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Smith Form-A Truck Conversion

1913 Ford Runabout Smith Conversion

Yes, you too can build a truck with this Smith Form-A-Truck conversion kit! Listed here on eBay is this project in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma with a BIN price of $12,000. The image below is from the ad showing an example of what a completed Smith Form-A-Truck looks like. The old Smith advertising says it all about these kits: Makes A Motor Truck Of Any Car and I’ll make that old car pay for itself and the new one too. Tomorrow it becomes a Smith Form-A-Truck.

T

The Smith kit took any car, but most often a Ford Model T, and turned it into a truck. Of course, these kits were offered before Ford began building the Model TT trucks. Once manufactures began to build consumer trucks, these kits all but died off.

1913 Ford Runabout New Body

The plan for this project, it appears, was to use the new 1913 body, upholstery, panel sets, flooring, side curtains, top, top boot, fenders and running boards to be mounted on the Smith frame. Above is the only image of these items.

Ford Model T Engine

The engine is rebuilt and is said to be ready to go, although it looks like it still needs to be assembled.

Smith Form A Truck Conversion

The Smith plate is on the rear but is hard to read.

1913 Ford Runabout Form A Truck

The original Belt-Link chains (1 on the floor?) are said to be in fantastic condition.

Smith Form A Truck Conversion Left Rear

What you see plus the other listed parts is what you get. This is an interesting project, one of how many we don’t know. Have you seen, or do you have one of these conversions sitting in your garage? If so, we would love to hear about it!

Motor-on,

Robert

Comments

  1. Avatar David Member

    We have a completed truck at the museum, a 1917 Ford Model T “Form-A-Truck”. You can see the chain drive from the original car axel to the truck axle. There were a number of interesting conversions including a snow mobile with skis and tracks.

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  2. Avatar Charles

    Interesting piece of history.

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  3. Avatar Rick

    Trucks were in high demand from day one until well into the 60s. The town I grew up in was in the eastern suburbs of Seattle and although there were sections that were prosperous, most of the area was not until the 80s; many of the homes didn’t get indoor plumbing until after WWII. Anyhow during the 60s there numerous 50s cars around that had been converted into trucks. Typically the back half was sawn off somehow and replaced with a wooded flat bed, sometimes there were sides like a pickup. Many looked crude and makeshift, every once in awhile you’d see one that looked like someone knew what they were doing and had spent some time on it. I remember several 49-51 Fords and early 50s Plymouths passenger cars done up like this. Didnt see too many GM for whatever reason. Nearly all were off the road by 1970

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  4. Avatar Patty Marotta

    Smith form-a-truck Wheels for sale.

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  5. Avatar Kari

    Thank you for the wealth of information on the Smith Form-A-Truck! My father collected and restored old farm machinery. Unfortunately he did not outlive his projects. While cleaning out the sheds, we discovered a 1917 Model T Ford engine (in parts) and running board, truck frame and wheels. One wheel has the Smith logo. All very confusing until we read these pages. While I’m not sure what we’ll do next, I’m far less inclined to see this go for scrap iron.

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    • Avatar Wayne D. Lun

      Is this vehicle still available ? if so, please email me @ wdlun@att.net Thank you! Wayne D. Lun

      Like 0
  6. Avatar Wayne D. Lun

    Is this vehicle still available ? If so, Please contact Wayne D. Lun @ wdlun@att.net or call: ( 313 ) 910-9573

    Like 0

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