1928 Roaster Pickup

[Charlie jeep]

Hi,
someone could post a photo of the licence plate bracket and rear light of a Model A Roaster Pickup ?
Thanks in advance.

[brokenspoke]

A drum taillight bracket?

[Joe K]

Given 1928, more than likely Drum Taillight.


Here is the taillight.


In your case the lamp shell would not be shiny, but painted black.

Here is the bracket.

The two holes match the back of the drum taillight. The three holes match holes in a wooden block used to "space" the bracket from the bed Z-strip on the bottom.

IIRC, two of the holes match holes in the Z-strip. The third simply passes through the wooden block. The little "hook" thingy matches a spot on the Z-strip and overhangs/locates the triangle pad - and gives a place to loop the wire on the light side of the Z-strip.

The dimension of the wood block is incidental. Ford made these from the cut out center boards of the bed where the square is cut. Often split on one side where a hammer was used to reduce the size of the block somewhat. Hardwood, same as the bed whatever that wood is (varied depending on production - always painted bed metal color, never varnished - although many restorers opt for the "natural look" in bed boards.)

Hope this helps.

Joe K

[Charlie jeep]

Hi Sir,
I´m not sure what do you mean with a drum taillight ?
This is the light I have :
and this is what I had before restoration.

I want to know how the original DUOLIGHT lamp is fixed to the bracket and this to the frame.
Thanks in advance.

[Joe K]

Charlie, that is the drum tail-light you seek.

Two bolts pass through the back of the license plate mount and are long enough to pass through the two holes in the bracket I mentioned above and nutted on the back-side.

You appear to have a passenger car bracket currently. Not correct for your truck - BUT MAY BE ORIGINAL.

Ford did a lot of "funny" things to the Model A truck line. And even more so at assembly plants "offshore" such as your southern location. His objective was to present a sale-able truck however he could get to it. And dare I say assembly standards offshore were a bit lower than onshore.

Take a look at Wrdln's truck mount. He had originally a "two hole" block which he has provided plans for reproducing. And a pix of how it is mounted to the Z-rail.

I see he has a bumper mount. Not original but used by many restorers - and may even have been original - Ford using up parts. But not recognized as such by the Judging Standards.

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showp...31&postcount=4

My block was three-hole with the 3rd hole only partly used. As I say, Ford assembled trucks with a larger degree of latitude than the car line. Frequently using up outmoded (design obsoleted) parts in the trucks to make a sale-able product.

Joe K

[Bob C]

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What type of bed do you have on the truck, can't really tell from the picture?


Bob

[Charlie jeep]

Hi Joe and Bob.
Thanks a lot for your information.
My Model A is a Right Hand Drive, because in Argentina till after the WWII traffic was like in England.
Any chance to post another photo or drawing about how de Bracket is fixed to the frame ?
Bob, congrats for your eye.
When I bought the car it had a horrible wooden square bed (photo), that I removed.
We are working in an original bed in a horrible shape, but unfortunately is very difficult here find something better.
Talking about the bed, it has some woods or is only steel ?
Again, some photos would help me a lot.
Many thanks.

[Joe K]

The pickup bed (usual) looks like this.

The bed as appears above is "looking back" from the cab. The panel with the square is the hinged tailgate. You will note at the front right and left lower corner what appears to be wood? This is actually the support wood and the "Z strip" I mentioned is on the outside of these wood pieces.

You will note the square metal piece in the center. This give clearance on the frame "hump" of the rear cross-member which otherwise would hit the wood slats.

The wood floor was hardwood of some sort. Maple is commonly used, possibly poplar. Many restorers who go the "natural" look use oak - but the natural look is not correct. The entire bed was assembled by Ford as a unit and then painted the upper body color - INCLUDING the wood. Rock Moss Green is the usual color but there were other standard colors for pickups.

The bed slats are held together by metal strips bent roughly into a flattened "U" the horns of which fit into sawn grooves in the wood strips. A line of bolts, nuts and "keeper washers" on the underside hold it all together.

The bed metal is riveted together and presents as a unit as you see here. Bolts and wood undercarriage/spacers is how it is attached to the frame. Some pickups have a U-shaped channel (horns of U facing "up") between the body rear and bed front. Many don't have this channel.

The beds are reproduced and available for not too large money here in the US. I expect you might pay as much in shipping to Oz as the price to buy here.

You can buy the parts and assemble it yourself. A bit labor intensive but shipping might be more reasonable as a "knock-down."

Or - an alternative - make your own? Starting with dimensions, you can make up a wooden or "Model T" type bed which will simulate what might have been. A very good design of Model T bed is out there ready for reverse engineering.



Joe K

[Bob C]

Here is a picture of an early 1928.


Bob

[Charlie jeep]

Joe,
thanks a lot for your time and explanation about the Pickup Bed !!
Bob, your phot showed that in the early 1928 PICKUP, doesn´t exist the piece of wood, correct ?or that photo shows a modification ?

Cheers

[Bob C]

The picture is an early 1928. The block of wood came a little later, I'm not
sure of the exact dates.


Bob

[F.M.]

Originally Posted by Bob C

The picture is an early 1928. The block of wood came a little later, I'm not
sure of the exact dates.


Bob

How early, I see two brake rods going to the rear brakes ??

[Joe K]

Originally Posted by F.M.

How early, I see two brake rods going to the rear brakes ??

Many of the single brake early cars were "changed over" to the later system as a matter of registration. Pennsylvania was noted at the time as being particularly egregious on this, although there were others.

The Ford Model A as Henry Built It. DeAngelis, Francis, Henry 2ed.

Some State governments objected to the early brake system, and Pennsylvania would not allow the Model "A" to be licensed, since it did not provide for independent emergency brakes. So, there was no alternative but to revise the system. By February 1928, a new emergency braking system was ready for release.

IIRC, the release of the Model A Pickup(s) was delayed a bit until after January 1928. I've seen an actual date mentioned here on this board.

Joe K

[Bob C]

There is a picture in "The Ford Model A As Henry Built It" that show a picture taken in March 1928 of the taillight mounted under the bed, I think this was a carry over from the Model T. The picture is of the T bracket.

[Robert/Texas]

I have a March, 1928 Open Cab Pickup with most of the early features. The drum taillight assembly looks like the parts in Joe K's posting.

[Joe K]

The March RPU in the DeAngelis "Model A Ford As Henry Built It" I believe is the car which ended up as part of Edison's collection at Greenfield Village. Hence it being pictured in front of the Armington Sims Machine Shop there.

I don't remember the story exactly but apparently Ford took Engine No. 1 and put it in a Tudor (which was the vehicle of most common production at that time and thought to be Edison's choice) and gave the vehicle to Edison as a token of his appreciation. Edison already was well heeled automotively, and preferred the vehicle be a "practical" vehicle - so Ford took the body parts from the Tudor and replaced them with the newly created pickup (after Jan 1928 or whenever this came out) and thus the DeAnglelis picture shown of the March pickup is VERY likely to be "something made of parts." Which may include Model T if that was handy (which DeAngelis aludes to in the bed description.)

The story of this "Engine No. 1" and the subsequent car iterations has been told on this Forum.

The 26-27 Model T bed is VERY similar to the subsequent Model A bed. A short trim with a grinder on the front ALMOST converts one to the other.

Joe K