Today we send vehicles to the junk yard when the cost of repair exceeds or approaches replacement cost. Early mass-produced cars represented a serious investment and, frankly, people in those days were too resourceful and pragmatic to discard a car or truck like a Kleenex. The disposable tissue brand “Kleenex” didn’t exist until 1924, and folks who grew up in the Pre-Kleenex era expected many years of service from a vehicle, even after it became unable to serve its original purpose. This highly personalized vehicle began life as a 1929 Ford AA truck. Thanks to reader Healeydays for spotting this one on rufusranch.com.
Like “Hooptie,” the meaning of “Doodlebug,” varies depending on geographical location, but it generally refers to something that began life as a road-going vehicle then later underwent significant modifications to become a farm implement. This one has deep-lugged tractor tires and a tow bar for a life of tough low-speed duty.
A different 2919 Ford AA truck starred in the TV Series “The Waltons”, a much different fate from becoming a Doodlebug. Before you let the heavey-handed fabrication applied to this specimen of Henry Ford’s finest furrow your brow, consider that it may not have survived in any form were it not for the second life accomplished by these modifications.
The original-looking four-cylinder engine features an updraft carberetor as found on early cars, aircraft, and tractor engines. This Farm-Use-Only rig runs, but the steering column is non-operable. The seller will include replacement parts with the sale; some assembly required. There’s no price in the listing. What would you ask for this modified Ford?
Resourceful, I’ll say, right down to the bicycle tire steering wheel cover.That’s a new one, but doesn’t surprise me. I bet even geomechs never saw that! Farmers had to do that, for many years, they were the lowest paid people on the planet and I’m sure, when it wasn’t plowing the field, or pulling a wagon, it was running an errand into town. I didn’t know that was the meaning of Doodlebug. Price? Well, let’s see, if past posts are any indication how ba-cocked things have gotten, let’s start at $25g’s, and see what happens,,,
Looks like something one of my great grandfathers would have owned and used. Unfortunately, when vehicles on family land were no longer repairable, they typically got used as ravine erosion stoppers. The oldest trucks that I remember from my youth on either side of family farms/ranches were from the ’30’s and ’40’s.
I’m thinking it’s perhaps a $3-5K fun toy for someone, especially as it’s got a ‘broke’ steering column…
…the five-window coupe in the background would be worthy of a closer look, along with the T coupe body.
Actually, there’s a whole bunch of old iron in the background of those pictures.
Interesting collection.
These were great for picking up hay bails, the farmer could walk along side while it idled at perfect speed in 1st gear to throw bails on the hay wagon towed behind. Haven’t found one in about ten years.
They come up every few months in craigslist in NH, Maine and Vermont.
If I remember correctly doodlebugs ran 2 transmissions mated together to provide stump pulling gearing
Doodlebugs came about in a lot of cases as an extra work vehicle on the farm or working other tasks needed during WW2 when new vehicles inc tractors were not available. Everyone seemed to have an old model T in back of the barn, and folks that were hit hard by the Great Depression let their penny pinching ingenuity take place building a work vehicle with what they had. They might be used as a skidder for hauling trees out of the forest, hauling trailers or other tractor tow behind implements. I’ve come across some that were repurposed as driving sawmills and work vehicles for old copper and gold mines out west.
Looks like the heater is missing. I’ll pass.
I am a Toro Mower Collector. I purchased this 1935 Toro Golf Course Tractor under the listing of doodle bug. Toro Built these tractors with a drivetrain and axles purchased from Ford. Toro added a reduction box behind the Ford Trans to limit the top speed to 15 MPH.
my Dad had a doodle bug he made from a rather large old Dodge Brothers truck. It had the 2 transmission thing and big tires , cut down and shortened frame with a big concrete weight on the back. He would start it on gasoline and then when it got good and warm he switched to a tank with 50% gas and 50% kerosene and it ran fine . He plowed snow with it , used it to pull a sickle bar mower and a trailer . after he got his cj2a with a half cab and a two way plow the old Dodge doodle bug was sold to a friend for like $20 , and he used it for years to plow his driveway ( a large one at that ) good memories .
One time my dad dragged home a !nternational doodle bug about a 1931 vintage. He was particularly excited because it had a worm gear rear. Mom had no idea, she thought it was full of worms in the diff.
Wasn’t there also a passenger car called the “doodlebug” back in the 30’s that looked like the body came from an airplane fuselage? Maybe I’m thinking Dymaxion?
When I was a kid in the 1950’s my Uncle had a farm is far upstate NY. One of his neighbors had a Doodle Bug that started life as a Reo truck from the 20’s or 30’s. As I recall it had 8 speeds forward and 4 in reverse, probably a hi/low range set up on a 4 spd. box.
They used it during haying when everyone in the neighborhood got together to do the work on successive farms. That sucker could pull a hay rake, a bailer, and two or three hay wagons. Great memories.