The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk truck cost

Anybody know how much a '37 half ton cost new?
Thanks
John

505 dollars was the suggested retail price.

Thank you
John

that won't even touch that iconic grill today! LOL

Factoring in inflation since '37, that truck would cost ~$10,650. Too bad new trucks aren't in that range.

That's a fact Kevin! Even a low optioned half ton costs as much as I paid for my home.

You have to factor in that trucks come with a lot of things now that reflect the change in use of most light trucks that has occured since 1937, too -- all of which have driven up costs.

In 1937, light trucks (1-ton and smaller) were strictly work and farm use. Only occasionally driven and even at that, mostly for work, not leisure. Look at how our trucks were appointed coming off the assembly line... no carpet ... rubber floor mat ... no radio. And look at the few options -- p-side wiper ... p-side mirror ... radio ... dealer-installed turn signals ... incab heater ...

Compare that with how base model trucks come off the assembly line today and what options you can get.

In 1937, you drove a truck because you had to. They weren't stylish. They weren't comfortable. They drove like ... trucks. The moment you could, you parked it. Washed up and got in a car lest anyone think you a "working man" or a farmer ... or ... poor.

Illustration of my point -- I have a brother in law who was a salesman for a major fire protection equipment company. He drives around all day with a load of fire extinguishers and other day to day stuff associated with his sales and support. To do this, he has a nice company vehicle -- a Chevy 1/2-ton with a bed cover. The truck has all the ammenities you'd want for a day spent on the road (5 days a week). In 1937, he would have driven a "Business Coupe." Even if your body could stand riding a daily circuit in a truck of the period, just showing up in one would not be impressive to a potential customer -- he'd think you were there to fix the plumbing or something.

Trucks today ... well, I doubt I need to go over modern trucks. Look at the 40-somethings who have white collar jobs who buy duallie pickups just because they want to look manly ... or cool... And look at how they are equipped ... basically Lincoln Navigators with big open trunks. Carpeting ... Sat radio and navigation ... cruise control ... integrated phone ... power windows, leather heated seats ... parking assist (how utterly girlie is THAT??). Sorry, but if you need parking assist to park your 1/2-ton truck ... get out and ask your mom to park it for you (and start working on your man bun ...).

Try finding a light truck anymore with a manual transmission ...

My point being, not that any of you asked or probably even care, is that its hard to compare 1937 truck prices to 2022 truck prices unless you somehow account for the vast changes in usage. Seems to me, the modern market place (for light trucks) is responding to a demand for cars with a few additional capabilities and that look more macho than just a car.

Which is probably why, at least in North America, the whole El Camino thing didn't work out -- It still looked too much like a car.

In 1937, a truck was a truck was a truck.
In 2022 ... there are no trucks as we know them.

Ergo -- difficult, at best, to draw meaningful comparisons. BUT ... after saying all that ... If you *could* order a 1/2-ton without all the girlieman nonsense (i.e., just a basic truck for work), I bet after factoring inflation, the prices might be a little more similar...

Which is probably why, at least in North America, the whole El Camino thing didn't work out -- It still looked too much like a car.

I was twice told that very light trucks (like the El Camino and others) are not considered to be trucks in the Stovebolt.com truck forums and posts? Even though they are listed/displayed in Truck Data books.

"parking assist (how utterly girlie is THAT??). Sorry, but if you need parking assist to park your 1/2-ton truck ... get out and ask your mom to park it for you (and start working on your man bun ...)."
I couldn't agree more John. Every time the backup sensors in the wife's car go off, I yell "Shut up, Car, I know it's back there".

"Try finding a light truck anymore with a manual transmission ..." That's probably why I'll likely die owning the last new truck I bought in 1999. Just keep fixing it. It even has crank windows.

They have a class in drag racing now for "stick shift H pattern" it's not a big class.

I used to drag race my F250 diesel 6 speed against trucks with auto trannies. I have 3 trophies in the diesel class (bracket racing).

Tim -- That's still correct. For the purposes of this site, we do not consider them real trucks. They are cars built on car frames and suspensions.

