Re: Some believe I've crossed over to the dark side. 39/40 vs. '36
Rebuild at 30,000 miles was common in the 1930s. The roads were mostly dirt and gravel so lots of dust to tear up the rings and cylinder walls, the lubricants were crude compared to modern oils, and no there was no oil filter on the engine. Engines wore out before the car did. One of Ford's advertised selling points was their engine exchange program, get a factory reconditioned engine installed in your car in one day instead of whatever quality and time it took a local shop to go through your worn out engine.
One possibility for why the car got a rebuilt engine and was parked is the same as some projects today: the owner was older and fixing up a car that was special to him, but health issues got to him before he could drive and enjoy his labor.
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