THE UNITED STATES POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT

FORD MODEL A AND AA MAIL TRUCK

PRESENTED BYCHARLES A. HILTON

FORD MODEL A MAIL TRUCK

BY 1775, THE NEED FOR A CENTRAL POST OFFICE IN THE SOON TO BE UNITED STATES WAS RECOGNIZED BY THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS AND SUBSEQUENTLY, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN WAS APPOINTED AS POSTMASTER GENERAL OF THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS.

FROM FALMOUTH, MA TO SAVANNAH, GA

FROM THE BEGINNING, HOW TO MOVE THE MAIL IN THE MOST EFFICIENT MANNER

HAD TO BE DETERMINED.

OBVIOUSLY, THERE WERE NO MOTORIZED

VEHICLES AND AN ASSORTMENT OF

METHODS WERE USED FROM HORSEBACK, TO

SHIPS, WITH PICKUP OCCURRING AT THE

LOCAL POST OFFICE.

FROM STEAMBOATS TO RAIL

AS MAIL SERVICE GREW, MORE EFFICIENT METHODS HAD TO BE

FOUND TO MOVE THE MAIL

ON MARCH 27, 1923, HARRY S. NEW WAS APPOINTED POSTMASTER

GENERAL BY PRESIDENT WARREN HARDING

IN HIS 1927 REPORT TO CONGRESS, NEW REPORTED THAT THE POST OFFICE FLEET WAS COMPRISED OF 85% NONSTANDARD EQUIPMENT RECEIVED BY TRANSFER FROM THE WAR DEPARTMENT. ALTHOUGH THE SERVICE BY THESE TRUCKS WAS FAIRLY SATISFACTORY, EVEN LOWER COSTS WOULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE HAD TRUCKS BEEN SELECTED BEST ADAPTED TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE POSTAL SERVICE.

IN OTHER WORDS, A FLEET OF STANDARD TRUCKS SHOULD BE PURCHASED TO BE MAINTAINED BY THE POSTAL SERVICE AND MAINTAINED BY REGIONAL MAINTENANCE FACILITIES WITH STANDARDIZED PARTS.

TWO TYPES OF VEHICLES THEN IN SERVICE

COLLECTION AND DELIVERY SERVICE

• UTILIZED FOR THE COLLECTION OF MAIL FROM

STREET LETTER BOXES, DELIVERING PARCEL POST, TRANSPORTING CARRIERS

TO AND FROM THEIR ROUTES, AND RELAYING

THE MAIL TO CARRIERS ON THEIR ROUTES

• 100 CUBIC FOOT BODIES

SCREEN WAGON SERVICE• UTILIZED FOR THE

TRANSPORTATION OF MAIL BETWEEN POST OFFICES,

POSTAL STATIONS, RAILROAD STATIONS, AND

OTHER POINTS WHERE MAIL IS RECEIVED OR

DISPATCHED.• 200 CUBIC FOOT BODIES

THE RESULTS WAS A BID TO PROVIDE STANDARD TRUCKS IN MAY 1929

FORD MODEL A FORD MODEL AA

FORD MODEL A POSTAL TRUCK• STANDARD FOUR CYLINDER CHASSIS WITH 103 ½ WHEELBASE WITH A

LOAD CAPACITY OF 1800 POUNDS • BODIES TO BE OF WOOD CONSTRUCTION AND BUILT BY OTHER

CONTRACTORS AND MOUNTED TO THE FORD CHASSIS. • THE NUMBER OF FORD MODEL A TRUCKS WOULD TOTAL 1400 • AN ADDITION CONTRACT FOR 400 VEHICLES WAS AWARDED TO

CHEVROLET FOR CHASSIS MOUNT• AND YET ANOTHER CONTRACT FOR 1000 VEHICLES WAS AWARDED TO

HUDSON/ ESSEX• CONTRACTS FOR WOOD BODIES WERE LET TO THREE SEPARATE

COMPANIES1. YORK-HOOVER – 1300 BODIES <900 FORD, 400 CHEVROLET>2. MIFFLINBURG BODY CORPORATION – 500 BODIES FORD3. GENERAL WOODWORKING CORPORATION – 1000 BODIES

HUDSON/ESSEX

FORD MODEL AA POSTAL TRUCK• STANDARD FOUR CYLINDER 1 TON CHASSIS WITH 131 ½

WHEELBASE WITH A LOAD CAPACITY OF 4200 POUNDS • BODIES TO BE OF WOOD CONSTRUCTION AND BUILT BY OTHER

CONTRACTORS AND MOUNTED TO THE FORD CHASSIS. • THE NUMBER OF FORD MODEL AA TRUCKS WOULD TOTAL 2900 • AN ADDITION CONTRACT FOR 950 VEHICLES WAS AWARDED TO

