1937 History
In 1937 Ford had one of its best truck sale years
ever. Milk was .14 cents a quart, gas was 5 gallons for a dollar and
the average American workers yearly salary was $1,368 dollars. Franklin
Roosevelt was trying to help the 48 states recover from the depression
with the New Deal. Money was scarce, so people spent wisely. Route 66
was completed in 1937 and people bought cars and trucks to travel Americas
new highways.
Although Ford mass
produced trucks in the 1930s, to find one in good condition today,
is rare. The average truck purchased in the 1930s was used for
hard work. Recreational vehicles were a luxury that few could afford.
American life was very hard in those days. Trucks were used locally
to haul everything from furniture to produce, typically on dirt roads
or through fields. Because they were used for such hard work, few trucks
have survived in good condition. Most ended up rusting away in a field
or cannibalized for parts.