Truck Rad Shell and Headlights needed.

[Guest fezziwig]

I'm restoring a 1930 Model A pickup truck. I see that the shell and headlights were originally black. Did they paint the stainless steel black or were these headlights and shells steel ? In any event, I need radiator shell and headlights.

One more question. I know the car bodies sat upon the frame and the back end of the bodies sat upon the frame extensions that also had the back bumpers attach to them. Do the trucks get these same frame rail extensions ?

thanks.

[Dave Mellor NJ]

If you look at a sub frame from a tudor you will see a joint where the back part slides under the front part and was spot welded.When it was coming down the line if it was a pickup the subframe would only have the front part and the cab would have its back valance attached. The bed was set on wood runners and it had no back bumper. The tudor body came with the rear part attached as a unit instead of the truck's valance.

If you look at the back of a tudor you don't see any seams where the 1/4 panels attach to the rear valance.The fordor body has those seams I think because the whole sides were made up and assembled to the cowl and rear valance

as far as the shell and lights they were definitely steel to begin with but they are rare. To get the truck on the road just put on the stainless.

Edited February 14, 2013 by Dave Mellor NJ (see edit history)

[Guest fezziwig]

Thank you Dave. I do have the black steel AA shell excellent condition but, I like to keep things as original as possible. If I have to do the stainless steel then, I will because it's not going to any Marc shows. I already know I'll be using the rubber skinned running boards opposed to the steel painted running boards. My one daughter is too young for her not to step on the running boards and to not scratch the paint.

If anyone could direct me towards a picture of a frame prior to the truck bed being placed upon it, let me know.

I just discovered his site last night and it is nice and I appreciate it so thank you to the sponsers and mods.

[jpage]

Model A frames are the same for car and pickup. There were no extensions for the rear bumpers ,just the rear bumper support brackets; they had long legs that bolted to the side frame rails and rear of the body: It did not support the body. The pickup box just bolts to the frame with 4 bolts. The box sits on wooden stringers that fit under the side box aprons. If you have a box ,you will see the holes in the apron,2 in front and 2 after the fenders. Pickups do not use a rear bumper. Also there is a cutout in the center of the box floor covered with a metal plate. This plate makes clearance for the rear spring crossmember. It's a 10 minute job to install a box to the frame. On '30-'31 trucks there is a dust shield bolted to the frame just aft of the cab. Shells and headlamps were steel stampings painted black enamel. I have seen a couple original late '29 painted nickeled headlamps; probably to use up old stock at the new model year changeover. While the frames are the same ,trucks did use a heavier rear spring. I know what a pain those all steel runningboards can be;I had a '28 RP and NOBODY ever stepped on the runningboards! If anyone could not get in without stepping on a board,I carried a small piece of carpet that I would put down first! I wouldn't doubt that you could probably swap that AA shell for a good pickup shell,with a little hunting! Good luck!

[Guest fezziwig]

Thanks jpage. I am a stickler for keeping things as original as possible. As you can see, my Murray sedan has the cream wheels and I know they should have been black but, I thought that looked so much nicer and I can always paint them black or even have a spare set of wheels if I deceided to go trophy hunting at Hershey and what have you. I did have the correct finishes on the rad, cowl lights etc but I changed to stainless steel and chrome over the years. A lot easier to maintain.

My Town sedan is probably 97% as close to the Judging standards as can be and it wouldn't take much to make it a 100%.

That was my goal as I restored the car.

I have a 31 Deuxe roadster I restored and I softened up over the years with follwoing everything to the letter.

It will bother me not to have the correct running boards, rad shell and headlights on the pickup truck. As I said, I have an 11 year old and an 8 year old that can'tstay away from my cars. Just this past summer at a show someone placed a scratch on my roadsters rear fender . It must have happened when we walked away to grab a snack.

After saying all that about keeping things original, I will paint the truck Model A colors but probably not the green or black. I also think the black shell and headlights look pretty good on the trucks.

thanks for hearing me out and you guys getting back to me.

