Onohoku et al,
I just uploaded 5 shots I took of Jim Carter's '46 1.5-ton at Kansas City several years ago At Macungie last year (2010) there was a '38 Chevy 1.5-ton with a similar bed, fender extensions and running board treatments. The '38 we saw, however, had small wheel wells in the bed. I just added shots of that truck, too, to the link above.
At any rate, factory dually pickups exist (but obviously not in big numbers).
Another thought is using a wrecker body or cutting down a fire truck body from the era. A while ago, there was a really nicely done GMC 2-ton in the Wheels Of Time (ATHS magazine) that had a firebody cut down to make a big pickup. Why go to all the trouble of fabricating fender extensions, running boards, etc etc when the Darley's, Seagraves and Pirsches of the world have already done it for you? There are firetrucks out there that have been outside too long and not worth restoring (firetrucks are hideously expensive to paint and restore so firetruck guys like to find them in nice shape to begin with and will pass up a weathered one, thus giving you a decent headstart on your pickup body). Same for the wreckers. We saw a Holmes unit in the junk yard last month that would make a cool dually pickup body (lots of curves).
Something to consider.
r,
John
