Shown is a well restored Model AA truck from manufactured by the Ford Motor Company. This 1929 Ford Model AA was arguably the most popular truck during the late 1920’s. Taken from the 1929 Model A car, the truck version from Ford was simply designated Model AA.
This designation was also used with the famous Ford Model T with the truck version named Model TT. During the booming 1920’s, demand for more and better trucks grew. Ford had done an excellent job in mobilizing America. Ford’s brands were both popular and affordable and they created a way for the common man to own an automobile.
The Model AA is an example of Ford taking what they had with the Model TT Truck and making it better.
Ford Model AA as well as the Model A automobile was superior to the Model T in most respects. First of all, the Model A was so well built these cars and trucks could be seen on the road even into the 1950’s. Reports are that there are still Model A trucks in service as of this writing in several overseas countries. That type of lifespan is excellent for any vehicle. The Ford Model A’s were among the best selling cars in America.
The Model AA Specs
Designing for the Model A was started in 1926. The Model AA trucks were basically similar to the Model A cars but with a much plainer interior. The Model AA Truck utilized the same 4 cylinder engine used in the car. This was a 201 cid 3.3 L power plant. The transmission was a manual three speed. Suspension was similar to the car counterpart with leaf springs on the front but the truck version had leaf springs shackled to the rear axle and with no shock absorbers. Four oversized drum brakes were added to the Model AA’s.
The Ford Model AA Truck was offered with a variety of options. For starters, two different wheelbases were offered. These were 131.5 inch and 157 inch lengths. Trucks were built for a large variety of purposes and the Ford Model AA came with several body options. Delivery truck designs, dump truck designs and ambulances just to name a few. The Ford Motor Company even sold a fleet of Model AA trucks to the U.S. Postal Service whose bodies were designed by an outside source.
Model AA Production Figures
Production numbers for the 1929 Model AA are thought to be 156,430 units. This was out of a total of about 1,715,000 vehicles. Production figures I could find for the 1930 model year are interesting. Ford Motor Company produced about 1,250,000 vehicles with about 159,000 being trucks. Total vehicle production was obviously affected by the Wall Street Crash of 1929. Model year 1931 total production was half that figure at over 600,000 with Model AA truck production at 104,000. Truck production actually grew as a percentage of overall production during the beginning years of the Great Depression.
See our photo articles about the 1946 Ford Woody Wagon and the Ford Trucks of the 1930‘s.
Preserving the Model AA’s
The Model AA is a popular collectors vehicle and there’s a good chance you’ve come across one during your travels. This popularity covers both the Model A cars and the Model AA trucks.
Sites around the U.S. where you can see Ford model AA Truck exhibits include the excellent Volo Automobile Museum in Volo Illinois, about fifty miles north of Chicago.
The 1929 Ford Model AA shown in this article is on display at the San Antonio Texas Museum of Transportation located on Wetmore Rd.just northeast of the San Antonio International Airport.
Also, if you haven’t already, make plans to visit the fascinating Henry Ford Museum at Greenfield Village in Dearborn Michigan. Dearborn is a western suburb of Detroit. The Henry Ford Museum is an excellent addition to any trip planner and is an educational experience for the entire family.
Another good venue to see the Ford trucks is at the Petersen Automotive Museum on Wilshire Blvd in Los Angeles California. This museum has one of the largest automobile collections in the U.S. and features numerous events throughout the year.
(Photos from author’s collection)