The official motto of the United States Postal Service is “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.” If you were a Carrier in Western Montana winters during the beginning of the Great Depression, a car like this was one of the best ways (in some cases, the only way) to get around in the days before plowed roads were a thing. This is a mishmash of 1930 and 1931 Model A, and it’s up for sale here on eBay out of Bozeman, Montana.
The seller’s description is rather difficult to follow, however, I was able to work out that it’s a modified 1930 Model A frame with 1931 Model A cabriolet body on top. Apparently, this Cabrio body is not the one that was on the frame when it delivered mail. We aren’t given any pictures of what we presume is left of the interior.
We’re told that the engine, transmission, and front end are all stock Model A, while the two-speed rear and all four wheels are Model TT truck units. Apparently, the front fenders we see here are from a McCormick-Deering tractor, of all things.
As I’m sure you have gathered by now, this car is akin to the “Doodle Bug” tractors that we see for sale every so often. In that era, people made do with whatever they had or could get their hands on, and this is one example of a creative solution to a transportation dilemma. In some ways, we could compare it to a Mad Max vehicle in modern culture.
Sure, we can dismiss it as an old rust bucket, but just for a moment, imagine the possibilities here: Snowmobile, zombie apocalypse rig, business advertisement piece, rat rod show car – it’s nearly a blank canvas for the boldest and daring dreamers among us. Do you have a story about something like this? We’d enjoy hearing about it.
This got geomechs written all over it,,, :)
Boy, someone help me out here, $40 K?
yikes!!! $40k! gmab!
40k…
You have a better chance of seeing Adam Lambert JUNIOR
Now THATS quality humor. Who is Adam Lambert anyway?
This is COOL, for sure, but it isn’t a mail truck and never was. It’s a home built Franken-A on tractor tires with a frame sourced from a mail truck (allegedly.) If the seller thinks this will ever be worth 40k, he’s sniffing glue.
No Grant, he’s smokin’ something instead
and I want some! Must be awfully good
stuff to make him ask 40K. If it were a
real mail truck, it would have postal spec
body that I’ve seen in use at that time.
Certainly one of a kind though but it
won’t fit under my carport though!
Is this Bigfoot before Bigfoot?
If I recall, this was featured in its original sale condition a couple of years ago here on BF. I contacted the seller, but by that time apparently the buyer had taken the body and left the remainder, (the seller was amazed someone would do that!) so it was put up for sale again. It looks like this seller bought it and put this body on it. It was originally very cool, not so much anymore. At the time I think it was $2500.00 and I considered it even though it was a long delivery to me.
Cant find the original post, but here is the one after it was hacked.
Got the story close, but the price was a bit higher. Perhaps $2500.00 was what I offered.
https://barnfinds.com/original-4wd-1930-ford-model-mail-truck/
Thank you Jay.
Flippin awesome!!!!! I was born and lived in montana and i can see why this was the only thing that could get them around!
Pretty sure it was 40grand before when it was listed here…..sellers get a clue !
I really like it. All the right stuff, you gutta admit it gets the juices going, i didnt see any price, i heard 40k, will continue to enjoy from afar
I looked at his ebay site… VERY cool items…but, reminds me of when my late wife wanted me to start downsizing my collection… I put astronomical prices on everything, so I had the excuse that “I tried”… If I would have sold anything, it would have given me more $$ to go out and add more goodies to my hoard. ;)
I honestly thought you guys were kidding about the $40k price tag.
This vehicle and story would both be sketchy at even $2k.
For $40k…. The seller should throw in bigfoot… I mean the actual legendary creature, not the truck.
Not the only Model A that has been converted for mail delivery in snowy areas.
http://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/auction-classic/ebay-find-1930-ford-model-a-mail-delivery-proto-donk/
40k you mean 4,000 right I hate to see the mail truck coming it just means more bills have arrived. Tell them to stop coming by my place.
40k is insane hope it comes with a nice late model corvette
cant stop laughing!