherland
Jerry Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer with a primary focus on the collector car hobby. His work has been published in many outlets and publications, including the National Post, Calgary Herald, Edmonton Journal, Ottawa Citizen, Montreal Gazette, Saskatoon StarPhoenix, Regina Leader-Post, Vancouver Sun and The Truth About Cars. He is also a regular contributor to Auto Roundup Publications.
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