What drove you towards the Model A hobby?

[kartknut36]

a 1966 Mustang !

[Popeye31]

I was looking through the craigs list adds and there was an add that read scrap metal antique car parts free for the taking. Well I jumped in my truck and went to the house. The yard was open and I didn’t see anything in there so I knocked on the door and a lady came out and said, come this way. so she brought me to the side of the house and said right here look under the house you think you can use any of this . So I bent down and low and behold there under the house is a model a frame, model t frame, An A front and rearend, T front and rear end. And she said there is more under there but you will have to get the stuff I’m not going to get under there. I started to crawl under and she said wait I have one more thing in the back behind the garage. So we walked about 100 feet to the back and there on homemade saw horses was a 30 Tudor sedan body rusty but in good shape. She said if you think you can use it its yours but you have to take everything .I said yes mam I can definitely use the parts. I told her I would have to go get someone to help me load it but I will be back in 30 min. Please don’t let anyone take the parts I promise I will be right back. She said ok I’ll give you an hour. I sped out of there as fast as I could drove 15 miles back to my dad’s and told him to drop what he was doing and come help me. I made it back in 27 min and the rest is history. I now have 4 As and am loving the hobby and the old farts I mean the people I meet along the way.

[Gumpy]

just by reading your stories particularily the ones with ownership of 50 years!

[Greg Jones]

Guess I will tell my tale here. I grew up in Aberdeen SD on Melody Lane, and my Dad had saved his father's 1926 Model T coupe. Always sat out in the barn, rather forlornly. Our neighbor, Dan Jarman (anyone know him???) was into old cars and I remember him buying a 31 Tudor for the princely sum of $250-this was in 1966. He showed the car to Dad and me-it was green with pin striping, and mohair upholstery. It had about 8000 miles on it, and smelled kinda new inside. I fell in love with that Model A and just had to have one. I went on to restore my grandfather's Model T, but got myself a "modern car" later in life, i.e. a Model A. The Model A was such a technological advance over the Model T, it is amazing.

[Tom in SW VA]

My first car was a 30 coupe that I bought for $95 in 1956. It was a great car, but I had to sell it to have a ride to/from college. I will forever regret it. However, in 1966, I bought a 29 Tudor turned into a truck for $300. I replaced the body with a 29 60C Fordor body. And 44 years later and with a 4 year restoration, this car won a MARC at French Lick in 2010. I also have a 28 roadster fully restored.

What drove me to Model As? Answer-My friends had Model As and it was the only car that I could afford as a 15 year old. And, I have always loved cars and the thrill of driving them. The older the better; just like me.

[Brobrian]

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Wow, I can't believe I read the whole thing! Great stories.

Here's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

Tie enough thin strands together and you can make a rope strong enough to bind. Strands of memory, old stories about Model A's on the farm, the need to bring something good from the shadows of my childhood into the light of present day, the desire to please my father and have something of his put away for the time when he's passed on,.. all these threads seem to weave together to bind me to my Model A's.

When I was a little bugger Dad had a '28 pickup he'd gotten in 1959 as payment for painting a house. It was just sort of a running rust bucket. I recall one morning seeing him fill the radiator with hot water as he drove it through the snow to work. Our Jeep Wagoneer must have been broke down again. In another image I can see my brother hanging his feet out the tailgate of that truck as I stand in the back looking down through the topless cab past the open floor watching the pavement rush under Dad's feet as we drive down a hill near our house in Incline Village Lake Tahoe, Nevada. From childhood until I left for college that pickup was always there, but never again running. We played in it, abused it, revered it as our only valuable possession.
Dad had paid my tuition in college so when I'd married, had a son and finally rented a place with a garage I offered to repay him by restoring his Model A. "You're not getting your hands on my Model A," was his curt response.
I assured him the car would be his, undriven, from the day I finished it until the day I drove him to the cemetery in it, but he wasn't biting.

Within a year he called and asked, "What do you want the title to read on this Model A I've got?"

"Same thing it's always read," I replied. "I don't want your car, I just want to .."

"No, this is a different one I got for you," he cut me off. And a couple of months later he trailered down my '29 Special Coupe. It's a driver, with a shiny black spray job covering an original body and chassis. An absolute treasure. I've been driving the car for 23 years now. I've kept it running using an old book, phone calls to my dad, and trial and error. I love the look of the cowl through the windshield, the sound (of course), and the smell. I feel the car is mine in a very personal and intimate way. I know every nut and bolt and its every rattle and mannerism. I've never wanted to share it with anyone. Never joined a club or sought out other owners. Didn't want to be made to feel bad by a bunch of wealthy restorers who may subject it and me to snide snipes. (Probably a very unfair prejudice, I know. I apologize to all of you who have put in your time and are so free with your knowledge.) I've been private and protective about the car just like I have been about our childhood.
Dad bought my brother a '31 pickup at about the same time he gave me the coupe. I guess he thought we'd all share them together, but mostly it was just me and Dad. My brother really likes stuff that goes fast. Just this past October my brother sold me his pickup. Because of Dad's old '28 I've always loved Model A pickups. So now I have a '28 and a pickup. Dad is working on his Model A a little bit in his shop. Mostly, I think, he's tearing it down. I don't know if he'll get it all back together, but it's an original and a family heirloom now.
I wouldn't qualify as a restorer, just a loving driver. This is not my hobby, it's my lifestyle.