"Which is probably why, at least in North America, the whole El Camino thing didn't work out -- It still looked too much like a car."

So, it did not look too much like a car, it was a car.

So "Which is probably why, at least in North America, the whole El Camino thing didn't work out -- It was a car."?

Sorry about who thinks what is truck/car: I reference my Chevrolet Truck Data Books.

I think we are comparing apples to oranges. If you choose to call the El Camino a Truck, that’s your preference. If it’s listed in truck reference books does that make it a truck? Or, is that just where Chevy chose to market it. We all know it was built on a car platform and shares absolutely nothing but the engine with a truck. As John has stated many many times “for the purposes of this site, we do not consider them Trucks”. That should be enough to end the debate as far as Stovebolt.com is concerned. Sometimes you just have to admit you lost the battle and move on to fight a different battle that maybe you can win. BTW, for the record, I think El Caminos and the GM equivalent are really cool and if given the opportunity I would own another one in a heartbeat. I just don’t agree they are trucks.

Agree completely. The ONLY new vehicle I ever bought was a 1967 Ranchero and by the time I made the hundred mile return trip to Dallas it was worth $500 less than I paid for it two hours earlier. A lesson learned that I never repeated and I can afford something in the six figure range. Big disappointment number two was it was too much car to be a truck and too much truck to be a car and not the best at either. Same applies to the ElCamino or Dodge Sweptside.

Recently I considered buying a newer truck to replace my '03. My '03 has a tick over 85K on the clock. It's in great condition but it's becoming difficult to find small parts. For example the outside mirror control broke. No place to buy a new one. I was lucky and found a seller on ebay with a NOS switch. This led me to think maybe it's time to get a newer truck that's easier to find parts for. I quickly discovered two year old trucks with almost double the miles of my '03 are selling for $25K and up. That's just nuts.

Three years ago, I sold my last modern truck -- my 2015 Ram 3500 Crew Cab duallie. Replaced it with a 2014 E-350 Superduty (15-pass extended version) with the Quigley 4x4 conversion. I'm never going back to a pickup. If the Quigley can't tow it, I have access to my work truck, an '84 359 Pete. The van has a solid vinyl floor, vinyl seats, cruise control and an am-fm radio. To clean it, I open all the doors and run the leaf blower. I can sleep in in. I haul trash to the dump in it. Gas cans. Chain saws. I 've filled it up with nearly a cord of split firewood. It tows the '49 on a trailer very nicely. Does a nice job with the Boston Whaler and the 23-ft Precision sail boat.

5.4L v-8. Love my van. Trucks aren't trucks anymore. If I actually need a pickup for something, I still have the '49.

Here are a couple cool advertisements from '37,

Funny. Even my Ford F450 aerial boom truck at work has a rear camera, radar proximity sensors that talks to you (loudly, in an obnoxious female voice), blue tooth hands free radio, steering wheel controls, A/C, auto function lights/headlights, electronic 4WD, 10 speed auto trans with manual shifting select.....but manual windows. They still don't put in cruise control on a truck that size either. The end result on the manual windows is that it is cheaper on initial order cost, but more expensive to repair being it is so rare now a days for replacement parts. 99.999% of the other F450's on the road have power windows. "On a initial $200,000+ purchase, lets save $400 on manual windows, which may or may not save us if needing repair."

I have been gripping about this for years. I preferred trucks over cars when I got my license in the 80s. They were cheap, lasted as long as a car, and were easy to customize.

Now my truck is a 03 ram Diesel 6 speed that I have 15K into after repairs and purchase with 280K. My wifes van has 220K. My daily driver has 130K. Prices are ridiculous. I am looking at a van tomorrow for my wife. It is a low mileage salvage title. I have pics of the damage and the repair. Its a low price due to the title. I hope there is nothing hiding when I go inspect tomorrow or I have wasted a whole day.

Lowest mile car I have is this 66 C-10 with 62K on it.

Ok Gentlemen/Ladies we have gotten too far off the topic of Chevy/GMC Trucks. Posting about your Ferds, Goats and other assorted brands is not the intent of this site.