I saw this well-loved Ford truck in traffic in March 2013. It’s been suggested to me that it’s a ’28 with ’33-’34 wheels, but I don’t reckon the actual year matters much; it’s roughly a century old. It’s in substantially original configuration by the sights and sounds of it, and comes with most of a hundred years’ worth of wabi-sabi patina. Looks like there’s a cover over the crank hole at the base of the radiator; did Model As have self-starters?
A rusted surface will not rust.
Fender cracks welded up, while…
…windshield cracks make me hope that’s safety glass. Modcons: none. This what looks like some kind of a dingus sprouting from the left A-piller is in fact a sign across the street.
I know very little about cars of this era, but I’m guessing this vacuum-operated windshield wiper was an accessory added later.
The lens says this is a Ford Evolite headlamp. Beyond that, I know nothing. Below it is a klaxon (“aWHOOOga!”) horn.
I guess tires of this size can be had now only with whitewalls.
I’d spotted that Renault 4CV and decided to park and take pictures of it. By the time I’d got round the block, this Ford truck had been parked half a block before the Renault. I parked in front of the Ford, circled it taking pics, and waited awhile for the owner to come back. No dice, so I walked up and took pics of the Renault, periodically looking up to check for the Ford’s owner.
Still no, so I went in the shop and asked about the Renault. I was only in there for a minute or less, but by the time I came out the truck had gone. I got back in my car and resumed heading into town, only to see the Ford pull out into traffic ahead of me from what had been its next parking spot. I zoomed ahead and caught up with it, but it turned right and smokily headed up a cross street while I got stuck at the red light. Oh well!
The Renault had been at that European car workshop where I saw it for a couple of weeks—waiting on parts, is my guess—and the Ford just seemed to be in use for routine errands.
This is a fine way to start the weekend (currently a sunny Saturday morning)…thank you!
When I started working as an engineer in 1977, one of the guys in the office had a Model A pickup. He used it just like anyone would use a 50 year old pickup (Paul?). Not a daily driver, though he did bring it in to work regularly, either to keep it exercised or maybe a supply run after work. His commuter was far more modern, a Dodge A100 van. With Slant Six of course. We were actually carpool mates for a while and the A100 was far more popular than my Vega (there were four of us).
Yep. All Model A’s had an electric starter standard, though Ford maintained that starter crank hole for longer than you’d think. I think the cars included a starter handle included in their tool kits, though I’m not 100% sure.
And yes. The front glass is laminated, standard equipment. Can’t remember if safety glass was included in the rest of the windows, or if you had to pay extra for it.
I’m pretty sure that I saw this same truck in the Georgetown area of Seattle back in 2018. Different wheels and a bit of a rake to it, but the same cracked fenders and patina.
https://flic.kr/p/2aCpUuH
There can’t be all that many of them…!
Nice old truck. Good writing of the article. Thanks.
But I am so sick and tired of nasty old rust (patina) being passed off as something desirable and sexy. Patina, yeah, “Gee, my rear frame is nothing but patina, isnt the rotting metal great? So attractive huh?” Rust is rust. Fix it. Patina rust is only found so attractive by those without the skills to repair and paint, or by those that cant pay for a body shop to repair it. If I read any more articles of how great “patina” is, I am going to vomit!
I guess it depends on your definition of “patina”. My thought is that patina would be things like faded paint, a few parking lot dings, worn upholstery etc. Serious rust is not patina, IMO.
I remember being in at summer camp in Colorado circa 1987 and seeing one of these in use by a Rainbow Gathering attendee we saw at a park. It had a very elaborate wooden wooden camper body with multihued stained glass windows. Even at 12 it surprised me it could make it up, and down, in the mountains, as the chassis looked pretty stock. The truck, and the unfortunately unrealized possibility of witnessing public nudity (as highlighted by the counselors) of the Rainbow Tribe were one of the highlights of the trip.
That should be safety glass, if I remember correctly the Model A was the first car to use it. And electric self starters were standard equipment . . . . . I believe going back to at least the last ten years of the Model T. Once Cadillac introduced the self starter in 1911, it didn’t take long for everyone else to adopt it. The biggest holdup would have been to come out with a cheap enough version for the low priced cars.
