I recently purchased a 1931 Ford Model A pickup (closed cab). The radiator shell is painted at the top and bottom front. Some say this is not the correct shell, pictures I have looked at on line say it is. Does anyone know if the early '31's shell was different from the later ones? ...and if not, which is the correct one?
I believe if it's like the cars, the 30 did not have the painted , recessed? area on top and bottom. The 30 was smooth at the top and bottom and not painted. Simple...but I'm probably wrong!
The shell should look like a '30 passenger car shell except the emblem is stainless with black lettering instead of blue porcelain and metalic lettering and the shell is painted entirely black. Charlie Stephens
Pickups came with a steel painted grill shell. The 1931 would have a stainless emblem. The headlights should also be painted (black) with stainless rings and the cowl band should be painted (black). With the amount of Model A's built, many had the shells swapped to the passenger cars versions.
Heres a pic of the steel shell on my 30, with brass emblem. Im keen to swap it out for a stainless shell.
Pickups ran a steel shell, headlights, tail lite, and cowl band. Most people swap to the stainless steel.