Rum Runner #13980

The Story

What an interesting ghost of the past that came to rest in this patch of high grass of this Minnesota junkyard. Like the old saying if walls could talk, what tales could this old traveler tell? It would be most of a novel all by itself. Perhaps it even was a Prohibition rum runner at one time? Nevertheless, my best guess would be this is a 1931 Ford Model AA and a heavier truck than the average because of the dual rear tires. They can’t be seen in this view.

It came here to Oblivion Hollow because of an accident to the back end that twisted the frame. Still shiny after all these years, that’s a stainless steel grille surround. Those empty headlight sockets held bulbs that were sold off long ago to keep one of this truck’s kin illuminated.

The cab is a wooden frame with metal fitted over it, and a closer look showed a few of the nails backing out over time. Tin, wood, and nails…there’s your truck cab in the 1930s. The wooden floorboards are long gone leaving only grass to see looking inside. In fact, Fred Flintstone could easily start this thing right up and beat feet right on outta there.

It sits up over the hill from the rest of the very large junkyard, out in the back in the oldest section. Probably more rabbits and deer around than humans most of the time.

There won’t be many calls for parts from this old truck anymore. Surprisingly, junkyard vehicles actually have a shelf life. This truck has already far outlived its peers, so here it sits, literally out to pasture forevermore.

Here’s a wider horizontal view of this old 1931 Ford model AA truck as Moonshine Alley # 13970. In it, you can see more of the outback area around the truck with lots of very old and equally rusty neighbors.

Location: a rural junkyard in Kandihoyi County, Minnesota. Picture and story Andrew Dierks.