International Harvester Auto-Buggy

The International Harvester Auto-Buggy is a 2-cylinder air-cooled motor car made by International Harvester Corporation. First announced in February 1907 the Auto Buggy was dropped from their range of products in early 1912 but the Auto Wagon continued to 1917.[1]

Auto Buggy

Auto Buggy

Supplied with a pair of bench seats to carry four passengers it was powered by an engine set beneath the car's body, a two-cylinder horizontally opposed air cooled design that produced 18-20 horsepower. It had two forward gears and one reverse gear with a chain drive system to the large "high-wheel" wagon-style rubber-shod wheels at the back.[2] Its high wheels and wide stance gave it the stability and ground clearance to cope with poor roads. Accessories such as a canvas top were optional.[1]

Buyers found it tough and reliable. The many widespread International Harvester dealers made service easy to find.[1]

The Buggy was considered a car and in 1912 when IHC decided to stick just with trucks it was dropped.[1]

Auto Wagon

Late in 1908 a variant was announced with a single bench seat mounted on a well-sided tray in place of the Buggy's automobile-styled body. A second bench seat could be mounted on the Wagon's tray still leaving a very short tray available behind it. IHC's first true truck it was tagged their Model A from 1908 to 1911. There was a wide-track version tagged Model B. Auto Wagon sales in 1909 led the embryo light truck market.[1]

In fact the Wagon had the same chassis and the Wagon seat and tray combination could be put straight onto a Buggy chassis.[1]

• 
  Auto Wagon
• 
  Auto Wagon with tray one bench seat and hood
• 
  1912 Auto Wagon two bench seats and tray
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  Auto Wagon two bench seats and short tray
• 
  Auto Wagon with three bench seats

1907 to 1911 Model AA (air-cooled)

1907 to 1911 Model AW (water-cooled)

1912 to 1917 Model MA (air-cooled) load 800 lbs

or Model MW (water-cooled)

or Model MAX (air-cooled and wide-track)[1]

The range of bodies available included: pickup, delivery, stake-type, panel delivery, and bus. Some became fire trucks.

Pneumatic tires became an option.

1915 to 1917 Model M ½-ton load 1000 lbs

1915 to 1917 Model E ¾-ton load 1500 lbs[1]

• 
  1912 Auto Wagon cranking
• 
  Chain drive
• 
  1914 MW

Replaced by Model F

Announced in 1915 full production of the Auto Wagon replacement began in 1917. Quite different in appearance it had a sloping "coffin-nose" and more important it was a water-cooled four-cylinder without chain-drive and it had low wheels and either solid or pneumatic tires.

References

1. Patrick Foster. International Harvester Trucks, the complete history Motorbooks, 2015 ISBN 9780760348604
2. International Motor Vehicles, Auto Buggies and Auto Wagons. Chicago: International Harvester Co. of America Pages 48. c. 1905. Retrieved 17 June 2015.