1930 Chevrolet Dunbar Popcorn Truck (interior pics below 👇)
Chicago machinist Fred Dunbar established his popcorn equipment company in 1902 after departing Charles Cretors’ operation. Dunbar developed a patented hot-air popping method that produced dry popcorn suitable for extended storage, with butter applied automatically during purchase rather than during cooking.
This innovation proved particularly advantageous for movie theaters and fairgrounds experiencing unpredictable sales surges.
Initially building bodies for horse-drawn wagons and Ford Model T chassis, Dunbar shifted to Chevrolet half-ton truck platforms during the early years of the Depression. These final motorized popcorn wagons featured 131-inch wheelbases and measured nearly 17 feet overall, with elaborate coachwork combining extensive glass panels and white oak construction.
The Chevrolet foundation provided a 194 cubic inch inline six-cylinder engine paired with a three-speed non-synchromesh manual transmission and 20-inch split-rim wheels.
Production ended by the mid-1930s as economic conditions forced many independent vendors out of business. Few examples survived commercial retirement, making these elaborate mobile concession stands exceptionally rare today.
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