Projects "New" 31 Roadster comes home to Poverty Flats

As you may recall my buddy Terry bought a good solid old 31 Ford roadster a couple of months ago from a 90 year old lady on a farm. Stored in a barn for many years, Terry brought it to his home and cleaned it up some. Too busy to mess with it because of his booming tire business and his ongoing quest to become a golf pro, he graciously accepted my offer to buy the car. My pal Cuzzindeke and I bought it together and plan on having some fun with it. We spent this afternoon tinkering on it and got it running. Didn't drive it yet because the gas tank is dirty. After cleaning that and re-wiring the car we should be good to go by cruise night next week I hope. This is one of those cars that was converted to a "pickup truck" during WWII in order to get tire and gas rations. Also this allowed the owners to register it as a farm truck which are taxed at a lower rate. I guess you could say it is a butchered car or some might say it is a cool old thing with alot of history. I don't care myself.....I fell in love with it the moment I laid eyes on it. Here it is: "Nellie Belle" <center>
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It does not have any top bows but has never been out in wet weather for it's whole life. The wood box has some cool patina itself and is worn smooth from hauling grain. So it really was used for some light duty work. It has a tailgate that slides up and down and is removable. Looking on the bright side, you could actually haul alot of gear in this car. Tent, coolers, chairs, dog, mother in law, and etc. Or maybe we can drive it to Lowe's or Home Depot to haul home supplies and such. <center>
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Terry, if you read this thread I want to thank you very much for letting us buy the car. We are thrilled to own it. Because of you I am now the coolest "kid on the block!

 

cool find. `31 grille shell and `30 splash aprons. not a hack job like most you see , but they really cut a lot of metal away for that box..it could be fixed if someone wanted to. i agree , it's best to leave it as is and enjoy it. it needs a gas ration sticker in the windshield

 

Way prettier than the orange "thing" in the driveway. Pun intended. Have fun with the new car.

 

I would be thrilled to own it too!

 

Certainly not Hamb friendly but I love my new VW Thing too. Rust free California car.
It's a keeper.

 

Haha, I saw that too, reckon it's got a hemi in it?

 

Very cool..and if you decided to put it back to the way it was I don't think it would be that difficult...a couple of quarters, the panels above and below the decklid, and a decklid. I'd leave it as is though as you are planning.

 

cool im jealous
now find me a sport coupe body! lol

 

I like it, if you fixed it it would just be a Model A.

 

very cool.... leave it just the way it is....

 

i love it. I wouldn't change a thing.

 

Damn Man, What don't you OWN?
Cool Car, I would leave it as is!!

 

that thing is cool as hell

 

that thing is awesome, dont change a thing.
thats alot of ingunuity from back in the day.

 

You've done it again, Paul! Cool ride! Let me have it and I'll have A's that are trucks that used to be a 4dr sedan, a coupe, and a roadster...Bob

 

Ha Ha! Bob, how you doing buddy?

 

People are gonna start hacking the backs outa there roadsters to be just like you...

Spence.

 

So, you get to drive a different car for every day of the week? No, I'm not jealous. I just hope you change your underwear as often as your car.

 

Will it do wheelies like your avatar? That is a neat piece of Americana.

 

That is a true representation of the way it was. They needed to haul stuff and they had this car, and it ran good, so they fixed it. Thats the way it was done, and the comment is so true, if you fix it like Henry made it, it would just be another Model A roadster. Now it got so much history, so many Kids are going to question WHY did they do that, and the story goes on, and (you) we are there to inspire another kid into the fold. You have it all in your hands. That is awsum. I love your thinking. Ice man

 

Nice ride dude !! With the 31 roadster your the coolest kid on the block !! so how did you rate on the block with That Orange THING ?? >>>>.

 

Pretty funny you can have a nice old A roadster with a larger bed and probably a higher weight rating that 1/2 the trucks they sell today......

I would "restore" it by cleaning up and painting the bed, since it looks like whoever did the work put some time into it and painted it when it was a "new truck" the second time around....

You will open the eyes of a lot of people who ask about it, based on the questions I get when I drive my normal 30 coupe.

 

HOW WIDE IS YOUR WOOD? BOARD

MAN THAT WAS A BIG TREE ONCE

I LIKE YER LITTLE CHUTE .... ITS CUTE

DIDN'T THAT THING SHOW ITSELF ON GREEN ACRES FROM TIME TIME ..
Mr. Haney...WITH ROLL UP SHADE TYPE SIGNAGE?

just when i thought "TOTO were not in kansas anymore" ,,,, well ya are

A MODERN DOG CATCHER'S TRUCK

ANY BODY POKE AROUND THAT FARM FOR THE DECK LID?
. OR IS IT A STONE BOAT NOW..

 

I would not bet on that. At least his overalls are usually clean.

Nice ride, Paul. It would look way cool at Iola this summer.

 

Are the quarters cut or just hammered over? Looks like the metal was hammered into submission and the box slid in?

 

This must be one of the best original war time truck conversion around. I would not change a thing!!