1937 Studebaker Coupe Express Truck
The Studebaker Coupe Express was a passenger car based pickup truck, produced by the Studebaker Corporation of South Bend, Indiana, between 1937 and 1939. Unlike other concurrent pick-up trucks, the coupe express mated Studebaker’s passenger car styling to a full size truck bed.
The Coupe Express utilized the Dictator passenger car frame, running gear, and front sheet metal. A new body stamping was made to form the cab back. An all-steel pickup box was built for the pickup models. The model was sold as a cab and chassis, with rear fenders attached, so a service box could be fabricated by the end user (such as a plumber, or depot hack).
The truck was powered by the larger of Studebaker’s 218 cubic inch L-head six-cylinder flathead engines. The engine is mated to a 3-speed manual transmission and feeds power through a stout 4.55:1 rear axle.
Other options included, a radio, heater, wire reinforced sliding back window and turn indicators. Two wheel options were available including a stamped steel disc wheel and a stamped steel ‘artillery’ spoked wheel.
Studebaker’s roots trace well back before the days of the automobile, getting their start way back in 1852 building horse-drawn wagons and carts. Thanks to their consistent quality, the Studebaker brand became a well-respected marque all across America, which made their transition to automobile manufacture in 1902 relatively smooth.
