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1937 Chevrolet Barnboard Truck House!

What’s not to love about the marriage of two splendid hobbies: the love of old trucks and the artistry of reclaimed wood carpentry? Witness right here the result of that marriage. Thanks to Ikey Heyman for finding this unique 1937 Chevrolet TruckHouse for sale here on craigslist in Austin, Texas for just $24,500.

Henry Ford once bought more than 300,000 acres of timberland in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to harvest lumber.  Why?  Ford had an obsession for corporate self-sufficiency in making cars so timber was needed for widely utilized wood parts. The reclaimed barnwood used to build this TinyHouse on the back of the truck makes this TruckHouse a model for self-sufficiency that Henry would be proud of.  Plenty of great features about this 1937 1 1/2 ton truck—it’s a very well-preserved survivor that runs well, has a clear title, and even retains its original 6-volt electrical system. Justin, the owner/carpenter-in-chief, had a professional paint job applied to the all-steel cab but, sadly, the “Lone Star Watermelon Farms” lettering is merely a figment of their imaginations.

Ah! Location, location, location!  Here we have a lovely 1br 0ba studio, genuine shiplap walls with a shabby chic dry-brush finish, warmly stained pinewood floors, and plenty of natural light all awaiting your finishing decorating touches and your kitchen ideas!  See the amazing example of a reclaimed beadboard ceiling with its original paint and must-see patina! A bed-over-cab nook features a matching mattress with a full-width built-in sofa that seconds as a bed ladder! Electrical outlets are all-modern, three-prong grounded and the heat is electric, too!  Antique repurposed light fixtures and antique two-man saw are included!

For 1937, Chevrolet introduced a “new” engine and synchronized transmission design in its six-cylinder trucks, touting four-way engine lubrication, full-length water jackets around each cylinder, and a four bearing crankshaft.  Read more about the 1937 Chevy Trucks from the GM Heritage Center here. This engine looks every bit as original as seen in the GM sales literature, including the horn attached to the exhaust manifold. No doubt there may be a bright future in the mating of moving vehicles and living accommodations—owner Justin is onto something with his well-crafted 1937 Chevy 1 ½ ton Lone Star Watermelon Farms creation.

Comments

  1. HoA Howard A Member

    First, I see a new name, welcome aboard, Mike, and 2nd, let’s get one thing straight, “just” $24,500? There’s nothing “just” about 5 figure classics. For me, this is pure silliness. Someone obviously cared more about the house than the truck, and while tiny houses are catching on, mostly because that’s all people can afford( a new average 2 bedroom house in Colorado, w/lot, is up to almost $675,000) mounting it on a nice truck like this, is a poor choice. I mean, it’s not like you are going to drive this monstrosity around. Mount it on a trailer of some sort, and pull it to it’s destination, then enjoy the truck separately. The l 30’s had such beautiful Art Deco designs, with somewhat modern features, and then to ruin it with some classy outhouse. I’m sure geomechs will agree.

    Like 14
    • Avatar geomechs Member

      Yes, I agree.

      Like 5
  2. Avatar Rex Kahrs Member

    It puts me in mind of Jed Clampett.

    Like 9
  3. Avatar Mike T Member

    Funny, Rex, I have been singing that doggone “Beverly Hillbillies” theme song for two days straight now. “. . .poor mountaineer barely kept his family fed. . .”

    Thank you, too, Howard, for noticing my byline. I am glad to meet, and to reach out to as many readers as possible and keep an open dialog. I will try and respond to as many posts as I can and have found it fun so far.

    I worked my way through college working hard days, nights and weekends as a set builder with my “expertise” leaning toward cabinetmaking. I realize the work, sweat, time and splinters invested in making a piece like this and
    give every artist the benefit of the doubt to express his or her talent. In the end, that is the point of art: an expression for the purpose of eliciting an emotional response–whatever that may be.

    I truly love Art Deco in every application–buildings, art, cars, trucks–and appreciate your obvious appreciation for those years. Take a look at the GM piece where I made a link in the post for a real Deco treat with the drawings, writing and design of the literature.

    I enjoyed your comments to this post and hope we can connect often.

    Like 9
    • Avatar i8afish

      Home is where you park it. The front porch needs a rocking chair, banjo and spitoon, throw a still out back shoot some varmints. Dang that heffer’s purdy!

      Like 6
      • Avatar Mike Tarutis Member

        Hmm. . .add a dude with a Martin six-string and let’s make a movie! Let’s call it “Delivery”. . .”Deliverer”. . .”Devilish” “Deliver Ants” . . .something like that.

        Like 5
  4. Avatar Rex Kahrs Member

    Nice to meet you, Mike. I’m 35 years in the carpentry business, and my wife was/is a professional ballerina, so she’s been around the stage all her life. And my in-laws have a house full of Art Deco stuff, so we have a lot in common!

    Like 4
    • Avatar Mike Tarutis Member

      Just finished a kitchen full of inset door cabinets made with 1″ poplar face frames. Thankfully, the spousal unit chose Shaker doors so I still have all my fingers. This project kept us sane and home during the COVID main panic. Maybe not completely sane–she wanted 23 recessed lights in LR DR KIT. Hope to get people to come out, respond, become part of the conversation and laugh once in a while–don’t you miss laughing?

