Words & Photos: Tommy Parry
This particular build didn’t start off on a very ambitious note. The ‘29 Ford was donated by a friend, and after the truck, then totally in pieces, didn’t sell on eBay, it was decided the build should start. Why not? Once the old relic was put back together, a coat of terra cotta spraypaint was added and already what was once a scrap of rusting metal began looking like a truck cab with some potential.
The frame was sourced from a 1986 Mazda B2000, and the rear of it was cut from the leaf springs backwards and the rest thrown in the circular file. Then a 12” zee-drop was added, squaring everything down to the center line and level.
The front end came next, and it used a 4” Super Bell front axle with 1940 Ford brakes at either end with drilled backing plates. The front end was zeed 3", and above sat a 1965 Mustang radiator, which is a wonderful fit for a ‘28-’31 Ford not running tons of power. For prep purposes, a plastic SBC sat behind the radiator.
After pulling three dead rat skeletons from the mysterious gas tank with “1930 Pontiac” scribbled on the side, it was mounted at the rear of the frame. This broad tank forced Dan to relocate the shock mounts to accommodate for the size. Next, as popular with these cars, came a Corvair steering box, reversed to fit to give the car some steering angle and quick steering speed. Some on-hand steering lock would be needed, since with no weight in the rear and the 305 in front, this monster could get out of shape in a hurry.
After the front headlights were bolted on, the motor found its home in the ‘29 Ford’s engine bay, the shocks were mounted, and a clean grille was thrown on.
Then a friend loaned a bed from another ‘29 Ford, and underneath a bit of elbow grease was needed. Draining the oil from the rear end was no easy feat, but adjusting a set of 1940s brakes was not an easy thing to do. With no backing plate, the car had to be backed up and the brakes slammed to adjust them. In any event, the build was looking promising and worth the gallons of sweat.
A set of taillights were mocked up, and a classic Ford badge tacked onto the rear gate; the truck had been nearly completed on the outside. The interior was kept simple and spartan, with a little skull on top of the shifter for a hint of style. Four functional gauges were oriented in a diamond on the dash, and a bit of floral fabric wrapped the minimalist bench.
The finishing touch was a new grille, sprayed in the same color of paint. It has a bit of a tractor look, but that combination of parts, with the mismatched headlights here and there and a classic sort of patina would turn heads regardless of the person. Grandparent, newborn, or surly teenager obsessed with import cars, this ‘29 Ford draws plenty of attention with that combination of obscure bits.