Retro trucks are certainly the rage today in America, and one of the coolest retro trucks on the road, production OR kit, is the '39 Studebaker pickup from Kreative Rodwerks.
If this cool truck looks familiar, it's because we have seen this before from Master Street Rods of Tempe, Arizona. Rick Hansen created the '39 Studebaker pickup in 1996 and continues to make the body shells today, for Kreative. Each body is hand-laid by Hansen at his facility in Phoenix, as he has joined forces with a new management team and new company (Kreative) headed by Master Technician John Rippel, who has an extensive automotive background, along with certified welder and fabricator Mark Wrobleski, and auto and aeronautics tech Mike Kobel.
This nostalgic package requires a '94-03 Chevy S-10 standard pickup (this version sits on a '95 that was stripped and painted) and utilizes any S-10 donor engine. This one comes with a GM Ram Jet 350ci V-8 that produces about 350 hp, but even a four-cylinder engine will work well with this lightweight kit truck.
However, this hardly resembles an old S-10. The front clip and bed were removed from the donor to fit the Kreative Rodwerks body package, and after the laser-cut stainless steel front grilles were fitted, the fiberglass running boards, fenders, and interior window glass shrouds were added. The 'glass was painted House of Kolor Oriental Blue Candy by Mike DeFrates of Tempe.
AirRide Shock Wave shocks, Baer brakes, calipers, and vented rotors, and an airbag front suspension provide a comfortable ride on Intro Pentia5 18-inch wheels in front and 20-inchers behind, wrapped in Dunlop rubber.
Nearly everything else has been harvested from the donor except for Sanderson short manifolds, Jet Performance 700-R4 transmission, B&M shifter, and Griffin aluminum radiator.
The interior is accentuated by Auto Meter gauges (voltage, rpm, speedo, oil pressure, temp, and fuel analogs), a custom dashboard from Kreative, an Alpine CD player with Orion speakers, gray leather seats, and gray carpet and headliner.
Rippel tells us, "These trucks draw more attention when I drive them than my polished aluminum 289 Cobra." While Snake lovers may question that, we certainly agree that this is an attention-getter, exuding class, nostalgia, and "gellin'" appeal.