This is the 2015 Double A’er publication cover truck. A great example of a 1931 small, light duty AA express truck on the AA131 chassis. Both this express and the 197-A express were offered by Ford into 1934 without change (except for body bolt locations).

This restoration started in 2005 with the purchase of the disassembled cargo body and dual wheel rear fenders found in New Hampshire.

The remainder of this AA was acquired in the Kansas area. The 82-B closed cab was assembled from fourteen donors.

The cab, hood, and cargo body are finished in Pegex Orange. The remainder of the sheet metal is finished black (including the commercial head lamp cases and radiator shell).

This is the 2021 Double A’er publication cover truck.

Bob wrote the following about “Rusty” – For the express body, the center pockets were cut-off and the bed had been fitted with some TT looking fenders and “L” brackets providing support. This resulted in the pocket drain holes being exposed. They are now covered with metal patches. The pockets have not been repaired.

The purchased fenders were in good condition with some pounding on the top as they most likely came off a flatbed with the top exposed through the bed.

My wife and I drove “Rusty” last night (March, 8, 2021) for the first time this year.

I like to cruise at 58 MPH as there is a little vibration at 55 that clears up above 56. It does very well at this speed. I did push it to 70 MPH for a brief period to see if it could do it.

I have a lightened flywheel to 36#, V-8 clutch assembly and multiple selections of gears using the Warford.

At Greenfield Village (Dearborn, MI) in September 2018, they have car games – starts stops, races holding cups out the window on a board and various others. I was able to go undefeated from all other model A cars or trucks with the AA. One game was to see how slow you could go without pushing the clutch. Low Warford with 1^st gear it creeped so slow my friend and I got out of the truck and walked all the way around it and got back in.

Club member Brian Jensen’s April 1928 AA stake truck is the featured image for this 2024 Double A’er. Above is a gallery of this assembly-line type restoration. Brian spent about 5 years restoring this truck, completing a body-off, ground-up restoration with nearly all the work done himself, including body and paint.

The truck was found in north central Illinois and has the original engine/frame ID AA105654. It is equipped with the 82-A d1 Closed Cab and 88-A (d2) platform with 188-A (d2) stake racks. The truck has an AA131 chassis with factory options of a front bumper, auxiliary “dual-high” transmission and rear fenders.

There are a number of early 1928 truck features present such as a high rear window with Ford script, and a Ford Truck script platform body.

The frame has 4 cross members and the rails are full width at the rear, with a combination of riveted and wood frame spacers.  The spare tire carrier and the tail lamp are mounted to the underside of the platform.

The rear view mirror bracket is version #2, mounted to the sun visor.  The worm-drive rear axle has “TT” cast differential housings and a 3/4” fill plug in the rear cover.

The steel spoked wheels have tall 15/16″ wrench size lug nuts and straight tire valve hardware with full dust covers.

The truck body is painted Commercial Gray, which is actually a dark green and the only color available for AA trucks at the time. Brian left the body color unpolished as this was the standard for commercial vehicles unless the customer paid extra to have it rubbed out.  The truck has a French Gray pin stripe in the #1 layout (below the belt moulding across the quarter panel and door and down the hinge pillar).

Brian entered his truck in Fine Point judging at the 2023 MARC National Meet in Hamilton, OH, where it scored 476 points (out of 500) and received the MARC of Excellence and Doc Kalinka Early Model A award. Brian states that these results couldn’t have been achieved without the many people who provided expertise and help during the restoration and a special thanks goes out to Neil Wilson, Bill Zimmerman, Bill Sturm, Everett Hessels, Don Turley, Gary Karr, Rob Mills, Jim Brand and Tom Kahila.

This is the 2013 Double A’er publication cover truck. An excellent example of a 1931 large, light duty AA express truck on the AA157 chassis. Both this express and the 195-A express were offered by Ford into 1934 without change (except for body bolt locations).

The cab, hood, and cargo body are finished in Vermilion. The remainder of the sheet metal is finished black (including the commercial head lamp cases and radiator shell).

