1931 Roadster pickup
 

I just found one in this tiny little town, it's an indented firewall '31, the body is 99.99% rust free. The guy bought it in 1965, took it apart, and tagged and bagged everything, then never did anything else. He's 82 now, and has come to the realization that he won't ever be able to do anything with it. It has the fenderwell spare tire fenders on both sides, the (as far as he knew in 1963) original engine, original perfect chassis, splash aprons, rear fenders, even the original non-peaked radiator shell.
He wants 4,000 for it, but I know I could get it for 3,500.
The question is, is it worth it?

Re: 1931 Roadster pickup
 

Would be in my garage by now...

Re: 1931 Roadster pickup
 

What town did you say you lived in?? My trailer is already hitched up. :)

Re: 1931 Roadster pickup
 

That's way too much money; don't do it!

You can tell the owner that I will remove that trash from his property for little or no fee.

For the environment's sake.:rolleyes:

Re: 1931 Roadster pickup
 

Why ? Why ? Why ? is it not in your hands? $4,000.00 [look what a brookville repro . body cost alone. A rare truck !!! One thing to check out and very hard to find!!! THE WINDSHIELD STANCHIONS ![Hens teeth] But that would not stop me from buying that truck. Good luck , when you get it..... let us know...

Re: 1931 Roadster pickup
 

I have an early 1931 RDPU (small bed like the one you are looking at but no indented firewall). According to "The Ford Model A As Henry Built It" the truck went to the larger bed in May of 1931. If I was looking for another one I wouldn't even think twice about buying that one, he would have the money and I would have it in my garage. As far as the radiator shell goes the pickup needs the one with the peak. The straight across one was used on the AA with a thicker radiator. According to an old Ford Life Magazine article they made 2637 open cab trucks including pickups and the ones on the AA chassis. How is the paperwork on it?

Charlie Stephens

Re: 1931 Roadster pickup
 

Great Buy !

Marc

Re: 1931 Roadster pickup
 

Talk about a no brainer.
As you can tell from the other posts If you have the space and the money you should have already towed it home.

Good Luck with a great find.

Re: 1931 Roadster pickup
 

It may just be a trick of the camera but the wheel wells look too wide. Does anyone else agree with me on this? I would still buy it and if the wells are too wide trade them to a street rodder. For reference my wheel wells are 6 1/4 inches wide in the center of the opening at the fender level. I wonder if the fenders are from a AA since the radiator shell if from a AA and it looks like a farm in the background? But the bottom line is if you like it and are willing to put a little work in to fix it up buy it because you will probably not find another one in that condition at that price

Charlie Stephens

UPDATE: 26Tudor measured the wells and they are correct. He got 6 1/8 which is close enough. Must have been the camera angle or maybe I just need glasses.

Charlie Stephens

Re: 1931 Roadster pickup
 

To the poster that asked about the paperwork-
He has the title, dated 1965, in his name, when he bought it.

Re: 1931 Roadster pickup
 

Hand him $4500 it's still a deal. that is a great opportunity for a really unbelievable piece.


Tim

Re: 1931 Roadster pickup
 

Make it a done deal.

The wheel wells look proper to me. 30-31 would be slightly larger than the earlier because of tire right?

Re: 1931 Roadster pickup
 

I would pay $6,000.00 in a heart beat and still think that would be a cheap price

Re: 1931 Roadster pickup
 

If you don't want it I'll take it...I'm still looking for a new truck. Sorry that would be a new "old" truck. Good luck in your new find. We all know of a guy who has things like this, that will never do anything with them and won't sell a thing. Then they pass away and the family gets ripped off by vultures. At least this guy is willing to let things go. Again good luck you lucky bastard.

Re: 1931 Roadster pickup
 

Hell yes! Don't be an ass pay the guy FULL ASKING PRICE!

