New Member

[JPB]

Hello all. I'm new and haven't found a place designated to introduce myself, so I'll claim this space and see what happens. I live on the ranch where I grew up, in the hills about half way between Sacramento, and San Francisco. Over the years, a number of oldies have passed my way, including an A and a T, but only a '24 Dodge Brothers touring and a '48 Dodge one-ton pickup live here now, both "unfinished".
I'm on a quest. I recently received a previously unknown photograph of my grandfather and a very young me, together with this ranch's first truck, a '29 AA (131). The bed and headboard were homebuilt by my dad and are distinctive. Same with bumper and mirrors. Chances are practically non existent that this truck is still around, so I'm going to find a cab and chassis, or complete truck, and modify it to resemble ours. I'll write more elsewhere but, in summary, I want to find a roadworthy restored truck, not necessarily a competition champ, or a very good original unrestored. I have no desire to take on another "ground up" project. I want myself and family to be able to use it.
I'll quit with just one beginning question. The picture was taken in 1945, I think, and the front license plate is plainly visible. Do the archived records exist in California to offer any chance of tracing the original, or learning anything at all about it?
Thanks for any and all comments.
JPB

[spectria]

Hello all. I'm new and haven't found a place designated to introduce myself, so I'll claim this space and see what happens. I live on the ranch where I grew up, in the hills about half way between Sacramento, and San Francisco. Over the years, a number of oldies have passed my way, including an A and a T, but only a '24 Dodge Brothers touring and a '48 Dodge one-ton pickup live here now, both "unfinished".
I'm on a quest. I recently received a previously unknown photograph of my grandfather and a very young me, together with this ranch's first truck, a '29 AA (131). The bed and headboard were homebuilt by my dad and are distinctive. Same with bumper and mirrors. Chances are practically non existent that this truck is still around, so I'm going to find a cab and chassis, or complete truck, and modify it to resemble ours. I'll write more elsewhere but, in summary, I want to find a roadworthy restored truck, not necessarily a competition champ, or a very good original unrestored. I have no desire to take on another "ground up" project. I want myself and family to be able to use it.
I'll quit with just one beginning question. The picture was taken in 1945, I think, and the front license plate is plainly visible. Do the archived records exist in California to offer any chance of tracing the original, or learning anything at all about it? Thanks for any and all comments. JPB

Welcome to the forum.
I think DMV can do an archive search, one of mine has a "new" vin from 1953, and the record is there.
Any chance you could post the picture or scan it and email to me and I'll post it for you?
dzappss at g m a i l d o t c o m no spaces, you know the drill.

I'm guessing Fairfield or Vacaville ish?
I'm from the Bay Area, Cupertino, then Santa Rosa area, now near Quincy...

[stew]

check with the CA DMV or the state historical society if they have records back that far. Good luck, it may still be in someone's garage!
Stew

[JPB]

Hello all. I'm new and haven't found a place designated to introduce myself, so I'll claim this space and see what happens. I live on the ranch where I grew up, in the hills about half way between Sacramento, and San Francisco. Over the years, a number of oldies have passed my way, including an A and a T, but only a '24 Dodge Brothers touring and a '48 Dodge one-ton pickup live here now, both "unfinished".
I'm on a quest. I recently received a previously unknown photograph of my grandfather and a very young me, together with this ranch's first truck, a '29 AA (131). The bed and headboard were homebuilt by my dad and are distinctive. Same with bumper and mirrors. Chances are practically non existent that this truck is still around, so I'm going to find a cab and chassis, or complete truck, and modify it to resemble ours. I'll write more elsewhere but, in summary, I want to find a roadworthy restored truck, not necessarily a competition champ, or a very good original unrestored. I have no desire to take on another "ground up" project. I want myself and family to be able to use it.
I'll quit with just one beginning question. The picture was taken in 1945, I think, and the front license plate is plainly visible. Do the archived records exist in California to offer any chance of tracing the original, or learning anything at all about it? Thanks for any and all comments. JPB

Welcome to the forum.
I think DMV can do an archive search, one of mine has a "new" vin from 1953, and the record is there.
Any chance you could post the picture or scan it and email to me and I'll post it for you?
dzappss at g m a i l d o t c o m no spaces, you know the drill.

I'm guessing Fairfield or Vacaville ish?
I'm from the Bay Area, Cupertino, then Santa Rosa area, now near Quincy...

