Another update on the '39 Ford Panel Conversion Saga. I was so stuck on
"OD green
and yellow stripes" that I forgot to mention some other info. The panel
came to me from
a "collector" in Tranquility, CA (central valley,
West side). To this day I have no idea what his
name was. Romo's Wrecking in Fresno won't
tell me or they don't think it's important. The gentleman passed away,
evidently, and the wrecking yard and others picked up the hulks.
This guy was an expert sheetmetal welder and
had patched many of the rust-outs the vehicle
had. I have lived in California all my life and I do love what the dry
climate does for mummification of old vehicles. This vehicle was
near the ocean (DUH!) because some of the
ROOF GUTTERS had to be replaced. I know
what salt air and water can do to sheetmetal
especially where it LINGERS.
When Romo's delivered this panel, I began
looking for clues and VERY carefully cleaning
out 60+ years of crap. I boxed everything I
thought might be relevant. The registration was
in the remains but wasn't readable. Then I
found the Todd Shipyards job ticket with the
two keys. The keys might have been to the
missing cabinet locks(?). The cloth "ticket"
very nearly wasn't readable either. On the
job ticket the phrase "blue-black" or "black-
blue" appears(?).
Lots of homemade tools were left behind.
The most interesting ones are so far unidentified and are made from
sections of
solid wire or welding rod with tiny rectangular
pieces of metal on one end. The rod is connected near the middle of
each. Lots of
pieces of larger gauge wire are present with CLOTH insulation. Like a
piece
of overhead power supply wire.
"UNION HARDWARE & METAL COMPANY,
LOS ANGELES" is stencilled vertically in the
back (way back) of one cabinet. This would have been covered up by the
drawers. The name was beneath two layers of paint. Gray
(latest) and OD green. I only found the name
because it had begun to rust through. I now
believe that "UNION..." only supplied the materials. The actual builder
is unknown
but "TB" could stand for "TODD BUILT"!
Mr. Vic Sumners, a very nice and well resourced Southern California tel.
co. Historian
and retiree sent me his final "report" today. After looking through
thousands of photos-- he can't find it! I've officially given up on Ma
Bell!!
The Army Transportation Museum contacted me today and can't even find
evidence of my model (99T) Ford truck. I know what the problem with that
is (after researching SOOO
long) and that's the second "9" in 99T. The
second 9 refers to the optional and therefore
nearly unheard of 95hp V-8, later called 100hp.
Most guides and books don't list it. The factory
Ford brochure lists it! Anyway, not a good start
to a Army Transportation ID. I'M NOT COMPLAINING, I NEED THE HELP!!!
I promise to photograph these tools, job ticket,
visible parts of yellow stripes and olive green, etc., but I'll need
help scanning them in. WebTV doesn't do that. Thanks for hanging on
this far.... Don Kenyon
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Mon Aug 07 2000 - 22:15:58 PDT