Model A & AA radiator shell the same?

The simple answer is no.
28-29 is the same shape but painted black not chrome.
30-31 is a painted shell with no widows peak at the top of the radiator it just goes straight across from side to side
 
Plus deeper from front to rear. AA has a thicker core because of more rows of tubes. Also 30 &31 shells are not stainless except for the uncommon deluxe models
 
Here is a picture of the 30-31 shell
 

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I MIGHT have a 28-29 AA shell. I will look next time I go over to the garage where I have my A and all parts stored. Might be a week or so......I'll let you know.
 
Chris Haynes said:
I have never seen a '28/'29 that was stainless.
Click to expand...

Im wondering if it was only offered on ambulances/firetrucks/funeral hursts like the 30/31's which over the years since they were identical to 28/29 cars so if it was removed or installed noone will know how it left the factory...
 
Early 1928 cars and AA trucks had a radiator shell with a wrap thru welting (no rivets). Cars were nickel plated, pickups and AA trucks were black painted. Later 1928 radiator shells had riveted welding and the finish was the same. Both of these shells were round under the crank hole cover. 1929 Radiator shells were nearly identical, only the area under the crank hole cover was bell shaped. Still black on commercial vehicles, and nickel on most passenger cars, chrome on Town Cars and some later 1929 cars. In 1930 the radiator was taller, and the grille shells on passenger cars were stainless steel. Pickups and smaller (not AA) commercial vehicles had a steel grille shell paint black. AA trucks had a steel grille shell painted black that was much thicker due to the thicker AA radiator, and it was flat under the emblem ( not peaked). All of these grilles had a blue Ford emblem (in the USA). In 1931 the stainless passenger car shells had the painted recess in the upper portion of the shells, with a stainless emblem. Small commercial vehicles (not AA) had the same steel shell as in 1930 , but with a stainless emblem. AA trucks had the same thicker flat steel shell with a stainless emblem. Ambulances and hearses and a handful of deluxe AA trucks had the same radiator shell , only stainless steel.
 
No 1928 or 1929 radiator shells were stainless. When Ford designed the 1930
Model A Fords, they decided that the radiator shell, tail light, headlights, cowl band and cowl lights were to be "rustless" steel. Likely this was to save money, since it is cheaper to polish stainless, rather then plate steel.
 
SeaSlugs said:
Im wondering if it was only offered on ambulances/firetrucks/funeral hursts like the 30/31's which over the years since they were identical to 28/29 cars so if it was removed or installed noone will know how it left the factory...
Click to expand...

Through June 1930, A and AA commercial vehicles had the same shell as the A passenger vehicles (through December 1929). These commercial shell were black painted steel. The A passenger shell was nickel plated steel. The A passenger shell was change in design and was stainless steel starting January 1930.
 
In addition to what Chris listed, the holes for the headlight conduits are smaller in the 28 and early 29 shells with the round crank hole cover. The hole size was increased in 29 to accommodate the Twolite headlights and conduits that used 3 wires instead of the 2 wires used on the earlier headlights.
 
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