1938 to 1942 K-Series

The 1938 to 1940 K-Series trucks began production in November 1937.  K-Series production would overlap the J-Series by a few weeks and last through 1942.  With the war looming, a few would be built between January-August of 1941 (338), (159) more in December of 1941 and another (100) in February of 1942.  The K-Series would sport a new grille which now will have a series of simple horizontal bars.  These trucks would also have a large “S” badge on the lower grille.

 

In October of 1937 the K5 Coupe Express would began production a month before the larger trucks.  It’s production would coincide with the 1937 car model year and end in July of 1938.  1,000 Coupe Express pickups were built.  The K5 Coupe Express would be based on the 1938 7A Studebaker Six/Commander.  Again a few of the K5 Coupe Express trucks were manufactured as woody station wagons.  In 1939 the L5 Coupe Express is released based on the 9A Commander, the price is reduced and 1,200 units would be built.  This would be the end of the Coupe Express line.  In 1939 through 1941 Studebaker would promote the sale of a Champion Coupe with a pickup box, in place inside the trunk, with the rear deck lid removed, they called them the “Coupe Delivery.”  This has lead to some misconceptions that the Coupe Express units were made through 1941, which they were not.

 

In 1938 Studebaker would also release the “Fast-Transport”, a new 1-ton pickup.  It came as a wide, steel floored, flat sided, “Express” body.  Later it would be available in Chassis & Cab, Chassis and Cowl, Custom Panel or Stake Body.  For 1939/1940 Studebaker would add a narrow box version which had none of the fender well inside the box.  It was dubbed the “Standard-Express” and the wide version would now be called the “Custom-Express”.  Interesting enough, the the wide version would become very popular in the 1960’s with the introduction of the “Fleetside” pickup box design (the entire fender well inside the box.)  Later yet, in the 1970’s, they would reintroduce the older style pickup boxes where the entire fender was outside the box and call them “Flareside”.  So, it would appear the “Fast-Transport” of 1938 to 1940 was way ahead of it’s time.