1931 Roadster pickup

Things seem to be going well. Just paint the stanctions black like they were originally and save the cost of chrome. My '31 RDPU currently sports passenger stainless but my tastes have changed over the years and the correct parts will go black in the future. Be sure to put the rear end back together with 3.54 gears (it may have 4.11 in it now). The windshield frame is common with the standard roadster and I think they make a repro.

Charlie Stephens
 
Charlie, now that RDPU is officially mine, I can tell you- I am in Crescent City, CA... if you go up the 101, and get to a sign that says "Welcome to Oregon" you missed us by about 20 miles... we are smack dab in the middle of the redwoods, on the coast (which is amazing that the truck is still in one piece, most Model A's up here don't exist from the door handles down anymore) it's obvious that this truck has been in a warm, dry, garage all it's life since 1965 (that is the year on the title, I thought it was '63, but it is 1965....)
It came from Sacramento in '65, then got taken apart, nd it sat, and sat, and... sat some more...
 
Actually, it isn't home yet, I just paid the guy, and got a box of "goodies"... original cowl lights, tail lights, commercial headlights, NOS kingpins and some bearings, and other trinkets and treasures. I need to move a bunch of stuff in the garage to make room for all the stuff, move the Model T to a friend's house, and the guy's wife made me promise it would all be gone from their place by the end of this month.. I have family here from San Diego, I work full time, and I have our local car club's car shw coming up on the 21st.... so I am going to be a very busy guy for the next few weeks.
 
I have been looking for a 30/31 open cab pick up for a long time. everything I have come across wasn't what I was looking for. You got lucky, congrats. It gives me hope that some day I may find one to bring home. Good luck and keep us posted on the progess
 
personal opinion-: find a correct '31 commercial shell.

trucks all look better without stainless radiator shells, lights and cowl bands.
 
Well, I got most of it home today, except for a pickup load of parts that my friend has (we were running late, the previous owner likes to talk, and by the time we were done loading everything, my friend had to head straight for work, but he'll be by tomorrow morning to drop the rest off.)
This guy had a shop full of Model A parts, and he was trying to figure out what went with the RDPU, what went with the 1929 RDPU his son is going to come and get and street rod after I am done getting what I am supposed to have.
So far, I know I still need to find the lower windshield stanchion supports, the "ram's horn" that secures them to the body, the extra commercial headlight lens he says he has to replace the one that has a small hole in it, the pedal assembly, and the front and rear springs. He swears he has all of this stuff, and he should because he took apart a running driving truck in 1965, but finding it all is proving to be a real exercise...
The main body has a little more rust than I initially saw, but certainly nothing major. I already got both doors to open and close again with some PB Blaster, but the passenger's side lower hinge is only secured by one screw, so it's kinda loose.
The fenders are in impeccable shape, but the extra, non-welled one for the passenger's side is the wrong one, it appears to be a 1930 fender with the short piece of splash apron welded to it...The bed is really really nice, tailgate is near mint, bumpers need re-chroming but they appear to be all there with the brackets, and it looks as though all the top hardware is there, but the wood in the top main bow is kinda shot.
I'd like to send out a public Thank You to Charlie Stephens- he has patiently answered many of my questions, which I am sure have taken up a lot of his time.
Unfortunately, after all of this, it appears that due to an impending job loss, the truck will end up being for sale. Once I get all the parts I can from this guy, so that I know what I have to sell, I'll be putting it on all the internet Model A boards, including this one.
I do know that the chassis # is A4770080, which, as far as I can tell, is June/July of 1931 production, and the 2 engine blocks I got are #'s A-1427306 (April 1929) and A-3813312 (August 1930) so neither are actually correct for the truck. Thankfully, the Pink Slip (title) has the chassis number on it for the VIN, so that's not a worry....
PS he does NOT have the wiper for it, he has an electric and a vacuum motor, I believe, but nOT the wiper.
 
No Problem, sir. I have notified everyone that voiced an interest in it, in the order I saw the posts, and received the PM's.
 
Gentlemen, the 1931 indented firewall Roadster Pickup is officially for sale. My last day at work was last Friday, the 13th (figures), for who knows how long?
I haven't had the chance to get more detailed photos yet, and am taking off next week to kinda clear my head, then I'll drag everything out, piece by piece, photograph it, and stick it all in a Photobucket account.
I'm going to ask $7,000.00, which, as I understand it from the fine folks on here, not a bad price for this truck.
I hate to see it go so soon after I got it, but I guess better now, than after I have a chance to fall in love with it.
 
Last edited:
Great, Flamingo, just what I needed to hear, LOL.
I hope you find something soon, and hope I do, as well, but it's not easy up here in the redwoods for a 59 year old guy to find work anymore.
BTW, it's posted in the classifieds now....
 
26Tudor .................
Tell us more ! Did you buy it ? Did you get it home ? That is a real find !
Thanks,
MIKE :)
 
Can you tell us if there is an assembly plant code associated with the body? It would be located of the body's sub floor rail for which the front seat riser is riveted to on the body. The code would be directly behind the heel of your feet as you sit in the front seat or any where along that rail.


A4770080 was stamped at the Ford Factory in Dearborn on July 20, 1931.

Pluck
 
FL & WV Mike, I did get the truck home, and I am going to have to sell it due to some bad luck on the job front.
Steve, I'm headed out tomorrow for about a week, but when I get back, I'll check the sub rail, and report back on this thread.
Thanks for all the help, gentlemen, wish I didn't have to sell it, but Family First.
 
Back
Top