Michael Satterfield
Anything once owned by Steve McQueen is immediately cooler, collectors and fans will buy just about anything connected to McQueen, auction houses have even sold off his mailbox and a hotel room key he once used. But Legendary Motorcar of Canada is offering something really cool, McQueen’s 1952 Chevrolet Pickup and Camper. The actor purchased the truck and camper from a migrant farmer he passed on the side of the road in the late ’70s when he was living in Trancas Beach, just north of Malibu, California. Powered by the original 235 cu in Loadmaster 6-cylinder engine with a 4-Speed Manual Transmission. The truck was used by McQueen for camping trips across the US. The “Dust Tite ” camper was built by Harold Van Hoosen, a sheet metal fabricator from Yreka, California in October 1952. Made of galvanized metal and aluminum, the camper includes a double bed, storage cabinets, drawers, and shelves. This truck was also the last vehicle to transport McQueen from his Santa Paula home to the Ventura County Airport on Nov. 3, 1980. He road to the airport accompanied by Reverend Billy Graham, McQueen would fly on to Mexico for his final cancer treatment.
The truck was first sold at the Steve McQueen Estate Auction in 1984 at the Imperial Palace in Las Vegas. Included are an original Certificate of Authenticity from that auction, signed by Terry and Chad McQueen, as well as, the auction ticket and advertisements, the original 1959 California license plates, and three California title “pink slips” in Steve McQueen’s name. The truck was offered for sale in 2013 by Mecum Auctions where the top bid was $70,000 but it did not hit the reserve. The truck is being offered for an undisclosed amount by Legendary Motorcar Company, for more visit LegendaryMotorcar.com.
