Factory body panel variations?

[lpcoating]

When we first started making body panels I was concerned (or wondered) if there were any variations between different manufacturers. I've seen late model parts that are made out of 20 Ga. compared to the same parts on earlier trucks made out of 18 Ga. A while back I sold a rear side panel for an A2 and the part was short on the overall height. This obviously concerned me as I really focus on making parts as accurate as possible. The customer sent me a picture and sure enough, there is an issue. I've also never had anyone else mention this issue and we've made several batches of these parts over the last several years. Last night I found the original part that I copied and our matches the original piece. I then went out and compared the side panel to my A2. It is clearly different and matches what the customer has. I'm not sure what year truck the sample piece came from, I'll try to find out but there is approximately a 3/8" difference. My truck is supposedly a 71, the customers is a 74.

Ken - Any thoughts on this? Was the tooling for the body panels owned by the manufacturing companies or the government? I'd think whoever won the contract would have to make their own tooling but I don't know. I have noticed that floor ribs are sometimes different (little bigger, different radii).

Guy

[lpcoating]

The rust makes it hard to see but this is the sample that I originally copied. Our part matches what I had.

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20211229_204858.jpg

This is a picture from the customer and as I stated in the first post, My A2 would have the same result if I replaced that panel.

Mark's Rear Side Panel.jpg

[rickf]

Was the original off of an A1? Ford would have used BUDD for the body panels. That would have covered the first couple years of the A2 that Ford made them also. No idea who AMG is using, multiple companies would be my guess. lowest bidder each year.

[lpcoating]

No. It's in the picture below - A2. I've asked the part donor if he knows what year it is.

Guy

[rickf]

Guy, I have been staring at these pics trying to wrap my head around where the problem is and I am not seeing it. In the second pic you show a close up and through the rust hole I can see the top of the original panel is a hair shorter than the new one. It still appears to have plenty of meat for the spot weld. The last pic is really confusing, if that was the panel as in the pic and that top edge was as short as the one in the center pic I do not see any way it could be standing so far above the seam. Maybe I am just not looking at the right things.

[lpcoating]

The picture with our new panel next to the old panel is showing what I copied. It's basically dead nuts match. The picture that shows our panel welded on (has shackle mounted) is from my customer. See how far the offset bend line is from the bottom of the fender side lip? That is the issue. My A2 is dimensionally the same as my customers which is different from the original sample part that I copied.

Guy

[rickf]

I will have to look at my crushed one tomorrow, not sure if that section is readily visible due to damage but I will at least get a better perspective of what an original should look like. After I drive to Douglassville to pick up half a ton of lead for my bullet making. You have any lead up there you want to get rid of?

[svramselaar]

Hi

Fruehauf has also made M151 tubs

george

[rickf]

I believe Fruehauf would have used BUDD bodies as well since they used BUDD wheels on their trailers. Just guessing on that one but the association is right there, why not use it?

[lpcoating]

Just found out the part I copied came from Dan

Dan - Vin recieved the part from you. Do you know what year truck it's from?

20211231_103741.jpg

20211231_103746.jpg

Guy

[Vzike]

Dan, that was the “Rust Bucket” body I went over and got from you about 6 years ago..

[Mr. Recovery]

Dan, that was the “Rust Bucket” body I went over and got from you about 6 years ago..

I will have to do some research through my old post and photos to see if the year was ever stated, I picked that up from a guy in North De Land Fl. he had 2 of them at the time.

dan-2beers.jpg

[muttguru]

Ken - Any thoughts on this? Was the tooling for the body panels owned by the manufacturing companies or the government? I'd think whoever won the contract would have to make their own tooling but I don't know. I have noticed that floor ribs are sometimes different (little bigger, different radii). Guy

Guy,
The drawings for the A2 model were put together by Ford but the drawings were the property of the US Government. Ford would have kept their own set, even when the company lost the next bid to AMG.
The tooling for the body would have been developed by the BUDD Corporation but most likely paid for (or at least contributed to) by Ford.

AMG would have received a copy of the Ford drawings from the USGov but AMG built their own bodies as far as I know. They didn't revert to using Fruehauf like their predecessor Willys/Kaiser had done.

Surprisingly, Ford must have kept the tooling (or BUDD kept it on behalf of Ford) for several years because although AMG was the preferred supplier, Ford was officially designated as a reserve supplier of M151A2s if circumstances warranted a rapid delivery of A2s.

I heard stories that Ford's tooling eventually went to Mexico, others say that it went to the Philippines.
I have seen photos of armoured A2s built in Mx but no-one seems to know who built the vehicles there. I've also seen mentions that REOMIE in Holland obtained a set of tooling from AMG which went off to Philippines....maybe Big George can verify this for us?

To sum up, I see no reason why Ford and AMG bodies would have been significantly different to each other, apart from the full-front fenders on Ford's early A2s and the side-drains on AMGs later A2s. I think there could be something wrong with that scrap rear fender that you used as a template.

Ken
ps... and a very Happy New Year to everyone.

[Mr. Recovery]

I have been unable to find any reference to any year of MFG for the "rust bucket" a-2, All the old photos are on Photobucket and will not transfer!

dan-2beers.jpg

[rickf]

If Reomie had tooling then Blake from Red River should know about it since they related.