1912 International

Auto Wagon

Made by Mr. Ken Smithson

Ken started collecting parts in the early 1970s with photographs and design drawings of the original auto wagons. Ken made a lot of the parts for the auto wagon as some of the parts were beyond repair. He put in a 1967 Pontiac Acadian four-cylinder motor.

The wagon is fully road-legal, with a modern day turn signals, brake lights, and a horn.

C-1 Serial No. C12488M

C-1 Series 1934-1937

This truck was purchased new by Emil Hjelmeseth in 1935. He was one of the early pioneer Hjelmeseth brothers of Hoadley. Emil used his winnings from a $10,000 Irish Sweepstakes ticket he had previously won that year.

Ken bought the fifty-year-old vehicle in 1984 and restored it in 1985. It was used after restoration in a television commercial for the 636 lottery.

D-2 Serial NO. D22408

D-2 Series 1937-1940

Ken acquired this 1938 truck from Clarence Eklund in 1982. At the time it hadn't run for twenty years. Ken had it going in about three days. He restored it fully in 1984.

K-1 Serial NO. 1885

K-1 Series 1940-1947

Ken used two trucks to make this truck. Both were 1941s, and both were maroon in color. Also, both serial numbers were only two numbers apart, #1885 and #1887, so both must have come on the same flatcar.

KB-1 Serial NO. 4480

KB-1 Series 1947-1949

The truck was completely restored in 1984 by Ken. After restoration, it was the feature vehicle in the movie "Isaac Littlefeathers". The truck was driven by the film star, Lou Jacobi.

L110 Serial NO. 8157

L110 Series 1949-1952

Ken originally bought the truck from Walter Peabody at Hoag's garage in Rimbey for $575 in 1958. He later traded it to Montalbetti Bros., Bluffton in 1963. Ken later bought the truck back and sold it to Bob Marshall in Wetaskiwin.

Somehow Ken kept track of this old girl who was called Nellie-Bell by his girls. Vern Stewart donated the truck to Ken in 1981 and was fully restored in 1982.

R110 Serial NO. 7845C

R110 Series 1953-1955

Ken got this truck from Clarence Eklund in 1982 and restored it in 1985.

The 11953-54 R series had a two-piece back window. It had smaller side windows. They were the same cab as the L series. The 1955 R series had a one-piece back window and the same cab as the S series.

S100 Serial NO. 7473C

S100 Series 1955-1957

Ken bought the truck in 1981 from James Pulsifer of James River Bridge, Alberta. It was designated the "Painters' Truck" as it had been owned by professional painters who had left it dribbled all over with many colors of paint.

Ken restored it in 1985, and Rimbey Collision Repair did the bodywork.

A100 Serial NO. 1126C3677C

1957 Golden Anniversary International

There were less than 500 of this edition produced. This 1957 Anniversary Edition was purchased by the Town of Rimbey in 2001 to be restored and donated to the collection in recognition of Rimbey's 100th Anniversary.

A100 Serial NO. 2515C

A100 Series 1957-1959

This truck was also used in the motion picture "Isaac Littlefeathers", and was also driven by Lou Jacobi. Little of its early history is known. Ken Bought it from Clarence Eklund in 1981 and restored it in 1984.

B100 Serial NO. C2020A

B100 Series 1957-1959

The truck was bought from Johnny Walters of Leedale and restored in 1987. Ken acquired it in 1985.

The B series was the first to come with the V8 motor. They had 304's and 345's. This one had a 304 and a three-speed transmission. Ken took them out and put in a B-264 six-cylinder and a four-speed transmission.

C110 Serial NO. CW13630A6

C110 Series 1961-1962

The truck was listed in one of Norm Moore's auction sales at Buck Creek, Alberta in 1985. It was supposed to have been restored, but the job had not been done to Ken's rigid specifications. The repairs took a great deal of work and it was ready to show in 1986.

This truck was sponsored in June 2006 by Petro-Canada, Wilson Creek, and Gilby Plants for further restoration costs of $1000.

C1100 Serial NO. CW39593A6

C1100 Series 1963-1964

A man in Yeoford owned two of these 1963 trucks, when he died his son-in-law contacted Ken to see if he wanted to buy one. To restore it Ken had to rely heavily on parts from other trucks. The motor, transmission, and other parts came from Frank Watt, of Rimbey. Other parts were also obtained from John Lewis of Bluffton. Still other bits and pieces were found at John Lauridsen's, Bluffton, and the truck was restored in 1986.

D1100 Serial NO. CW59219A6

D1100 Series 1965

This truck was bought from Emil Stieger in 1985 and restored in 1986. It had come earlier from Thomas Rumpel in Calgary.

The truck was driven to shows and parades by Clifford Vigen and turned over the 100,000-mile digit in 1989.

1100A Serial NO. C13150C005320

1100A Series 1966

The truck was purchased from Clarence Eklund in 1985 and Ken restored it in 1989. Clarence called it the sawmill truck because it had been used in a sawmill near Rocky Mountain House.

This truck was sponsored in June 2006 by Petro-Canada, Wilson Creek, and Gilby Plant for further restoration costs of $1000.

Mike Bunting and Lynne Ings of Bluffton sold this 1967 model to Ken. It had been bought new in Thorhild, Alberta, and used for more than 20 years on their farm as their work truck. Ken got it in 1985 and did not restore it until 1989. This truck took the least parts and the least time to restore.

1100B Serial NO. 713108C01951

1100B Series 1967

1100C Serial NO. 213108C033611

1100C Series 1968-1969

This truck was the last one restored in 1989. Ken obtained it from Clarence Eklund in 1985. Spring of 1990 was the last time this truck had been on the road.

This truck was sponsored in June 2005 by Conoco Phillips with additional restoration costs of $1000.

1100D Serial NO. 3131084025307

1100D Series 1970

Ken obtained this truck from John Lewis, Bluffton in 1985. John had bought it at an auction sale but had driven it very little. While in running order it had several defects. The brakes were worn out, it leaked oil and it showed numerous rust patches. It was restored in 1989.

1010 Serial NO. 112108H319333

1010 Series 1971

The truck was bought from Peter Baker, Leslieville, Alberta in 1985. Baker's father-in-law had bought it new.

This truck had a plastic grill, and there were not very many like it. Baker was using it but Ken needed it and spent two or three years negotiating. Finally and reluctantly, Baker parted with it, and Ken restored it in 1988.

1110 Serial NO. B13105H243016

1110 Series 1972-1973

This truck was bought by Ken from Lloyd Strain, who lived northeast of Hoadley. Lloyd had bought it as a used vehicle from Roper's Ltd. in Rimbey.

A fender and door had to be replaced, the originals had been damaged by being run into with a disc in the farmyard. Ken got it in 1980 and completed restorations in 1986.

100 Serial NO. 4H1C0DHB50538

100 Series 1974

International Harvester Company ceased Manufacturing pick-up trucks in 1974. This one rolled off the assembly line on December 16, 1974.

Ken bought two 1974 trucks and combined the best parts of both. The cabs were identical. Restorations were completed in 1988.