Unknown body on Model A

[Tombstone Luke]

I just bought a '31 Model A Huckster pickup and am trying to figure out who made the body on this truck. It might be York-Hoover, but I don't know for sure. Any assistance would be appreciated. I'd also like to know if the right name is Huckster pickup or Canopy Top Express or Canopy Express.

 

[AYooperA]

Luke, This one sold at Bonham’s auction in Europe 2018. No mention of body Manufacturer but sure looks similar to yours. You sure have a beautiful truck.

 

[AYooperA]

Yours looks like this Martin-Parry body but doors have the double bead. Maybe made a design change in ‘31. By no means knowledgeable on these just my thoughts

 

[Tombstone Luke]

I see what you mean about the double bead. Also, I seem to have more body between the door and the back of the cab. I think the one at Bonham's is the same, but I am still confused. Thank you.

 

[1930artdeco]

If I understand correctly, a Hucksters is a home built job and not a company based body design. Could be wrong though.

Mike

 

[Tombstone Luke]

My understanding is that Hucksters were built by independent body manufacturers. The definition of Huckster is "One who sells wares or provisions in the street; a peddler or hawker.". Many companies made bodies for Ford. Briggs, Murray, Martin-Parry, York-Hoover, Baker Raulang, HH Babcock, Budd, Bradford....the list goes on and on.

 

[nkaminar]

From the label on the door it looks like Larry made it.

 

[Tombstone Luke]

I saw that, but when I checked for "Larry's Market" in De Ruyter, NY in the list of Ford body manufacturers, nothing came up. Darn.

 

[Brad in Germany]

I just bought a '31 Model A Huckster pickup and am trying to figure out who made the body on this truck. It might be York-Hoover, but I don't know for sure. Any assistance would be appreciated. I'd also like to know if the right name is Huckster pickup or Canopy Top Express or Canopy Express.

Could you post a higher resolution / larger photo of the side-front view of your truck? Then we can better see some of the specific characteristics of the truck to better be able to identify it (front roof line, sun visor shape, panels and spacing in back of the door, the upper window shape, the space above the cowl and below the windshield frame, space behind the rear fender, reveals along the doors by the door handles, etc, etc).

A photo from this angle, like in this Mifflinburg Body Company catalog would be best and then we can compare it to era catalogs and hopefully be able to figure out exactly what you have:

Brad in Maryland

 

[Neil Mylar LakewoodCA]

This is my 1929 Briggs body pickup.
It used to have a top that extended over the bed. It has a Briggs emblem on the bottom passenger cowl. Here are two pictures of it, one taken in the 1930s.

It is for sale, by the way.
Neil
nmylar@aol.com

 

[Neil Mylar LakewoodCA]

By the way, the picture labeled as a 1930 Martin Parry is inaccurate.
Martin Parrys had a quarter panel behind the cab doors, sometimes with a rectangular or a quarter moon window.

 

[Tombstone Luke]

I am new to the forum and don't know how to attach high res photos, but I'll work on it. Thank you Sir.

 

[Tombstone Luke]

I was able to add photos to my album, but can't figure out how to insert them here. Will that work?

 

[Russell Reay]

I am new to the forum and don't know how to attach high res photos, but I'll work on it. Thank you Sir.

This tutorial was of great help to me when I was a newbie https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=301908

 

[Tombstone Luke]

I think this might do it. Please advise.

 

[Tombstone Luke]

So that didn't work. They're still too small. My album under my profile has larger photos.

 

[ronn]

could also be a home built, if there are no tags.

 

[Tombstone Luke]

It looked this way when it was parked in 1950 and a person who knows more about Model As than anyone I've met assures me it is a manufactured body and not home built.

 

[Brad in Germany]

I just bought a '31 Model A Huckster pickup and am trying to figure out who made the body on this truck. It might be York-Hoover, but I don't know for sure. Any assistance would be appreciated. I'd also like to know if the right name is Huckster pickup or Canopy Top Express or Canopy Express.

After a close look at the photos you provided, it looks like your truck body is most likely a "Bettermetl-Betterwood Six Post
Curtain Side Body" made by York-Hoover.

Here is an excerpt from the 1928(?) "York-Hoover for Ford Model A Chassis" catalog. (I know your's is from 1931, but the
characteristics of the body are pretty much unchanged over the Model A years):

....and here are some of the unique York-Hoover areas I looked at which match your Model A:

You might also read the written description in the catalog and compare that to the construction of your vehicle.

.....my $0.02...
Brad in Maryland

 

[Tombstone Luke]

After a close look at the photos you provided, it looks like your truck body is most likely a "Bettermetl-Betterwood Six Post
Curtain Side Body" made by York-Hoover.

Here is an excerpt from the 1928(?) "York-Hoover for Ford Model A Chassis" catalog. (I know your's is from 1931, but the
characteristics of the body are pretty much unchanged over the Model A years):

....and here are some of the unique York-Hoover areas I looked at which match your Model A:

You might also read the written description in the catalog and compare that to the construction of your vehicle.

.....my $0.02...
Brad in Maryland

Brad, thank you so much. I am having difficulty reading the small print, but what i can discern from it and the photo makes me think you are right on. Do you have a link to that article/page/catalog that I might be able to better see it? Also, any opinion on what I call my truck? Huckster? Huckster pickup? Canopy Express? Canopy Express sounds the sexiest to me, but I'd like to get it right, whatever it is.