Steve McQueen is undoubtedly one of the most recognizable names in the collector car hobby. Although he made his name as an actor, his passion for racing automobiles and motorcycles lives on today nearly forty years after his death. While the Bullitt Mustang is probably the most recognizable classic car associated with him, you might recognize this 1952 Chevrolet pickup/camper. It was sold at the world-famous Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction in 2016 where it sold for $60,500. It is now up for auction again here on Bring-a-Trailer with a current bid of nearly $42,000. The “King of Cool” had a lot of cool rides and this truck is certainly one of them. Let’s take a closer look and thanks to Mitchell G. for the tip on this one.
The camper was built by Northern Sheet Metal of Yreka, California in 1952. McQueen acquired it in 1978 and according to Barrett-Jackson, his wife Minty said “Steve’s collection of cars and motorcycles cluttered that private driveway that serviced a row of homes near the beach, but that didn’t stop him from buying whatever he wanted.” The camper is made of galvanized sheet metal and aluminum which makes sense since it hasn’t rusted over the past 70 years. The bed makes great use of the space above the pickup bed rails and the storage underneath and overhead is a nice touch.
The engine is a 235 cubic inch straight-six that is mated to a four-speed transmission. While it isn’t one of McQueen’s performance vehicles, it surely got the job done.
The interior is pretty much bone stock and probably looks the same as it did when McQueen owned it. The odometer reads just under 39K miles.
Here you can see just how well the features of the long-box truck were utilized in the design. The exterior not only holds extra fuel cans but additional storage on the custom diamond-plate rear bumper. According to Barrett-Jackson: “McQueen mostly used the truck for cross-country camping trips…This truck’s significance takes on greater historical importance as it was the last vehicle to take McQueen from his Santa Paula home to the Ventura County Airport on Nov. 3, 1980, to embark on his journey to Mexico for what would be his final cancer surgery.” Hopefully, this awesome truck will find a great new home and be preserved for years to come. How about you? What’s your favorite McQueen vehicle?
Why all of the BaT listings lately? Most of us look
on that site too.I’ve submitted some interesting finds that
you haven’t shown (I don’t expect you to post them all),
but you’ve posted quite a few BaT listings.
I like this site because many of the vehicles shown here
are mostly affordable to many of us,while many BaT listings are
for the extremely wealthy people.
Yeah, the BaT bidding crowd is definitely a highly wealthy and elite class. I have nothing against them for having a lot of money. Good for them. But I stopped posting there primarily because they started aggressively filtering and deleting posts which would dampen the buying mood of these individuals – and they’re pretty sensitive it would appear. I certainly hope this site doesn’t turn into that!
BAT was recently purchased by Hearst Media – its a totally new platform of users and listings.
I don’t mind seeing the interesting BaT listings here on BF, it has saved me time that was once wasted filtering through BaT’s sea of European fluff trying to find a real car/truck. This particular truck is just too cool to pass up.
Are you going to bid on it then?
If I thought owning this truck would make me as cool as McQueen, I’d buy it. But that ain’t gonna happen. Not in this lifetime, anyway.
Your many and frequent find submissions to our forum make you the king of BarnFinds cool to a lot of folks Mr. Heyman
Nice. You’re a real gem Ken.
The BaT listing also showed a 250 CR Husky dirt bike that comes with it, a tribute bike from On Any Sunday which everyone on that site claims McQueen didn’t ride or race a 250. The truck is nice, neat old dirt bike, but it’s kinda eerie being his final ride and all.
BaT has clean machines spotless show cars…. probably why I enjoy this site all the more.
I wonder what is in the glove compartment?
Cool truck. Throw in his 3 wheeler from the Great Escape and I’m in!
As a Barnfinds Member and a Bring-a-Trailer (BaT) Member and if you consider eBay as a Member, I enjoy Barnfinds and BaT sites equally. I have purchased two vehicles on BaT a 1968 Land Cruiser and a 1956 F100, both to me very affordable even for this website. To be perfectly honest I found the Land Cruiser here on Barnfinds before I knew it was listed on BaT. eBay I have purchased three vehicles all from seeing them here on Barnfinds first.
Barnfinds is an excellent website and shows a great amount of unique vehicles. Im sure if you are serious about purchasing a car, having an open mind and a desire in yourself to search for that perfect car you should consider every avenue to find your dream ride.
Ken has now created his own social platform Steve. He stands with “The economically victimized” crowd often seen and heard at the Bernie Sanders rallys. Feel the Bern!!
cool find! very close to me. way out of my budget range!
Ahhh, Kenny now we can ad prideful and delusional to list of your many attributes. I think you’ve finally, inadvertently stumbled onto some sense. Why do you bother here? Surely your “insight” would be better served elsewhere.
Ken I see why you live Bernie. He too is a phony. A career politician that pretends to be for the little guy as he and his wife line their pockets until they become everything they profess to be against.
Steve R
Didn’t Steve McQueen have a Honda Z50 minibike? Wonder who has that?
Here you go, Carlos…
https://www.mecum.com/lots/LV0120-392669/1969-honda-z50-mini-trail-steve-mcqueen/
Very cool! Thanks!
Back in ’63, I was stationed at Fort Ord Army Base, close to Monterey, Calif.
I got to meet Steve McQueen, when his production company was shooting
“Soldier In The Rain” on the base, co-starring Jackie Gleason & Tuesday Weld, He got me in some of the scenes, as an extra.
Interestingly, “The Great Escape” was playing on the base, at that time. Headlining the movie was Jim Garner. Fast forward ten years & I was working at the studios during the 70s. I lived in L.A. from ’62-’83. While at Universal Studios, I worked on many cop shows, as a stunt driver & transportation captain, in charge of picture cars. “Rockford Files” was one of the shows I worked on. The Pontiac Formula 400s were used. Although, a few of them had some parts & badges removed, to give the illusion they were the cheaper Esprits. Garner, a well-known car enthusiast and racer, bought the Pontiac when the show went off the air in 1980 after six seasons and kept it for himself for about a year
Talk about six degrees of separation.