The Harvester of Tomorrow

Feature

InTheGarageMedia.com

Dave & Cindy Gutelius’ Korek Designs–Built 1952 International L-Series

BY Rob FortierPHOTOGRAPHY BY John Jackson

T

here’s no such thing as “just a truck.” No matter how ugly or how utilitarian, each and every classic truck ever produced has its own charm, whether that’s an actual physical beauty or some sort of sentimental value—even the good old International Harvesters!

Feature

InTheGarageMedia.com

Dave & Cindy Gutelius’ Korek Designs–Built 1952 International L-Series

BY Rob FortierPHOTOGRAPHY BY John Jackson

T

here’s no such thing as “just a truck.” No matter how ugly or how utilitarian, each and every classic truck ever produced has its own charm, whether that’s an actual physical beauty or some sort of sentimental value—even the good old International Harvesters!

Even with associated names, such as Loadmaster and Schoolmaster, Silver Diamond and Super Blue Diamond, the International L-Series of light- and heavy-duty trucks is often overlooked by the masses (and I will be the first to admit, overlooked almost completely by me up until now … to me, they were “just a truck …”). But despite their being a true purpose-built workhorse, there’s plenty of modern classic truck potential in these blue-collar beauties! To prove that point with absolutely no room for argument, I present to you the Korek-built 1952 I-H L-110.

Owned by Dave and Cindy Gutelius, the truck went under the Korek knife originally due to the fact that their daughters were “embarrassed to ride to school in it before its makeover because it was a ratty farm truck with doors that would come open when you would hit bumps!” Now, it’s likely there isn’t a single vehicle in the entire school parking lot they’d rather ride in! Gone are the original inline-six and three-on-the-tree, rudimentary chassis, and of course those errant door latches—now, the I-H is as nimble handling, quick performing, and pleasant to drive in as a brand-new luxury car!

Even with associated names, such as Loadmaster and Schoolmaster, Silver Diamond and Super Blue Diamond, the International L-Series of light- and heavy-duty trucks is often overlooked by the masses (and I will be the first to admit, overlooked almost completely by me up until now … to me, they were “just a truck …”). But despite their being a true purpose-built workhorse, there’s plenty of modern classic truck potential in these blue-collar beauties! To prove that point with absolutely no room for argument, I present to you the Korek-built 1952 I-H L-110.

Owned by Dave and Cindy Gutelius, the truck went under the Korek knife originally due to the fact that their daughters were “embarrassed to ride to school in it before its makeover because it was a ratty farm truck with doors that would come open when you would hit bumps!” Now, it’s likely there isn’t a single vehicle in the entire school parking lot they’d rather ride in! Gone are the original inline-six and three-on-the-tree, rudimentary chassis, and of course those errant door latches—now, the I-H is as nimble handling, quick performing, and pleasant to drive in as a brand-new luxury car!

Ryan Korek and crew took to the International as they would any project—full force, with the only requirement upon completion: a truly unique, one-of-a-kind vehicle. They started out by completely ditching that fundamental frame and replacing it with an Art Morrison Enterprises chassis—it doesn’t get much better than that … until you throw in a Gen 1 Coyote Boss 302 with a TREMEC Magnum XL manual trans along with the obligatory 14-inch Wilwood brakes semi-concealed by 19/20-inch Foose five-spokes and DSE power rack-and-pinion. Beneath, exhaust is in-house custom mandrel-bent sealed in DEI titanium wrap with MagnaFlow mufflers; above, Korek fabbed up custom covers/shrouding in an appropriate “International” manner.

As for the exterior, well, Korek spared no details when it came to “freshening” up the I-H’s dilapidated sheetmetal. Beneath the custom-mixed PPG metallic paint, the ol’ L-Series has undergone the following modifications: slight chop (inch and a half taken out of the roof cap, with the rear windows dropped an equal amount), hood pancaked, running boards and lower fender edges raised, bed box extended (and fitted with a beautiful maple floor) with leading edge reshaped to match contour of the cab, and handmade (aluminum) tailgate and (steel) bumpers, among many, many other things.

Inside the cab is equally impressive, from the luxurious leather upholstery by Recovery Room Interiors to the formed-maple flooring and color-matched Dakota Digital instrumentation. If you’re trying to figure out the origins of the steering wheel resting atop that ididit column, it’s courtesy of a Studebaker Avanti and now wears a matched leather half-wrap. Additionally, the I-H features Snowden bucket seats, Vintage Air A/C, and an American Autowire Highway 22-plus harness.

Suffice it to say, while the International may not be taking to those bumps in the road quite the way it used to, at the very least, the Gutelius girls definitely won’t be having to worry about the doors flying open like they used to!

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