The Ford Barn

marc silva · 02-13-2023, 08:46 AM

I have a question. How did someone back in 1931 with only one leg go about driving a model A? Did they have hand control systems back then? There is a photo on the MAFCA home page today 2/13/23 of a gentleman purchasing a 1931 Victoria and it is clear he is on crutches with only one leg. There was as we know no power brakes or power steering on an A let alone an automatic transmission back then. Sometimes it difficult to drive one with two legs. Good for him if he could do it! They must have had something or else he wouldn’t be buying the car unless he had someone to drive him around. Marc

ronn · 02-13-2023, 09:19 AM

think Def Leapard, the one armed drummer............

all is possible

clutch and brake with your foot and throttle by hand

johnneilson · 02-13-2023, 09:50 AM

Possibly someone installed an automatic transmission
There is a gentleman out here in so cal who drag races a speedster
He is paraplegic and uses only hand control

John

Brokenvette · 02-13-2023, 10:22 AM

There were hand controls on FDR's 36 Ford Phaeton.

rich b · 02-13-2023, 10:24 AM

My wife's cousin's hand controls back in '70s consisted of a pretty simple lever that worked both the brakes and throttle. Pushed for brakes and pivoted down for throttle.

Can't imagine they didn't have the smarts to do the same back then. So as long as the veteran in the picture could use his remaining leg to operate the clutch, he could be good to go.

eagle · 02-13-2023, 10:27 AM

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Not really a problem with hand throttle. The only issue is when stopping first you have to push the clutch in, slide it into neutral, then hit the brakes. A little delayed but works just fine. I drove an old 51 chev pickup one whole summer with casted and unusable right leg AND right arm. In a quick stop situation it ends up with hitting the brakes without taking it out of gear, so you have a stalled engine. No big deal.

McMimmcs · 02-13-2023, 10:41 AM

How do we know it was on credit ?

bruceincam · 02-13-2023, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McMimmcs

How do we know it was on credit ?

Maybe he meant "crutches". Weird typo -----

Bob C · 02-13-2023, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McMimmcs

How do we know it was on credit ?

Because the picture says so.

McMimmcs · 02-13-2023, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob C

Because the picture says so.

You’re correct, I didn’t see that. Thank you. Wayne

ronn · 02-13-2023, 12:21 PM

Possibly someone installed an automatic transmission

not in 1931................. auto trans didnt come out till later in 40s-think Buick dynaflow.

of course there were also the 36-37 cords, but that wasnt totally automatic

Synchro909 · 02-13-2023, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ronn

Possibly someone installed an automatic transmission

not in 1931................. auto trans didnt come out till later in 40s-think Buick dynaflow.

of course there were also the 36-37 cords, but that wasnt totally automatic

You beat me to it!

1930artdeco · 02-14-2023, 11:27 AM

Wooden Prosthetic? Or, there is a foot there I just can't see it as it is in the shadow of his other leg.

robert shreveport · 02-14-2023, 11:39 AM

At first I thought he had no left leg. Zooming in I see a left shoe but cannot see a right leg or foot. Perhaps he had both but cannot clearly tell in this picture.

marc silva · 02-14-2023, 11:45 AM

You can see his right pant leg folded up

Al Mack · 02-14-2023, 11:59 AM

The pic is most likely a part of a promo ad to inform the public that the U.S. Government has a financial assistance/grant program to help disabled vets returning after WW1-era. Plenty of info if you GOOGLE "disabled veteran benefits."

dave in australia · 02-15-2023, 06:38 AM

Could also be the veteran is the person with two legs and the creditor is the person on crutches.

jack backer · 02-15-2023, 07:17 AM

He made a good deal, most times credit costs me an arm and a leg.

History · 02-15-2023, 08:43 AM

I have a cousin who is paralyzed from the waist down and there is very little he can’t do, he’s actually worked ever since the accident. The stuff he can do without asking for help makes you want to take a club to some of the able bodied pajama walkers I see regularly. I can promise if he had one leg that worked he could drive a model A easily. I bet as mentioned earlier he used the hand throttle and other leg.

Seth Swoboda · 02-15-2023, 09:12 AM

I think the whole photo is a staged publicity shot. I doubt the man bought the Model A.

02-13-2023, 08:46 AM	#1
marc silva Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: santa rosa ca Posts: 257	Veteran buying a 31 Victoria on credit I have a question. How did someone back in 1931 with only one leg go about driving a model A? Did they have hand control systems back then? There is a photo on the MAFCA home page today 2/13/23 of a gentleman purchasing a 1931 Victoria and it is clear he is on crutches with only one leg. There was as we know no power brakes or power steering on an A let alone an automatic transmission back then. Sometimes it difficult to drive one with two legs. Good for him if he could do it! They must have had something or else he wouldn’t be buying the car unless he had someone to drive him around. Marc

02-13-2023, 09:19 AM	#2
ronn Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: NNNNNNNNJJJJJJJJJJ Posts: 6,791	Re: Veteran buying a 31 Victoria on credit think Def Leapard, the one armed drummer............ all is possible clutch and brake with your foot and throttle by hand

02-13-2023, 09:50 AM	#3
johnneilson Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: 34.22 N 118.36 W Posts: 1,057	Re: Veteran buying a 31 Victoria on credit Possibly someone installed an automatic transmission There is a gentleman out here in so cal who drag races a speedster He is paraplegic and uses only hand control John __________________ As Carroll Smith wrote; All Failures are Human in Origin.

