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Old 04-08-2018, 09:59 AM   #1
woofa.express
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Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Tocumwal, NSW, Australia
Posts: 1,744
Default tell a Model A related story

My computerskill is ordinary and I don’t know how to add to the thread of ‘ Tell a Model A related story’. So here is a new thread on my A story.
I grew up inNew Zealand and left school in 1965. I always looked up to the bigger boys who had left school quite a bit earlier and who drove Model A’s which was the obsolete family car.
In 1967 Imoved to Australia in search of a pilot job and became an agricultural pilot,commonly called a cropduster. ( I retire this year after 50 years ofcropdusting).
One day in1973 I went to spread fertilizer on pasture for a farmer in the New England region of New South Wales. The farmer arrived to give me instructions. He was driving an A. A tourer (phaeton) cut down to a Ute (pickup). I crawled over it,asked many questions and was probably a nuisance. The farmer’s son arrived,also in an A. Then another, again in an A. Well how many do you have? Eleven was the reply. He went on to explain they bought them at clearing sales for about 10 pound each. (Imperial currency was superseded in 1966 with decimal currency).
He showed me one in a shed and the only restoration it required was a new head liner. I had to ask of course, would he sell me one. No he wouldn’t. But I always liked him for what he did. They all were undercover and thus not deteriorating.
Years passed but my love for the A still remained. Well in 1988 one was advertised locally and its condition was appalling. I made the purchase much to the disgust of my wife along with much verbal abuse. All up it cost me 33K AUD to get restored. I am a poor mechanic and don’t enjoy the work so it was all done by hired professional people. It did represent about twice the market value of the vehicle. But I was both pleased and proud. It has a beautiful engine and performs well.
Today I havethat same car plus 2 others as well as the first Australian all made vehicle, a Holden (G.M.) with 23500 miles on the speedo. (One for each of my kids). They have succeeded in keeping me poor but I love them. My wife has learned to tolerate them and the amount of verbal has reduced.
I use the Ute a lot and I’m happy for all and sundry to take any of them for a drive. I’m not protective with them and if people express concern about damaging them I tell them they were resurrected from a damaged pile of junk and can be again.
My log onname to ‘Ford Barn’ is Woofa express. Woofa is the hound in the picture. He is not allowed in the house or our cars with the exception of the A. Woofa considers the A to be his car.
I am a member of our local vintage car club plus the Victorian Model A Club. It is pleasing to get help from the A club and ‘Ford Barn’. There are so many people who are willing to share their knowledge out there. I take this opportunity to say thankyou to those people.

Last edited by woofa.express; 04-08-2018 at 10:21 AM. Reason: spelling error
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