[montanafordman]

Sorry Double post. Mods can delete this one

[montanafordman]

I can thank my grandpa for my interest in classic cars and in particular, his 1931 Ford Model A. My earliest memories of the car were when it was barricaded behind years of accumulated "stuff" and covered in dust in his garage. I would get myself filthy getting to the car and climbing inside where I would admire the graceful curved fenders and running boards while I pretended to drive the car. Even at the young age of 5 or so I knew it was something special. Cars of the day looked much more alike and bland compared to the Model A buried in my grandfathers garage with its large external headlights and swooping fenders.

To my knowledge my grandpa bought the car roughly around 1962 from a local farmer. He put it in the garage where it sat for nearly 30 years until after he retired from farming in 1988. He began working on it around the spring of 1989 and had it back on the road around 1993. I'll never forget my first ride in the car. It hadn't been upholstered yet and he had plenty of work left but we cruised around the dusty roads of his rural town of Gildford, MT anyway with my Grandpa sitting on a 5 gallon bucket while I sat on the floor since he didn't have the seat finished. We were both grinning ear to ear! He tinkered with it as much as his time, pateince and health allowed until his passing in 2008. He always said it was going to be my car one day and now its my turn to tinker with his Ford Model A and carry on the history!

Naturally I miss my Grandpa with his gruff sense of humor and our shared interest in Model A's and hunting but working on his car has been a great way to remember him. I still get some laughs when I see his personality come out in the work he did. Some details he did right, and did well. Important things he cared about like the engine tuning and bodywork turned out great while other details that took a lot of tedious work and time to get right, or were beyond his level he either left as is or "improvised" around. I guess it was a combination of his type A personality and his farmers ingenuity.Thanks for the car Grandpa!




^ My Grandad, Charlie Griffith. 6/9/24 - 8/31/08

[sconnors]

A few years ago my buddy calls me and tells me he won an auction on Ebay for a Model A. I asked him what he paid and he said he wasn't sure as he was 'drunk bidding' and woke up the next morning to find out he won the bid! Lo and behold we went and picked it up and as that car rolled out of the shed I was in love! Wanted one ever since. Bought a '50 Buick a couple years ago and restored that, but still couldn't get the Model A out of my mind. So I found a 1930 Model A pickup. It's got some scratches and dings and is not perfect but I'm gonna drive it! I'm done with the whole restoration thing. I'm going to drive it and have fun!!!!!!!!!!

[tierod]

Prior to "growing up" my first car was an A cpe bought from a junk yard. While being towed home by another A I popped the clutch and it was running like a charm. Used it mostly to race the other A on dirt roads. Grew up and got into the hobby with a nice 29 Rdstr PU that I did not race.

[OC1Dave]

Wow, what a great thread. Reading all of these stories brought memories gushing back and caused me to answer the question posed. My Grandfather bought a brand new 1929 Roadster Pickup and used it hard on his dairy farm as the family's only vehicle. My mom remembers riding in the middle of the seat to church, the store, etc, covered by a horse blanket in the winter - no heater. From 4 or 5 years old I was facinated by the truck and it was the first vehicle I ever drove at about 7 years old. When my grandfather died in 1955 eveything was sold at auction - cows, tractors, machinery, but not the Model A. It sat in the shed for a few years until my grandmother finally gave it to me. I partially restored it and drove hundreds of laps before I had a license around a vacant lot near our house. One day it was sitting outside and a collector stopped by and offered me three times what I thought it was worth and it was gone. I took the money and bought a perfect low mileage 49 coupe and used the rest of the money for college. Fast forward until last year through Cadillacs, Corvettes, race cars and about 70 cars, I stumbled upon a Closed Cab 1929 being sold on Ebay by the AACA Museum at Hershey, 100 miles from my home. I drove down to see it and the minute I saw it the bug hit me hard! I was way outbid for the museum quality restored pickup, but while following the auction, I found a cheap very old restoration also on EBay near home. The elderly owner allowed me about five minutes to look at it and make him an offer, which I did. It was dirty enough to be a true barn find but was mostly rust free and all there. As soon as I sat in it, memories of riding with my grandfather hauling snow fence, milk cans and such came flooding back. I have been slowly working on it and have not decided if it will be a good looking driver or more. The owner couldn't remember who he bought it from, but he owned it for 30+ years and had not done anything to it but drive once or twice a year. If all goes well, I hope to have it on the road soon.

[Frank Nemo]

My first car in 1952 was a 1931 Tudor. I drove it during highschool and sold it prior to going to college. I always loved the Model A and after marriage, kids, kid's college, career and retirement I finally got around to my second Model A, a 1930 Sport Coupe. That's her in my avatar. I guess that is a fairly common theme to "What drove you towards the Model A hobby?"

