Early-twentieth-century passenger cars and light-duty trucks often had enough in common that the only significant difference between the two was the actual body. Cadillac, for example, built vans from 1904 through 1908, according to the Complete Encyclopedia, by substituting closed bodies for those designed to carry passengers. The 1915 Studebaker Light Delivery 5’s specifications in the Handbook of Automobiles mirror those of the contemporary Studebaker Four Touring 5-D.
Manufacturers didn’t abandon the concept, but they did gradually move almost completely to the use of specialized designs and features for each of their passenger and commercial lines.
The Model E Ford Introduces a Commercial Option
Before the Model T propelled it to success, Ford built a series of personal automobiles while barely exploring the possibilities of trucks. That changed with the 1905 Ford Model E Delivery Van, according to the Complete Encyclopedia. Based on the Ford Model C passenger car – which accounts for its also being known as the Model C Delivery Van and Model C Delivery Car – it saw total production of a mere 10 examples, according to the Illustrated Encyclopedia.
