Pristine 1930 Ford Model AA Panel Truck Is Almost Ready for the Motorhome Life

Given the large number of vintage Ford haulers that are still on the road today, I'd say this short motto still fits the bill. But can it also be applied to trucks that Ford built 100 years ago? Like the Model TT and Model AA?

Well, these trucks are quite rare nowadays and you need a ton of luck to see one on the road unless you're attending a fan club event. But even though most of them have been left to rot away in junkyards, it doesn't necessarily mean that they were lousy vehicles. Owners simply switched to more modern haulers as they became available. Because these 1920s and 1930s pickups were quite spartan and provided next to no comfort features.

But they were also considered tough back in the day. Much like the F-150 has been the go-to truck for more than 50 years now, the Model TT and the Model AA were very popular during their time in production. That's not to say that customers did not have alternatives, it was just that Ford provided a better hauler.

It all started with the Model TT, which Ford introduced in 1917, about nine years after the Model T became the world's first affordable automobile. Originally available as a chassis, the Model TT came with a factory-produced body starting in 1924. When the Model T was replaced by the Model A in 1927, Ford introduced the Model AA.

Notably more modern than its predecessor, the Model AA shared many components with its Model A counterpart, including the 201-cubic-inch (3.3-liter) four-cylinder engine and four-speed manual gearbox, the only powertrain combo available at the time. However, the trucks came with simpler interiors as car-like features in pickups didn't become a thing until the 1950s.

Ford built around 4.3 million Model A cars from 1927 to 1931 but fewer than 500,000 were AA trucks. This figure prevents it from being a rare classic, but only a few of them soldiered on into 2023 in running condition. The Panel Delivery version you see here is one of those very lucky examples that were restored to original conditions. And it's a sight to behold despite being a fairly simple rig with a boxy cabin.

Granted, it's not a particularly appealing classic in this configuration, but the wood paneling and the generous room behind the seats make it a proper base for a vintage motorhome. Sure, cramming a small bed, a stove, and a tiny bathroom in there would be quite the challenge but it wouldn't be the first motorhome conversion of this kind. And if Autostar managed to turn a Citroen C15 into a tiny home on wheels, this Model AA is definitely a solid candidate with proper space management.

But whoever owns this truck will probably keep it as is and parade it at local Ford owners' meetings. And that's fine too because this Model AA is a finely restored gem that still rocks its original, 40-horsepower engine.