1937 Studebaker J5 Express

Pickup
Chassis number: T-1963

Studebaker re-tooled their entire lineup in 1936, and in 1937 the Studebakers were given a streamlined facelift courtesy of industrial designer Raymond Loewy. In the front were a more pointed grille, an alligator hood opening from the front, and extended hood louvers. Along with the restyling, a new model was added called the Coupe-Express. It was a dual-purpose vehicle that offered passenger car comfort and three-passenger seating in a commercial car. Production of this new model lasted from January to July of 1937, with just 3,125 examples built. Production continued through 1939, with just over 5,000 in total.

Before options, the Coupe-Express sold for just $695. All Coupe-Express models came with the spare tire mounted on the right front fender. They were based on the six-cylinder 5A Dictator chassis and shared its front-end sheet metal with its passenger car sibling. The cab was enclosed by a newly fabricated panel. 16-gauge, double-wall steel was used for the pickup bed, enabling a carrying capacity of half-a-ton.

This particular example received a restoration in 1994. It was finished in its original Studebaker Gray with blackwall tires on grey-painted wheels, the beltline is subtly highlighted with red pin striping. The side-mount spare tire is fitted with a color-matched cover, while the interior has been fully restored in grey leather.

Power is from a 218 cubic-inch L-head inline six-cylinder engine mated to a three-speed transmission.

by Dan Vaughan

Pickup

Studebaker was founded in 1852 in South Bend, Indiana. Their original success was in making wheelbarrows for the California Gold Rush followed by supplying wagons to the Union Army in the Civil War. After a fire in 1874 destroyed their factory, they built a new brick factory covering 20 acres which became 'The largest vehicle house in the world.' Some of the carriages could cost up to $20,000. Studebaker entered the automotive business in 1902 with electric vehicles and in 1904 with gasoline vehicles, all sold under the name 'Studebaker Automobile Company.' Over the next 50 years, the company established an enviable reputation for quality and reliability.

The last Studebaker car rolled off the line in 1966. Studebaker pioneered the concept of the car-like pickup truck in 1973, two decades before Ford and Chevrolet. It consisted of a double-wall pickup box sliced onto the rear of its passenger car front end. It is powered by an L-head 6-cylinder engine producing 90 horsepower. Since it was priced 30% more than traditional pickups, fewer than 3,500 were sold.

This truck is painted in its original special order Cardinal Red exterior color. It was found in Kansas incomplete, non-running condition with extensive rust. This Studebaker was fully restored by the current owner with many fabricated parts and is now driven regularly.

Pickup

Studebaker's 1937 Coupe Express drew its styling directly from Studebaker passenger cars and also shared many components. Though the Coupe Express was not a sales success, it is quite popular among modern-day collectors. Production of the Coupe Express lasted from 1937 through 1939.

The Studebaker Coupe Express pickup truck was produced from 1937 through 1939. The pick-up shared many similarities to the passenger cars and was built atop of the Studebaker Dictator chassis. The box of the vehicle was constructed of steel. Under the hood was an L-head six-cylinder flathead engine attached to a three-speed manual gearbox. A Borg-Warner 3-speed unit with overdrive was offered as optional equipment. The Coupe Express came in a variety of options, including a wire wheel, steel 'Artillery' spoke wheel, and steel-disc types. A radio, heater, turn indicators, and a reinforced wire-sliding back window were offered as optional equipment.

In 1937 there were 3000 examples produced. The following year, 1200 units were created. The number dropped to 1000 in 1939.

The Studebaker Coupe express was no longer offered in 1940; in 1941 the M-Series pickup truck was introduced.

by Dan Vaughan