[JPB]

Spectria: Don't know what I'm doing wrong. Tried numerous times to quote you and reply but the Message Body block won't take my message. Hence this separate topic.
Your guess is not bad. I'll email the picture separately in a little while.
JPB

[spectria]

Hello all. I'm new and haven't found a place designated to introduce myself, so I'll claim this space and see what happens. I live on the ranch where I grew up, in the hills about half way between Sacramento, and San Francisco. Over the years, a number of oldies have passed my way, including an A and a T, but only a '24 Dodge Brothers touring and a '48 Dodge one-ton pickup live here now, both "unfinished".
I'm on a quest. I recently received a previously unknown photograph of my grandfather and a very young me, together with this ranch's first truck, a '29 AA (131). The bed and headboard were homebuilt by my dad and are distinctive. Same with bumper and mirrors. Chances are practically non existent that this truck is still around, so I'm going to find a cab and chassis, or complete truck, and modify it to resemble ours. I'll write more elsewhere but, in summary, I want to find a roadworthy restored truck, not necessarily a competition champ, or a very good original unrestored. I have no desire to take on another "ground up" project. I want myself and family to be able to use it.
I'll quit with just one beginning question. The picture was taken in 1945, I think, and the front license plate is plainly visible. Do the archived records exist in California to offer any chance of tracing the original, or learning anything at all about it? Thanks for any and all comments. JPB

Welcome to the forum.
I think DMV can do an archive search, one of mine has a "new" vin from 1953, and the record is there.
Any chance you could post the picture or scan it and email to me and I'll post it for you?
dzappss at g m a i l d o t c o m no spaces, you know the drill.

I'm guessing Fairfield or Vacaville ish?
I'm from the Bay Area, Cupertino, then Santa Rosa area, now near Quincy...

ok, don't know either, but welcome...

[Chris Haynes]

It would be nice if new comers, no it would be nice if everyone, would fill out their profile. That way we can look at your post and see where you are located.

[spectria]

Spectria: Don't know what I'm doing wrong. Tried numerous times to quote you and reply but the Message Body block won't take my message. Hence this separate topic.
Your guess is not bad. I'll email the picture separately in a little while.
JPB

Got that picture, real clear, I can post here if you say OK...

[ModelAkid]

"I'll quit with just one beginning question. The picture was taken in 1945, I think, and the front license plate is plainly visible."

I happen to have a 1946 truck in California and I found a 1945 commercial license plate with the metal '46 tag on it at a garage sale. I thought half of the "pair" was missing until I did some research and discovered that 1945 and 1946 are the only years when California only issued one license plate, for the rear of course. So if you see a license plate in the photo on the front of the truck, is not a '45 or '46 plate.

[JPB]

Spectria: Don't know what I'm doing wrong. Tried numerous times to quote you and reply but the Message Body block won't take my message. Hence this separate topic.
Your guess is not bad. I'll email the picture separately in a little while.
JPB

Got that picture, real clear, I can post here if you say OK...

OK to post, and thanks. For others, I am the one standing by the RF fender in 1945
. - JPB

[spectria]

Spectria: Don't know what I'm doing wrong. Tried numerous times to quote you and reply but the Message Body block won't take my message. Hence this separate topic.
Your guess is not bad. I'll email the picture separately in a little while.
JPB

Got that picture, real clear, I can post here if you say OK...

OK to post, and thanks. For others, I am the one standing by the RF fender in 1945
. - JPB

[JPB]

"I'll quit with just one beginning question. The picture was taken in 1945, I think, and the front license plate is plainly visible."

I happen to have a 1946 truck in California and I found a 1945 commercial license plate with the metal '46 tag on it at a garage sale. I thought half of the "pair" was missing until I did some research and discovered that 1945 and 1946 are the only years when California only issued one license plate, for the rear of course. So if you see a license plate in the photo on the front of the truck, is not a '45 or '46 plate.

The bed and headboard were built in a my grandmother's garage, across the alley from Vallejo General Hospital, while my Dad was waiting for my sister to be born in June. The picture was taken in mid-summer - before the walnut season (the idle walnut dryers are laying on the ground to the left). If they didn't have to take the '44 plate off to make room for the '45, they didn't bother. Hence, that is the '44 plate on the bumper! How's that for some detective work? JPB

[ModelAkid]

California did not issue license plates in '44, to save metal for the war, registration was a sticker on the windshield. '42 & '43 were tags on '41 plates, except for new registrations. The plate on that '29 AA looks like a '47 plate, right shape, right color. Tags were issued again from '48-'50.

[ModelAkid]

BTW JPB, that's a great photo of your grandpa and the '29 AA. It's a great example of the amazing loads that little 4-banger could haul around. Grandpa must have really liked that truck, he seems to have kept it in real good shape. It would be neat if you could find an old registration with the serial number and then try to find if the truck still exists. You never know!

[JPB]

BTW JPB, that's a great photo of your grandpa and the '29 AA. It's a great example of the amazing loads that little 4-banger could haul around. Grandpa must have really liked that truck, he seems to have kept it in real good shape. It would be neat if you could find an old registration with the serial number and then try to find if the truck still exists. You never know!

Well, phooey! I appreciate the help, but that deepens the mystery. If that's a '47 plate then I'm a couple of years older than I appear to be. Could it be a '41 plate? N S A, if you are eavesdropping, how about using your secret stuff to read the year number on that plate. Credit where credit is due, Grampa didn't have anything to do with the truck. My dad and his brother bought the ranch in '41/'42 and got the cab/chassis from their mother's husband in '45. Grampa was around all the time to hunt and help with the cattle.
Thanks again guys.
JPB