1930 Ford Model A

1930 Ford Model A Stakebody Pickup As paved roads spread into rural areas, trucks became common sights on American farms.  Farmers used the vehicles to haul agricultural products directly to market, or to the nearest railroad depot for shipment to farther points.  The stake body truck was especially flexible.  The racks were removable to ease loading and unloading, or to accommodate oversized loads.  Thx thehenryford.org  For consignment, a 1930 Ford Model A stake body pickup truck showing 2,792 miles which are not actual.  If you could identify a vehicle for show that represents the most popular mode of transportation of the era, combined with America's propensity for hard work, and fit it with a more modern engine, then this stake body is your ticket!  Exterior                                A deep green covers the body and the Valley Green is accented, as cars were in this era, with black fenders and running board which for this stake bed, coordination visually with the substantial black painted frame under the bed.  Small amber marker lights front a black grille while a laser straight polished ribbon bumper leads the way.  On the cab, a windshield visor keeps the sun out while the rubberized roof keeps out the rain.  Oak planks make up the bed and while the stake sides still retain their honey color, the bed itself and other skyward facing pieces are a bit weathered, but fully intact.  15-inch wheels are painted bright yellow and enhanced by trim rings and Ford stamped hubcaps and where you might expect to see dual wheels in back, we have 29x15.5-15LT fat tires.  A couple of scratches and a paint chip are the only imperfections we find on the front section of the truck.  Interior Velour like gray cloth lines the doors and holds two pieces of hardware plus a map pocket.  Diamond stitching decorates the same material on the bench seat with silver vinyl on the sides and smooth cloth that covers the back wall to surround the rear window.  A Grant GT steering wheel lives on a tilt column which also has a tachometer attached and fronts a body colored dash with a myriad of white faced gauges, clean and tidy.  Black carpet covers the floor diverting from what would have likely been a rubber mat for this work truck, but we're not complaining.  The tall shifter rises from the floor pointing to the headliner which continues the coverage of soft, gray cloth.   Drivetrain Behind the louvered engine cover sits a 302ci V8 with a Weber 4-barrel carb and a Ford AOD 4-speed automatic transmission sending power to the Ford 8 axle in back.  Yes, it's all in the Ford family for this one!  A few chrome dress up pieces and bright yellow wires create a showy little powerplant while power brakes provide the stopping energy and they are drums on all four corners.   Undercarriage There's some road dirt underneath where things are generally clean with minimal surface rust and no apparent oil leaks.  The dual exhaust travels quite a distance before meeting a pair of turbo mufflers, soon after which it terminates under the bed.  Suspension consists of a 4 bar with a transverse leaf spring in front and leaf springs in the back.  Drive-Ability Unlike larger work trucks of the era, this one has a bed that does not extend much past the width of the fenders, so as long as you mind the front clearance, the back should be fine!  And that's just what we do as we take this beauty onto the test loop where the 302 delivers good power and the fat rear tires provide straight tracking and surefooted grip.  The brakes deliver more than adequate stopping power.  We note the high beams are not working but all other functions on this 1930 operate as they should.  While Classic Auto Mall represents that these functions were working at the time of our test drive, we cannot guarantee these functions will be working at the time of your purchase.  Street rodded trucks are not uncommon,