1948 International Harvester KB-1. Photo from wikimedia.org.

After World War II, International Harvester (IH) produced a very successful line of trucks, highlighted by stylish good looks and heavy-duty dependability. The K series trucks (1940-1947) solidly put International on top of the market, but the limited run KB series ushered the truck maker into the 1950s with the equally popular L-series trucks.

During the KB series run, slightly over 122,000 KB-1 and KB-2 trucks were sold on the market. Despite these numbers, the KB trucks are rarely seen at shows these days. IH offered a wide range of trucks, from light duty to mid- and heavy-duty trucks.

1948 International Harvester KB-5. Photo from wikipedia.org.

The external differences between the light-duty K-series and KB-series trucks rested mainly in the visual styling changes like the chrome “wings added on the sides of the grille, the wrap-around chrome piece on the hood front, and a hood ornament. The KB-series also offered chrome model designation lettering below the International nameplate on both sides of the hood.

The Green Diamond Engines

International’s light trucks were fitted with the L-head straight six with either the 175-, 214-, or 233-cubic inch engines that IH called the Green Diamond. These modest, green painted engines put out dependable horsepower and delivered great economy for the time. The slightly larger Blue Diamond inline six engines were fitted in the medium duty trucks with the Silver Diamond in the heavy-duty trucks.

A column sifted three-speed transmission was stock with the trucks, but a four-speed floor shift gearbox was optional for the light duty trucks, and stock for the medium duty trucks. These were tough shifting transmissions that took skill to master due to their lack of synchronized gearing.

These trucks were built to pull larger loads despite the engine size. This was achievable in large part to the gearing in both the transmission and rearend. A final drive with the least reduction available on these trucks was the optional 3.72:1. The standard 4.18:1 gear set was stock and an optional 5.11:1 final drive was offered for those wanting a short gear set.

1947 International KB-Series. Photo from wikimedia.org.

Options

Single tail lamps were stock but optional dual tail lamps were available. Other options on the KB series trucks included a rear bumper, dual electric windshield wipers, radio, directional lamps and a heater.

As for the interior, you could get any Naugahyde seat color you wanted as long as it was green. The six exterior paint colors offered were popular colors of the day, but the interior was always green with a black rubber floor mat.

International Harvester KB-Series. Photo from wikimedia.org.

Those popular exterior colors were the same as the K-series trucks: blue, gray, black, red, maroon, and dark green with a base of black for everything below the bottom of the door.

The KB line was discontinued in November of 1949 when the more modern L-Series trucks were unveiled to the public. The KB-series trucks are rare by today’s standards, but are not valued out of the price range of most vintage car buyers pocketbook. With a low range of $5,000 to a high around the $25,000 range, the average is still somewhere around the $10,000 to $12,000 area.