[TAG29A]

My Dad. He bought a 29 Tudor when he was in high school in 1957. (his first car) I was 3 years old when he finished the first restoration. When I was going to college he did a frame off restoration in the early 90's. We used that car as our get away car in our wedding, and 3 years ago he passed the car on to me! Basically everything I learned about cars was on a Model A.

[chiliman]

Well in early 60's Iwas 14 saw a add in local paper 225.00 foe a 31 coupe called at 6.30 am on sat my dad loaned me the money we pulled it home tightend the rods and a few gaskets and poff it started lived on a dead end road wasnt long and I had the shifting down any way still have that same A its might get restored but starting on a rodster pickup right now and of course drive old mighty manfred friend and faithful companion right now the fourdoor then my wife has a 31 coupe that drives really nice and then her 30 two door life is good and God has blessed me have a blessed day

[Napa Skip]

In the early 1950's when I was about 10 or so and we were living in Reseda CA, my Dad was a tool and die maker for Lockheed Aircraft. One day he came home with a 1931 Model "A" coupe, having won it in a raffle for $1. The black paint was (as I recall, all these years later) pretty worn, in some areas through to the primer, but it ran well. I recall my Dad saying that all he had to do was replace the head gasket. I do remember that the coupe had a rumble seat and the upholstery inside consisted of neatly installed burlap over which clear plastic seat covers had been fitted.

I tried the best I could to get my Dad to save the car for me but these were pretty lean times (I remember we still had an ice box and used a red/blue sign in the window to tell the Union ice delivery man whether we needed ice that day, the washing machine - although electric - had a mangle for removing the water, we still got bread from the Helmes bread truck, milk was still delivered in glass bottles by Arden Farms, and the television - a major purchase - was a 12" Hoffman in a maple cabinet) as evidenced by the fact that it wasn't until 1954 that my parents bought their first new car, our transportation at the time being a c1950 Studebaker Commander, purchased used.

In the event, failing to find a buyer, my Dad finally sold the Model "A" to a local teenager who made no bones about the fact that it was headed for a new life as a hot rod. But, for whatever reason, my desire for a Model "A" of my own remained, albeit on the back burner through marriage, college and grad school until - as a young submarine officer stationed on a boat home-ported at Ballast Point, San Diego - I had the wherewithal to purchase my first Model "A" - a 1931 indented-firewall Standard Coupe painted Chicle Drab and Copra Drab, still one of the sharpest-looking color combinations I've seen.

I'v had a Model "A" ever since.

[Gumpy]

Brobrian--

thankyou for sharing your story I must confess I have never owned a model A but would love to own a cabriolet some day, ive made up my mind I WILL!...just cause your story inspired me, gump

[Chris H]

I never cared for Ford products. I have always liked the British roadsters, such as the MGs. Someone gave me a die cast model of a Model A for my 8th or 9th birthday. I did not even know what it was, calling it a Model T. It was one of my favorite models though. I did not see a real Model A until about 25 - 30 years ago at a car show. I fell in love with them, and have wanted one ever since.

The MGs came first, though, and I still have them. When I finally figured the time was right, I started looking for an A. Found one 2 years ago, and have been happy with it ever since. There are other vintage cars that I would love to have, such as the Packards, but the Model A is affordable. I don't think I could afford to own any of the Packards. No regrets. I am satisfied with what I have.

[Geo. H]

I started with a 31 Chrysler. I wanted a roadster. Couldn't afford a Chrysler roadster, so I traded a 49 Harley for a 1931 Model A roadster. The rest is history.

[Barney]

Hi guys,
American Cars have fascinated me since I was a little child. When I was growing up in the 70s I always looked "TheWaltons". And the cars of the family interested me more than the plot. The sheriff also drove a great car. Does anyone know yet what it was?

Since that time, I knew I will even have a pre-war car. Prefer a Coupe as John-Boy. Now i have a Coupe.

My dream car is a Packard 740 Roadster This is in my opinion the most beautiful car ever built. Unfortunately, such a car is hard to find and very expensive. So for now we are very happy with Lady Rose (Name of my Model A).

Best regards
Barney

[mmindling]

Originally Posted by JoeWay

I worked for my Dad the spring and summer I turned 15, in 1962. In the fall, he bought me a Model A as payment. Simple as that.

He was into old cars. He built a '24 T speedster which I have now, and for many years owned a nicely restored 1915 Dodge touring. Other old cars came and went. So I was raised in an old car environment. But the Model A was mine, and it stuck with me. I mean that literally; it's the one in my avatar and I still have it.

Joe

Hi Joe, I also turned 15 in the summer of 1962. My dad and I bought a 28 Tudor for $125 and we restored it together. Although we lived in Chicago at that time, dad grew up on a farm in Ohio and knew how to fix anything. After we joined the club, we saw many fine restored cars and re-restored the 28 three times. I passed my drivers test in that car - wow, the employees at the DMV were impressed. Would love to find it now - it was A 457909.
Glad to hear you kept your car,
Regards,

Martin Mindling [email protected]