1936 Chevrolet Coupe 'Custom' Pickup

One of just 3,183 built for only one year, this 1936 Chevrolet Standard Coupe Pick-Up is

an extremely rare example of a little-known ancestor to the division’s El Camino of

1959-1987. Conceived as a way to do more with less - a vital pursuit during The Great

Depression - It’s thought that as few as 10 Standard Coupe Pick-Ups survive, and that a

large portion of that figure have deteriorated or have been modified beyond hope of

practical restoration.

That’s certainly not how we’d describe this particular Standard Coupe Pick-Up, which

appears to be highly factory correct and thoroughly well preserved throughout.

Identified as an early build by its front, right mounted spare tire (a migration forced by

the loss of a trunk lid), this example could otherwise easily be mistaken for a

run-of-the-mill Standard Coupe, at least from most angles.

As one moves around the sides of the vehicle towards the rear, factory steel protrusions

begin to emerge from a lid-less, widened ‘36 Chevy Coupe trunk opening. These form

the sides of a small cargo bed, complete with a small tailgate. Note the convenient

factory step pads on either end of the rear bumper, which are designed to aid entry to

the bed.

This attractive shade of navy blue appears identical to OEM code 197, and other details

from tires to wheels, hubcaps, trim and more all present as factory accurate. The

vehicle’s distinct roofline was referred to as a “Turret Top” in contemporary advertising,

which sometimes also cited the Coupe Pick-Up as a “Foreman’s Truck”

The cabin appears to be essentially identical to standard, Standard Coupe spec,

including upholstery, door card, and headliner materials. Features like a carpeted floor,

glovebox, dash clock, and even a cabin heater were unusual luxuries for the time,

particularly for commercial vehicles.

The interesting painted patterns seen on metal window surrounds are likely remnants of

a factory simulated wood finish, and gauges are usefully large, in contrast to the small,

fussy, nearly illegible items fitted to most vehicles prior to the 1930s. Note both the

lovely Art Deco typeface used for numerals, as well as the speedometer’s stern

advisory “safety first”.

Up front, we spy a 207ci 79 hp variant of Chevy’s Stovebolt Six, a famously smooth and

robust motor used in a multitude of vehicles including C1 Corvettes, and in

reverse-engineered form, early Toyota sedans and Land Cruisers as well.

The engine works in combo with a typical 3-speed manual transmission, and is

surrounded by what look like correct factory ancillaries, including manifolds, carburetion,

etc. Check out the old klaxon horn, too.

In back, Chevrolet specced heavier springs from the Standard Sedan in order to help

bear the burden of any cargo that might be carried in the bed above, but otherwise left

typical passenger coupe spec well alone.

The vehicle is offered without known history.

From 1937 on, Coupe Pick-Ups moved to the larger, Chevrolet Master coupe platform

to better accommodate a bed, and production ended entirely in 1942 when domestic US

auto manufacturing paused and switched gears to aid the war effort via production of

military vehicles, aircraft, and armaments. Even later, Master-based versions remain

scarce and largely forgotten, making surviving, Standard Coupe-derived Coupe

Pick-Ups such as the example at hand particularly important and desirable.