Truck, IH Metro Van

History: The Metro was conceived as a route delivery van or utility rig with ample room for cargo and an emphasis on maneuverability. The original 1939 Metro was based on the International D-series light-truck chassis and was offered with a short 102-inch wheelbase or a long 113-inch wheelbase. International didn't manufacture the Metro's body--that was left up to the Metropolitan Body Co. in Bridgeport, Connecticut. While modern step-van bodies are built from aluminum, the Metro's double-wall shell was fashioned from steel with an air space between inner and outer panels as well as insulation hidden above the inside ceiling.

In the rear was the "Metro Magic" overhead door that was weighted to stay open at any height. Buyers could also opt for double barn-style swinging doors, which opened wide to accommodate larger items in the Metro's cargo bay.

In the cockpit, controls and gauges were minimal. On the instrument panel, two round bezels housed a gauge cluster and a speedometer. To the driver's left, there was a manual choke and throttle as well as a dome lamp switch. To his right, a switch for the exterior lights, an ignition key and starter button. Both the handbrake and the shift lever were long enough to reach from the driver's seat (which was more of a stool, really, with a curved back), while the big steering wheel was high and oddly angled to afford the driver unobstructed access through the sliding side door during deliveries. Some practicality was even built into the Metro's engine cover: It was topped with a ribbed tray that had a slight edge around the circumference to serve as a place for packages or a driver's clipboard.

Railroad/Company: The International Harvester Company (abbreviated first IHC and later IH) was a United States manufacturer of agricultural machinery, construction equipment, trucks, and household and commercial products. Its reorganized successor, after spin-off of several of those businesses, is Navistar International. In 1902, J.P. Morgan merged the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company and Deering Harvester Company, along with three smaller agricultural equipment firms, to form International Harvester. In 1985, International Harvester sold off most of its agricultural division to Tenneco, Inc., which merged it into its subsidiary J.I. Case under the Case IH brand. Following the terms of IH's agreement with Tenneco, the remainder of International Harvester (primarily heavy trucks) became Navistar International Corporation in 1986.

From Wikipedia