This week, take a look at an antique vehicle that, as a donation, helped build a brighter future. The truck in question is a silver 1940 Chevrolet ½ Ton, carefully restored into a shiny wonder. Keep reading to learn a little about the history of the Chevy Silverado’s predecessor, and the charity it helped support – Habitat for Humanity! All donations for the Cars for Homes program go to a local Habitat to improve the donor’s community. In this case, that was the Solano-Napa Habitat.
Cars for Homes: 1940 Chevrolet 1/2 Ton
The Chevrolet ½ Ton was the first designed by the Art and Color Department in 1938. Although our donation has been painted a vibrant silver, the original paint color would have been a two-tone design, with the fenders painted a contrasting hue. This modern restoration is smooth silver across the entire body.
Chevrolet pickup trucks first became available in 1918, competing with the Ford Model T (which we have also received as a donation).
Chevrolet release the first 1/2 Ton pickup 1938. It boasted 78 horsepower, and a 3.5 L engine. The production of this model was limited due to significant historical factors. The US entered WWII in December 1941. To conserve resources, the government halted production of civilian trucks from 1942-1945 due to the war.
Solano-Napa Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity International is a charity with the vision of “a world where everyone has a decent place to live.” The global organization works locally with grassroots affiliates. There are over 1,100 active affiliates in the US, who focus on homebuilding and repair projects in local communities.
The Solano-Napa Habitat affiliate services Solano and Napa counties from their Fairfield, CA headquarters. They have completed builds in Fairfield, Vallejo, Vacaville, and Napa. One particularly inspiring project is the Veterans Residence in Dixon, the product of a partnership with Community Action North Bay.
You can support the Solano-Napa Habitat by shopping at or donating to the ReStore, volunteering on builds, or by donating a car through the Cars for Homes program! We run the most efficient car donation program, which means the most money goes directly to your local affiliate. We consistently return between 75-80% of the gross proceeds of the vehicle’s sale, which helps build more houses!