Truck radiator shells

[stillwater]

I have a '30 pickup, and would really like to stay with the stock black radiator/headlight buckets. I have never seen any available from restoration companies, so I'm wondering if there's a reasonable way to de-chrome the parts and prime/paint them. Or if someone sells these that I don't know about...
Any ideas?

[Mike V. Florida]

The same place that chromes parts can un chrome them.

Muriatic acid (found with pool supplies) will remove the chrome layer as well of you want to try it yourself.

[Dave Mellor NJ]

It won't take stainless off. You can try to rough up and paint the parts but it won't stick.

[Charlie Stephens]

The radiator shell and headlight buckets are stainless if they are from a passenger car. You can look for some regular steel parts (I saw your wanted ad) or try sandblasting (low pressure as to not warp them) and painting them.

Charlie Stephens

[SeaSlugs]

I thought they sold special primer to paint stainless? I know they do galvanized...

[Mike V. Florida]

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Originally Posted by SeaSlugs

I thought they sold special primer to paint stainless? I know they do galvanized...

He did say de-chrome but anyway here is some info on stainless,

This is some testing the army did;

http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a256253.pdf

This is from the British Stainless Steel Association;

http://www.bssa.org.uk/topics.php?article=119

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS THREAD IS PROVIDED ON AN “AS IS”� BASIS WITH THE GUARANTEE BEING SIMPLY THAT IF YOU FOLLOW THE RECOMMENDATIONS PROVIDED YOU MAY OR MAY NOT ACHIEVE THE SAME RESULTS AND YOUR RESULTS MAY VARY. Consult your paint supplier for more details.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Original steel shells are still around. You just need to start networking to find one. IMO, good restorable stainless shells are just as hard to find as the steel commercial shells.

[100IH]

The commercial shells are different than the stainless shells. Black paint won't change that.

[Charlie Stephens]

Originally Posted by 100IH

The commercial shells are different than the stainless shells. Black paint won't change that.

I thought the commercial shells for a '30-'31 pickup were the same as the '30 passenger shell (except for the material). Please correct me if am wrong. The AA shells are wider and straight across at the top of the opening.

Charlie Stephens

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by Charlie Stephens

I thought the commercial shells for a '30-'31 pickup were the same as the '30 passenger shell (except for the material). Please correct me if am wrong. The AA shells are wider and straight across at the top of the opening.

Charlie Stephens

You are correct Charlie.

[RonC]

Has anyone seen an original stainless shell that was factory unpolished stainless painted black? There are stainless headlight shells that Ford used that were stainless "unpolished" and painted black. On the headlight shells the factory riveted cadmium swivel bracket over the black painted shell is your first clue it was factory supplied. The ones I have seen have never been polished stainless when you remove the paint.

[1955cj5]

Is the "standard commercial vehicle" as referenced in the judging standards the same as an AA truck?

Page 15-1 mentions a black shell and buckets on "standard commercial vehicles".

Page E-20 mentions that some late AA models had stainless shells...suggesting that all others were black.

Were the commercial vehicles just no-frill versions of the normal vehicle line-up?

[Bob C]

As far as I know the commercial is built on the A chassis and a truck
on the AA chassis.

Bob

[Tom Wesenberg]

Commercial is both the Model A pickup and the AA large frame truck. They both used the same cab. Some fancy or delux commerial trucks had polished lights and radiator shell.
"The Model A Ford, as Henry Built It" is a very good book and I'm sure has some good examples.

[1955cj5]

So, could there have been a 1929 commercial trim pickup at the dealer parked next to a regular trim pickup with nickel plating, and also a delux version? Or were all pickups considered commercial vehicles, unless they were delux?

Sorry for all the questions...I'm going to buy a tail light assembly and even though my ccpu may never be a show vehicle, I want to buy the correct parts, and black seems to be correct......with the black shell and buckets to follow someday....

[Bob C]

I think this shows Ford considered a commercial something built on a Model A chassis.

Bob

[Mike V. Florida]

The only pickup that I know of that had polished shells was the deluxe pickup. Not a pickup with deluxe features but the 66A.

[CarlG]

Most (if not all) pickups these days that have polished shells are car shells. My '31 PU came to me with a polished shell, albeit a '30. And, no, mine is not the 66A, despite the fact that the previous owner tried to tell me that it was.