Heel low 35 trucker:
> Your pictures of the 36 Maple Leaf trucks show, other than the bumpers on the ones that
> dip in the center, the sheel & grille and the hood side panels, that they used the same cab
> & sheet metal as the Chevrolets.
Many of our earlier vehicles (we pick up on the "34, "35 & "36's) all had that similar look to them…be they Chev, Ford, Dodge, etc., etc.…the big headlights were not in the fenders and there was always that similar shape to the bodies. For me, I usually have to do a double take to figure out what make they are…it would not be hard to collect more in these years as they certainly are eye appealing. The Maple Leaf seems cartoonish, with her big wheels, roundish cab, catchy headlights, and glistening chrome accents.
The Chev doorskins were identical and fit '36 to "38s, Windshield only fit the (Mar-Dec) '36 because of the low cab design, High cab windshields fit '34 to '36 (Jan to March) and in 1937, the windshield changed again. In the hood cowling, the Maple Leafs had three horizontal louvers with chrome strips…'36 Chevs appeared to have vertical hood cowlings with no chrome louvers. Other than the trim end of things, Maple Leafs appear to have the same window frames.
Curious about the US Chev Independence and the Chev LT…do you know anything about these trucks? Things like how long they were made, how similar they might be to the Maple Leaf? They were “big bolts” too! I'd like to see & hear about the American versions and admire their special place in history.
> The Chevrolet models in 34-36 also had a deluxe cab with the leather seats
The leather, cowhide? Was it a textured or smooth finish (Reynold's "35 is a smooth finish, nice light tan colour—was their other colours in the leather or just more a natural tan)? Was the seat pleated? In the Maple Leaf, the 1935 had a bench seat, as did the 1936, but I believe in 1937, the seat was a split seat? You may purchase vinyl reproductions of both bench and split seats, black or brown are the colour choices we've seen.
Supposedly leather was not such a fancy product as say the newer things like “Bakelite” and maybe even vinyl as these were new, futuristic items. Everyone had to make do with natural products (cork, solid woods) on a day to day basis and these things would be the “new rage.”
> and wood grained window moulding and dash panels.
Ah, here I am intrigued. I was not able to photograph Reynold's '35 woodgrain painted dash that well…lighting, being careful not to touch the paint, etc. Have you personally ever seen remnants of the actual woodgrain painted metal? All the dashboards I examine are slightly textured, but not yet have I gotten to peak at what remotely even looks like woodgrain paint. I am VERY curious about this technique…probably done by hand (Reynold's restoration crew said it was difficult and painstaking). I have heard this is an art unto itself, the woodgrain painting.
I know ages ago I took a ceramics course and you could get a paint that did a not too bad “woodgrain” affect. This paint was a tan coloured base with much darker, thicker pigmented “blobs” that you brushed out to give a grain like appearance. Is this what is done in the vehicles or is this a bunch of special brushes and layers of different colours and lots and lots of skilled craftmanship to do. I see there are CD's on the technique and kits to be bought, but have not pursued this yet.
The one dash on the Chev and Maple Leaf, appears to have a textured dashboard and appears to be what is left of that “crackle paint” that was so popular back then.
> The one truck with the straight front bumper is the same as the 36 Chevrolet.
Yes! This would be a “Chev” bumper used on the Chev and Maple Leaf truck. I guess one might assume the “gull wing” chrome bumper was a Maple Leaf bumper as I have seen line drawings showing both Chevs and Maple Leafs and the Chevs' bumpers were straight, the ML's had the dip (gull wing) in the bumper and also the grooves in the middle running the full length. The Chev bumper is smooth & straight horizontally. There is a back up steel bracing with bolt pattern in it. Runs frame to frame, behind this bumper and is substantial.
This one of ours has no breaks in it and appears to be in pretty nice shape considering her age and the abuse most bumpers see.
> I have some service information on 1935 Maple Leaf trucks if you would like a copy and
> sales information on the 35 Chevrolet trucks in Canada. Email me with your postal
> address.
Thank you…very kind of you.
When we bought the first Maple Leaf (the currently white one), we were give colour brochures. Of course in our excitement, we never quite noticed that the brochures were for 1935 Maple Leafs. It would have been perfect to have a copy of the 1936 sales brochure, but one never knows, one could turn one up at a Swap meet or such. We have framed these '35 brochures to keep them in good condition as they are somewhat relevant and indeed, better than no brochure at all.
Doggone,
Tara
