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.
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