Re: 1931 Roadster pickup
 

Time for a confession. With one exception I like the '32 body styles better than the Model A. I like a '32 roadster better than a Model A roadster. I like a '32 sedan better than a Model A sedan and so on throughout the list of body styles that were available both years. What is that one exception? I like the '30-'31 roadster pickups better than the '32 roadster pickups (although due to their novelty I would probably take one if it was forced on me). The Model A roadster pickups used the smooth flowing cowl section from a roadster/phaeton while the '32 roadster pickups had a unique commercial looking cowl that looked like it belonged on a jeep. I should note here that the reproduction '32 roadster pickup by Brookville uses the cowl section from a roadster.

Charlie Stephens

Re: 1931 Roadster pickup
 

BUY IT RIGHT NOW!!!!

then start looking for a good non-welled fender for the passenger side.
it will look much better (like a proper truck) with only one sidemount.

I keep looking. someday it will be MY turn to find a gem like this.

enjoy!

Re: 1931 Roadster pickup
 

If nothing else, BUY IT and flip it or at least save it from someone who may cut it up. JMO If avail I would buy it.
Paul in CT

Re: 1931 Roadster pickup
 

Thanks for all the opinions, guys.
I will most likely buy it, but I am afraid I could end up having to sell it again it I get laid off from work (which, as it stands right now, is a VERY distinct possibility).
If that happens, I will contact the folks who have voiced an interest in it, in the order they posted on this thread about it.
Here's a few more photos of it... the guy says he has every single piece and part for the truck, windshield stanchion and frame, near perfect chassis, every nut and bolt that came off the car... He was a Mechanical Engineer, so I have a feeling he did, in fact, "tag and bag" everything

Re: 1931 Roadster pickup
 

For goodness sake. The body alone is worth more than $4,000 to me. Original stantions? Whoah.

Re: 1931 Roadster pickup
 

Hi
Does he llive in Mass???

Re: 1931 Roadster pickup
 

Using AA well fenders was a trick we used years ago if you were going to install 35 Ford 16" wheels; they fit in the wells without deflating the tire.

Ron

Re: 1931 Roadster pickup
 

Okay, Mitch, if I don't get to keep the car due to financial hardship, you're on the list....
Cradlescyth, he couldn't be farther away from MA if he tried....But that's all I am going to say, until I have it in my garage..

Re: 1931 Roadster pickup
 

Yep, It`s a cinch your gettin laid off. I`ll go ahead an take so you won`t have to struggle. Lets see, if you give 3500. I can give at least 3250. Monte:rolleyes:

Re: 1931 Roadster pickup
 

Monte, your generosity and open heart are truly heart warming. 8=)
If I DO get it, and have to sell it, I'm sure not gonna give it away....
If I have to sell it, that will be ONLY because I need every danged penny I can get my hands on.

Re: 1931 Roadster pickup
 

I do not blame you. When things are tough, you have to take care of your own needs and those of your family.

What you pay for something is irrelavent. If you do have to sell it, you should get Fair Market Price for it.

This will make a nice piece when finished and it looks like it is in very good condition to start with.

I hope it would go to someone who would do it justice and not to some one who will chop it up and put a "350-350-9 inch" in it. Those guys can buy a Brookville and have at it.

I really like the 30-31 Roadster P.Us and would like to see this one put back together.

Good luck with your "find" and I hope things work out for you.

Re: 1931 Roadster pickup
 

Vince, I don't think the previous poster meant the whole fender, just install the AA wells.
Paul in CT

Re: 1931 Roadster pickup
 

He says he has the windshield stanchions he took off in 1963, He said the chrome isn't too good anymore, but they weren't pitted or anything, last time he actually unwrapped them and saw them (I guess, from what he said, about 12-15 years ago)
I expect to have the cash together Monday, and plan on borrowing a friend's truck and trailer, and heading over to his house and shop, cash in hand.

Re: 1931 Roadster pickup
 

Note to self: Resist the urge to kick any dog turds found laying around the forum!

Re: 1931 Roadster pickup
 

I am no expert but can someone tell me what is going on with the outside door handles?

Never mind, I am used to seeing closed pickups where the handle is higher.

