Before there was the Ford Ranchero or the Chevy El Camino, there was the Studebaker Coupe Express. Built for three years, it was a passenger car-based pickup that used the Dictator people mover platform. Production was low, just 5,200 copies from 1937-39. The seller’s edition is from its last year was the seller’s father’s dream project that was never realized. Located in Allendale, Michigan, this rarity is available here on Barn Finds Classifieds for $11,500.
Studebaker borrowed from the corporate parts bin to pull off the Coupe Express so it would have passenger car styling with a full-size truck bed. It utilized an existing frame, running gear, and front sheet metal. A new body stamping formed the truck from the cab rearward. The company sold it as a cab and chassis (fenders attached) so the end-user could fabricate a service box of their own. For each of the truck’s three model years, the styling was updated to reflect changes made to the passenger cars built by Studebaker.
As the story goes, the seller’s dad acquired this truck in 1962 and it went into a barn later to await restoration (it’s wearing plates from 1967, suggesting it was running up until then). Other projects probably got in the way and – 60 years later – no progress has been made. We’re guessing the father has passed on and the seller is looking for someone with the vision to complete what was once intended.
The vehicle’s original L-head six-cylinder flathead-6 is out of the truck but comes with the project. The transmission would be a 3-speed manual which may or may not have come with overdrive (it was an option in 1939). With just 3,000 copies made in 1937, 1,200 in 1938, and another 1,000 in 1939, the Coupe Express was discontinued. This one is going to need a lot of work cosmetically and mechanically, but have you ever seen one on the road?
I think it would make an awesome custom build.
Aw, c’mon …
To my mind, the Studebaker Coupe Express was the best looking pickup ever built. This is rough, but restorable – if a 39 Dictator can be located as a donor, it wouldn’t be too nasty of a task. There are so few of these left, those remaining are like gold.
No such thing as a 39 Dictator. Commander would do the trick.
Far, far too scarce to do anything but a full restoration. Hope the seller has the seat frame. These are probably about the nicest looking pickup ever made IMHO. The automotive front end lends to the clean lines & desirability of this model. It would look great in a soft pastel lt. yellow!
Yes, seat is included.
Cool truck,the front and rear fenders look interchangeable.I think the rear taillights are a custom touch. A lot of ingenuity went on back then, really neat to see these days.
Have never seen one. Great looking pickup but, there is alway a but…
Is it just me or do those two front fender mounted spare tires ruin the lines?
They don’t seem part of the design but more of an after thought. Would rather see those tires placed between the door and into the rear fenders. But spare tires are like opinions, everyone’s got one…
(Or in this case, two).
This was the tail end of the “side mounted” spare tires. Most full classics, had front fender mounted spares, mostly because, they didn’t have trunks for storage, and the front fender was usable space. This here, is more of a design carry over, and discontinued after the war. They made for a nasty blind spot, and were in the way for engine service, and behind the doors became the standard place for spare tires for years and eventually, under the bed in back with funky carriers that are guaranteed to wrench your back.
Thanks Howard. Makes sense (but still looks awkward),
Who put those 47-49 tail lights on this? They look really bad.
There is another one that I have seen in Idaho when I was there for University studies. We were on a mountain climbing trip when we found it. It is hidden in a national park under a shed and looks to have been in that shed since the 30’s or 40’s. The wheels are off and one of the back wheels has a belt pulley attached that goes to a water pump into a mine shaft. NO rust at all and the paint still had a shine under the dust.
These are even better looking in real life. The metal is a lot thicker and you are correct about the blind spots The one I saw had the tires in the side mount and the rear tires in the bed. It was totally complete. If you want it (and I do not know if it is even there now) you will need to take a mule train to pack it out after you disammble it. The roads to the site had washed out long ago when I saw it in the late 1970’s. Think more like cross country trail and not really a road of any kind.
There were so many details of this design that we’re different. Notice the rear fenders and how the bed is shaped to come out and meet them. Very complex stamping totally different than any other maker did it back then. It is also much lower than the typical truck of the time or even more so today. The El Camino reference is truly spot on in terms of reference for size.
There are some books on these and I would suggest checking up on the design first. The one I saw was a very dark wine red color with black fenders. I think the paint was original but I truly have no idea. Good luck finding it, think center of the state.
Like Bruce, I’ve seen one these in my life, was buying Sixties NASCAR memorabilia from a gent in Maggie Valley, N.C. in the early Nineties. Quite a stylish truck, hard to believe more weren’t sold.
Model of a ’39.
https://squir.com/studebaker-coupe-express-pickup-1939.html
I bought a 56 Power Hawk from a guy in Mishawaka, In. and he had just finished a 39 Stude PU, was red W/black fenders. Beautiful truck, he/they did a great job,, lots of $$$$ for it. Yup metal was heavy like my 67 Divco, fenders were like WWII conbat helmits. A friend had a bodyshop and when he got one in would put his old Dad in front of it, let him beat it out, was his age. Yup, spare tire was in the way but in 1939 didn’t worry about it
Oh yeh, those headlite rings sort of look like the rings they used on the 50’s trucks and some of the early Champs. they’d turn them the other way
W/parking lite down, Stude never had the $$$,poor management and the unions
That’s what I see when these rare trucks pop up. Studebaker just didn’t have the money to tool up for a truck, so they took their Dictator chassis and just built a cab and bed for for it. I would assume at that time people looking for a truck wanted something that could handle the rough life a truck would get back then , and this being a car conversion its possible they thought it wouldn’t be rugged enough .
its special. 8^ )
Throw it in w/the rest claiming “1st SUV”
(“T” p/u, big boy, some from Oz, navy’s f. bronk…)
Did they say this one is a 37 because the 37’s are soo hot. Sooo hot. The hottest.
pop cans
First version of the Coupe Express was 1937. They made approximately 3000.
The 1938 model is kind of ugly, they made 800. In 1939 they made 1200. The ’37 is by far the more attractive version. I was lucky to find one for cheap 30 years ago. Still have it. Love it. It’s now my daily driver. (350, disc brakes, 700r4)
Good candidate for restoration if you have the donor parts to fix as original.
Or 12 inch lifted Chevrolet K30 chassis 44 mudders and Big Block fun.
Orphan trucks are the worst to find parts for. There is maybe one guy in the whole country that will have the needed parts. Sell to the highest bidder, and if that is 2,500 bucks so be it. And hope it is not me, because it will have 3 inch tube headers straight up and an 8/71 injected wolverine 632.
Honestly just hit up Studebaker Drivers Club or Studebaker International. They should have the vast majority of whatever you’d need.