The Joe Jones truck shown is a 1938 Ford 1/2 ton Commercial Car Platform-Stake body. This style of stake truck was introduced in 1937 on the same drop-center chassis as Ford cars. Notice how they had to build up the height of the stake bed in order to be at the same height as most loading docks.

Standard features included the rear fenders, the gas fuel filler pipe integrated into the left rear fender, and the metal sign panels which were incorporated into the stake sides. The hinged sides of the stake bed were 29.5 inches high while the bed itself was 80 inches long and 62 inches wide. There were also steel skid strips on the wooden bed floor.

When equipped with the 60 horsepower V-8 engine, the truck weighed 2,655 lbs and cost $615. If the truck came with the 85 hp V-8 it weighed 2,842 lbs and cost $625. With just a platform bed each model cost $15 less and weighed about 150 lbs less.

Love the placing of the Shorpy logo here.

Look at the spare tire for the truck on the left, attached to its rear stake panel, resting at the left side of the truck. The cords are showing. And it's an artillery wheel. Someone's living on a shoestring.

Shorpy cabbages