My father purchased my 1936 pickup truck back in 1975 as a retirement project after 35 years at Douglas Aircraft. He had driven one (not this one) in his youth as a delivery boy in Minot, North Dakota, and had many fond memories of that truck. When purchased, this one was running and driving, but required a complete cosmetic makeover to return to the condition he wanted it to be in. While he was at it (the most expensive words any car guy can say) he decided to rebuild and refurbish it to top mechanical condition, as well. A full “restoration” was ruled out since the truck already had hydraulic brakes, and a post-war flathead. After a two-year process involving a complete tear-down (I have pictures of the truck in pieces scattered across our patio, frame leaning against the house, cab up on workhorses, everything else neatly arranged in piles), concurrent education (at least two local city college evening classes for body work and paint), and everything else, the job was completed and he had his truck. He drove it proudly and enjoyed it until he got sick with cancer and passed in 1985. The truck then came to me and I’ve taken care of it ever since. My contributions to the truck have been in the area of accessorizing it like no sane person would have done in 1936.

When acquired in 1975, the truck came to us with chrome front and rear bumpers (the rear one being a particularly desirable Sedan Delivery bumper which is still on the truck) a radio (possibly factory/dealer installed, due to the smoothness of the mounting hole and the presence of a correct commercial speaker) and a set of accessory wind wings. Since then I’ve added many accessories, always with the thought of originality and period correctness. The truck has been to several West Coast Rallys and Meets and, always a crowd favorite, has done well in the Touring category, since it’s not 100% original. It wears two license plates. The California 1936 commercial ones under which it is legally registered, and the 1936 North Dakota Commercial plate placed in homage to my dad.

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