1939 Studebaker Coupe Express Pickup

Description

OFFERED WITHOUT RESERVE

Hollywood couldn’t write a story more fantastic than the life of Samuel L. Peters. After serving in the U.S. Air Force in the early 1960s, Peters paid his way through college on the earnings he collected hustling pool halls. Peters built more than a dozen companies, was a two-time national handball champion, amateur boxer, minor league baseball player, scratch golfer and award-winning dancer. He climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, flew hot air balloons, and piloted private jets. His love for everything automotive could been seen across his collection of classic cars and motorcycles, including taking 10th place in the 2013 Peking to Paris Car Rally. Hagerty Marketplace is proud to present the Samuel L. Peters collection of vehicles, ready to be cherished by their next caretakers, and offered entirely without reserve.

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The 1939 Studebaker Coupe-Express Pickup occupies a singular place in American automotive history, blending carlike style with truck utility years before “sport pickups” became fashionable. Introduced during the final years of the Depression, it was based on Studebaker’s sleek Commander coupe, sharing its Raymond Loewy designed art‑deco grille, flowing fenders, and rakish stance. Instead of a traditional boxy bed, Studebaker integrated a short pickup bed seamlessly into the body, creating a vehicle that looked more like a custom coachbuilt hybrid than a work truck.

Power came from Studebaker’s larger 226.2ci L‑head six, emphasizing economy and refinement with a bit more power. New for 1939, Planar independent front suspension delivered a surprisingly smooth ride. Buyers also enjoyed unheard‑of pickup luxuries, including a cloth seat, headliner, upholstered door panels, and an adjustable seatback. Buyers could choose it as a stylish light hauler for tradesmen, ranchers, or urban businesses that wanted practicality without sacrificing image.

Only offered in 1937–1939, the Coupe-Express was expensive compared to conventional pickups and sold slowly, with about 5,200 produced total, just 1,000 in 1939. Finished in dark green with a black vinyl interior, this 1939 Studebaker Coupe-Express is an older restoration.

This 1939 Studebaker Coupe-Express is now represented at no reserve by a Broad Arrow Specialist with a clean Ohio title in the current owner's name.

Highlights

• Offered from the Samuel L. Peters Collection

• Approximately 1,000 produced in 1939

• 226.2ci L-head inline six-cylinder engine rated at 90 hp

• Three-speed manual transmission

• Rear-wheel drive with conventional leaf-spring rear suspension

• Independent front suspension for a car-like ride

Factory Equipment

• Car-based pickup built on the Studebaker Dictator coupe platform

• Integrated pickup bed with smooth, flowing lines

• Art Deco styling with bullet-nose grille, teardrop headlights, and full fenders

• Steel pickup bed

• Passenger-car interior with dual sun visors and rear-view mirror

• Dual windshield wipers

• Painted steel dash with simple, elegant instrumentation

• Double-adjustable cloth bench seat

• The chassis number (L5-386) decodes as

  • L5 – L5 Coupe-Express series 1939

  • 386 – Production number

Known Imperfections

• All cars in the collection have been in storage for the last seven (7) years in a climate-controlled facility

• All tires will need to be replaced due to the length of time in storage

• Images detailing the condition of the 1939 Studebaker Coupe-Express are presented in the gallery

• Please see the attached imperfection report

• Front and rear bumpers are pitted

• Running boards scuffed

• Scratch on truck bed

• Clock is inoperable

Ownership History

This 1939 Studebaker Coupe-Express Pick Up is offered from the Samuel L. Peters Collection

Additional Information

A Broad Arrow Specialist is working as an agent on behalf of the seller of this listing. As such, the purchase transaction will be facilitated by Broad Arrow, including vehicle payment, applicable taxes required to be collected by the seller or Broad Arrow, and title/ownership reassignment. Broad Arrow is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hagerty.

Contact: Matt Lowney Phone: 623.308.2640 Email: mlowney@hagerty.com