Ford’s commercial vehicles of this era lagged several years behind contemporary styling trends and were notably spartan in appointments. While Ford sourced many components in-house, its truck cabs were produced by Budd Manufacturing Company, an innovator of all-steel body construction. This truck features Ford’s diminutive 60-horsepower V8 engine that debuted...

This 1949 Studebaker 2R-5 was a part of the 2R series.  Studebaker debuted its new 2R-Series truck line in mid-1948 to much fanfare. The 2R’s styling was penned by Studebaker designer Robert Bourke, who later designed the 1953 Studebaker Starliner hardtop. The 2R was offered in a wide variety of...

The International Scout was designed as an economical compact utility pickup for both rural and urban users. Although the market for four-wheel drive recreational vehicles was limited at this time, the Scout was a success and pointed the way towards today’s SUVs and cross-over vehicles. The Scout debuted in 1961...

The Model A debuted in 1927 and was a long overdue replacement for the venerable and ubiquitous Model T. Although simple in construction, the Model A was a great improvement in performance and operation over the Model T. Because of the Model A’s low price, it became a staple of...

Studebaker offered the Coupe-Delivery version of the Champion beginning with that model’s 1939 debut. A small pickup box was substituted for the Champion’s trunk lid to create a quarter-ton pickup truck. Aside from the pickup box, the Coupe Delivery was identical to a Champion Coupe - no heavy-duty or “truck...

In the early 1900s, hundreds of Midwest communities were home to startup automobile manufacturers and Ann Arbor, Michigan, was no exception. The Huron River Manufacturing Co. of Ann Arbor believed that rural Americans needed a dual-purpose vehicle to transport the family to church on Sunday and bring products to market...

Studebaker’s Coupe Express foreshadowed the passenger car based trucks of the late 1950’s. It was based on the Studebaker Dictator, sharing its chassis and many body components with that model.  The Coupe Express was produced from 1937-1939, and was updated each year to reflect the latest Studebaker passenger car designs....

The pickup truck is a true American icon, embodying versatility, ruggedness, and dependability. It traces its roots to horse drawn farm wagons and delivery vehicles and has evolved into the motor age’s workhorse. Early pickup trucks were often modified passenger cars with makeshift beds replacing the body’s rear section. The...