Technical 1932 Ford Roadster Pickup

Hey Guys.

After buying a whole of bunch steel last year, I have been making a shortlist of bodies I want to finish off. One that has been on my mind the most has been my collection of 32 parts.

In 2016/17, I purchased enough parts to start piecing together a 32 Roadster Pickup. What I have is an original 32 Commercial Grill, Cowl, Hood Top, Front Fenders and Running Boards. The Fenders and Running Boards are very rough but the other parts are very solid.

I also purchased a repro steel stock style firewall and louvred hood sides. In addition to that I also own a 1934 BB Truck that I can use for patterns for the doors and cab. I have been looking at images of 32-34 Roadster Pickups to get ideas so I would like some more.

With all the steel purchased along with a soon to be completed stand alone workshop, I finally have the resources to start putting it together. I will be getting rid of a few other projects beforehand so I will have plenty of time to plan this out.

The most important thing I need is detailed photos of the floor area, cab section, dash surround and b pillars as I want the cab to be as close to the factory configuration as possible.

I am also after dimensions for the doors and the panel at the rear that features the recesses as the Truck cab I have does not have this feature.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

 

A 32,33 & 34 closed cab pickup is very different than a roadster pickup. Brookville makes a roadster pickup cab but it is a far cry from looking like the original. HRP

Here are some photo's of a original one, they might help in building one.

 

These are the panels, I will be fabricating, the highlighted areas are the sections I need measurements for.

 

I know, my cowl is a genuine open commercial one, they were also used for buses and fire trucks and over here, closed cab trucks as well. Nothing interchanges between the Roadster and Pheatons. I believe my cowl sat on a truck similar to the one in the image above, notice the straight Windscreen frame along the bottom and the seaparate A Pillar that ties the cowl and doors together. The cab is similar to the 31/32 Chev ones.

 

You got any doors ,I'm thinking half doors of a Aussie truck ,think I know of a pair

 

I will be fabricating everything including the doors. The doors will be relatively easy once I get the measurements of the length.

 

32 RPU cab looked much like a closed cab cut down.The back panel looks like the closed cab.Since they all shared the 32 frame,and wheel base I would think the length of doors would be the same as the closed cab.

 

Local steel car, been around for years. I'll see if I can catch up with him


This is a 34, note the filler section, I believe the screen is the same as model 'A' however I could be wrong.

 

I don’t believe that the top (black) one in post 8 is a genuine rp.
Here’s an original, above.
I have a few more pictures that I have saved, if you are interested.

 

Here’s a couple of examples from Richardson truck museum in Invercargill, of the commercial.
I think around 430 rpu made and I thought that I read once around another 400 commercial cowls made ? Would be interested to know. I also have the commercial cowl - bought it for the original vent mechanism.

 

This one is not a real rpu.

 

A few pictures I took of a friends 1932 rpu truck collection. I was looking for detail so I can make some dies to make the parts I am missing..

 

A few more pics of the details of the body. The subrails are the same as a closed cab so the bottom radius is the same in the rear corners.

 

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/32-rpu-build-thread-the-10-year-plan.642590/ here's a great build thread

 

The stepped swage that sits behind the doors will be the hardest area to reproduce. I have been making up a 30 Pickup cab for a guy in Victoria that I put a swage into, but the one on the RPU protrudes out further. Is there any chance you can get measurements of this area.

 

These two area in particular.

 

I will see if I can go and visit as its a few hours away and will see if hes in the south for the winter. I do have a few more picture and will look for the pictures that I had a scale with the picture.

 

Bobby Walden has built a couple of roadster pickups and there were some good articles I believe on his website, but they are no longer there.

 

Im gathering parts for a 32 rpu build myself.
The detailed pictures in this thread is awesome!

I have plans to have a batch of windshield stanchions cast from my original set and may sell a few sets if theres any interests.


Skickat från min iPhone med H.A.M.B.

 

Thats a great idea, there seem to be plenty of these cowls left over from buses and fire trucks.

 

Hey Guys.
I am getting home tomorrow so I am hoping to get some photos of the cowl and grill shell in Tuesday. In the meantime here is a photo of the truck cab. This is what I will be using as a pattern for the Roadster Pickup.

 

If you study the two photos, you will notice the longer doors on my truck, the truck above it uses the same type of cowl as the Roadster Pickup.

Look carefully and you will see the A Pillar that fastens to the cowl and door.

I am ***uming the overall length of the Roadster Pickup Cabs and the Closed Pickup Cabs is the same. Everything is a guessing game when you don’t have the correct panels.

I had the opportunity to buy a correct rear cab section at a Swap Meet a couple of years ago which could have easily been modified into a Roadster Pickup version, I am really regretting not getting it now.