1931 Ford Model A Huckster

- Woody Station Wagon
- Maryland Car
- Fully Restored in 2009
- Motor Rebuilt with 4429 Miles Since
- Removable Side Curtains with storage bin
- Collector Grade Example

(Please note: If you happen to be viewing this 1931 Ford Model A Huckster on a website other than our Garage Kept Motors site, it's possible that you've only seen some of our many photographs of the vehicle due to third-party website limitations. To be sure you access all the more than 125 photographs, as well as a short start-up and walk-around video, please go to our main website: Garage Kept Motors.)

“I will build a car for the great multitude.” – Henry Ford

Mr. Ford did exactly as he said. First, the Model T, and later, the legendary Model A. The latter was built with many body-style variants to serve the needs and preferences of potential buyers. So many body styles, it was hard to believe Ford lacked a Model A body for any need. But, as an article in Texas Gulf Coast Monthly noted: “In the 1920s and early 1930s, Ford plants from Chester, Penn., and Dearborn, Mich., to Cork, Ireland, and Cologne, Germany, were cranking out variants of the rugged, reliable and clearly versatile Model A by the thousands. There were sedan, coupe, roadster, and pickup variants, to name a few, and several variants of some of those — hardtops, convertibles, with windshields, without windshields."

Yet there was one body style still not available from Ford in the Thirties: “Missing from the lineup, at first anyway, was a delivery type vehicle with an enclosed cargo space. The market stepped in and soon, independent coach makers were offering wooden kits to fill that niche. 'People would buy the chassis from Ford, buy a body kit from somewhere else, and have it built,' said one Texas owner.'They were popular with peddlers and hucksters, people who drove around selling their wares.'”

Offered here is a 1931 Ford Model A “Huckster” woody station wagon in tan and black with interior upholstery in both dark brown and gray. The huckster's odometer shows 4,429 miles, but total mileage is unknown. What is known is that, like all Hucksters of the era, this one was custom-made. And in this case, the builders did excellent work. As importantly, this collector-grade Maryland example was fully restored in 2009 including an engine rebuild; the 4,429 indicated mileage is that recorded since the rebuild.

The exterior of the station-wagon-type Model A shows excellent condition. The metal bodywork (the part that was a standard Model A) is beautifully painted in tan (with fenders in black); the body panels are free of dents or other damage. All Model A features—including often-replaced bits such as the beautifully designed door handles and highly collectible radiator cap—appear original and accurately installed on the vehicle, although complete originality is impossible to assess since Hucksters were customized to the taste of their many builders. The “woody” Huckster body, which extends rearward from the windshield, is varnished hardwood, with exterior panels sporting a lovely window-pane design. (Most Hucksters simply had flat panels.) The quality of the joinery of the wood portions of the body is excellent throughout. There are no signs of decay so often seen on these older vehicles. Side “windows” (openings, actually, as there is no side glass) are tan canvas curtains with clear plastic; all the canvas is mounted with twist-type attachments so any or all panels can be removed for a more open-air ride. (A storage box for all the canvas side curtains is included in the sale.) The wood rear tailgate drops down flat for cargo-area access (It also makes for a perfect serving area for picnics and of course, memorable tailgating). All wheels—including the front-fender-mounted spare—are wire-type, painted black. Tires are period-correct.

Inside, the three-row station-wagon-type seating is upholstered in dark brown vinyl, with gray vinyl on the third-row bench. All standard Model A controls are in place notably including the center gauge cluster with its side-to-side rotating speedometer, another highly collectible part in and of itself. The black steering wheel and floor pedals are stock; the shifter for the 3-speed manual transmission is floor mounted and is topped with a custom knob. Wood interior door panels are flat in design and joinery is by way of a series of metal wood screws with stainless steel finishing washers; each door uses the same screw pattern. Cabin floors are covered in black rubber matting. The interior cabin roof is beautifully constructed with a series of 17 full-length wood slats and 8 supporting cross members.

Under the hood, the rebuilt 4-cylinder Model A powerplant occupies a clean and well-ordered engine bay. All components appear properly mounted and finished; all hoses and wiring are properly routed. (Servicing of these engines is straightforward, and both repair parts and third-party services are widely available; Model A clubs and internet forums are very active and rich in knowledge.) Viewed from below, the Huckster's chassis is, as expected, pure Model A. There are no signs of damage or significant rust.

While the more than 125 high-definition photographs and the short walk-around-and-startup video available on the GarageKeptMotors website showcase this '31 Model A Huckster in detail from every angle, including from below, we expect and encourage in-person inspections at our Grand Rapids, Michigan showroom. Please call to arrange an appointment in advance as our showroom is not open to the public. And feel free to get in touch anytime by phone or email if you have questions.

We sometimes try and guess what sort of use a new owner of this sort of interesting vehicle will find for it. Guesses on this Huckster included club gatherings, historic drives, hauling the kids (or grandkids) on outings, with some suggestions that it could make for an evocative guest-hauler at a bed-and-breakfast establishment. Parade duty is certain to be high on the list. Regardless, any use the new owner puts this Model A to is going to result in lots of smiles—on the owner's face, and on the faces of everyone who sees it.