Truck Brightwork Question

BadgerA

BadgerA

Senior Member
Looking for a consensus. A friend is telling me that Ford offered stainless radiator shell, headlight buckets, cowl band, and tail light bucket in stainless in late 31. My contention is that these items were carbon steel and painted black with the exception of the cowl band which was carbon steel and painted body color. My point to him is that over the years, owners traded these out. We are talking a standard pick up,, not a deluxe commercial vehicle. What say ye?
 
I have had my '31 RDPU since 1972 and never heard that story. Ask your friend if he can document it? Of course there could have been isolated cases where dealers added stainless trim to make a sale but this is not the way they came from the factory.

Charlie Stephens
 
DeLuxe PU.jpgMaybe he is thinking of the Deluxe Pickup, came out in May 1931 I think.


Bob
 

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We are talking about a standard pickup,,, which he owns. Trying to be nice, but we agreed not to agree if you know what I mean.
 
BadgerA said:
Looking for a consensus. A friend is telling me that Ford offered stainless radiator shell, headlight buckets, cowl band, and tail light bucket in stainless in late 31. My contention is that these items were carbon steel and painted black with the exception of the cowl band which was carbon steel and painted body color. My point to him is that over the years, owners traded these out. We are talking a standard pick up,, not a deluxe commercial vehicle. What say ye?
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I'm certainly no expert but we have owned and researched a pickup. AFAIK, you are correct. As you may know, both 30 and 31 non-Deluxe pickups have radiator shell like 30 passenger, except painted steel instead of stainless - the 31 does not have the indented top panel. Both years have the same radiator badge and crank-hole cover as respective year passenger. So many trucks have been "upgraded" with stainless passenger parts that the painted ones are hard to find. One theory is the painted parts rusted and were replaced with "rustless steel" - dunno if that's true but FWIW. We never did find a steel radiator shell or cowl band - had to paint stainless ones.

One question I've never found the answer concerns cowl lights. They were not standard on non-Deluxe pickup but if (probably dealer) installed, were they painted or stainless? I'd guess the latter as I've never seen or heard of painted ones.
 
When I bought my pickup (a late '31 Budd Cab), it came to me with painted headlight buckets, stainless ('30) radiator shell and cowl band, and (1)stainless taillight. I presume that when it was "restored" back in the '80s, that's just what the PO put on it.

Cowl lights did not come on standard pickups. I wanted them, so now I have them. They also serve as turn signals on the front. And they are stainless as that's the way the repops came from the vendor. I did put a second tail light on it, and I bought the stainless one just so that it would match the one I already had.
 
BadgerA said:
Looking for a consensus. A friend is telling me that Ford offered stainless radiator shell, headlight buckets, cowl band, and tail light bucket in stainless in late 31. My contention is that these items were carbon steel and painted black with the exception of the cowl band which was carbon steel and painted body color. My point to him is that over the years, owners traded these out. We are talking a standard pick up,, not a deluxe commercial vehicle. What say ye?
Click to expand...


I suggest asking your friend to show you the Ford documentation to backup his statement. That should end the discussion.
 
CarlG said:
When I bought my pickup (a late '31 Budd Cab), it came to me with painted headlight buckets, stainless ('30) radiator shell and cowl band, and (1)stainless taillight. I presume that when it was "restored" back in the '80s, that's just what the PO put on it.

Cowl lights did not come on standard pickups. I wanted them, so now I have them. They also serve as turn signals on the front. And they are stainless as that's the way the repops came from the vendor. I did put a second tail light on it, and I bought the stainless one just so that it would match the one I already had.
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Our 30 was the same except black taillight. Guy I bought it from said he wanted to put on stainless headlights but never found a pair (don't think he looked very hard ;)). We did put on a second repop black taillight and painted the stainless radiator shell and cowl band - looked but didn't find steel ones. Not correct, but I do think trucks look better with the shiny stuff.
 
BRENT in 10-uh-C said:
Ohh, I guess I am different because I think the "shiny stuff" on a Model-A pick-up looks much akin to a little pig with lipstick on his snout!!
ROFL.gif
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Reminds me of the numerous cars I have looked at that were ruined back in the 70s. People chromed everything on those cars, making it look bad with a lot more maitenance.
 
After much discussion and my showing him the JS, he has "reluctantly" agreed that these items are not standard. Unfortunately there are probably a lot of potential buyers who will not know the difference and accept this as fact. Or then again,,,, does it really make any difference anymore? I am a stickler for originality having done fine point but the vast majority could probably care less. To each his/her own.
 
I thought we settled this awhile ago. The solid answer to whether or not the pickups came with stainless or painted mild steel is YES.
 
1ton said:
I thought we settled this awhile ago. The solid answer to whether or not the pickups came with stainless or painted mild steel is YES.
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Are you indicating that YES, the pickups came with either stainless or painted mild steel? And, who/when was this settled?
 
I'm saying that this age old question may never be answered. It's been discussed at great length and nobody has ever come up with solid information to settle it either way. Since there is no answer, my response is simply "yes".
 
BadgerA said:
After much discussion and my showing him the JS, he has "reluctantly" agreed that these items are not standard. Unfortunately there are probably a lot of potential buyers who will not know the difference and accept this as fact. Or then again,,,, does it really make any difference anymore? I am a stickler for originality having done fine point but the vast majority could probably care less. To each his/her own.
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Yes, most don't care and will accept this as fact (like having an AR vehicle or a Roadster pickup - neither existed via Ford but most believe they did).


Dick Steinkamp's post indicates there would need to be some Ford documentation stating the Ford was NOT producing the pickup with the subject brightwork - this would be proving a negative (will not happen).
 
1ton said:
I'm saying that this age old question may never be answered. It's been discussed at great length and nobody has ever come up with solid information to settle it either way. Since there is no answer, my response is simply "yes".
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It seem like "no solid information available" might be a good response.
 
When I bought my late 31 steeltop widebed, which was a rusted untouched field find, it had all stainless. I have purchased original mild steel headlights and shroud, which will be painted. Don't know which way is correct but I prefer the painted look over stainless.
Is that wrong? Oh hell no. Is it right? absolutely.
 
BRENT in 10-uh-C said:
Ohh, I guess I am different because I think the "shiny stuff" on a Model-A pick-up looks much akin to a little pig with lipstick on his snout!!
ROFL.gif
Click to expand...


Yes, you are different because you're paid to make A's "correct". I'm not, but let's be clear - I'm not talking about a bunch of aftermarket circus wagon geegaws, just the stainless parts discussed in this thread. Painted parts look OK on a light color truck, not so much on a dark one - not enough contrast. To each his own, so go ahead and yuck it up if you think the "shiny stuff" looks like a cosmeticized oinker. Your way may be correct but I think it makes an already monotone truck look even more blah. :rolleyes:
 
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