History 1938 Ford Roadster Pick Up - A Story...

I never made it to Argentina.. But From a friend I had there.. It sounds like it could be very interesting.... NEat story

 

I've been to Argentina a couple of times and in small villages, backyards and in country junkyards you can still find old cars but for each years theres less of them (not many years ago I've seen model A's waiting to being scrapped, now they are rare). Many old cars in Argentina was used for transportation as long as ever possible, the people in the countryside was poor. So many of the old cars are in real rough shape. Today its mostly worn out 60's cars that still is easy to find but also some older pick-ups. For some models Ford shipped all their tooling to Argentina and continue the production for many years, with some odd new details added to the USA-design as a try to modernize them...
In Uruguay people had less money and there was even more old cars. In the 1970's-80's that was discovered by car collectors and many of the most valueable cars was exported. Today they are claimed as a "national treasure" and export of old cars is forbidden from Uruguay. Argentina do also have restrictions for export but it is quite known that the customs can be paid to look in another direction... I've tried to get in touch with car guys in Argentina on my visit, but unfortunatly my contact there was not reliable (that can happen in any country so I do not make a general statement about Argentina). When the the global crisis is over, I will probably visit Argentina again, but currently my company is saving money and have travel restrictictions...

 

Do you have any recent history on the truck? How long has it been in the US, etc.

 

Right hand drive? I don't know, man...It seems to me It came from Uruguay. That's very close to Argentina, they used right hand drive in the first half of 20th century, and they didn't have much industries. Most of the things that they use were from Argentina and Brazil.

 

Might be an Argentine Ford, But those tail lights sure look like '41 Chevy.

 

They are just later model ford.

 

Those are 41's, right? So, when was the truck built? Maybe built in '41, and used mostly left over '38 parts.

And, technically, it's not a roadster pick up. It has a non removable windshield, and roll up windows. it's a convertible pick up. I don't know much, but i do know roadster pick ups.

 

Neat truck. Not beautiful, but cool. I agree with Fab32; a little hot rod tweaking in the resto would make it a lot more interesting.

On the subject of Argentine creativity: this thing was on eBay a couple of years ago from Argentina. It was identified as a 1928 Cadillac. I don't think it was represented to be a stock Cadillac body design, and it's almost certainly a new build, but who cares? It's about as pretty a prewar car as I have ever seen:

 

Sorry girls, but don't get to in love with this piece as something rare. Argentina has some good craftsman. The more you look at it, it is a 38 deluxe convertible sedan with a later pickup box on the back. Looks like some ambitious person took an old car and made a convertible pick up, just goes to show that hot rodding is world wide.

 

The Complete Knock Down deal was also done in Australia by GM before Holden started production of it's own 48/215 in late '48. I think that Ford also did it here at some stage.

 

I'm leaning in this direction as well, but man, what a nice job IMO and a way cool piece.

 

See a couple of pics, production numbers, etc. here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Falcon_(Argentina)

 

Wow preaty cool. Did it come with the nifty hood prop?

 

Wow thats a good read Ryan. Thanks!

 

New bodies on old chassis is a cottage industry down there, and there are plenty of craftsmen to keep it lively. Google "baquet" for more examples. A dealer called Arcar often has a couple for sale.

There is another company upcountry that reproduces Bugatti Type 35 and one other (55?), making everything from scratch, right down to nuts and bolts. Their shop floor is very impressive.

 

I'm not opposed to the idea that it may be some guys "creation" and some areas of it do look to be adaptations of a convertable sedan, but some areas look factory made. Either way I'm not going to be disappointed. Someone or some group of people put a lot of effort into creating it, and I think it turned out pretty well.

One thing though, is that while it was a "factory" that possibly built it, I have a feeling what comes out of a factory there probably was not done the same way as it would be done here. So comparing it to what was done here in ford factories, might not have any relevance, but I'm no expert though and it could be anything.

 

Plans are to get the mechanical stuff all rebuilt. We want to be able to take it to shows and enjoy it and not have to haul it everywhere.

We've talked about upholstery and the top. The top obviously need help and we talked about doing it in white to match the inside of the bed. The seat has 3-4 layers of upholstery on it, the last layer probably from the 70's

Since we own a machine shop the engine will get rebuilt and maybe some bolt on goodies.

I'm not sure if we've decided on what to do on the body, but it won't be anything drastic. No chops, or stuff like that. The spotlight, fender mirrors, and aftermarket headlights are things we were thinking of removing, then maybe just straightening it out and getting it painted back in original green.

 

That is definitely one badass little truck, and not likely to have too many 'identical twin' brothers or seesters, makin' it that much mo' better. hopeto see more updates on this project, however you decide to do the build,good luck and keep us updated with timely posts when you get around to it. thanks
waldo

 

Here's a proper one for you, even if it is a '37.



And a '36 just for fun.

 

roadster utes?! yeah we got em!

 

Ryan, it looks waaaaaaaaay better with the top off!!

 

I think thats pretty cool.

 

I love that small, central cowl light, just don't know what it's intended purpose is.
(other than light, smartass')

 

Well lets just say that thing is a world away from my 38. Crazy cool though. Dig so much about it.

 

Those taillights are post war, no 41... interesting...

 

I too was down there a few years ago in the northern part of Argentina. There were a lot of Falcons from the early to mid 60's. The latter ones had some different tail lights than we had in the states in the 65 era, so they must have done a few changes, on occasion.

 

I have an Argentinian 39 tudor Deluxe over here in Belgium wich seems to be mostly the same as its north american counterpart, exept of the RHD, speedometer in kilometers in place of miles and no holes in the rear fenders for the taillights wich seems not to be original.