Vehicle Description
1931 Ford Model A Panel Delivery
Panel delivery trucks were created out of necessity. Despite more
than a dozen body styles offered in the Model A, an enclosed truck
did not exist until Ford started building them in 1929. Products
such as furniture, baked goods, artwork, and many others that could
not be subjected to the elements, thus promoting the coachbuilders
of the flatbed Model AA trucks to be contracted to build these new
light duty commercial trucks. And the rest, as they say, is
history.
For consignment, a long way in appearance and performance from
those early American panel trucks, this '31 has been heavily
modified in every way. It's still a commercial vehicle, displaying
a property management company on the side, but it's been modernized
and altered and presents as a fine looking hot rod show car. With
miles deep paint, a powerful V8 under the hood and chrome laden
suspension this truck is ready to haul your good as well as haul
home the trophies from the local car shows.
Exterior
We looked up the paint codes for 1931 Model A's and teal is nowhere
to be found. In fact, very little was teal colored in 1931 but it
sure looks great on this truck in 2024. The clearcoat shines bright
and the teal is offset by shiny chrome and black surfaces. The
headlight bar, headlight housing, and bumperettes front this car
backed by a simple, vertical grille. Tucked in the crease of the
fenders are modern amber marker lights housed in chrome. Real wire
wheels with faux knock offs are fantastic and fit the truck which
squats down just over the tires. A custom body detail is found on
the engine covers which starts with a vertical vent. The polished
metal trim on the windshield contours its bottom frame to the shape
of the car, a wonderful design cue. A teal external visor leads to
a black vinyl roof and sandwiches the teal with black running
boards. Billet side mirrors hang from the top of the A-pillar and
the polished door handles all look great. The rear of the car is
very dramatic with swooping rear fenders, modern custom tail
lights, and a glorious sculpture of rear suspension and axle
components in chrome, exposed for all to see. Cosmetically the
truck is fantastic shape save for a few scratches and paint
imperfections which you'd need a private investigator to find.
Interior
This little joy ride just keeps getting better as we are greeted
with grey tweed door panels that hold custom polished metal and
real wood armrest/door pull, minimalist and modern in their design.
Modern gray tweed covered bucket seats are inviting and supportive,
just like your favorite aunt. A LeCarra steering wheel wrapped in
gray leather is a good choice here. The floor mounted shifter is
simple and wrapped in a black shift boot and black knob. A
lanceolate shaped wood panel serves as the dashboard where the
center cut out houses an aluminum backed gauge cluster. Here we
find a series of Stewart Warner gauges and three tiny indicator
lights for left, right, and brights. Below that, more polished
metal housing a series of billet knobs for the A/C controls. The
upper dash picks up the tweed from the seats, doors, and footwell
walls. Plush gray carpet covers the floor while tweed makes up the
headliner. Up here is where the AM/FM/Cassette radio is housed
along with airplane style reading lights. The tweed lined cargo
area is flat and clean and wide open, ready for your detail kit and
folding chairs as you chariot to the next car show in style!
Drivetrain
A consignor stated 350ci V8 is under the cowl topped by a Holley
4-barrel carburetor and linked to a TH350 3-speed automatic
transmission. Power is routed back to a Jaguar rear axle. Power
disc brakes are supplied on all 4 corners and from an aesthetic
point of view, the engine is chock full of shiny metal and chrome
and how about those teal ignition wires! Nice touch. A bowtie is
engraved in the valve covers and the headers are nicely powder
coated. Braided hoses and AN fitting abound and like the teal
paint, might be an indicator of build era, or a tribute to it.
Undercarriage
Chrome, chrome and more chrome. The very showy undercarriage leaves
virtually no part untouched. The star of the show is that rear axle
with chromed coil overs and chrome linkage. The rear diff is finned
and chrome and even the bolts are polished. The polished dual
exhaust flows from the headers and into glasspack style mufflers,
then straight out the back via fluted tips. The flywheel cover,
chrome. The starter, chrome. Front suspension parts? Chrome. For
configuration, both ends of the suspension are independent.
Drive-Ability
Definitely a different feeling when you have a cavernous,
windowless hull behind you, but this is how things were done if you
wanted your goods to arrive in usable condition. Of course, they
could not have dreamed of a low and wide ride like this, they were
not far from horse and carriage days so wheels were still tall and
skinny. Anyway, the engine runs and sounds great and the car tracks
well and accelerates without issue. The brakes performed flawlessly
and we noted the speedometer was inoperable and the brake lights do
not illuminate.
Everyone has their favorite Model A body style. This just happens
to be one of ours. Not only is the color and stance great, but it
can serve to promote your business, point of view, or vintage
company. Whatever you decide, get your teal out and peel out! See
it at the mall.
Classic Auto Mall is home to more than 1,000 classic and
collectible vehicles for sale via consignment in a climate
controlled 336,000-square foot showroom (that's more than 8
acres!). The largest single location consignment dealer of classic
and collectible vehicles in the country is located in Morgantown,
Pennsylvania, just 1-hour west of Philadelphia off Exit 298 of the
I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. For more information visit
www.classicautomall.com or call us at (888) 227-0914. Contact us
anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in
person.
With so many great cars, you know we have a lot to talk about, and
we do that each week on the Classic Auto Mall Podcast with host
Stewart Howden. Stewart discusses new inventory as well as trends
in consignments and car prices, while interviewing celebrities and
automotive professionals about amazing cars and their history. Tune
in each week to the Classic Auto Mall Podcast wherever you enjoy
listening. You can also watch on YouTube!
