It’s too bad this truck isn’t in worse condition…Let me explain. You are looking at an ultra-rare 1932 Ford Panel Truck. Not only are ’32 Fords rare and desirable, finding a work truck like this is nearly impossible. What makes this one even cooler? It is a right-hand drive! If it was falling apart, wouldn’t it be cool to convert a ’32 Ford hot rod into a right-hand drive hot rod using the parts from this truck? It can be found here on Craigslist with an asking price of $17,750. The seller says they searched for about 20 years before they found this one in South America. It has been stored in a shed ever since and could be yours. Thanks to Matt R. for the tip on this great truck! Take a look.
The seller says the exterior color was originally red, but you can see some blue on the door frames and floor, so it is a little hard to say what the real story is. Obviously, this truck will need a full restoration, but it doesn’t look like a bad project to start with.
The engine appears to be the original Model B 4-cylinder. The ad mentions nothing about the mechanical condition of the truck, so the buyer should probably be prepared to spend some time getting it running again or replace the drive train all together.
Here you can see how great the lines of this truck are. The gentle slope of the roof combined with the belt-line “bump” and the flow of the fenders and running boards is stunning. Wouldn’t this make a great delivery vehicle for a flower shop, bakery, or auto parts store? What would you do with it if it was yours?
If it were mine, I’d go broke before it was ever restored. What this guy is selling is not so much a car, but rather the idea of a car because you’ll have to replace absolutely everything before a car exists in the space this is now occupying.
I had a 56 Bel Air in worse shape than this. I dropped in a motor, did the brakes, added a radiator and I cut up a driveshaft. Had it running in 3 weeks. 1000 dollars total investment. It can be done.
I’ve never known any countries in South America that used RHD.
Prior to WWII Argentina and Uruguay and perhaps other south American countries utilized RHD cars. In Europe, Sweden drove on the left side of the road hence cars were RHD until a specific point in the 1960s at which point they changed to match the rest of continental Europe by driving on the right side of the road at which point they started using LHD cars. There are quite a few RHD American cars from 1930s Argentina in USA now. One sees several RHD Model A Fords on US eBay per year from Argentina. And of course Australia, Japan, and Thailand have always been RHD countries. 20 years ago I sold a RHD Mercedes 220S to the present King of Thailand. Numerous Caribbean islands are also RHD. For personal reasons I have always sought RHD cars so have owned examples from AC, Armstrong-Siddeley, Aston-Martin, Austin, Bentley, Citroen, Ferrari, Ford, Jaguar, MG, Mercedes, and Rolls-Royce and Shelby.
Hello,
as a swede aged over 70, I can assure you that the only RHD cars in sweden, were the cars imported from UK where the producers not made LHD cars. I have driven RHD cars in the 70:s, but they were directly imported by me from the UK as for example Morris Minor Convertible among others.
Regards
Anders i Ekeby (south sweden)
Chingatrailer
Very interesting history lesson, thank you. At 73 I’m still learning.
God bless America
Sweden switched sides of the road in 67, but their cars were NOT RHD, but LHD. Must’ve made passing fun on two-lane roads!
Actual Sweden always had LHD cars but drive on the left. The decision to switch was partial due to the dangerousness of passi g.
It could have been a mail delivery truck, which were commonly RH.
Good point. I should have picked up on this. I used to drive RHD vehicles for the postal service before it became the USPS. It was easy to make the adjustment to RHD. I had completely forgotten about this experience that happened so long ago.
Seller states that he spent 20 years trying to find one and now he’s selling it.
???
The thrill is in the hunt.
If it were mine and in restored condition the only thing I’d be hauling is me. I too am curious about what South American country utilizes right drive. I also agree that it makes no sense to spend 20 years searching for a car just to resale. Yet what we have here is something awesome that will undoubtedly find its way to a full restoration.