CHEVROLET FOR CHASSIS MOUNT• CONTRACTS FOR WOOD BODIES WERE LET TO THREE SEPARATE

COMPANIES1. AUGUST SCHUBERT WAGON WORKS – 400 BODIES ALL TO

FORD2. METROPOLITAN BODY COMPANY – 1000 BODIES FORD3. GENERAL MOTORS TRUCK DIV – 1500 BODIES FORD4. WEATHERPROOF BODY CORPORATION – 400 BODIES

CHEVROLET5. GENERAL MOTORS TRUCK DIV – 550 BODIES CHEVROLET

SUMMARY OF VEHICLES BY CONTRACT TO THE U. S. POST OFFICE

DEPARTMENT

FOR THE SMALLER TRUCKS (100 CUBIC FOOT BODY)

1.FORD – 64.7%2.CHEVROLET – 20.3%3.HUDSON/DOVER/ESSEX – 15%

SUMMARY OF VEHICLES BY CONTRACT TO THE U. S. POST OFFICE

DEPARTMENT

FOR THE LARGER TRUCKS (200 CUBIC FOOT BODY)

1.FORD – 75.3%2.CHEVROLET – 24.7%

OTHER NOTES ON THE VEHICLES• WHAT ARE THE YEARS THE TRUCKS WERE PURCHASED? - THE CONTRACTS

WERE FOR 1929 OR 1931 CHASSIS MODELS. BECAUSE OF THE LATENESS OF THE ‘31 ORDER THERE ARE 32 PARTS ON SOME TRUCKS THAT ARE ORIGINAL.

• WHY OLIVE GREEN? - REMEMBER THE POST OFFICE WAS USING MAINLY WWI SURPLUS VEHICLES PRIOR TO THIS CONTRACT. AS THERE WAS A HUGE SURPLUS OF OLIVE GREEN PAINT, IT IS SUPPOSED THAT BECAME THE COLOR OF CHOICE

• HOW LONG WERE THE TRUCKS USED? - ALTHOUGH IT WAS NOT EXPECTED, THE TRUCKS WERE USED PERHAPS UP TO THE MID 1950’s. ONE REASON WAS THAT WHEN WWII CAME ALONG, THERE WERE NO (OR PERHAPS BETTER SAID – VERY FEW) VEHICLES AVAILABLE FOR NON-MILITARY USE

U. S. P. O. D. MAIL TRUCK #114051931 FORD MODEL A

BODY BY MIFFLINBURG BODY CORP.

U. S. P. O. D. MAIL TRUCK #11405

U. S. P. O. D. MAIL TRUCK #11405

U. S. P. O. D. MAIL TRUCK #11405

U. S. P. O. D. MAIL TRUCK #11405CORRECT REAR DOORS

U. S. P. O. D. MAIL TRUCK #11405

Why U S Male and not U S Mail?? From the Postal A’s newsletters, it was said that someone had restored one of these trucks and begin driving it around town. Shortly thereafter, an overzealous deputy stopped him for driving a stolen vehicle from the Post Office. Fortunately, the owner knew the Postmaster who quickly set things right with the Officer. The owner reported it to other Mail Truck owners who use “Male” to lessen futuristic opportunities with the law!

U. S. P. O. D. MAIL TRUCK #11405PROPER LETTERING

U. S. Post Office DepartmentCollectibles

U. S. Post Office DepartmentCollectibles

Street Letter Box Lock Mail Sack Lock

U. S. Post Office DepartmentCollectibles

Registered Mail Lock Rural Free Delivery Mail Lock

U. S. Post Office DepartmentCollectibles

Letter Carrier Badge Special Delivery Badge

U. S. Post Office DepartmentCollectibles

Motor Service Badge Motor Vehicle Service Badge

U. S. Post Office DepartmentCollectibles

Vehicle Service Badge Postal Transportation Service

U. S. Post Office Department Wanted

Collectibles

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

Dan Perla – Information and finding a Model A Postal Truck

Jim McPherson – Information and finding a Model A Postal Truck

Eric and Dotti Shogren – Loan of tools (already) and encouragement

Walker Crosby – Getting me involved in Aiken Model A’s

Aiken Model A’s – Warm Reception