Just when you thought you had seen it all in terms of classic car accessories, you come across something like this verbiage in a classified ad listing: “Novelty car. Barks like a dog, plays the National Anthem, Happy Birthday, and Jingle Bells.” Say what? This ad needs a video to show all of that in action.
The Pick of the Day is a 1940 Chevrolet half-ton pickup listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Corsicana, Texas. (Click the link to view the listing)
There is a lot going on with the truck from a cosmetics perspective, but it all works well. The two-tone green and black paint scheme is just the beginning; from tip to tail, there is a lot of brightwork to keep things sparkly. The truck is equipped with wide whitewall tires, chrome wheels, dual sideview mirrors, a windshield visor, shaved door handles, color-keyed running boards, wooden bed planks, and a dual exhaust system. One particularly interesting detail is that there are no individual taillights: Brake and turn signal communication is handled via one single LED strip that is mounted beneath the tailgate. The longer you look at this truck, the more customization stands out.
Model year 1940 marked the tail end of what was known as the “Master Series” of the General Motors A-body platform. This would be the final era of trucks that shared exterior design language with passenger coupes and sedans. Beginning in 1941 and thereafter (with what became known as the “AK Series”), pickups would receive more distinct engineering as people demanded trucks with more distinct towing, hauling, and all-terrain capabilities.
The interior of today’s featured rig has been customized with a pair of gray cloth bucket seats that are separated by a padded center console. Other upgrades include modernized VDO gauges, a dash-mounted 8,000-rpm Pro Tach, a Grant steering wheel, a heater, and power windows. The hood opens on either side butterfly-style, and power underneath it comes from a 350cid small-block V8 mated to an automatic transmission. “When you raise the hood, all you see is chrome,” the listing says.
This parade-ready truck would be not only a head-turner, but also a conversation piece at your local cruise-in thanks to its musical talents. There is still time to take delivery in time to have it serenade your neighborhood with the National Anthem over the upcoming Independence Day holiday this summer.
The asking price is $47,500 or best offer.
To view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com, check out the listing.
