1926 Chevrolet Canopy Express Truck in Lithia Springs, Georgia

Hard to think of a Chevy pickup as being uncommon or rare, but when was the last time you saw anything like this 1926 Chevrolet Canopy Express truck? A neat little commercial hauler with a lot of eyeball appeal, it's vintage fun that's easy to love, all for a price that makes a lot of sense.

The upright cab and handsome wood box date this truck into the '20s, and you can imagine it being stocked with fruits and vegetables as it moved from location to location selling its wares. The olive green paint is perfect for a working class machine like this and the black fenders, which were traditional back then, add to the no-nonsense look. In 1926, this Chevy was a smart alternative to the venerable Model T, with the Chevy being bigger, stronger, and faster in every way. The restoration was done some years ago, so it's got what we like to call patina, but on a truck like this, a few work-related incidents only reinforce the appeal. The canopy adds some protection for the open bed, and drop-down vinyl curtains help close it up in inclement weather, making it a rather useful hauler if you're also running a business out of it. Radiator shells on commercial vehicles were typically painted, as is the case here, so there's not much bright trim, and you get a single taillight out back, as was common at the time. Overall, it has a great all-of-a-piece look that's very appropriate.

The interior is bare-bones, no doubt about it; you don't even get a rear bulkhead between the cabin and the bed! But that's how they were built, with a single-minded dedication to being as functional as possible. The twin bucket seats are covered in vinyl, the floor is bare painted wood, and there are no door panels, just a basic latch mechanism and a cool sliding window setup. A big wood-rimmed steering wheel warms things up a bit, and unlike the venerable Model T, you actually got a full set of gauges, including a speedometer, ammeter, and oil pressure gauge. The controls are also more familiar than those in the T, with a traditional clutch, brake, and accelerator and a 3-speed manual transmission in the middle. The windshield actually slides open as well, and with the open rear area, it's comfortable and breezy inside at the truck's comfortable cruising speed of about 35 MPH.

Chevy's tough 4-cylinder displaced 171 cubic inches, which was about the same as the Model T, but it offered overhead valves, which was still a cutting-edge innovation in the '20s. It's rated at 26 horsepower, but this little engine is all about torque, and it moves the truck with enthusiasm that minimizes the need to constantly shift. The engine is neatly detailed and looks pretty good considering its age, and the industrial-look of all the copper lines, wires, and heavy-duty fasteners is really kind of neat. It starts easily and drives very, very well, with a comfortable ease that only comes from a vehicle that's been used regularly. The transmission shifts well with a quick double-clutch, and the rear-wheel-only brakes are decent considering the truck's performance envelope. It's really clean underneath and the painted wood spoke wheels look great wearing those dressy wide whites.

Imagine your business's logo on the side of this little truck, or hitting the local cruise night and parades. This truck is going to be a hit everywhere it goes. Have some fun in a Chevy truck. Call now!