Do I have an original 31 owners manual?

[supergnat]

I purchased a 31 owners manual recently. I think it is an original. How can I tell if it is an original or a older reproduction?
Thanks,
Supergnat

[Tom Wesenberg]

The original pages have more gloss than any repro I've seen.

[newshirt]

Originals will have more detail in the illustrations. Repro's are grainy.

These scans don't do the illustrations justice, but you can see the basic idea.
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[Kevin in NJ]

The oval on the cover is the same size as the oval on the inside cover with the original.

Look here also
Original Owners

Please be aware that there are reproduction manuals made in the 60's that would look old and seem original today right down to the rusty staples. There is one in my brothers coupe you might confuse for old musty original.

[supergnat]

Thanks for the quick reply and the great information. I now am confident that I have an old looking reprint. I have attached the photos I meant to attach when I originally posted my question. The Ford ovals on the cover in first pages are different sizes. Plus the Ford Motor Company script on the cover is too long (3 inches).
Thanks,
Supergnat

[msmaron]

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contact Don Turley. he will know for sure.

[peters180a/170b]

For the longest time i had a late 1931 Model "A" Ford owners manual in a original mailing envelope from a Ford dealership with stamp. A trip one year to Hershey A.A.C.A. Meet with it and had James Thomas [ Advertising The Model "A" Ford,, book ]look at it. He never seen a "EARLY" REPRINT FROM FORD before mine due to the mailing stamp on the envelope. He said about 1937 Ford had reprints made for owners as a replacement [like parts] But mine was stamped with the date in 1932.... Ford must of run out of Manuals at the end and sent them to the owners who did not get them at that time by mail as early as 1932.. James idea of what might of happened. Gave it to my Godfather for a present for his late 1931 coupe. It looks as a n.o.s one and i thought i got the bargain of the year at $75.00 ..."O" Well

[mot]

this is a nice original one
look at the size of the ford logo and also look at the two lines around the edge of the cover
on repros the ford oval is the same size as the lettering ,on the originals its larger
on the repros the one of the border lines is thinner than the outer line
the real one has lines of the same thickness

they are making real nice repros now
with slick inner pages
after a few years wear they wont be able to told from originals
but the cover color is a bit off

they have made so many reproductions over the 80+ years no two are the same
tom