Powell Pickup Trucks
The Powell Brothers started their business in 1926 making radios. This continued until 1932 when they decided to start building mini scooters in California and in 1940 were the first to offer push button starting on a scooter. During the war years, they converted their factor to making rockets, shells and bombs. After the Second World War, they reverted back to scooter manufacture and in the early 1950’s came up with the Powell Pickup truck.
The Powel Pickup first appeared in 1954 (as a 1955 model) and were based on utilising the chassis and running gear of 1940-41 Plymouth and Dodge cars. These parts were refurbished. Early models had an all steel body with fiberglass nose, oak wooden bumpers and tailgate. Later, this was considered unsafe so the bumpers and tailgates on later models are metal. The unique feature of these vehicles was a slide out draw that ran along the inside of the rear fender where you could store your fishing rod.
According to Hemmings Motor news, there were over 1000 pickups made from 1954-1957 and around 300 Sports wagons. There were also 3 campers made.
The Powell manufacturing Company stopped making pickups in 1957, due to of a lack of refurbishable Plymouths. The company again turned to motorcycle manufacturing with the Powell Challenger Trail Bike. The company finally closed in 1979.
