Daily Slideshow: Old Ford panel delivery trucks don't get as much love as their conventional counterparts, but this beautiful '32 certainly deserves it.
Stock is Cool
They might not get as much love as their conventional counterparts, but to us, there's nothing cooler than an old Ford panel delivery. Created mostly to serve commercial customers, these handy vehicles make killer hot rods, too. But personally, we'd leave this gorgeous 1932 Ford panel delivery we found at Mecum Auctions 100% stock as it sits today, because it's just too cool to mess with!
Photos courtesy of Mecum Auctions.
Truck With Car Parts
Many might think of these early panel delivery vehicles as cars, but in 1932, they were actually part of Ford's truck lineup. That doesn't mean they weren't a mishmash of existing parts, however. Ford created the panel delivery by outfitting a Tudor sedan car body with vertical rear barn doors and steel skinned rear-window blank outs.
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Deluxe Ride
The result of that Frankenstein-like effort was a half-ton vehicle that was truly cool, unique, and rather utilitarian. This particular panel delivery is also equipped with the Deluxe package, which added niceties like a chrome front bumper and accented grille, side view mirror, stainless steel headlamps, and cowl lamps.
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Spartan Cabin
As you might imagine for an early '30s commercial vehicle, the interior is pretty much all business. The floors are made from wood slats, and the cargo area is paneled in masonite. There's only one seat for the driver, Waltham gauges, and a single wiper blade to keep the windshield clear.
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Reliable Power
Under the hood, you'll find a workhorse of an engine in the legendary L-head inline 4-cylinder—a powerplant known for its durability and reliability. That strong engine is backed up by a good old-fashioned 3-speed manual transmission with a floor-mounted shifter.
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Perfect Combination
But perhaps our favorite thing about this immaculate panel delivery, other than its iconic styling, is that gorgeous dark blue body with black running boards. It's quite simply the perfect combination of hues for this body style, and it's all steel underneath—no fiberglass replacement panels here.
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Too Nice?
While we're sure this old Ford would make a sturdy workhorse even today, we'd be afraid to toss anything in the back, mainly because we wouldn't want to scratch up that beautifully refinished floor. But if you were so inclined, at least you'd have the coolest delivery van in town!
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Rock Me like a Wagon Wheel
Black-painted wire wheels are a perfect compliment to the exterior of this gorgeous vintage Ford. And there's even a passenger fender-mounted spare in case you find yourself stranded somewhere with a flat.
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Slow but Sturdy
There are downsides to driving something this old in today's world, of course. It isn't exactly fast, nor is it terribly comfortable. But you won't have to worry about it falling apart with a strong I-beam axle up front and sturdy transverse rear leaf-spring suspension.
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Carefree Driving
But when you're driving something as cool as this old Ford, you won't care about things like ride quality or the ability to safely merge on the interstate. Heck, the guy behind you in a major hurry probably won't care, either. Everybody loves a classic panel delivery, right?
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