God bless America
Guyana and Suriname use right-hand drive, could have come from one of these countries
Perfect business marketing vehicle. Yep, you will spend a fortune building it but the returns, if used in your business, will be good. I’ve been using custom rides in my businesses for 40 years. They get attention and build businesses. Still, this is a big project, and if you have no clue what that involves then buy one already done. Which in the case of a turn-key deuce panel truck will be nearly impossible. I’m in the industry and see people spending huge money building the car of their dreams. It is not slowing down.
Truly lovely and may I not burn in hell for saying this, but I would convert it to LHD and install a period flathead. I own a ’53 RHD English Ford Prefect and have often toyed with the idea of an LHD conversion. How many times have i pulled up to a traffic light and quized about the placement of my steering. wheel. My response? “I missed the recall” You wouldn’t believe how many times I’ve been taken seriously at least for 30 seconds or so
pop cans
The 1932 Ford Panel unit was quite unique when new and of course very rare now. Many vehicles built before 1945 were left or right hand drive capable as far as body parts configuration. I too, question why this particular type vehicle was object of search for 20 years and then immediately offered for sale. It has great nherent value and needs to retain its originality and the cost not much greater than a duece coupe in like condition. The basic pricing is probably a
downer considering the cost of restoration but worth consideration.
in Jamaica you have to drive in the left lane….cool truck
I thought it was the center of the road. At least until another vehicle was met 😊
Bahamas too.
It is always entertaining to me, that whenever 32 Ford anything is mentioned, the opinions and the stories and many times and all the half truths, that surround this icon marque. Starting with this delivery being so rare, probably one reason they are so rare ,is no one wanted them. I have seen allot of them over the years (not right hand drive) but haven’t seen too many 32 Fords that are right hand drive period, mostly from UK, Germany and Australia.
I think people have a tendency to consider all 32 Fords rare and expensive, because of all the years of their popularity. I get that ,I have owned several and I love them and always will, but be realistic, this delivery could never be worth the price to restore it, no matter how rare “you think it is” believe me its not. A friend of mine, Neal East has had one for years, he is a very well known Hot Rodder and if you know the name, you are familiar with his expertise on 32’s , if you think I am wrong ask him he owns one.
Limos in some countries that drive on the right are RHD so the chauffeur can step directly to the pavement (sidewalk) to open the door of the occupant.
Just for the record those that drive on the right and those on the left are become pretty well even…don’t overlook India, Pakistan and many countries of Africa. A big market for 4 year old Japanese cars and trucks.
The reason for the US switching to the left I understand was a political anti British reason..
DAVID Thomas,
I have owned many vintage limousines over the last 50 years, both RHD and LHD versions, and I operated one of the largest vintage limo companies in North America. I’ve done plenty of research into everything concerning limousines, and can definitively tell you that the reason for having a RHD limo was not to allow the chauffeur quick access to open the passenger compartment.
The Chauffeur’s job was to drive the car. It was the footman’s job to open & close the passenger doors, as well as to attend to the passengers. For example; to provide umbrella service to/from the car and the building. The chauffeur was expected to stay with the car, and generally after the passengers left the car, the chauffeur would then take the car away until summoned back again.
I have the actual LHD Vanden Plas Princess used by the British government for the personal use of the Royal Family when they were here in the USA. When they decided not to keep it, they never even thought about bringing it back to the UK, because then the footman would have to run around the front of the car.
Now about the reason the USA standardized on LHD:
It’s quite simple. The government has never required vehicles made for use in North America to be LHD, they left it up to the manufacturers and customers to decide. The major deciding factor was HENRY FORD.
To keep costs down in making the model T, Ford standardized everything they could, including driver location. [You could order RHD, but it costs extra.] Since Ford at one time ended up making more cars per year then the next 10 car companies combined, Americans became used to having LHD vehicles, and since we had already standardized on “keep to the right” with horse drawn vehicles, it made better sense to “Drive FROM the left, and KEEP to the right.”
It might surprise readers to know that many manufacturers of the more expensive automobiles here in the US of A, offered the choice of LHD or RHD well into the 1920s, sometimes even displaying RHD examples in showrooms. It really was all about personal preference back then.
Anyone can do a restoration, it takes a real man to slice and dice one up.Chop,channel and section with a vintage American bent eight.