      Like 4
  5. Avatar Big_Fun Member

    I am seeing two wonderful projects near completion. Two that should be next to each other, not mishmashed together.
    Each distracts from one another, and that’s a shame.

    Like 2
  6. Avatar Steve

    I’ll give you 7k for the truck,you can keep the house.

    Like 7
  7. Avatar RexFox Member

    The truck seems like a pretty nice addition to the house. Kind of like having an antique vehicle in front of your business, the beautiful truck greeting you when you come home would be pretty sweet.

    Like 1
  8. Avatar Steve RM

    This truck looks good but you have to wonder about the electrical situation. How are you going to power a little house with a 6 volt electrical system. That means adding a generator and batteries.

    Like 2
    • Avatar Dickie F.

      Steve, I am sure a few solar panels can power this lot up once stationary. And the refrigerator while driving.
      This could be doable, obviously no thought was given to hilly sections of road, or the feared crosswind……
      Maybe this is not a good idea, so back to the Winnebago Indian.

      Like 2
  9. Avatar Johnmloghry

    Put a toilet in there you’ve got a port a potty on wheels. Great for the person with chronic case of the trots. Lol. Actually, put on a coat of natural wood stain and Thompson water seal and paint the roof you could have a very handsome and unique show piece. Imagine sitting on your back porch at a car show sipping whatever is you choice of beverage enjoying the sights and conversation of other car enthusiasts.
    God bless America

    Like 6
  10. Avatar David Miraglia

    Refugee from Top gear.

    Like 1
  11. Avatar Bob

    I have a plan! Buy this thing drive it up to Beverly Hills, park it in front of one of those multi million dollar homes. Then when the complaints start rolling in, ask the homeowners to cough up a few hundred bucks and you will remove it. Sort of a rolling ghetto, with blackmail overtones.

    Like 4
    • Avatar Mike Tarutis Member

      Love the entrepreneurial bent to that! Made me laugh!

      Like 2
  12. Avatar Mark Evans

    Nice Outhouse on Wheels. Sure made me smile. Thanks.

    Like 2
  13. Avatar BR

    How long do you think the horn would last if it was attached to the exhaust manifold?

    Like 1
    • Avatar Mike Tarutis Member

      Nice catch BR! IF there were prizes, you get one. Note to self: maybe limit it to ONE bottle of wine before writing.

      Like 2
  14. Avatar deak E Stevens

    Got to be the most bored person in the world,I would have built a nice flatbed with stakes,anything but this!!!

    Like 0
  15. Avatar Mike T

    If I owed it, the wood body would be sent to the dump and the truck restored. I drove a ‘37 1 1/2 Chevy with a dump body that my boss owned in the late’50s and it was a nice truck.

    Like 0
  16. Avatar Eric_13cars Member

    Beautiful truck. Lovely woodworking. Clearly someone’s put a lot of work into their inspiration. I respect that from an artistic perspective. The price for a one-off piece of art is understandable.

    On the other hand, from a vehicular perspective, it’s clearly a non-starter. Others know more about this 6 cylinder OHV engine, but I have a hard time seeing this being driven very far or for very long. That wood has to weigh a proverbial ton. Add in the components to make an RV and you’d have a hard time to get it moving, let alone driving. As an advertisement for a business as lawn art, it might work. But I’m not much of a camper myself (Motel 6 is about as much roughing it I can take).

    Like 2
  17. Avatar BR

    And those hideous resto-mod Cokers definitely have to go, regardless of what happens to the barn on the back. Too bad he couldn’t have dreamed up a wooden dump bed.

    Like 0
  18. Avatar bowmade

    With-out going down Alice’s Rabbit Hole this could have both doomsday preppers and first time home buyers interested. With Magic Mushrooms on the ballet in the District of Columbia who knows what the next four years will bring.

    Like 2
  19. Avatar stillrunners

    Been listed for a while….a looong while…..they might think of dropping the price or paying to list it on a larger venue site.

    Like 0
  20. Avatar Rex Kahrs Member

    Wait, it just occurred to me: how about a fleet of these as porta-Johns at the next rally?

    Like 0
  21. Avatar Johnmloghry

    This is what I love about barn finds. Everyone has a different opinion and they can express it and if I don’t agree I don’t argue, no I just hit delete. Magically their opinion just disappears.
    God bless America

    Like 5
  22. Avatar BR

    @Johnmloghry
    I want to know how you do that. I want to delete the asinine posts without deleting the ones written by adults.
    Yeah, dog bless America, and dog is my co-pilot too.

    Like 1
    • Avatar bowmade

      A Boy and His dog?

      Like 0
      • Avatar Steve RM

        The movie?

        Like 0
  23. Avatar dogwater

    Looks top heavy wouldn’t want to drive it in a wind storm……..

    Like 2
  24. Avatar Rolls-Royce

    I allways like such a car, it looks like a real Amarican campertruck.
    (I know it in the USA).

    Like 0

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