1946 International KB3

One of my two retirement projects, this is a 1946 KB3 International with a Railway Express Agency delivery body. I found this in the trees on an abandoned farmstead in North Dakota that I hay every summer. My father-in-law used to rent the farm before he retired and knew the family. He made a call from the nursing home to a descendent of the family that owned the farmstead and it is now mine. The truck was last licensed in 1957 in Minnesota.

The story is that relatives of this North Dakota family bought the truck in Minnesota to take into Canada. They were stopped at the border, so brought it back to the relatives farm in North Dakota and parked it where is sat until I moved it 3.5 miles to my farm last summer. Although there were many Railway Express Agency delivery trucks, it doesn’t appear there are many left, especially with an International clip. So, I am learning about 40s Internationals as I try to find the needed components to get it back to rolling condition. Just got a running flathead straight six Green Diamond 214 cubic inch engine for it last week. I’ve only seen one other International clip on at REA body to this point. Others I’ve seen are Chevys, Fords, and Dodges.

Knut Gjovik
North Dakota

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7 Responses to “1946 International KB3”

  1. Rick Ardell

    There is on near my house. Cool vehicle. Does anybody know if these are only railway express trucks with this flat windsheild and the square box on back?

  2. Joe

    I recently got a 46 KB3 with steel flatbed on it. I know nothing about them but I’m wanting to do a full restoration on it. I actually got the title with it as well.

  3. Kevin Wlodarski

    My wife's family name Horntvedt. The family still farms out of Columbus ND. They are 8 miles from the border crossing which would put a closed sign up at evening when the agent went home. Have spent many a time going through old homesteads that people would leave everything when they either left for greener pastures or for that great wheat filed in the sky. Good luck with your project. What city is your farm near?

  4. Bob Donmoyer

    Hi Knut, I know these trucks well, when I was 10 or 11 years old back in the 50's, things were tough in those days so someone in the relation bought one of these trucks, and believe it was in rough shape, but ran fairly well. We would use it to make runs to the coal mines in central Pennsylvania about 60 miles round trip and shovel the truck full of coal that was dropped from the conveyer belts. This is how we heated our family homes in those days, but let me tell you the brakes were terrible, stopped on a hill, I'm hanging on the emergency brake for dear life. Now they are taking these trucks and turning them into street rods, it's amazing what they are doing with the old delivery trucks. Best of luck with yours

  5. rdofloor

    did you get a title of it and if not how easy was it to get one? rdofloor@iowatelecom.net

  6. wmiller263

    This truck is beautiful. Look at those hood lines. Don't remember if I've ever seen the International models though. I'm very excited for you. Please brother, post some more pictures, you made me hungry for more. Wild Bill

  7. Larry Buckmiller

    Hi Knut part of my family are from the Driscol, Steele North Dakota area on those old farms you can find all kinds of goodies some times in the yards or in the tree's behind the house or barn you made a good find. When I read your story the old memories all came back to me....the farm great place a great quiet place s of these old farms that have gone belly up