It all started back in the '60's when my dad was a struggling attorney and one of his clients offered a Model A as payment for his services. Times being what they were for our family, my dad needed the money more than the car so he turned them down. I went with him that day to look at the car and I think I was about 14 or 15 at the time. I think I was hooked from that time forward.
Over they years I got married and had kids. For over 40 years I have wanted a Model A, but also have not really had the cash to do that because of a then growing family and being the cheapskate that I am, we never did a Model A. I had a lot of fun with a 65 Mustang that I did wind up buying from my dad, which I had for about 25 years. Towards the end, I always remarked on how many people would wave at me and give me thumbs up, just because it was an early Mustang!
Times got worse and we went through a little of a crunch and I sold the Mustang to a friend of one of my son's. He still has the car and when I am in that city, I every once in a while can still take if for a spin.
Another son used to help me work on that car late into the nights and I had a metal bread loaf pan full of odds and ends nuts and bolts. Greasy and some were somewhat stripped, but that box of bolts came in handy as we worked away and needed just that right bolt or nut. My son called it the "Magic Box", and that is where my forum Handle comes from.
For years, not having the money to buy a Model A, I focused on collecting antique telephones, since my other hobby lies in electronics and ham radio, phones seemed to be a natural, but the desire to own a Model A was consistent.
Fast forward and here I am in my 60's with family all grown up and now cash is not a crunch. However, being the cheapskate that I am, I bought a real fixer-upper Model A, which is my Avatar. Got that a couple months ago and even though it has recently spent the last couple weeks getting outfitted with a new clutch, and that resulted in a new (rebuilt) engine, I am getting to know the car very well. I have had immense help from a couple of local club members who have actually been doing most of the work since I still work 8 to 5 every work day.
My wife has been right along with me all the way in wanting the Model A. In fact, she much prefers the Model A to my phones.
On the days that I have been out driving it around, I find that if I felt like a movie star with all the waves and thumbs up in the Mustang, I hadn't seen anything yet. People stop me and ask about it and just driving around, people make it a point to wave and give high Fives and thumbs up.
My story and I ain't changing it.