With the old faded paint, the owner can daily drive it without worrying about getting stone chips or scratches in the paint.
If the truck had a perfectly straight body with a show quality paint job, it would likely spend much of its time parked in a garage protected from the elements.
My Dad had a 1965 Ford F100 shortbed stepside that he bought used in the 1970’s.
He repainted the truck and then sanded the gloss off the truck to give it a dull finish.
He said that an old truck used as a daily driver along with hauling stuff in the bed does not need a shiny show quality paintjob.
Yes, safety glass, it should be replaced A.S.A.P. as it’s de;laminated .
All ‘A’ Model Fords came with a comprehensive toolkit and hand crank starter .
This one looks to have actual patina not rust .
I don’t like rust nor patina unless the patina is gently worn original paint .
These are quite sturdy trucks, they come with a small inline four cylinder flat head engine, about 40 horsepower .
Very crude ~ no mechanical timing advance in the distributor ~ you’d push the manual spark lever under the steering wheel up (retarding the spark) to start the engine then pull it fully down to drive, no adjustment when running .
There is a timing pin sticking out of the timing chest, it flips over to set the timing during routine maintenance .
Also a hand throttle lever under the left side of the steering wheel, a round “throttle button” was used as you drove .
When I had a 1931 ‘A’ model pickup it had twenty year old red & black paint and stainless steel bumpers and radiator surround etc. . commercial Fords at the time didn’t get bright work .
The brakes were pretty crude “push and pray” things that had 60 % of the braking on the _rear_ wheels to avoid locking up the fronts on muddy dirt roads, they can be fixed to have proper 60/40 affect and ditching the rollers on the bottoms of each brake shoe (“Floaters”) will make the bakes pretty good, the @” tread pattern means once you fix the brakes it’s easy to lock up all four wheels in in town traffic ~ why so many use the 15″ , 16″ or 17″ wheels .
Nice little rig I think, they’re economical to operate and maintain and can be used to carry heavy loads ~ mine was a shop truck and carried engines and trannies plus scrap as needed .
-Nate
I would guess it as a 30 – the fenders for 30-31 had a gentler curve behind the front wheel and the 31 had a noticeably bigger radiator. The 30 was the one where the new fenders and old radiator were on the same car. Of course, with so many years parts could have been changed. That dingus on the A pillars was for the opening windshield. It was hinged at the top and there was a knob and slide mechanism on each side that would allow the windshield to be opened and held that way.
The newer wire wheels (up to 1935) were desirable as the balloon tires gave a softer ride. The headlights have been upgraded to sealed beams rather than the old separate bulb units. My 29 had an electric wiper with the motor on the inside above the windshield, so I cannot say about the setup on this one.
These were sweet old cars that were durable as hell and just as simple. I miss my 29 coupe.
The headlamps on this truck are not sealed beams.
I’ll second that 1930 date as it has the taller radiator, cowl, hoodline and plain cowl sides that were new features of the ‘improved A’ for ’30. US ’31s had some changes we didn’t get in Australia, only one I recall is a different grille, but I don’t know whether that appliied to the pickups (being a commercial vehicle).
Cool find!
Yes ;
Ford supplied comprehensive tool kits including a crank handle .
The adjustable wrench was ‘A’ model specific and pure unobtanium as it had a square hole broached in it to adjust the brakes and a little squared off thumb on the bottom end of it to adjust the water pump’s packing nut .
The windshield adjusters had a notch so you could set the windshield open *just* enough to allow defrosting air in .
Or, to help circulate fresh air without it blowing in your face in Summer .
These didn’t come with heaters although an exhaust manifold heater was a very popular option .
They didn’t come with air cleaners either, sort of odd as they were built when most roads were not paved .
-Nate
Hey, I recognize that location. “Buy Sell Trade” in the last shot is the Trading Musician, out by Greenlake in Seattle. I’ve gotten some real bargains there over the years. A really good place to get second hand instruments, and a good backdrop for that funky old truck.