[jpage]

I took a few "liberties" with mine too.as I was only 17 when I built my truck and money was tight. I tried to keep everything "authentic looking" but did use the plated shell and headlamps because I had started with a special coupe and decided it wa too much work ,so I sold it and bought the truck. I used up some of the parts I had already purchased for the coupe. Mechanically it was all stock. I did paint it in Manilla Brown just because I liked the color better(plus it hid the body work)! These pictures were taken years after restoration.

[Guest fezziwig]

I took a few "liberties" with mine too.as I was only 17 when I built my truck and money was tight. I tried to keep everything "authentic looking" but did use the plated shell and headlamps because I had started with a special coupe and decided it wa too much work ,so I sold it and bought the truck. I used up some of the parts I had already purchased for the coupe. Mechanically it was all stock. I did paint it in Manilla Brown just because I liked the color better(plus it hid the body work)! These pictures were taken years after restoration.

Beautiful ! That's a nice color for that truck also. Looks pretty clean , you must keep up on it. I'll be 51 years old next week and I always loved the old cars. I remember not being old enough to be in school yet but, I would watch the TV show, " The untouchables " . I would tell my parents, " I'm going to have as many of those kind of old cars as I can when I grow up. "

My parents would laugh when I would say that because, I think I would yell it out it every episode.

[jpage]

I love those old shows and the old gangster movies. The old movies have a period feel because they were made during that era; today's movies can't come close,they always seem to contrived and fake looking especially when all the cars are Model A's! I was foolish and sold that truck in 2000 and I'm still kicking myself!

[Guest fezziwig]

There will always be things a person kicks themself over in life. I know exactly what you mean because I've done a couple of stupid things too in my life with selling something, losing something and it truly makes me sad and haunts me. I'm especially speaking about the stuff my parents had given me and that I had let go or lost.

You mentioned movies and I think I listed movies in my profile here of what other things I like. I love the old movies and I mean the ones they actually had to act, no special affects and you needed to follow the plot and not everyone had to curse or lose their clothing for it to be interesting.

I loaned my buddy a dvd " Where Eagles Dare " with Clint Eastwood and Richard Burton. It is one of my favorite movies and he hated it. He said it was too dull, no action in it and you had to pay too much attention. This coming from an electronic engineer. I apologize with, " sorry bud I didn't have any movies that were computer generated and with everyone getting blown up at the end. "

[Dave Mellor NJ]

The cowl band is also painted steel on the 30-31 pickup and that is super hard to find in any condition.The AA shell and radiator is thicker than the a A,having four rows of tubes instead of three. What I was saying about the 1/4 seams in my earlier post was wrong. The tudor has the visible seams while the Fordors don't,except for the slant window fordors which went back to them. For a good view of a 30-31 pickup being assembled go to the Model A forum on Fordbarn. I remember they had a guy taking you through a step by step process of restoring one from scratch.

[Guest fezziwig]

Thanks Dave. It's just my guess with the trucks having the steel/painted cowl bands, headlights, shells, over the years people must have taken the opportunity to spruce things up with stainless steel. I know I would have back in the day. I have seen trucks at shows with stainless steel finishes, paint finishes andstainless steel that was painted and peeling off.

Yes, I knew about the AA shroud being thicker and it is straight across the front instead of the tear drop center. You would think that the people that make the cowl bands, shells, headlights would stamp some ones out for the trucks. If you can press stainless out I would think regular steel wouldn't be any different or anmore difficult.

I wish they made cow bands for my 29 Murray, I need one.

[1939wastheyear]

I have a NOS 30 Model A Ford Pickup Painted radiator shell. If you have not found one and you are interested you can email me at ezzellsjcase@aol.com and I can send you pictures and more info if needed.

[Guest fezziwig]

Thanks 1939wastheyear....... I'll email you now. Not sure what the problem is but, your email address is not receiveing my email to you.

Edited April 4, 2013 by fezziwig (see edit history)