1932 Ford Commercial Cowls

[ken1939]

I just wanted to see if I remember this correctly. The 1932/33 Ford roadster pick up's used commercial cowls. The commercial cowl was widely used by Ford on other trucks. For example when they sold rolling chassis cowl forward. similar to todays chassis cabs.

Would the cowl of a 32 BB large truck, fire truck for example, be the same cowl?

 

[DavidG]

Unless the drive-away cowl assembly (used for fire trucks, etc.) is highly modified, the answer is 'yes'.

 

[itslow]

The cowl that would have been used on the open cab trucks and chassis used for busses, firetrucks, and other custom bodied vehicles is different than that which would have been used on a closed cab, regardless of the tonnage for which the chassis was rated.

An official B76 cowl would have had holes that were not present on the cowl-only applications.

 

[ken1939]

Well I knew the roadster pick up had the holes for the windshield posts and assembly. I was pretty sure they were the same cowl sans the holes.

 

[Roadster62]

It was many years ago, but the NOS '32 cowl I once saw was shorter hood edge to door post as my memory goes. I've also see an original open cap '32. Bob

 

[fotfod]

It was many years ago, but the NOS '32 cowl I once saw was shorter hood edge to door post as my memory goes. I've also see an original open cap '32. Bob

i have a 32 r.p. cowl. it has no holes it is not shorter in that area. it is for sale

 

[alchemy]

A few years ago I bought a commercial drive-away cowl that must have been removed very shortly after it left the factory. It is exactly the same as an RPU cowl except it's missing the drilled holes for a windshield. An absolutely perfect piece of Henry Ford architecture. Shiny black paint and it even had one of the wood blocks for under the lower flanges wired to it, which is different than used with a complete cab (shorter).

I wonder what the chassis was used for or became? Maybe a firetruck or other utility equipment? Why didn't they use the Ford cowl and dashboard?