The Ford Barn - View Single Post - for those who say the hobby is "expensive"

German guy · 03-23-2025, 03:02 AM

Skiing is expensive...new skis every two years, clothing, goggles, helmet, boots, bindings, lift fees,travel and accommodation. SCUBA diving is expensive...equipment, wet suits, tank rental, boat trips, travel to good locations, etc. Stamp collecting is expensive...just attend a collectors conference some time and you will see 2cent stamps routinely fetching 6 digits. Coin collecting...same. One of my hobbies is collecting rare books (my excuse: I am a professor of Cultural History) and I will not even tell you what I recently paid for a first edition transcript of "The Trial of Joan of Arc" with 90% of the accordion pages still uncut (waxing poetic just thinking about it). Lets be honest...ownership and proper care of a 100 year old car is "expensive". The fact that one can actually DRIVE such a piece of history boggles the mind and I feel privileged every time I roll put of my driveway in mine. Expecting to be able to purchase and maintain one for pocket change with a shiny new paint job and a newly rebuilt engine, trans, rolling gear, authentic interior, and engine bay that looks like it did when it rolled off the assembly line is being unrealistic. If you can not afford the cost...stay away from it or be satisfied with seeing them at car shows or the rare one driving past on a sunny day. I love to watch Polo matches...but to play....I will never have that kind of money. I would love to fly my own jet...but that will never happen either. It is possible to own and love the "A" on a moderate budget...as long as you do not need everything done at once....and are willing to do most of it yourself. Parts are NOT expensive compared with a modern car. I spent 1300 Euro for a new alternator for my daily driver. I bought one for my "A" for 350 Euro.

Driving the "A" is living history. Don't let anyone under-value that experience. If they want to offer $25,000 for your sorted out "A" just smile and say: "No thanks."

03-23-2025, 03:02 AM	#35
German guy Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2023 Location: German/French border Posts: 104	Re: for those who say the hobby is "expensive" Skiing is expensive...new skis every two years, clothing, goggles, helmet, boots, bindings, lift fees,travel and accommodation. SCUBA diving is expensive...equipment, wet suits, tank rental, boat trips, travel to good locations, etc. Stamp collecting is expensive...just attend a collectors conference some time and you will see 2cent stamps routinely fetching 6 digits. Coin collecting...same. One of my hobbies is collecting rare books (my excuse: I am a professor of Cultural History) and I will not even tell you what I recently paid for a first edition transcript of "The Trial of Joan of Arc" with 90% of the accordion pages still uncut (waxing poetic just thinking about it). Lets be honest...ownership and proper care of a 100 year old car is "expensive". The fact that one can actually DRIVE such a piece of history boggles the mind and I feel privileged every time I roll put of my driveway in mine. Expecting to be able to purchase and maintain one for pocket change with a shiny new paint job and a newly rebuilt engine, trans, rolling gear, authentic interior, and engine bay that looks like it did when it rolled off the assembly line is being unrealistic. If you can not afford the cost...stay away from it or be satisfied with seeing them at car shows or the rare one driving past on a sunny day. I love to watch Polo matches...but to play....I will never have that kind of money. I would love to fly my own jet...but that will never happen either. It is possible to own and love the "A" on a moderate budget...as long as you do not need everything done at once....and are willing to do most of it yourself. Parts are NOT expensive compared with a modern car. I spent 1300 Euro for a new alternator for my daily driver. I bought one for my "A" for 350 Euro. Driving the "A" is living history. Don't let anyone under-value that experience. If they want to offer $25,000 for your sorted out "A" just smile and say: "No thanks."