My question is; to what end?
-Tim
Let's say, for the sake of conversation and perspective, this truck "numbers out" to be it's cab and chassis and engine as delivered in 31. Only the box is gone, the rest is correct, you have the ability to restore it to OEM. What is it? Suppose it got ***-ended in 1933. If it were repaired with a new box wouldn't it be the same truck? I only say this based on the pics that show what used to be there, that being where the box bolted to the cab. It could have been damaged in the 40s, the 50s, damaged and put to bed for decades (no pun intended

) and "discovered" much later.
I get it, I know what you mean. You can't take a cowl and rear section from a limited production car and build 2 of them. That's a copy. I'm involved in a "new coachwork" project. A 1 of 5 Packard LeBaron. We may have discovered a chassis built in 34 for that series vs doing it as Packard did, modding a Super 8 chassis with a 12. Does it make this venture a "real one"? As much as I'd love for the general concensus to be an emphatic yes, I know in reality it doesn't. Most clubs and orgs that recognize specific automotive brands tend to keep registries for the limited and easy to copy version. Shelby Mustangs come to mind, as do Dueseys. Known production numbers help.
Then comes another perspective. I find a 1970 Hemi from an "E" body car (Cuda). I make all the needed changes and exactly "restore" a Cuda conv to it's OEM standard, every detail. It wasn't born that way. The real thing has sold for nearly $3million in the past. Mine's so correct you can't tell. Does the paper really make it worth millions more? If so it'd be cheaper to keep the paper and forget the care and feeding of the car!
In the end, the person behind the wheel is the only one who can answer this never ending discussion. Would the clubs toss me out as having a fake if I were restore this truck back to Deluxe? If I documented everything I'd be pissed if they did. My position is once back to as-was, it's still real. We can render it down to original air in the tires and the bolts it was born with vs new and genuine pyroxilyn lacquer and...
Nah, that's no fun. Model as are kool.