I have had what I thought was a 1932 BB truck for 50 years. This morning I read on a Ford history web site that the BB didn't come out until 1933. Then I see on this forum a barn find 1932 dump truck (I'd kill for the front fenders and hood on that truck) the new owner is calling a 1932 Ford AAB. I had not heard of an AAB. Anyone have solid info on when the BB came out? My frame number is 18-1017925 which I think confirms mine is a 32 (and the fact that the fire wall comes out-I was told by Allford that 32 was only year fire wall was not part of cab).
1932aab
- Thread starter Rance29
- Start date
deuce lover
Well-known member
How about some pictures.
DavidG
Well-known member
If you had a '32 parts catalog to go along with your truck, you might be less confused as all of parts unique to '32 131 1/2" and 154" wheelbase trucks carry a BB part number prefix.
Perhaps the confusion arises as Ford changed the prefix stamped on its four-cylinder engine bell housings produced during 1932 from AB to simply B for those engines destined for passenger cars and commercial vehicles and from AAB to BB for those engines destined for big trucks. According to the engine log of the Dearborn Engine Plant, the last four-cylinder engine to be stamped with either a AB or AAB prefix was #5062386 with all those that followed stamped with B or BB prefix (the engines were stamped sequentially as they were produced whether or not they had an AB, AAB, B, or BB prefix). In any event, so-called BB trucks were produced throughout the 1932 model year.
However, the V8 engine was only released for use in big trucks late in the '32 model year so the vast majority of BB trucks produced worldwide had four-cylinder engines. (In fact, according to the records in Ford's archives, only 3,682 of the 74,978 '32 model trucks produced were built with V8 engines.)
So your surviving V8 truck is pretty rare. There's a problem with the engine number you cite, however, as if it is accurate, it is the number of an engine produced in June, 1934. There are several possibilities that might explain that disparity. If the truck is of U.S. manufacture, it likely had a rebuilt engine installed some time in its life prior to your ownership and where that was done required that the number on the frame (and title) be changed to that of the engine that was installed as the replacement. However, that's bit of a long shot as Ford numbered the transmission cases and not the engine block. The other possibility, with even longer odds, is that it was build overseas where in some countries Ford was still producing '32 model year vehicles well beyond the end of '32 model year production in January, 1933 in the U.S..
The last '32 V8 engine produced had the number #208787 plus or minus 11, which is a long way from #1017925.
As deuce lover suggests, some photos would be very helpful, including of the engine block where the drain ***** are located low on the sides of the front of the cylinder block.
Perhaps the confusion arises as Ford changed the prefix stamped on its four-cylinder engine bell housings produced during 1932 from AB to simply B for those engines destined for passenger cars and commercial vehicles and from AAB to BB for those engines destined for big trucks. According to the engine log of the Dearborn Engine Plant, the last four-cylinder engine to be stamped with either a AB or AAB prefix was #5062386 with all those that followed stamped with B or BB prefix (the engines were stamped sequentially as they were produced whether or not they had an AB, AAB, B, or BB prefix). In any event, so-called BB trucks were produced throughout the 1932 model year.
However, the V8 engine was only released for use in big trucks late in the '32 model year so the vast majority of BB trucks produced worldwide had four-cylinder engines. (In fact, according to the records in Ford's archives, only 3,682 of the 74,978 '32 model trucks produced were built with V8 engines.)
So your surviving V8 truck is pretty rare. There's a problem with the engine number you cite, however, as if it is accurate, it is the number of an engine produced in June, 1934. There are several possibilities that might explain that disparity. If the truck is of U.S. manufacture, it likely had a rebuilt engine installed some time in its life prior to your ownership and where that was done required that the number on the frame (and title) be changed to that of the engine that was installed as the replacement. However, that's bit of a long shot as Ford numbered the transmission cases and not the engine block. The other possibility, with even longer odds, is that it was build overseas where in some countries Ford was still producing '32 model year vehicles well beyond the end of '32 model year production in January, 1933 in the U.S..
The last '32 V8 engine produced had the number #208787 plus or minus 11, which is a long way from #1017925.
As deuce lover suggests, some photos would be very helpful, including of the engine block where the drain ***** are located low on the sides of the front of the cylinder block.
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deuce lover
Well-known member
Here is a current listing on the HAMB.The seller states its a 32 BB dump truck but clearly its a '34.The hood side emblems appear to be '35-'36.
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/32-ford-bb-dump-truck.1236564/
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/32-ford-bb-dump-truck.1236564/
Thanks for all who replied to my AAB question. The story, photos later. I bought the truck in 1970 from a no. Cal rice farmer who was cleaning out his barn. $50 got me the truck and a 1935 pink slip that didn't match anything. The number on the trans is BB 18-1081254, which, as expected doesn't match the frame # 18-1017925. I think, given the hub caps in front, the front end is 34 (again, farm truck). I always assumed the body and frame didn't start life together, but that frame number suggested, from the table I saw, was actually a 32. Thanks again for your help.
sugarmaker
Well-known member
Rance,
Well if your referring to me?
Please dont kill me for the hood and fenders!
My 32 dump has a serial number Beginning with AAB. I may be wrong in calling the truck that, and will stand corrected if it should be considered or referred to as a BB truck.
I will defer to the experts. I am very new to the game and could easily be off track. My fenders and hood are pretty good but there are better ones out there I am sure.
As you may have seen in my thread the serial numbers are *AAB5028297* on the truck left side upper frame rail and intermediate bell housing area above starter.
Looking forward to pictures of your truck. Sure sounds like the price was right.
Regards,
Chris
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Yep, those fenders look perfect compared to what I started with. Can't commit murder, couldn't work on my truck from behind bars! If my truck would have looked even close to yours I would have done the mechanical restore and left the body/paint alone. Your truck will really turn heads the way it looks in the pictures.
