5 Discontinued Pickup Truck Brands You’ve Never Heard Of
Everyone loves a classic pickup truck: it’s one of those vehicles that can make nearly any enthusiast smile. Older trucks by Dodge, Ford, or Chevy are pretty cool. But some of the most unique classic trucks you can buy are those from now-defunct automakers. Here are five classic pickup truck brands you’ve never heard of.
Rapid Motor Vehicle Company
Though the Rapid Motor Vehicle Company isn’t technically extinct, we have to include it because its founders–the Grabowsky Brothers–built one of the first trucks in Detroit. They founded the company in 1900 to take custom orders for their one-cylinder, chain-driven, open-cab buckboards. By 1909, their trucks could take on Pikes Peak road race. Also in 1909, General Motors acquired the Rapid to help break into the truck market. They rebranded it with its original name: Grabowsky Motor Company or GMC.
International Harvester Company
International Harvester is probably the best-known brand on this list. The automaker built popular pickups until 1975 when it ended small truck production to focus on its industrial truck and tractor lineups. International Harvester built the first light-duty diesel pickup and a pioneering SUV called the Scout. Today, vintage truck fans seeking a unique pickup often restore International Harvesters. Volkswagen has bought the International Scout name and plans to use it for an electric SUV.
White Motor Company
Similar to International Harvestor, White was a longtime automotive and defense contract company. It also started in 1900 and produced various sizes of trucks. Some of its most successful early vehicles were its steam cars, including a model bought by President Taft. After WWII White Motor Company focused more on commercial trucks and buses than pickups. It bought several other now-defunct manufacturers: Sterling (1951), Autocar (1953) REO (1957), and Diamond T (1958)–according to Curbside Classic. White was in turn bought by Volvo, though later sold to GM. White Farm Equipment survived and builds garden tractors to this day.
Studebaker Corporation
The Studebaker Corporation, founded by the Studebaker brothers in 1852, moved from carriages into the electric vehicle market in 1902. Shortly after, it decided that internal combustion was the future and began to make automobiles and trucks. The company lasted over a century, finally closing up shop in 1967. Its final pickup truck model went relatively unchanged from 1949 until it went out of production and is commonly called the E-series. Collectors prize this truck for its 1940s looks and available V8 engines.
Oldsmobile Motor Vehicle Company
The Olds Motor Vehicle Company won some early government contracts. The truck pictured belonged to the department of state. Olds also sold the first purpose-built mail truck in 1903, but was acquired by General Motors in 1908. Over the years, GM has rarely used the Oldsmobile badge on its pickup trucks–with a few unique exceptions. This includes the 1919 Oldsmobile Economy Truck and its large commercial trucks from 1936 through 1939. Then in 2001, Oldsmobile showed off its fully-redesigned Bravada SUV by sending it to pace the Indianapolis 500, making it the first pace truck that race ever had.
Next, see the rarest and most expensive trucks of all time or see a classic International Harvester in the video below:
