Travelalls Serve As Redneck Limos
 ✖  |
Ed Sohm, from Battle Creek, Iowa, owns Redneck Limo. He had his International Harvester Travelalls at the ill-fated 2024 Red Power Roundup in Spencer, Iowa. Being in emergency management for environmental health, Sohm was consumed with work when rain and flooding hit, causing the show’s closure and emergency evacuations.
Before the rains, Sohm and his daughter, Claire, had three of his Travelalls, “Chip,” “Betty” and “Bob,” on display. “Bob,” his first Travelall, purchased in 2013, is a 1972 Airporter five-door blue model with a luggage rack on top. Originally used by a large family and to transport a band, “Bob” was at a bike rental business before Sohm bought it.
Sohm’s second Travelall, “Betty,” is a blue 1970 model decked out with horns. Getting “Betty” up and running was a big job. Sold new in Albert Lea, Minn., Sohm found it in 2017, in Virginia, Minn. Previously used as a promotional vehicle for a Coors Light distributor, Sohm said, “I have pictures of ‘Betty’ with ‘The Silver Bullet’ on the back windows.”
“We take ‘Bob’ and ‘Betty’ out to Sturgis. This is my seventh year; it’s a lot of fun. It’s neat to be part of the event.”
“Orville,” Sohm’s third Travelall, is a 1971 white, 8-door Travelall residing at the Harvester Homecoming Museum. “I purchased it in rural Nebraska in 2019, it was said to have been originally used at the Omaha airport, and then as a tour rig for the Dick Wickman Orchestra.”
“Chip,” the fourth and last of Sohm’s Travelall stable, was purchased in 2022. “Chip” is a white 1973 Traveall coach and is 98% factory. It’s the one of the bunch that sports the Redneck plates. “Chip” was used in South Dakota by a man who guided pheasant hunts (Buffalo Chip Tours). That’s how “Chip” got his name.
Sohm never intended to have a limo service. It began with a group of local women who get together monthly for an outing. “They’re the ‘Dressers,’ as in clothes dressers. They put $50.00 in their dresser drawer each month,” Sohm shared. “The group is limited to 12 women, and each month, someone is in charge of what they do. One asked me to take them to Sioux City in September 2013. At that time, I’d had ‘Bob’ for six months.”
The girls liked the redneck theme and hired Sohm to drive them during a Redneck Pub Crawl, where they raised $24,000 for charity. This led to getting many calls, and Sohm reports, “The limo is booked most every weekend.”
Sohm shares the limo driving with his 24-year-old daughter Claire, who helps when not attending nursing school.
Sohm’s interest in big vehicles began as a child, and he especially loved the red Farmalls. “I’m an IH guy; I bought my first Scout in 1989.”
His interest in Scouts led Sohm to add Travelalls to his collection. Introduced in 1953, Travelalls were manufactured in Springfield, Ohio, until 1973. Based on the R-Series full-size truck, they were like panel vans with windows added. These two-door and four-door 4-WD models were advertised as “America’s Every Purpose BIG Capacity Station Wagon.”
The limo version came when International Harvester partnered with the Armbruster Stageway Company of Fort Smith, Ark. Armbruster Stageway originally restored horse-drawn wagons. The company changed over time, and when asked to stretch a vehicle for a bus company, it built the first combustion-engine limousine. Then, it built limos for the International Harvester Company.
Click here to download page story appeared in.
Click here to read entire issue
Travelalls Serve As Redneck Limos Ed Sohm from Battle Creek Iowa owns Redneck Limo He had his International Harvester Travelalls at the ill-fated 2024 Red Power Roundup in Spencer Iowa Being in emergency management for environmental health Sohm was consumed with work when rain and flooding hit causing the show’s closure and emergency evacuations Before the rains Sohm and his daughter Claire had three of his Travelalls “Chip ” “Betty” and “Bob ” on display “Bob ” his first Travelall purchased in 2013 is a 1972 Airporter five-door blue model with a luggage rack on top Originally used by a large family and to transport a band “Bob” was at a bike rental business before Sohm bought it Sohm’s second Travelall “Betty ” is a blue 1970 model decked out with horns Getting “Betty” up and running was a big job Sold new in Albert Lea Minn Sohm found it in 2017 in Virginia Minn Previously used as a promotional vehicle for a Coors Light distributor Sohm said “I have pictures of ‘Betty’ with ‘The Silver Bullet’ on the back windows ” “We take ‘Bob’ and ‘Betty’ out to Sturgis This is my seventh year; it’s a lot of fun It’s neat to be part of the event ” “Orville ” Sohm’s third Travelall is a 1971 white 8-door Travelall residing at the Harvester Homecoming Museum “I purchased it in rural Nebraska in 2019 it was said to have been originally used at the Omaha airport and then as a tour rig for the Dick Wickman Orchestra ” “Chip ” the fourth and last of Sohm’s Travelall stable was purchased in 2022 “Chip” is a white 1973 Traveall coach and is 98% factory It’s the one of the bunch that sports the Redneck plates “Chip” was used in South Dakota by a man who guided pheasant hunts Buffalo Chip Tours That’s how “Chip” got his name Sohm never intended to have a limo service It began with a group of local women who get together monthly for an outing “They’re the ‘Dressers ’ as in clothes dressers They put $50 00 in their dresser drawer each month ” Sohm shared “The group is limited to 12 women and each month someone is in charge of what they do One asked me to take them to Sioux City in September 2013 At that time I’d had ‘Bob’ for six months ” The girls liked the redneck theme and hired Sohm to drive them during a Redneck Pub Crawl where they raised $24 000 for charity This led to getting many calls and Sohm reports “The limo is booked most every weekend ” Sohm shares the limo driving with his 24-year-old daughter Claire who helps when not attending nursing school Sohm’s interest in big vehicles began as a child and he especially loved the red Farmalls “I’m an IH guy; I bought my first Scout in 1989 ” His interest in Scouts led Sohm to add Travelalls to his collection Introduced in 1953 Travelalls were manufactured in Springfield Ohio until 1973 Based on the R-Series full-size truck they were like panel vans with windows added These two-door and four-door 4-WD models were advertised as “America’s Every Purpose BIG Capacity Station Wagon ” The limo version came when International Harvester partnered with the Armbruster Stageway Company of Fort Smith Ark Armbruster Stageway originally restored horse-drawn wagons The company changed over time and when asked to stretch a vehicle for a bus company it built the first combustion-engine limousine Then it built limos for the International Harvester Company
To read the rest of this story, download this issue below or click
here to register with your account number.
