Best resoration book???

[karasmer]

Instead of posting on here for every little question I have, What is the best restoration book to be had for my 30 roadster? Thanks

[BashawT]

I would buy Les Andrew's Books and also the Ford Model A Service Bulletins

http://www.snydersantiqueauto.com/2167
http://www.snydersantiqueauto.com/4328
http://www.snydersantiqueauto.com/2106

$100 dollars may seem expensive but they will really help you throughout your restoration. You don't need to buy them all but I would for sure get the Les Andrew's Volume 1 ( The Red Book )

Hope this helps you out

- Travis

[Bill Goddard]

For chassis, engine, radiator, clutch, electrical system, etc I always recommend Les Andrew's Model A Ford Mechanics Handbook, vol 1 and Model A Trouble Shooting & Diagnostics also by Les Andrews. There is also a book for roadsters sold by Model A Ford resoration dealers but I know nothing about it - I have a sedan. Bill G

[Purdy Swoft]

Brattons catalog gives good info that would be hard to find elsewhere.

[Mike V. Florida]

Nothing better then here as there is no one, two, or even three books that will have what you need.

[Tiny]

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Don't forget the judging standards. Les's books service bulletins and the standards answer 99% of my questions. The other % the nice guys on the Barn help me out with.

[RHD]

Hi Folks.
Have you inspected my restoration book? It is very comprehensive.

[28ACoupe]

You really can't have too many books on the subject. I find that I bounce among a bunch of them when I am working on the A's.

[Ken Ehrenhofer]

Is there such a thing as the BEST restoration book? It depends on what you are doing with the car.......

Restoration Guidelines and Judging Standards

All 3 Les Andrews book but the blue one is best for troubleshooting

Ford Service Bulletins

Ford Model A as Henry built it by George De Angelis

All the MARC Technically Speaking Series

All the MAFCA "How to" Series

I could go on and on but start your library with the first 4 and then build from there

[Marshall57]

Originally Posted by Bill Goddard

For chassis, engine, radiator, clutch, electrical system, etc I always recommend Les Andrew's Model A Ford Mechanics Handbook, vol 1 and Model A Trouble Shooting & Diagnostics also by Les Andrews. There is also a book for roadsters sold by Model A Ford resoration dealers but I know nothing about it - I have a sedan. Bill G

Hello Bill Gardard,
I have most of the popular books, and am looking for something more on my roadster, that roadster book would be something I have been looking for. Do you have any more information on it, what the name is or where to buy one?
I have a book called: Restoring the Open "A"s, by Mack Products and what it has is good but it is not very complete.

[Tinbasher]

The more the better,only sometimes it gets confusing on whats correct. I think I"ll stick to Hudson's nobody knows what right for those!!!!LOL

The Old Tinbasher

[Randy in Illinois]

I find good information in all the books. the ones mentioned are good to start with. your collection will grow.

[Kevin in NJ]

All the modern shop manuals are flawed so do not trust any of the information until you confirm it through other sources.

For an understanding of the car you start with reading the owners manual.

The Judging Standards and Restoration Handbook will help you get year correct parts on the car. This is important as some mixing of different year parts is not good, not because you are making a show car.

Reading about the history helps overcome the bad information about the car that follows by word of mouth.

I have found that the Les manual vol 1 has some good diagrams and basics on tear down and re-assembly. He has errors in places and does not tell you how to properly tell a good from a bad used part. Some of his guidelines are just wrong. Les is also quick to sell you on some modern parts. His vol 2 and 3 go more into changing the A with modern 'improvements' which you will find are more likely to fail than properly restored original parts.

Jim Schlid has a repair manual. His is more textual and harder to follow. He has a bunch of Ford prints that allows you to get parts dimensions that help you to determine actual parts conditions.

The book, 'The Legendary Model A Ford' is a great historical reference. It gives you a good understanding that the A was a car that was reliably driven for tens of thousands of miles at modern speeds. I must point out the Model A is designed to run 60 MPH.

Finally, based on my learning. The Model A is built much different then what you might expect. Ford was doing extreme precision manufacturing. Sub thousands accuracy in the moving parts and high standards in balance. You can not just through the A together and get a drives like factory car. You need to built it like you would build a race car. You must know how to use micrometers and be ready to use them.

When done right you should have a car that just wants to go. You biggest issue should be stopping to re-fill the fuel tank. If you build it right with mostly original type parts you will go tens of thousands of miles between any major work.
It will feel good to drive all day at 60 MPH and 45 MPH is effortless.

[Bob-A]

Ditto on just about everything everybody else said. Especially Purdy Swoft's recommendation of the Bratton catalog. I found just what I needed to know on how to correctly "adjust" a bent exhaust pipe on my
'29 "A's" muffler/exhaust system. I was amazed that it worked and had to call up Bratton's and thank them. The note is on page 34 and is about
leaky flanges.

Bob-A

[stouchton]

I purchased Les Andrews book first, and although informative it is lacking in detail and pictorials.

I received Les Pearsons book as a birthday gift last month. Excellent book - I prefer it over Andrews book. Much more descriptive, and nice photographs.

As a Model A newbie, but someone that has 40 years car experience, I would recommend Pearson's book as a "first must have". There is nothing wrong with Andrews book, but being an engineer I get frustrated when things are not explained completely and with good detail.

I have not experienced the Bratton catalog yet - that has me interested.

[Bill Goddard]

To Marshall57 - I can't find a specific roadster book I must have been thinking of the one you have on open cars. I also think no one book has everything you need. I bought $250 worth of books when I bought my A and I still don't have everything I need. Bill g

[Richard Wilson]

Don't forget MARC's Model A News magazine. Every issue features several pages of detailed, up close photo's of very high point restored show cars. Six issues a year. If a picture is worth a thousand words, that is a lot of restoration information.

[Purdy Swoft]

I've got lots of model A books. I feel that the Paul moller books are among the best. The Victor Duncan videos are very helpfull, You get to see the REAL experts do their thing. As Bob A says above the Brattons catalog is a valuable source of info such as bolt sizes, threads per inch, exploded diagrams, wiring diagrams and much, much more.

[gweilbaker]

Not to bash, don't get "PRACTICAL INFORMATION ABOUT 1930-31 COUPES", so far I've used it to shim my wobbly bench, start charcoal, masking paper and a bench matte so it does have its uses.

Les Pearson's Manual looks interesting.

[CarlG]

Originally Posted by RHD

Hi Folks.
Have you inspected my restoration book? It is very comprehensive.

Hi Les,
I have looked at 3 different on-line catalogs (Snyders, Berts & Mikes) this morning and I can't find your book in any of them. Do you have catalog # references for any of these? Maybe that would help in finding it.