The weather hasn’t gotten above 25˚ outside this weekend, but I did fight the good fight and get outside when the sun was out to tackle a couple of easy things that didn’t require digging into or laying on snow.

I really want to figure out the backstory on this truck, and there is no VIN tag or data plate anywhere visible. So I dug into the snowbank on the driver’s side to free up the wheel, and jacked up that side. Once I was able to get the wheel off, I used a wire wheel to clean off the frame in front of the shock mount. Way up toward the bumper I was able to find the serial number stamped into the steel:

That’s hard to read, but it says G219425, which roughly decodes as a 1966 model 800, one of 24,410 made that year. There is no easy information available beyond that (when IH went to the 13-digit VIN in 1972, it was easier to get some basic info from the number) but I’ll have to order a lineset ticket from the Wisconsin Historical Society on Monday to learn more.

While I was in there I put the ratchet on the crank bolt and turned the engine over about two full revolutions. It’s sticky in one spot but not stuck; I think when I run it up and clean the cylinders out that should clear up pretty quickly.

Next up, I pulled the distributor cap, rotor, and cover off to get a look at the points and condenser. They’re pretty dirty but might still be serviceable, so I’m going to try them first before buying any parts. I do need to identify this particular model, as it doesn’t look anything like the one in the Scout or the Travelall (sigh.)

Then I scraped off the stamping boss on the side of the engine and confirmed that it is in fact a 196; this engine was a new option for 1966 and could very well have been a 152, but it appears I got lucky—the extra 10 horsepower will make this truck feel like a rocket.