Went to grandmas house, came home with a 28 Special coupe!

[1930artdeco]

Congrats on the car. I will be going through something similar this summer as I take dad's baby home with me. Oh yeah, I recommend joining a local club to make things much more fun.

Mike

[Pilotdave]

Excellent story! Looks like there's a lot of life in that Special yet!

[1931 flamingo]

You've got a special granma there, the roses as previously suggested would be a nice start. Good luck.
Like to see some pictures of your "other' coupe (?).
Paul in CT

[A-Jay]

Astro, tell me the part again about the two adults and and four children in the coupe, WITH CAMPING CRAP, for a great weekend camping trip. In a car without a rumble seat. WOW! that must have been before "would you like to super size that order" Have fun, buy some dust masks. A-Jay

[Jason in TX]

Haha. No kidding. 6 people in a two seater must have been quite a sight going down the road!

[Tom Wesenberg]

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A great, great, grandma, even is she isn't a great-great-grandma!

Recommend joining a local Model A club and buy a few books to start.
"The Model A Ford, as Henry Built it"
"Restoration Guidlines and Judging Standards"
"Service Bulletins"
"Owner's Manual"
"Parts Price List" for July 1, 1931 available from most parts houses. One closed to 1928 or 1929 would even be better, if you can find one.
Bert's, Brratton's, and Snyder's parts books

[james hitchcock]

Very cool. Hey your not to far from me, I'm in Visalia. I've got a stock 31 that was a pick up. I sold the cab (I kept the cowl) and am going to make a Huckster. I'm itchin to get working on it again now that the weather is warming up. I'll have to get your address and run by sometime. I know just enough about the Model A to be dangerous.

[Model A Man]

I see you have a hot rod in the garage too. You have the best of both worlds. 1 hot rod and 1 stocker. I bought my first A about 10 years ago. It is a 30 roadster and I bought with the intent of building a hot rod but when driving it home I fell in love with it just being stock and have kept it pretty much the way I found it and plan to restore it when I retire (I still have about 15 years to go) I also bought a stock 31 coupe and I still want more. I want to add a 30/31 truck, It is my habit. Congrats and the best to you and your wife, just think the new baby will want to help dad restore the coupe some day. good to see young families doing well and having fun. it makes me smile

[AstroZombie]

Originally Posted by 1931 flamingo

Like to see some pictures of your "other' coupe (?).
Paul in CT

Paul, here is some pics of the other coupe. It's a 33 Plymouth body, channeled over a 33/34 Ford frame, Model A front and rear crossmembers, original X-member, (repop) 32 shell that my daughter and I cut 7 5/8" out of just to get the proportions right. 36 Ford dash, heavily modified to fit the body, 300 Buick engine, I could go on for days! It's a labor of love, my whole family loves cars, I couldn't imagine doing this without all of their support. Anyway, here's the pics!

[AstroZombie]

Tom, thanks so much for the "required reading!" I'll have to look a few of those up for study material.

To this day I can't figure out how they fit so many people in this car for such a long drive! Only from Madera to Yosemite, but in a Model A, thats pretty much a day trip! Grandma did have a 32 sedan body they were going to add to the Model A frame since the family grew but they never got to it, and it was sold off years ago... (dangit!)

[1931 flamingo]

NICE!!!
Paul in CT

[40 Deluxe]

That 4 speed tranny is intriguing! I recently read somewhere that a few cars were allegedly factory-fitted with the truck 4 speed. Maybe the mailman ordered it this way or had one dealer-installed. Now the Tennessee mud would not stop him from his appointed rounds! This A no doubt went anywhere there was a house, in any kind of weather! Can't you just hear that coupe climbing a muddy mountain road in 1st gear, bringing a farm family their latest goodies from the Sears catalog?

[Tony in Tassie]

Great story, I am looking for a Model A Coupe,I'd love to find one like that in Tassie

[tub1]

he tony there is one in a shed not far from you maybe 10 kilometers from you and the old guy that owns it is a real caracter

[supergnat]

Great story. It is good to see that the car will remain in the family and that someone who cares will be maintaining it in the future. Congratulations on the new baby. Maybe if the car is quiet enough you can make the ice cream float trip a multi-generational event. Keep it as original as possible and enjoy it. You may want to start a journal and include some of grandma’s favorite stories. I’m sure your children will enjoy reading them later.
Rich

[Barry B./ Ma.]

Nice Astro, I have a 29 Special coupe, one of my rain gutters was missing on mine and I just bought the aluminum one from Snyders and had no problem forming it and putting it on. Do the gutters after you put the top covering on. The top cover kit is available from LeBaron Bonney. As far as the wrap around moulding is concerned mine was missing also and I bought the 6ft. long brass "D" moulding from Universal Tire, nearly identical to the original, I used flat head screws into the belt rail to attach it then covered the screws. Do all this after the vinyl top is in place. Good luck, looks like a solid coupe.

[raprice]

Looking at the pix, it looks like it'll be a fun project. The car looks sound from here. Congrats and good luck with it.
And by the way, don't forget about that root beer float.
Rog

[PO51]

Astro,
Congrats on thge Model A, Hey I even know where Armona is, My sister and brother in law used to live there until they moved all the way to Hanford! Good luck with the car.
Steve

[Special Coupe Frank]

Originally Posted by Barry B./ Ma.

Nice Astro, I have a 29 Special coupe, one of my rain gutters was missing on mine and I just bought the aluminum one from Snyders and had no problem forming it and putting it on. Do the gutters after you put the top covering on. The top cover kit is available from LeBaron Bonney. As far as the wrap around moulding is concerned mine was missing also and I bought the 6ft. long brass "D" moulding from Universal Tire, nearly identical to the original, I used flat head screws into the belt rail to attach it then covered the screws. Do all this after the vinyl top is in place. Good luck, looks like a solid coupe.

Hey Barry,

How did that L-B top-kit go on for you?

Previous owner did mine in black rubberized canvas, a la Sport Coupe... I would like to go with the correct sedan decking, but am a little intimidated by this project...

SC Frank

[AstroZombie]

Just a little update, My father in law was over yesterday and said "This is the cleanest I have ever seen this car!" That made me smile, but I have a long way to go! I used some MMO in the cylinders and got the engine to break free. It turns over but VERY slow. I pulled the side plate off and it has minor sludge, will remove and clean the oil pan out once it quits raining here.
My wife's grandpa (moms side) was visiting too and told me of a 32 roadster he had when he was a kid. He said it was impossible to drive because it would spin the tires so much so he sold it for $40..... Many many years ago of course. I think I was born too late... I'd have given him $50 at least