WWII Ration truck

[Wick]

About a month ago I picked up a converted coupe into a truck. The owner remembered Riding in the bed as a kid in the 60s. Truck was in Arizona/California all it's live from what I'm told. The wood bed is 4' long,appears to be a well made kit,the fasteners were upgraded when
Restored. Roof has been filled at some point.
Any pictures of other Ration truck around?

 

[Fhane]

I have a 1929 Briggs Fodor converted into a CC PU that I am restoring. It was close to A Frankinstien car when I received it. I had never seen anything like it. The car was about 80% complete, but not much assembled near correct, but a beautifull new paint job. My shop is the third and last shop, I hope, to receive it. It has been a nightmare. I did some research, converted cars like this were also called called warbabys. Converted during WWII to get more fuel stamps. I dig up a picture in a couple of days.

 

[Wick]

I never heard the name warbaby,that's cool. I've installed a borg warner overdrive unit in it also.

 

[Eccentric Old Guy]

Very cool!

The WW2 GI's also called the M1 carbine "warbaby".

eog

 

[Brentwood Bob]

My first model a was a early 28 sport coupe with a model t era bed and a gas ration sticker out of a Redlands, California orange grove.
I don't remember it having all the extra metal supports Wick's coupe has.
Mine just carried some of my brothers and the occasional dog.
Never dropped the tailgate. It went on to haul trash at a Mentone, California fishing place.

 

[Chuck Dempsey]

Some historical pics you might have seen ....

 

[Chuck Dempsey]

One more, under construction. I think it's a 'A', but not sure....

 

[J Franklin]

A converted T model

 

[Chris Haynes]

Having been born during WWII I am a Warbaby.

 

[CHuDWah]

If you don't want to build your own...

 

[Y-Blockhead]

If you don't want to build your own...

That's very cool. Still looks like a Coupe until you open it up.

 

[Brad in Germany]

Back in the day, most commercial body manufactures offered such a pick-up conversion for Ford Model A's that had a trunk or rumble seat. Here are three from era commercial body catalogs:

Brad in Maryland

 

[henry's 31]

Thank you all for a great history lesson. Our folks did what needed to be done to cope with the hard times during the war. The "Greatest Generation" are a great example of what a true American is.


Al

 

[Fullraceflathead]

Wow very unique designs they had back then America was a different country back then compared to today.

 

[CHuDWah]

Another popular conversion was cutting the rear door section out of a Fordor, attaching the rear quarter to the cowl/front door section and adding a pickup box. I've also seen it done with a Tudor by shortening the rear section.

 

[Clem Clement]

Sears sold a pickup kit for the Model A. My Uncle converted a 36 coupe to a pickup. Neato. Wish I could have owned it.

 

[PC/SR]

This was fairly common in the early 50s in Northern Calif. My pal Jerry and I would stop at about every backroad house looking for a coupe or roadster and run into these in barns. Outrageous price of $25 was common. Not worth it being all messed up like that.

 

[Randy in ca]

Another popular conversion was cutting the rear door section out of a Fordor, attaching the rear quarter to the cowl/front door section and adding a pickup box. I've also seen it done with a Tudor by shortening the rear section.

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This picture was posted in another thread not long ago and if you look close it appears to be made from a sedan body.

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[Brentwood Bob]

Cowl lights, and planed hub caps. There was a similiar conversion in Brentwood at least 30 years back. It was a driver.