Ford Dealer

[CB919ER]

Just wondering if anyone has ever taken your model a to a ford dealer for work? or asked them for parts just to see what they'd say.

I ask only out of pure curiosity.

[mhsprecher]

It would be fun to see their reaction. Few would have a clue, I suspect.

[1942deluxe]

We worked on a couple of Model A's when I had my Ford dealership in Primghar Iowa (Ford bought me out in 2004). I had the parts books going back to 1928. also worked on 1948 F1, my 1948 Tudor,1954 Ford Customline and 1955 Mercury Montclair which were both bought new from the dealership.

[1942deluxe]

Also worked on a 1936 Ford open cab fire truck. The Dept's younger guys said it needed a Chevy engine because it had starting problems, HA! We got it starting good with the 6v system. I had the Page Model A repair manual in my office and some the local Model A guys would borrow it. God, I miss Iowa!

[Big hammer]

They today wouldn't know how where to check the oli ! If they would find us here, they would have many questions :-)

[katy]

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Back in the late 80's I lent our '60 Thunderbird to my wife's cousin's husband for a display in his Ford dealership showroom. I asked him to have the incorrect power steering pressure hose replaced while it was at the dealership. I expected the dealership to put the proper hose on it, but they didn't. When I got the car back I saw that they had replaced the incorrect hose w/a new, identical incorrect hose, and they expected me to pay for it, which I didn't. I ended up getting a proper hose from Kanter Auto Parts and installing it myself.

[barnstuf]

There was an elderly maiden lady with a 1929 Sport Coupe in a town near me. She was given the car new in 1929 when she was 16 years old. It was the only car she ever had in her lifetime. She had a trusted local mechanic do oil changes and minor repairs. She took it to the Ford dealer in a nearby town for any serious mechanical work. Little did she know that both the local mechanic and the Ford dealer would contact me to get the parts they needed. In her 80's she had a fender bender accident at a traffic light and was cited by the police, and by coincidence my wife witnessed the accident. The lady gave up driving and two cousins that I know each thought she would give her car to them. No way! She gave the car to her local mechanic friend and was able to get her reserved low number license plate transferred to him also. It has been over 20 years since that happened and the car is still in his hands, no club membership, never taken to shows, just a pleasure ride now and then.

[Fordors]

Originally Posted by barnstuf

There was an elderly maiden lady with a 1929 Sport Coupe in a town near me. She was given the car new in 1929 when she was 16 years old. It was the only car she ever had in her lifetime. She had a trusted local mechanic do oil changes and minor repairs. She took it to the Ford dealer in a nearby town for any serious mechanical work. Little did she know that both the local mechanic and the Ford dealer would contact me to get the parts they needed. In her 80's she had a fender bender accident at a traffic light and was cited by the police, and by coincidence my wife witnessed the accident. The lady gave up driving and two cousins that I know each thought she would give her car to them. No way! She gave the car to her local mechanic friend and was able to get her reserved low number license plate transferred to him also. It has been over 20 years since that happened and the car is still in his hands, no club membership, never taken to shows, just a pleasure ride now and then.

That elderly maiden lady knew how the game is played and she played it well by recognizing the trusted mechanic for his many years of service on her car. The cousins may only have seen $$$ signs, but dear old Auntie fooled them!

[John Stone]

One of our local Ford dealers has a 29 coupe in the showroom. Belongs to the owner and not for sale.

[western77]

Two years ago I was just north of New Orleans in a small resturant when a man asked me if that was my car outside. I said yes it was. He said it's a long way from Michigan and I said it sure is. We talked awhile about old cars and he said he worked at the local Ford dealership and would like to change me oil for me! I showed up in the morning and the service manager sent me right in. Sure enough, he changed my oil and greased the car and handed me my paper work with NO CHARGE written on the bottom! People sure are nice in the South!

[Jeff/Illinois]

In the mid to late 60's and early 70's Galesburg Lincoln-Mercury always had a Model A in their showroom for sale. The cars didn't last long, they always sold pretty fast. One of the mechanics in the shop would go over them and any body work was done also in the shop. My Dad and the other WWII generation guys were always looking for good Model A's back then

It was always fun to stop in there and see the Model A's. That and the new Cougar convertibles they always on hand in the showroom!

[Tom Endy]

The speedo drive gear supplied with a Mitchell overdrive extension cable can be obtained from a Ford dealer. The attached was published in the July issue of the Victoria Association newsletter.

Tom Endy

[fundytides]

I worked in a Ford dealership in 1966-67. One day an antique car tour came through town and a guy with a Model T stopped in to have a "loose front wheel" checked. One of our mechanics was a Model T owner and quickly diagnosed the problem, adjusted the wheel bearing and the guy was on his way. No charge.

[CB919ER]

I'm really digging these stories!

[Gunmetal blue2]

In 1976 a Ford dealership was selling there building and they found in the attic a pair or brain new Model A front fenders. Northern Indiana

[Gold Digger]

I like my home town Ford dealership but I wouldn't dare let them work on my A's.

[Jacksonlll]

A guy I know has a milk truck, but he is not a mechanic. He needed a new engine and had the local Ford dealer do it. I'm sure it cost a lot, but they got it done. This was about 4 yrs ago in SC.

[LeRoycoupe/N.Y.]

Had N.Y.I. yesterday at MONRO MUFFER cost 10.00 (N.Y. cost 21.00)
He said the Backup Lights wasn't working on the coupe I told him to
to checked the Power steering. The kid just laughed.

[Jeff/Illinois]

Forgot to add, in 1972 I took my '29 Tudor to Alexis Motor Co. (a local small town Ford dealer) and they had an older Ford mechanic from the early V-8 days that did a tune up and changed the king pins for me, with NOS Ford parts off the parts room shelf!! Car never ran so good! Wish that guy was still around.

A buddy that had been in Vietnam and came home in '69 also had a '29 Tudor. That day he had driven it into town from the farm. They pulled it into the service bay and took a picture of the two of them together I learned later

[Synchro909]

A while ago, I bought a '30 CCPU out of Arizona. The PO had it serviced and I suspect he had the brakes done by the local dealer before selling. What a mess! The diff was bone dry and the O/D took about 1/2 the oil it should hold from empty. Both of these units have plugs with a square hole in them. I suspect the dealer didn't have a tool to remove the plug so just left them. The brakes were DANGEROUS. they had been relined and the pedal was good but the back ones locked before the front did anything, right side first. The sticker on the windscreen said that the next service was due in 3,000 miles time. Not bad for a car with a recommended interval of 500 miles and no filter!! The main bearings sounded like someone was in there with a hammer and wanted out. The list goes on and on. They had no idea and didn't bother to find out. I know help was only a local phone call away.
I won't name the dealer but they are in a place called (Indian tribe) Junction. I'll let you fill in the name of the Indian tribe.