Not From Australia, Mate: 1937 Studebaker Coupe Express





























If I were to ask a person if he or she knows what an ute is, he or she would probably look at me like I have three heads. Ask a person in Australia, and most likely he or she will know what I'm talking about. Utes are hugely popular in the Land Down Under, but for a period of time, the United States built car-based pickups first in the 1930s and later from the 1950s to the mid-1980s. Though Chevrolet's El Camino and Ford's Ranchero typically come to car collectors' minds in terms of car-based pickups, this 1937 Studebaker Coupe Express predates both by at least 20 years. Find it here on Craigslist in Alameda, California, with an asking price of $25,000. 



























Built from 1937 to 1939, the Coupe Express was a coupe-based utility that mated Studebaker's passenger-car styling with a full-size pickup bed. Using the Studebaker Dictator passenger-car frame and front sheetmetal, the Coupe Express was either available with a pickup bed or a cab and chassis with rear fenders attached. This Coupe Express is a 1937 pickup model, and is one of approximately 3,000 built for the model year. It's hard to tell whether or not cosmetics are original, but at any rate this Coupe Express could use a cosmetic restoration. The body looks fairly solid and straight, and rust appears to be limited to the surface. The artillery wheels wrapped in wide-whitewall tires give the truck a formal and upscale look, and the yellow color nicely complements the Art-Deco and streamlined styling. 



























The engine that powers this Coupe Express is a 226 flathead inline-six. Rated at 90 horsepower and 160 lb-ft of torque, this 226 flathead six benefits from a new head gasket, a new thermostat, a flushed radiator, a new fan belt, a new exhaust system, a new six-volt battery, a new fuel pump, and a flushed fuel system. Backed by a three-speed manual transmission, the seller says the truck "runs and drives great as it should", which should expedite the process of the restoration.



























Unfortunately, this is the only view of the interior provided with the car-based truck's listing (here's a full-look view of what a 1937 Coupe Express interior looks like). According to the seller, everything still works, and there are plenty of desirable pieces included, such as a lockable glovebox door, an underdash radio with remote controls, and a windshield-mounted visor. Overall, this Coupe Express is fairly solid, and though in need of a cosmetic restoration, the car-based truck is mostly complete and structurally sound. I would restore it, source a Borg-Warner three-speed manual transmission with overdrive, and take this car to local shows, cruise nights, and Cars and Coffee events. What are your thoughts on this rarely-seen American Ute?
Location: Alameda, CA, USA

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