1931 Model A & AA

Budd Steel-Top Truck Cab 82-B

In August 1931 Ford adopted the 'steel-top' truck cab 82-B manufactured by the Budd Company for both Model A and AA trucks. The steel roof panel had an integral visor, and the internal roof bows were also steel, though the windshield header and upper side and rear rails remained wood.

The earlier 1930-31 design 82-B pickup cabs were constructed similar to Model A coupes and tudors, having a wooden roof structure and roof bows covered by a long-short grain fabric-backed pyroxylin top material.

Pictured above is a 1931 Model AA dump truck with a Budd steel top cab.

The pic above shows the front construction of the cab. The windshield visor is part of the roof panel stamping, and the rain gutters are spot welded to the roof panel.

In the earlier 1930-31 design 82-B cab, the roof had a separate visor, and a trim moulding covering the joint, the same as the 1930-31 Tudor sedan. The earlier truck rain gutters were also separate parts with the same construction and attachment as found on Tudor sedans.

Also note the screws along the front edge of the roof panel and the stamped-in "countersunk washers" in the roof panel stamping in the Budd cab.

Pictured above is a close-up of the roof panel and back panel joint and construction.

The Edward G. Budd company was based in Philadelphia, PA, and was an industry leader in the design and construction of all-steel auto bodies. Unlike Ford, GM, and others, Budd did not have access to vast reserves of timber for wood framed bodies. Budd developed their expertise in sheet metal stamping and structural panel sub-assemblies capable of being efficiently nested and shipped by rail to Ford plants for final assembly.

These modular panel constructed bodies generally used minimal wood content, primarily for top and trim, except in the case of this 82-B pickup cab which had a nearly all-metal top construction.

In addition, Budd was a large supplier of completely assembled all-steel bodies to Chrysler Corporation in the 1920s and 1930s.

More related information on Ford Garage:

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Model B, BB & Model 46 1932, 1933, and 1934 Truck Cab Identification

April 2002