Re: 1931 Roadster pickup
 

Give us a hint, thay are on the OUTSIDE, now what?:rolleyes:

Re: 1931 Roadster pickup
 

My understanding is that the original stanchions were not chrome, but painted. Of course I'm no expert.

Re: 1931 Roadster pickup
 

The radiator shell looks great but is for a AA truck and won't work with a passenger car or pickup radiator. The AA radiators were thicker and the radiator shells didn't have the widows peak. The shell pictured doesn't have the widows peak and has the stainless emblem as used with AA trucks.

Re: 1931 Roadster pickup
 

True that, sir, but he has quite a few of the passenger car radiator shells, and I am going to be able to not only keep the AA shell, but "cherry pick" the best of the Passenger Car shells he has amassed over the years. There is one on the trailer with the body that looked 99.9% perfect to me, but he said he has a better one than that, he just has to dig it out of storage.
I'm going to give him the $$ tomorrow, but won't be able to transport the car until next weekend. I'll know more then...
Here's one of the original photos Iposted, showing the Passenger Car radiator shell

Re: 1931 Roadster pickup
 

yes, it is worth $4,000. You need to determine if it has a wide bed, top bows and windshield, because these can be costly.

Jim , 31 SW FORDOOR

Re: 1931 Roadster pickup
 

I know the top bows are there, they are inside the body now, you can see parts of them in some of the photographs on this thread. The windshield frame and stanchions are there. The Wide Bed part, I'm not sure, there seems to be some confusion about the bed on it on this forum right now... it's what the guy bought in 1965, that much I DO know.

Re: 1931 Roadster pickup
 

You definitely have a narrow bed. Go to the illustrations of the tailgates in some of the vendor catalogs and look at the lower corners of the tailgate. Yours are rounded like the narrow bed not square like the wide bed. There is an illustration at https://www.mackhils.com/mack_produc...?CategoryNo=20
but it is not very clear (if you click on the illustration it will blow it up so you can see what I mean). This is a good supplier for truck unique parts. The wide bed probably carried more cargo but I prefer the look of the narrow bed. There is also more detail (raised belt areas) on the side of the narrow bed which makes it look better. One other thing to watch for is the windshield wiper. It was used on '30-'31 open cab trucks and '32 open cars. The correct windshield wiper is an expensive part.

Charlie Stephens

Re: 1931 Roadster pickup
 

Charlie, thanks for the info.
I talked with the owner tonite (a few minutes ago, actually) and he did state that the truck is, indeed, a "narrow bed" truck, and he has the correct fenders, as they are wider than the "wide bed" rear fenders.
I'm going over tomorrow to pay the guy, and I'll check the windshield wiper while I'm there

Re: 1931 Roadster pickup
 

what a great find , good job ! let me know if you want to sell the AA shell i could use it for my project.

Re: 1931 Roadster pickup
 

It's mine 8=)


I have until the end of the month to pick through what I want for the truck, he has offered another passenger's side non-welled fender to go along with it, along with a no-hole splash apron. he has the block that came out of the car in 1963, and the chassis # corresponds with the # on the title.
He took EVERYTHING apart, including the rear end, and there is boxes of parts, new king pins, bearings, etc etc. After I am done, his son is going to come up and get the rest, including the 28-29 RPU body and chassis, and all the rest of the stuff.
The windshield stanchions are/were chrome, but have a little rust on them, but nothing a re-chome wouldn't make beautiful again. I m also getting the commercial painted headlights, and a set of passenger car ones as well.
The speedo is a Stewart-Warner, that he says he had rebuilt back in the 70's sometime.
Everything is NOT "tagged and bagged" as I was told it was... there are 5 gallon buckets of bolts and nuts and washers.
I now am the proud owner of a giant jigsaw puzzle 8=)
Oh, and the windshield frame is no peach, has some rust/separation on the bottom channel, and the chrome is shot, but I think it's fixable, and although I didn't actually see it, he says he has both an electric and a vacuum wiper assembly for it...