Do I have a 30 or 31??

Rusty Homestead Fl

Rusty Homestead Fl

Senior Member
The ongoing thread of Brubaker '31 std Fordor (160A) has some posted comments that bring up a question regarding my Town Sedan. I have a titled 1931 with matching numbers, frame and block, that correspond to a build date of Dec. 1930. It has a '31 radiator shell, single piece '31 splash aprons, and also the radiator support brackets on the firewall have the backing plates spot welded on the inside of the firewall like my late 31 indented coupe ( was told that was a '31 feature but I've never read anything on the subject). I understand that parts get swapped out over the years and my A looks to have been as least painted in the past but not restored in any way. All parts look like originals.
Sooooooo this brings me to my question. Did Henry start the build of 1931's in late 1930 and sell them as 1931's or is my Dec 1930 build really a 1930 ??
Thanks, Rusty
 
It wouldn't have been uncommon for an engine build in December 1930 to be put into a car in February or even March of 1931. It would be a 1931 car in all respects.
 
That was the depression years and lots of engines were still in the warehouses. My slant windshield 31 Town Sedan has matching numbers and a November, 1930 engine build date.
 
I assume when you say build date you refer to engine build date not actual assembly build date. The assembly build date that it rolled off the assembly line would be the real defining date. Henry never defined a '30-'31 split so the definitions are from comparisons based on what has been generally found. It would be unusual for a Dec 30 engine to have been installed the same month so I would expect it to have rolled off the line some time later and be titled 31. Many of the features regarded as 31 started with the Victoria in Nov 30 so by some definitions that was the start of 31's.
 
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