Restoration of this express was completed in July 2005 and received the “MAFCA Award of Excellence” with a score of 472 points. Craig is in the process of constructing the optional Ford offered canopy top and curtains based on Ford engineering drawings. Canopy top sockets are currently installed and can be seen in the photo to the right.

This is the 2014 Double A’er publication cover truck. It is a January 1929 with engine id of AA931825. It was pulled out of a Nebraska storage shed in December of 2010. After studying about AA’s for a time, Dave decided that he wanted to have his truck in an original, un-restored condition. Changes would be made as needed to insure this January 1929 AA had correct parts for that month and year.

Some restoration would be require (like a new top, engine rebuild, etc.). A big challenge was finding parts which matched the patina of his project (even down to original nuts and bolts).

To finish the AA’s patina, Dave came up with a paste wax finish which preserves the metal and is easily cleaned. The procedure is found in the 2014 Double A’er.

This is the 2023 Double A’er Cover Truck. Club member Doug Lewis’ November 1928 AA Grain Truck is shown in the gallery below. The truck has the original engine/frame ID AA628969 (11/28 engine run-in test date). The 82-A closed cab has 11-6-28 stamped on the gas tank firewall (engine side, lower left).

This AA truck has the 88-A platform with independent body supplied (IBS) grain sides. It has the 131-1/2″ wheel base chassis with Ford optional rear fenders.

At one time, these IBS grain sides had a third level of boards (accounts for the extra brackets shown in the photos). These sided could be converted to stake and stock racks by raising the #2 and #3 board levels. Two different heights are available.

Doug bought this truck at auction 8/12/2019 and spent three years doing a Ford-Assembly-Line type restoration. This truck has the d1 brake system (i.e. no separate emergency brakes). This is the case for almost all 1928 AA vehicles.

It is painted in the Ford factory original Gun Metal Blue color. Doug emulated the standard unpolished lacquer finish with Imron paint mixed in a satin finish. The Ford factory optional cab pin striping is the #2 layout (which forms a box from the hinge pillar to the quarter panel). Traces of the striping could be seen on the original truck.

Doug showed his truck at the MARC national 2022 Morgantown, PA meet. His restoration scored 460 points and received the MARC of Excellence and Ray H. Mathews Commercial Vehicle Awards.

This is the 2018 Double A’er publication cover truck. A great example of a 1931 dump truck on the AA131 chassis. The dump body is a Huges-Keenan power glider dump – #P-136F (1-1/2yd. capacity) dump body with worm drive mechanical hoist. It has an in-cab lever engaged PTO and dumps in 6 seconds. The PTO disconnects when the body returns to its loading position.

The cab, hood, and cargo body are finished in Niagara Blue Light.

The remainder of the sheet metal is finished black (including the commercial head lamp cases, radiator shell, and cowl band).

Fran spent four years restoring this March 1931 AA-4410869. Fran duplicated the cargo body from the original. He has shown it at the Hershey 2007-2011 fall meets and at Ford Carlisle 2010. This truck would have been sold as a cab and chassis from Ford and fit with the dump body and hoist by the Ford dealer or original customer.

This is the 2022 Double A’er feature/cover truck. A great example of a 1929 dump truck on the AA131 chassis.

Matt received a MARC of Excellence (426 points) at the Oshkosh, WI 2021 MARC National. The cab and dump body are painted gunmetal blue with a French gray pinstripe.

This AA has the seldom seen 76-A open cab. The dump body was from Wood Hydraulic Hoist & Body Company (C-4 body and G-1 hoist).

The AA would have been sold by Ford as a cab and chassis. The dump body would have been installed by the customer or Ford dealer.

This AA grain truck has logged 43,468 miles and is in excellent original condition. It was retired in 1955 by the original Minnesota farmer who bought it new in 1929. The truck was sold in the 1980’s to a second owner for a couple of years before Mike became the third owner. The original engine id is AA-1818295 which is for June 1929. It has rear fenders which Ford offered as optional equipment until July 1929. The wiring is original except for the replaced terminal-box-to-ignition-switch wires and the addition of a fuse on the starter.

Front and rear turn-signals were added some time during its life. There is a control switch installed on the steering column. The upholstery is original and showing ware. The top is original with the over-roof-bows liner still in good condition.

