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Old 07-19-2013, 04:08 PM   #1
FordToughChevyStuff
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Default 1929 Truck Conversion ~ Updated with Pictures ~

I acquired a 1929 truck conversion. The owner told me how farmers used to convert their sedans into trucks because they couldn't afford to buy a truck outright. The truck is complete but not running yet and I would really like to learn more about these if anyone has any info?

It appears to be all original except for the wheels and tires. The rear of the sedan was cut out and made into a short cab like a truck, then a box was added to the back. Looks to still have the original engine, tranny, rear-end. I think it is a unique piece but maybe it is just a cut up Model A with no value.

I know its tough to get an idea of the truck without a picture but I will post one when I get home, at work now.

Last edited by FordToughChevyStuff; 07-19-2013 at 08:29 PM.
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Old 07-19-2013, 04:26 PM   #2
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Default Re: 1929 Truck Conversion (Originally a Sedan)

Watch the 1940 John Ford movie: "The Grapes of Wrath". You'll see the same trick done with a mid-Twenties Hudson Super-Six sedan.

This piece probably has little to no value (aside for a parts vehicle) to a Model A Ford enthusiast, but may have historical significance as a piece of American history.

If the present form of the vehicle is fairly intact, it might be worth fixing and preserving as-is... probably not worth the effort & expense to restore back to a sedan.

It would be quite a conversation piece at shows and cruises.

So far, I don't recall ever seeing a Model A truck conversion in person.

Lot's of nice, restored factory Ford trucks, but no home-mades.

Just my thoughts... we'd love to see some pictures...
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Old 07-19-2013, 04:42 PM   #3
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Default Re: 1929 Truck Conversion (Originally a Sedan)

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Originally Posted by Special Coupe Frank View Post
Watch the 1940 John Ford movie: "The Grapes of Wrath". You'll see the same trick done with a mid-Twenties Hudson Super-Six sedan.

This piece probably has little to no value (aside for a parts vehicle) to a Model A Ford enthusiast, but may have historical significance as a piece of American history.

If the present form of the vehicle is fairly intact, it might be worth fixing and preserving as-is... probably not worth the effort & expense to restore back to a sedan.

It would be quite a conversation piece at shows and cruises.

So far, I don't recall ever seeing a Model A truck conversion in person.

Lot's of nice, restored factory Ford trucks, but no home-mades.

Just my thoughts... we'd love to see some pictures...
These were my thoughts too. Definitely not a piece that Ford enthusiasts would place high value on but as far as historical significance its a cool truck/sedan. I might just get the truck mechanically sounds and drive it, leave everything else alone!
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Old 07-19-2013, 04:50 PM   #4
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Default Re: 1929 Truck Conversion (Originally a Sedan)

I believe also that during WWII pickups recieved a higher gas allotment than cars thus alot of cars were converted.
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Old 07-19-2013, 07:45 PM   #5
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Default Re: 1929 Truck Conversion (Originally a Sedan)

One of our clubs members has the same thing. He installed a Caravan middle seat and now it has room and comfort. I don't recall if it had a seat when he bought it a few years ago. It's a fun thing to own, and handy to haul things.
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Old 07-19-2013, 07:45 PM   #6
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mine was original a 28 tudor number stamped on subframe number A3428 cut off just behind the front doors and a truck body and bed added.....We know it was done before 1950
I can trace the history from then, they used the rounded tudor top and formed it into the truck back of cab we reworked it to make it look more truck like a few years ago both doors had a ford dealership phone number (3 digit phone number) and a city in Georgia that
went unincorporated in 1947 My genius brother reworked the doors to make them the right height for a 28-29 pick up I like it cause it been this way for over 60 years of its life......
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Old 07-19-2013, 08:22 PM   #7
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Default Re: 1929 Truck Conversion (Originally a Sedan)

We had several of Sedan/Truck conversions around the Garage when I was a kid. My Grandfather and Father made several of them. They would use them for running parts, and keep a "for Sale" sign on them. When they sold one, they built another. Mostly early 40's two door sedans. They would cut the trunk area back to the front seat, build a cab back that would be behind the front seat. Install a flat piece of windshield glass for a back window, and deck it level at bumper height, leaving the fenders and rear body sided intact. Some of them actually looked quite good.
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Old 07-19-2013, 08:26 PM   #8
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Default Re: 1929 Truck Conversion (Originally a Sedan)

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mine was original a 28 tudor number stamped on subframe number A3428 cut off just behind the front doors and a truck body and bed added.....We know it was done before 1950
I can trace the history from then, they used the rounded tudor top and formed it into the truck back of cab we reworked it to make it look more truck like a few years ago both doors had a ford dealership phone number (3 digit phone number) and a city in Georgia that
went unincorporated in 1947 My genius brother reworked the doors to make them the right height for a 28-29 pick up I like it cause it been this way for over 60 years of its life......
Here a some pictures! Body is in surprisingly good shape.







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Old 07-20-2013, 07:09 PM   #9
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Default Re: 1929 Truck Conversion ~ Updated with Pictures ~

'Just my opinion here. Monetary value was mentioned and yeah, it probably wouldn't be worth much compared to any original as-built from the factory A's. But if we could leave money out of the conversation for a minute, I think the 4 door sedan, without the dog leg front pillar, makes a really nice looking PU. All the wood in that body would make it difficult to tie the cab together in a good structural unit, but it could be done by replacing the structural wood with steel. Also, getting the top lined up and fitting and probably re-working the belt and reveal mouldings to look matched would be a tremendous chore, as I can tell you from experience. The car/truck doesn't look rusted out or too beat up. Anything can be done with determination and time. Another idea: the truck has a lot of stories to tell in its present condition, which would all be erased by doing a lot of work to it. Do the doors latch and stay safely latched? What do you think of getting it mechanically restored and leaving the sheet metal as-is? It's definitely a conversation piece.
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Old 07-20-2013, 11:48 PM   #10
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Default Re: 1929 Truck Conversion ~ Updated with Pictures ~

I posted this pic in the Commercial Vehicles thread a few months back...



