Found an early AA nearby

[GB SISSON]

This is my 3rd AA. The first one was in '72 when I was 19. Oct '28, Daily driver for 2 years. 4 spd, low gear wormdrive. Next was a '29 that I bought in Seattle. This was in 2001. 4 spd, high geared wormdrive. Sold it during the recession a few years back, as I'm a cabinetmaker and work was really slow. Well, I have known about this '28 since I saw it on a trailer coming to Orcas Island about 20 years ago. The man who brought it here passed away about 10 years ago and his family moved off the island, but kept the property where a bunch of model As were stored in a building. Last summer they sold all the model A's, but at the sale I noticed nobody bought the AA. It was priced a bit high at 2500.00, and the head was off and sitting on the script stakebed. Two weeks ago I was driving past this property at 9:30 at night, having taken a late ferry home from an antique auto swap meet. The family had returned for a visit and were having a blazing bonfire in front of their trailer. ( not sure, but I think an old couch was involved). I do know a plastic half gallon jug of Macnaughton's whiskey was involved. I pulled in in my '59 f350 and started visiting and I asked about the AA. The father of the deceased owner said "You got a thousand bucks?" I did and we went into the trailer and got the title and I paid him. Next day, Sunday a couple buddies and I showed up with my retreiver. Turns out it has a 3 speed and dual-drive as well. I think it may have been an express because of the chock on the running board, or perhaps it got the board from an express. Much has happened since then, but I have to go to work in the shop and I type quite slowly. Here's some pics to get started. Oh, and he said anything that's missing I can go through the sheds and get parts I need , included in the price. Runs beautifully now, but overheats and steers poorly. Like I needed more projects, but I'm a lifetime big ford junkie. The 47 2 ton is my current project. OK, gotta post up some pics and then get going!

[Joe K]

Gosh. Why are all the untaken Model AAs on the left coast?

Good luck with this. I miss the 26K AA chassis I was going to bring forth as my "farm truck."

Life is WAYYY too short.

Joe K

[Tom Wesenberg]

Looks like you made a very good deal.
I'd like to have that large steel shed that the AA was in, but I wonder if it could take the Minnesota snow load?

[mshmodela]

Looks like you have your work cut out for you, good luck.... Great to see another A/AA save from returning to the Earth.

[Farrell In Vancouver]

Nice find GB! Man oh Man that island has it's share of tin!
I remember going there to collect a cab for a 55 chev pick up for friends project at least 20 years ago and I was amazed at the quantity of yard and barn art scattered all over.
How did all that tin get there?

[mhsprecher]

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I love Orcas Island.

You have a great fleet and that AA seems like a wonderful addition to the group! I like the ones with the wire wheels the best!

[JTW]

Wicked good deal for a nice truck.

[GB SISSON]

I think all the vehicles got there on their own 4 wheels, but when they died, they were just set aside because there are no junkyards and who wants to pay for a ferry ticket to dispose of an old vehicle when Uncle Clem has 10 acres down the road...... For the same reason I have found 4 nice one lung engines in the weeds as well. No scrap drive out here for WW2, and easier to just tip it over into the weeds. When i moved here in '76 there was an old guy named Pop Harvey who let folks park their junkers in a ravine. End to end about 15 cars. The oldest were at the head of the line. It was a great place to scrounge parts. We all knew it as the 'Phantom ferry line'. Once i get the radiator and steering squared away, I'll consider this truck 'done'. Not even sure if I will replace the rotten boards on the bed. I would have to say by the bolts, washers, bed strips etc that they were last installed on the ford assembly line. This one also dates to 0ct '28 like my first one, and ironically my mom was born in Oct '28.

[Gunmetal blue2]

Nice Truck, I have a 1929 AA. Would you be willing to take measurements of the chicken crates and e-mail to me. Thank you if you do or not. My e-mail address is [email protected] My name is Terry. Do you also know about the AA-Forum website.

[Roadster62]

Nice old AA, reminds me of the twin to it I had years ago. Did you get the rear fenders in the deal? Bob

[GB SISSON]

No rear fenders, shucks!. My first one had the rear fenders and the '29 had the short running boards w/o fenders. I also kinda prefer the wire split rims. I will get some dimensions probably over the weekend, as work will be busy tomorrow. The head that came with it was labled 'speed head'. I blew the head gasket (old copper with asbestos core... unused) on my trial run. My wife had to tow me back home, but it was pretty much a fiasco. I got a friend to tow me the rest of the way after she gave up. Only ended up in the ditch for about 30 feet, but that was enough for her. Had a spare block and head I saved from a scrapper's truck six months ago. Surfaced the stock head and bought a graph-tite head gasket from Olson's Gaskets here in Washington.Used copper spray, three torque sequences and good to go. I think it has something missing from the 7 tooth steering gear at the bottom of the box and like I said, radiator issues. The olny complete distributer the guy had for me was shorted somewhere top plate to bottom, so I bought some 70's ford v8 points and condensor and re-drilled and tapped the breaker plate to suit. Started on the second revolution of the hand crank. I have really been having a blast with this thing. Well, maybe not the ditch.......

[Mafman]

Nice truck. That's a great find!

[1crosscut]

If you do decide to replace the bed wood be very careful to save the carrage bolts and washers for the skid strips. They are unique and hard to come by.
The V shaped pieces in your last post are to keep the spare tire from rattling. (especially when in a ditch)