Which company manufactured the International Metro Van?

International Harvester manufactured the International Metro Van. The vehicle was sold as part of International Harvester’s commercial-truck range, although its distinctive body originated with the Metropolitan Body Company.

The Metro was built as a forward-control delivery vehicle, placing the driver ahead of the engine and maximizing usable cargo space. That layout made it especially useful for stop-and-go urban work, including bakery and milk deliveries, ambulance service, mobile offices and communications vehicles. Different versions could be configured as panel vans, passenger coaches, walk-in cabs or chassis for specialized bodies.

The Metropolitan Body Company initially supplied Metro bodies for several truck manufacturers. After World War II, however, it produced the bodies exclusively for International Harvester. International Harvester then integrated the Metro with its own light- and medium-duty truck components, including engines, transmissions, axles and brakes.

The company relationship became even closer in January 1948, when International Harvester made Metropolitan Body Company a wholly owned subsidiary. That history explains why the van’s name combines the Metro design with International Harvester’s manufacturing identity.