We hope this article provides you with interesting data on one of the rarest early Chevrolet ½ ton trucks. They are a part of our country’s history during the 1930’s through the mid 1950’s. These little ½ tons ( with only a seat for the driver), provided a convenient method of selling groceries and related items to residential neighborhoods that had limited nearby local stores. We understand that some stores even used a bell with a rope installed for the driver to ring as he slowly moved down residential streets. They are referred to as a Canopy Express.
We were fortunate to find an owner and restorer of one of these surviving examples sold new in 1940. Dennis Hall of Waterford, Wisconsin (winter in The Villages, Florida) gets the credit. He has been a lifelong after work hours vehicle restorer most of his life beginning with a Model A Ford. As he became more skilled, he took on complicated unusual vehicles such as a 1935 International Panel Truck, 1955 thunderbird, 1935 Chevy Pickup, and a 1958 Jaguar. Until a few years ago, he had an 18,000 square foot building to house, restore, and store his favorites.
In October 2009, Dennis saw in a local newspaper a nearby farm auction. Among the many items to be sold was a 1940 Canopy Express. He had seen a few over his life at shows and he knew how rare they were. He had to see this one in the auction!
His wife asked, “What are you going there to see?” He said he was looking for an old truck. She warned him not to bring one home. As per her request, he did not. Someone brought it home for him the next day!
The day Dennis got it home! Note the deteriorated non-restorable tailgate. Two photos of the ground-up rebuild is in this article! He could get a job at any carpentry shop.
It had been in a barn over 20 years and fortunately had not been taken to a local salvage yard. The tires were flat so the delivery person drug it up on his trailer.
When it arrived at Dennis’s storage building, the tires held air in just long enough to pull it off the trailer with his 1935 International Panel Truck!
The person that previously owned it was a painter. The truck was used for spraying barns. This must be the reason there was a long hose on the top.
The first thing Dennis did was to pull the gas tank. After 20 years in storage, it had to contain much crud inside that would get in to the carburetor and stop everything. So, he had it cleaned, installed a new fuel pump, points, condenser, plugs and wires. It needed a new key switch, changed battery and changed fluids. The engine started right up and sounded great!
The exhaust system was gone so it was really loud. A new system was installed. Master cylinder and all wheel cylinders were rebuilt. The three brake hoses were replaced.
Just for safety, he added turn signals. It is always fair to the person behind you to know you’re getting ready to turn and not just stopping on the road! Note the tail light bracket. Yes, it is correct for a Canopy Express!
The left tail light arm is the “real thing”. Dennis wanted a right side and it appears Chevrolet did not offer them even as an accessory. So these are his own words on how he created a right side bracket:
“They did not come with right hand stop lights and turn signals so for the original on the left I used as a model. From the one on right I actually made a wooden replica which is opposite of the one on the left, and then I had it cast.”
About 7 years of driving this unrestored Canopy Express for fun, the time came for a full restoration. Dennis preferred it look more like it left the assembly line in 1940.
He is a perfectionist, so a vehicle this rare needed the best of his restoration ability. Today’s appearance is from 5 years of a ground up rebuilding.
The original six cylinder 216 Chevy engine ran good and appears to always have been in this truck. It now runs and looks like new!
Its new paint is Boatswain Blue and Black fenders as it was given at the factory.
As with almost all Canopy Express trucks, their weak point is their tailgate. It is wood frame and sheet metal covered. Certainly GM did not plan on it surviving this many years, as with any work truck. Of course, no reproductions have been made. As a part time carpenter, Dennis hand built the current gate with all new wood frame and a formed metal skin. An almost impossible project.
Future work will include New Canvas curtains and lettering. Stay tuned!
Additional request: Dennis asked if anyone knows about the 1935 Chevy ½ ton he sold about 2 years ago to someone at Great Lakes Naval base in Chicago. It has 283 cubic inch V-8 and a 4 speed transmission. In addition, Dennis also said if anyone knows of another 1940 Chevy Canopy Express, he would be an interested buyer!
The bed under the canopy. Note the wood partition with window behind the driver. This keeps the cab warmer during colder days.
SURPRISE!
We found a 1940 sales brochure and shows the Canopy Express.
LIGHT DELIVERY CANOPY EXPRESS – 113 1/2-INCH WHEELBASE
Body and one-piece roof are of all-steel construction…Open sides, with waterproof side and rear curtains for weather protection, are standard equipment… (Heavy mesh wire screens are optional equipment at slight extra cost) … Substantial steel flare-boards have tubular edge reinforcement… Floors of wood, with steel skid strips… Easy action slam-type tail gate, heavily reinforced, latches automatically.
You can contact Dennis at: ltdhall2@gmail.com
CANOPY EXPRESS TAILGATE NEWS FLASH!
If there is any doubt of the difficulty in finding a Canopy Express tailgate (unless you are a skilled body repair person like Dennis Hall) read our Feature Truck of the Month for July 2012.