The front cover shows this truck posed at its current home in front of a Wisconsin, dairy barn built in 1927. Mike also has a November 1929 closed cab express truck (with a Briggs build express body) and an early 1930 closed cab stake truck.

This is an April 1929 AA express truck found in reasonably original condition in Nevada. Prior owner had started a restoration by removing the front fenders, hood, and radiator.

My goal for this truck is to keep its patina as much as possible but repair rust out areas and get it reassembled with original parts.

This is the 2012 Double A’er publication cover truck. This is a great example of one of the 521 Service Cars (body type 229-A) sold by Ford starting in 1931. It has engine/frame ID AA4058310 which is an October 1930 engine assembly date. So, it likely rolled of the assembly line in January or February of 1931. It was purchased by the Carson City, NV Ford dealer (Sam Pozi Motors) and was converted to a dual wheel setup some time in 1931 when dual rear fenders became available.

Rich restored this Service Car back to the Ford dealer’s upgrades (AA double bar front bumper and dual rear wheels). It is finished in its original Rubelite Red paint scheme. The auto crane is by The Manley Manufacturing Co. of Bridgeport, CT and is model number 125 (Single Slinging Boom Crane).

This is the 2016 Double A’er publication cover truck. It is a great example of the low production volume 185-A Platform body type sold by Ford in 1930 for the tapered frame AA157. It has engine/frame ID AA3860606 which is an August 1930 engine assembly date. So, the original AA likely rolled of the assembly line in August or September of 1930. It was purchased near Virginia City, NV in 1970 and had a home made platform as can be seen in the gallery below.

Roger started the restoration in 2010 after a long rest for the AA in the sagebrush of Nevada. The 185-A platform steel parts were located in Rock Island, IL. A set of correct U-bolts were fabricated from a somewhat improper set.The Douglas fir wood was milled by Roger’s brother-in-law. As can be seen, the beautiful wood was left natural and not painted like original. The AA was painted in its original Rock Moss Green color.

This is the 2017 Double A’er publication cover truck. It is an example of the1930 (June and prior) commercial AA’s. This is a May 1930 AA with frame/engine id AA-3046731. It is painted Rock Moss Green.

Ron restored this AA twice. It was restored as a cab and chassis and received 456 points at the 2011 San Diego, CA MARC national.

Some of the judging Areas were penalized for not having a cargo body. An original Stake body was added and refinished in 2015. This is an excellent example of an assembly line type restoration. It has the standard Ford factory finish (not polished and no pin stripe).

This AA express truck has 47,000 original miles and is the 2019 Double A’er cover truck. Ron says he likely drove 7-8k of those miles since he purchased it in 1977. It was used on a wheat farm in North Dakota by the second owner who bought the truck in 1938. It had grain racks when purchased (which Ron still has). The truck was used for hauling wheat from the thresher to the silo. The truck was stored inside until the wheat season each year which accounts for the great condition of this unrestored truck.

It has a couple of Wards 6:50×20 rear tires which are still good to go. The seats are quite worn but original. All of the upholstery is original and still in reasonable condition. The top wood is original and has the original canvas type material over the top bows. My guess is that the top cover was replaced at one point in time.

Ron removed the original engine a number of years ago for a rebuild. “Unfortunately, some dirt-bag broke into my shop and stole it and all my other AA Ford parts.” Ron installed another rebuilt engine.

He replaced the dual high transmission with a Warford overdrive transmission and says “it will run all day at 55mph.”

The gas tank has an 8-19-29 date stamping for identification. It had steel spoke wheels when Ron bought the truck in 1977. He does not know if these are original to the truck. The wheel carrier is the on-body design rather than the on-frame design. The on-frame design, in theory, start production in March 1929 with the disk wheels.

It has fluted lens headlamps (a 1928 through 2/29 feature). It has the squeeze style hand brake lever in front of the shift lever. This lever was changed to a push-button style in January 1929 (per RGJS). Western assembly plants likely had old parts for a longer time than Eastern plants.

It has the design 4 front fenders which began production April 1929.

The wheel carrier is the on-body design rather than the on-frame design. The on-frame design, in theory, start production in March 1929 with the disk wheels.