EARLY...1932 Frame...History?

WHITEY

WHITEY

Senior Member
I was lucky enough to get an EARLY 1932 frame in a trade a while back and it dosent have a VIN #. I ve checked the known 3 places. Thanks to some very knowledgeable ford guys, we were able to i.d. it as early, and get a good bit of the history on early ford frames. I am a bit curious as to why there are no numbers.I dont see a reason to, NOT stamp a frame...intending to use them as replacements, for a frame they were NOT sure of and was NOT proven.....so I rulled out an early dealer replacement part....
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was the early 32 frame stamped with a Vin number at all??
I guess its an early frame

Henry put the first Vin on the gearbbox.....
 
Pre- production prototype? Sure is an early one. How about some pics of the front crossmember? Is it a V8 or B frame? Different front crossmembers. Care to share the history that you know? I would have loved to see the body.
 
My Brother once owned a NOS 1932 Ford frame,.... It came from a old dealership in North Dakota,..... It was of course a replacement frame,.. and it had no numbers anywhere.
 
I have this same type frame under my early fordor. My fordor was a one owner car with 34,000 original miles when I purchased it in Maine back in 2008. I have researched this in Dave Rehor's book and spoken with him to learn this was a short design run during the last 2 weeks of March 1932. The matching serial numbers (frame & trans) on this fordor are only 3 digits (*18-949*) which confirm this as "super early" by the book. I suggest Dave's books for all interested in the history of the "32".
Glenn
 
Andy, It dosent make sense that it would be a NON- numbered EARLY dealership replacement,so Im guessing that some EARLY frames were just not stamped, or a protype. It came from Nova scotia, so Im curious as to whether or not frames were produced at Walkerville.The books say production around late march early april.
 
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Thank you just 32, this is the info I was hoping someone would come up with, I am reading the David Rehor books right now. There is just so much info out there from guys like yourself who own the cars and have studied, and researched them. The Maine connection to Nova Scotia is a little coincendental, maybe not. So your frame is under the 1000 #...that is early
 
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So somewhere between (*18-2*) and (*18-949*) Ford changed from the transmission Cross member(straight across ) to the K-member with legs and built in pedal shaft. Does anyone know how far into the production the cross member frame lasted, and the VIN. I figure my frame would have been produced between the last of those and frame(*18-949*)
 
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just 32 said:
I have this same type frame under my early fordor. My fordor was a one owner car with 34,000 original miles when I purchased it in Maine back in 2008. I have researched this in Dave Rehor's book and spoken with him to learn this was a short design run during the last 2 weeks of March 1932. The matching serial numbers (frame & trans) on this fordor are only 3 digits (*18-949*) which confirm this as "super early" by the book. I suggest Dave's books for all interested in the history of the "32".
Glenn
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just32 Glenn, I rebuilt the engine out of that (18-949) car. If you want to e-mail me or call (207-582-0703) I'll tell ypu all about it. Walt
 
It appears that the brake/clutch pedal bracket is rivited to the K member. If so, it's an early frame. Ford made numerous frame changes in 32. Was this frame under a car or does it show evidence of a body or parts ever being bolted on? With no VIN in the usual places, it is likely a replacement frame. Even if it was under a car, it could still be a replacement that someone simply never stamped the original VINs.
 
After reading more about all the changes in 32, Im guessing anything was possible. Im just not sure Ford would have made early replacement frames and sent them to dealships, all during a 2 month period that they were planning on changing the design. Im thinking it would have been a better buisness decision to change the existing frames and used them for production. Did Ford think to make an early replacement frame, send them to dealerships to back up the early cars, or would they have just said "recall" and modified the frame with the bolt in pedals.
 
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1932 was a short production run with a lot of in year changes,....Yes it might be a prototype frame,... or any other number of possibilities,... But like I said, the NOS Frame My Brother had still had the original parts tag on it,.. (Wish we would have kept it !),.. and it had no numbers anywhere .

It had no inner support panel in the kick up areas, But it's been so long ago, thats about the biggest detail I can remember,.... If Ford was pumping parts out, for repair to Ford Dealers all over the country,.. I would stand to reason, that it might include replacement frames, Even if it were only a dozen or so per state. (IMHO)

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i have a 32 frame with the rear support panel on the outside not the inside i have had many 32 frames never one like this it was under the 32 pickup i have from California how many are like this
 
On replacement frames...none could have had numbers, because the number was stamped on the assembly line to match the engine/trans unit being installed. The car's master serial number was the one on the power unit and the frame numbers were backups. Frames assembled into cars at factory should all have numbers, including Canadian ones, as far as I know...Canadian A's did not get frame numbers.
After all this time, who can say on this thing. With all the early '32 troubles, the stamping guy could have been busy helping wrestle some mis-drilled part into place or scratching or sneezing...I doubt that anyone was available to notice minor problems with all the major problems they had!
Suhr...REPRO Service Bulletins?? Are your standards slipping?
 
:Dthis is funny for me Whitey,i thought i was looking in the wrong location for frame #`s. i looked everywhere on that frame i traded you for #`s.Maybe Mel can come on here and let us know if there were any #`s on the 32 roadster i sold him.If i remember correctly,i could not find #`s on that frame either.I have another 32 frame here with no #`s on it either.I called a friend that i sold a 32 roadster to years ago and he says that his has numbers.My best guess is that since ford of canada did not stamp the modle A frames;it took them a while into the 32 production before they started stamping the 32 frames..all canadian 32 stamped frames start with a "C".Chris
 
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