02-13-2023, 10:22 AM	#4
Brokenvette Member Join Date: Nov 2022 Location: South Alabama Posts: 78	Re: Veteran buying a 31 Victoria on credit There were hand controls on FDR's 36 Ford Phaeton.

02-13-2023, 10:24 AM	#5
rich b Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Minnesota Posts: 1,827	Re: Veteran buying a 31 Victoria on credit My wife's cousin's hand controls back in '70s consisted of a pretty simple lever that worked both the brakes and throttle. Pushed for brakes and pivoted down for throttle. Can't imagine they didn't have the smarts to do the same back then. So as long as the veteran in the picture could use his remaining leg to operate the clutch, he could be good to go.

02-13-2023, 10:27 AM	#6
eagle Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Eagle Bend, MN Posts: 2,025	Re: Veteran buying a 31 Victoria on credit Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Not really a problem with hand throttle. The only issue is when stopping first you have to push the clutch in, slide it into neutral, then hit the brakes. A little delayed but works just fine. I drove an old 51 chev pickup one whole summer with casted and unusable right leg AND right arm. In a quick stop situation it ends up with hitting the brakes without taking it out of gear, so you have a stalled engine. No big deal. __________________ "There are some that can destroy an anvil with a teaspoon and shouldn't be allowed to touch anything resembling a tool."

02-13-2023, 10:41 AM	#7
McMimmcs Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2019 Location: Fort Gratiot, Michigan Posts: 2,296	Re: Veteran buying a 31 Victoria on credit How do we know it was on credit ?

02-13-2023, 12:21 PM	#11
ronn Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: NNNNNNNNJJJJJJJJJJ Posts: 6,791	Re: Veteran buying a 31 Victoria on credit Possibly someone installed an automatic transmission not in 1931................. auto trans didnt come out till later in 40s-think Buick dynaflow. of course there were also the 36-37 cords, but that wasnt totally automatic

02-14-2023, 11:27 AM	#13
1930artdeco Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Lynden, Wa Posts: 3,552	Re: Veteran buying a 31 Victoria on credit Wooden Prosthetic? Or, there is a foot there I just can't see it as it is in the shadow of his other leg. __________________ 1930 TownSedan (Briggs) 1957 Country Sedan

02-14-2023, 11:39 AM	#14
robert shreveport Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Shreveport,La. Posts: 332	Re: Veteran buying a 31 Victoria on credit At first I thought he had no left leg. Zooming in I see a left shoe but cannot see a right leg or foot. Perhaps he had both but cannot clearly tell in this picture.

02-14-2023, 11:45 AM	#15
marc silva Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: santa rosa ca Posts: 257	Re: Veteran buying a 31 Victoria on credit You can see his right pant leg folded up

02-14-2023, 11:59 AM	#16
Al Mack Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 45	Re: Veteran buying a 31 Victoria on credit The pic is most likely a part of a promo ad to inform the public that the U.S. Government has a financial assistance/grant program to help disabled vets returning after WW1-era. Plenty of info if you GOOGLE "disabled veteran benefits." Last edited by Al Mack; 02-14-2023 at 06:07 PM.

02-15-2023, 06:38 AM	#17
dave in australia Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Victoria, Australia Posts: 1,177	Re: Veteran buying a 31 Victoria on credit Could also be the veteran is the person with two legs and the creditor is the person on crutches.

02-15-2023, 07:17 AM	#18
jack backer BANNED Join Date: Mar 2022 Location: Chenango Bridge NY Posts: 433	Re: Veteran buying a 31 Victoria on credit He made a good deal, most times credit costs me an arm and a leg.

02-15-2023, 08:43 AM	#19
History Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2017 Location: NC Mountains Posts: 689	Re: Veteran buying a 31 Victoria on credit I have a cousin who is paralyzed from the waist down and there is very little he can’t do, he’s actually worked ever since the accident. The stuff he can do without asking for help makes you want to take a club to some of the able bodied pajama walkers I see regularly. I can promise if he had one leg that worked he could drive a model A easily. I bet as mentioned earlier he used the hand throttle and other leg.

02-15-2023, 09:12 AM	#20
Seth Swoboda Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 3,795	Re: Veteran buying a 31 Victoria on credit I think the whole photo is a staged publicity shot. I doubt the man bought the Model A.