Gearing up a new vehicle design is hard enough normally, but after several years of literally a world war when you’re throwing everything you have into a victory, it’s understandable that it took a few years for totally new vehicles to hit the market after the end of WWII in 1945. This 1949 Studebaker 2R10 Pickup is one of those new designs, and it’s listed here on eBay in Los Angeles, California. The seller is asking $9,750 or you can make an offer.
From the spring of 1948 through 1954, Studebaker made the 2R series of trucks in both light-duty and medium-duty. They were a modern upgrade to the previous M-series that started production in the late 1930s. This is a 2R10, which is a 3/4-ton version, and they also offered a 2R5 (half-ton), 2R15 (one-ton), 2R16 (1.5-ton), and a 2R17 (two-ton). Late in the series with sales dropping fast, the company slightly redesigned the grille and some interior pieces such as the dash, and it received a one-piece windshield and was named the 3R. That model was only made for a few months before the E-series came out for the 1955 model year.
This truck looks good in the photos, but it clearly appears to have had a somewhat recent paint job, right over everything including rust holes. We don’t know if anything else is lurking under the paint, I wish it had been kept in its original appearance. They don’t give too much information about this truck other than it “may require some cosmetic and mechanical work to achieve roadworthiness”, and there are receipts for maintenance between 1987 and 2018. Hagerty is at $7,800 for a #4 fair-condition truck, which would mean a running, driving, stopping truck.
The interior was “spruced up” as well but is fairly rough around the edges as you can see. The seller does provide a lot of great photos and they have been in the business of selling vintage vehicles for many years so they’re good at it. The underside looks solid from what we can see, as does the bed, so maybe this truck wouldn’t be as tough of a project as I thought initially. The round clutch and brake pedal pads are fantastic and this one has a three-speed manual on the column.
The engine should be Studebaker’s Econ-O-Miser, a 169.6-cu.in. L-head inline-six with 80 horsepower that flows through a Borg-Warner three-speed manual with column shifter to the Dana rear end and the two rear wheels. We don’t know if it runs or not as the seller is a little cryptic in that regard, but this sure looks like a great project pickup. Are there any Studebaker pickup fans or owners out there?
You know Scotty, The very first thing I thought of when I saw this. Theres a huge construction company in NJ named J. FLETCHER Creamer and sons. You can’t drive anywhere in Northern NJ without seeing one of their unique colored trucks. Working somewhere. So when I saw this Studebaker painted in this color, I couldn’t help but wonder if they got a gallon of paint off of them for their Studebaker. You have to admit. It hides dirt very well. But rust holes….. Not so much. Buy I like these Studebakers and would love to own one one day.
organizacao e progresso
L.A. :0, oh no, hope they are okay. They’re fine. I’m finding out L.A. is so big, a nucular[sic] blast or equivalent could occur on one side, and the rest goes on another busy day.
Studebaker seemed to have its heyday right after the war. Like Jeep, people had a kindred relationship with Studebaker, may have saved their life. Well, that faded pretty quick, and even though these were a new design, they couldn’t compete with Ford and Chevy. Studebaker ( Dodge and IH) were the “anti” Ford and Chevy, and were a big hit with opinionated farmers and rural folks. Generally, “city slickers” drove Fords. Great find, the electric wipers a nice change, and that air cleaner might add 3 mph, but 55 will be about it, and bounce your way home.
I broke my rule of not reading your comments. I assume the first couple lines allude to the fire situation. Not sure how they contribute to relevant conversation about the Studebaker truck.
My “rule” too, lol. There are many things to observe about this truck without bringing other subjects into the conversation. I find two things odd about this truck: Painting right over rust holes (who knows what else is hidden), and the choice of color. I thought it might be some kind of primer, but it has a gloss to it.
CT Dave
My rule 3…..as a past owner of one of these like truck – yes a small six and a three on the tree – it didn’t haul any thing fast but HAUL it did. Never overloaded it even when I went for rock at the rock place….he kept say’n are you sure. It was a small beast. Pictures of it somewhere – it was one of Mr. Fleachers fleet trucks.
It’s been on the Studebaker site as well so I would have to say it’s overpriced…..lots to love about these early Stude trucks…..first with an all metal bed, first to move the gas tank inbetween the frame rails and first to remove the running boards – all 1948…..how long did it take the others ?
Primitive maybe, but a really compelling design (at least for me). I’d like to have one-but probably without any serious rust. this would be marginal condition for me.
I learned to drive a 3 on the column in a ’52 1/2 ton version of one of these with my Dear Uncle Don giving me the lesions. It was a dark green and I really liked the style of these more so than the F100’s of the mid 50’s. I wanted to buy it from him when I was old enough to have a drivers license and swap a modern V8 in it with an Alternator instead of the generator. I remember that the starter worked off of a plate on the clutch pedal so you could not start it unless you pressed the clutch in all the way. An inexpensive start in gear protection feature. It was also 6 volts but I do not remember if it was negative or positive ground.
What bolt pattern are those wheels, they look the Army trucks of the era……BTW I have a 79 FJ55 done n that same color…..
Those 6 lug were the same as Dodge and Iternational 3/4…..
Uncle Albert bought one new — 3 pickups came in to a local garage – a pair of brothers snapped them up two right away and he got the third one. 2R10, 3-speed column shift and the small 6-banger engine. I still have it.
I had one of these in the early ’70’s, the 1/2 ton version. It was pretty sturdy and easy to work on – luckily there was a junkyard not too far from me that had a number of this era Studie trucks. The vacuum operated wipers were not a lot of fun during a downpour, as anybody who experienced those can tell you.
For sale at BH car club. Any questions? Looks like they dodged a bullet,so far.
Why o why did they paint this truck in “Baby Sh*t Brown” colored paint? What were they thinking?