International Harvester "Loadstars"

Psst..don't tell my wife, but I've been having a love affair since my teenage years..oh, wait..
She already knows about it.
Since 7th grade, I have been fascinated and intrigued with the International Harvester trucks known as "Loadstars." They were made in several size models..the 1600, 1700, and 1800 series, with various models under each series.
The school bus in 7th grade was an International Loadstar 1700. I believe my love affair with IH and Loadstars began then.
I've already told you here on the blog that I have a visual disability. I can't take a vehicle on the highway, at least not legally.
"G.T." sent me an email yesterday about Loadstars, and one that he located about 2 miles away from home. He told the story about finding it, working on it, fixing it up and such..all over the past nine years.
I finally got my truck last summer..from eBay, of all places.
Yep, I was one nervous bidder. I figured the bids would go high and put it into the "higher than I want to go" category, since there are older trucks. I located one I liked on eBay last June, and placed a bid at the starting amount, $499,
just minutes before time on the item expired.
That $499 bid was the winning bid! Boy, was I a happy camper.
This truck was not 2 miles away from home. It was in Pennsylvania. I'm not close to PA at all. So it cost another $1100-ish to have it hauled here.
I actually love this old truck. It's a 1974 Loadstar 1600 farm truck, with a flatbed and stake sides and a seat in the cab that could use an upholstery job. I've cleaned years of farm dust out of the interior. The brakes don't work right.
It needs windshield wipers. Some rust-o-leum and a coat of paint wouldn't hurt.
However, it starts good, although it could use a new battery. It's drivable around the farm. I've used it to haul tree limbs away, out of the long driveway and our yard.
You won't be finding THIS truck listed on eBay anytime soon, if ever.