-Tim
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Old 07-21-2013, 01:07 AM   #11
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Default Re: 1929 Truck Conversion ~ Updated with Pictures ~

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'Just my opinion here. Monetary value was mentioned and yeah, it probably wouldn't be worth much compared to any original as-built from the factory A's. But if we could leave money out of the conversation for a minute, I think the 4 door sedan, without the dog leg front pillar, makes a really nice looking PU. All the wood in that body would make it difficult to tie the cab together in a good structural unit, but it could be done by replacing the structural wood with steel. Also, getting the top lined up and fitting and probably re-working the belt and reveal mouldings to look matched would be a tremendous chore, as I can tell you from experience. The car/truck doesn't look rusted out or too beat up. Anything can be done with determination and time. Another idea: the truck has a lot of stories to tell in its present condition, which would all be erased by doing a lot of work to it. Do the doors latch and stay safely latched? What do you think of getting it mechanically restored and leaving the sheet metal as-is? It's definitely a conversation piece.
Yep, my idea is to leave it alone cosmetically aside from a few minor things. I really want to focus on making it mechanically reliable and fun to drive. It doesn't look bad converted to a truck either, I even have a little more cab room than a normal truck!
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Old 07-21-2013, 01:08 AM   #12
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Default Re: 1929 Truck Conversion ~ Updated with Pictures ~

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I posted this pic in the Commercial Vehicles thread a few months back...



-Tim
Thanks for sharing, I see a few similarities between them!
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Old 07-21-2013, 01:28 AM   #13
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Default Re: 1929 Truck Conversion ~ Updated with Pictures ~

They have a cult following. May not be worth the money a perfect restoration would be but still usable practical truck much like the day it was rebuilt. Like the others said, fuel rationing was a big factor.
i like it but would probably not make one myself unless the back half was torn away in an accident or something.
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Old 07-21-2013, 06:47 AM   #14
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Default Re: 1929 Truck Conversion (Originally a Sedan)

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Here a some pictures! Body is in surprisingly good shape.







Can you grab some photos of the pick-up box ? I can't tell, but it looks like a Model A box ?
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Old 07-22-2013, 12:39 PM   #15
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Default Re: 1929 Truck Conversion (Originally a Sedan)

Here are some pictures of the box. It is in great shape, no dents on the actual box but the tailgate needs a little work.





http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/c...972DA0864B.jpg
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Old 07-22-2013, 12:58 PM   #16
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Default Re: 1929 Truck Conversion ~ Updated with Pictures ~

Running board fenders..........now, that's a new one on me. I'd leave it as is and just fix the mechanicals as needed and keep all the moving parts lubed.

I was looking at the last picture in a previous reply that shows the sealed beam headlamps. Are they rotated 90* from where they should be?
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Old 07-22-2013, 01:17 PM   #17
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Default Re: 1929 Truck Conversion ~ Updated with Pictures ~

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Running board fenders..........now, that's a new one on me. I'd leave it as is and just fix the mechanicals as needed and keep all the moving parts lubed.

I was looking at the last picture in a previous reply that shows the sealed beam headlamps. Are they rotated 90* from where they should be?
Yep they are, not sure what the purpose of that was. I will be fixing that too before it goes on the road!
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Old 07-22-2013, 01:42 PM   #18
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Default Re: 1929 Truck Conversion ~ Updated with Pictures ~

Looks like it started-out as a Briggs sedan ( squared tops of the window-openings).

That box looks really decent.

If it were mine, I would try to find the appropriate rear fenders, but see about leaving the running-board steps in place...

Yeah, Tom, you're right - those sealed-beams are 90* out of whack...
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Old 07-22-2013, 02:09 PM   #19
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Default Re: 1929 Truck Conversion ~ Updated with Pictures ~

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Looks like it started-out as a Briggs sedan ( squared tops of the window-openings).

That box looks really decent.

If it were mine, I would try to find the appropriate rear fenders, but see about leaving the running-board steps in place...

Yeah, Tom, you're right - those sealed-beams are 90* out of whack...
I actually have the rear fenders, they just aren't installed on the truck. Both fenders are in pretty good shape too.
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Old 07-22-2013, 03:36 PM   #20
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Default Re: 1929 Truck Conversion ~ Updated with Pictures ~

In the early 1960's there were still some Feral examples running around...I've seen sliced off sedans, shortened sedans, and Coupe with a pickup box worked into the original quarter panels still delivering rural mail in Alabama in the late sixties!
I picked over a slightly different example at about that time, too...I found the hulk of the body of some variety of '30-31 Fordor with rear folding armrest rotting away in Mississippi or Alabama. The back story...the Fordor had spent the 1930's as both the family car and the farm truck. With back seat out, it was stuffed with whatever needed moving, including livestock. With seat back in, it was the family car. Come WWII and it was ineligible for farm truck gas coupons, on the grounds that it wasn't actually a truck, so the body was peeled off and replaced with one from a junked pickup. By the time I got there, only the body, which had been settling into the ground since about 1942, remained on the premises.
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