tell a Model A related story

[woofa.express]

Originally Posted by ursus

Your mention of the use of humans to help orient crop duster pilots in the application of various pesticides reminds me of the potential risks involved. Back in the '60's and '70's the work as a spotter" was greatly coveted because it allowed for relatively high pay for a few hours work, provided one could arrive on site at the wee hours before the wind started up and spraying was halted. Several of my high school cohorts were lucky to get such jobs but may have paid for it later on. Two such died in their early thirties from cancers that were attributed to this work. They carried umbrellas to shield them from the spray, to no apparent benefit.

that's a shame and quite silly. I always had my markers (Americans call them flaggers) stand well outside the paddock, work into wind ie fresh air and have walked outside the wing area before I passed. They would not even smell it. No need to stand in the paddock nor stand under the aeroplane as it passes.

[woofa.express]

What a contrast.

Some years ago Patsy and I attended the Model A National Meeting held at Glenelg near Adelaide S.A. The presentation dinner was an eye opener for us. The appetites of these attendees was enormous. More and more food had to be prepared for their gargantuan hunger. Sweets as well. The hotel staff said they too had never seen anything like it. Now what was surprising was the large selection of good wine in the centre of the table that was hardly touched. They seemed to be eaters and not drinkers.
I’ve been to many agricultural aeroplane operator meetings and my buddies had tiny appetites. But boy did they have raging thirsts. The ability to clean up liquor like there’s no tomorrow. What a contrast to that Model A Meeting.
I had never seen anything like these enormous appetites until I went on a cruise liner and watched some Americans who didn’t eat off plates but ate off platters. But don’t take offence, many Australians can match them particularly Model A drivers and I myself am quite partial to a good meal and don't mind a drink.

[Richard in Anaheim CA]

OK, how long is this thread going on?

I've checked several times through the years for an interesting Model A story. All I seem to find are ego stroking autobiographies not in the least Model A related.

[woofa.express]

Hi Richard. I'm sorry you find my stories that way and I’m sorry you perceive me and my stories egotistical but I don’t know how I can change either.
You are free of course to contribute to that thread yourself as indeed many others have and I am always pleased when they do so. Conversely you are not compelled to read it.
I do receive communications from those who enjoy reading them and you can see by the number of views there are many. Many like me are both Model A owners and pilots or interested in aviation. In addition you will find I have written many Model A stories in this thread.
Writing in this forum has been good for me. It has expanded my vocabulary and ability to express myself. This is from what was once a school kid who failed the final English exam with a mark of 28%. In addition it has made me realize my life has been more active and varied than I had ever envisaged.
But maybe it is time for me to slow down on writing?

[Richard in Anaheim CA]

I'm only one of the readers on Fordbarn. No ill will intended. I just don't expect to find so much in one post that has no connection to Model A's.

Good Luck and good health to you and your following.

[California Travieso]

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Originally Posted by Richard in Anaheim CA

OK, how long is this thread going on?

I've checked several times through the years for an interesting Model A story. All I seem to find are ego stroking autobiographies not in the least Model A related.

Maybe we could prevail on Ryan to start a new forum for Crop Spraying Aircraft!

David Serrano

[updraught]

"This is from what was once a school kid who failed the final English exam with a mark of 28%"

If you went back to school now you'd probably get %96. Things have changed ... a lot.

Those old english teachers liked to terrorise everyone.
Ours would lean on a tall steel filing cabinet and get angrier and angrier until he'd slam the cabinet in rage. All his spare chins would wobble. He'd then call us a bunch of idiots. That was it. It never got any better that that. End of class, to be repeated next time.
You were never going to do much good if lived in the sticks. Reading between the lines of some dry Graham Greene novel was never going to make sense.

[woofa.express]

Originally Posted by updraught

"This is from what was once a school kid who failed the final English exam with a mark of 28%"

If you went back to school now you'd probably get %96. Things have changed ... a lot.

Those old english teachers liked to terrorise everyone.
Ours would lean on a tall steel filing cabinet and get angrier and angrier until he'd slam the cabinet in rage. All his spare chins would wobble. He'd then call us a bunch of idiots. That was it. It never got any better that that. End of class, to be repeated next time.
You were never going to do much good if lived in the sticks. Reading between the lines of some dry Graham Greene novel was never going to make sense.

Hi Updraft. I think it could be we had the same English teacher? cheers, gary

[fried okra]

OK, here's a Model A story I think.

Back in the early '60's in high school a friend a couple years older than me had a '28 Tudor. Several of us thought we would go to the drive in movies one night.

We were short on money as I recall so decided to strap the smallest of us under the '28 Tudor. It seemed safe with the high ground clearance with the 21" wheels. So, David was holding on with his arms near the transmission and we had his legs strapped to the rear axle with his belt.

Needless to say the ticket booth operator saw his feet sticking out near the rear bumper after we went thru the gate and kicked us out.

I sometimes wonder how we survived those days. Life was more forgiving then I think.

fried okra

[woofa.express]

To restore or not.


My friend M2M writes about an unrestored motor car called Patrina. I don’t know who manufactured it infact I don’t know anything about it at all, but it has opened much discussion in this forum on whether to restore or not.
I’m not intending to enter the Patrina discussion however I have had my own experience whether or not to restore. Many years ago I bought a 1953 FX Holden. It had driven only 23k miles and was in excellent mechanical and body condition, all original except for 1 detraction, all 4 mudguards (which you Americans call fenders). It had obviously been driven through fences or scraped up fences as all mudguards were all badly scored. It was said father purchased it for son who was 63. He had so much difficulty handling it father instructed son to park it up. A good story but there is no way of knowing whether it is fact or fable.
After I had acquired it I took it to a local panel shop to have these 4 mudguards repaired but was talked into a full paint job. I have regretted it ever since. I know I can return this to original and that is spend hours rubbing with a cutter for the colour and undercoat are relatively thin then have the mudguard scores simply touched up. Do I want to do this. No.
This Holden car is a very sort after model for it is the first model of Australia’s first in house motor car. Holden is a subsidiary of General Motors. I am frequently approached with offers to sell. I purchased this and the 3 Model A’s for my kids so it is not really mine to sell. But it is car that I don’t warm to but so is almost every car built after the mid ‘30’s when running boards and flowing mudguards became redundant. I have posted a picture of that model from the internet. I have several pictures of mine but they are all mixed up with hundreds of others awaiting sorting and it’s too tedious to start sorting at this time.

[woofa.express]

Some days ago my stories received a negative responce and I was charged with being egotistical from a reader of the forum. It really deflated my enthusiasm or ego but I have had an almost overwhelming responce of support and thus I will continue to write. One from a friend and past employee who says I just don’t have an ego. With all the encouragement I received I have decided to continue writing just as I have being doing but not as frequently. Gary.

[katy]

Originally Posted by woofa.express

Some days ago my stories received a negative responce and I was charged with being egotistical from a reader of the forum. It really deflated my enthusiasm or ego but I have had an almost overwhelming responce of support and thus I will continue to write. One from a friend and past employee who says I just don’t have an ego. With all the encouragement I received I have decided to continue writing just as I have being doing but not as frequently. Gary.

Carry on the good work Gary.

[woofa.express]

Back in Favour? Yes?

Today’s story was prompted by articles in the news papers, about the increasing authority of the “progressives” and the “word police”.

When I was a child I loved Noddy, that little fellow who lived in toyland and his friend Bigears who lived nearby in a toadstool. Bigears wasn’t permitted to live in Toyland for he wasn’t a toy. Mr Plod was the policeman who directed traffic and because he was polite and courteous bares no resemblance to the modern highway cop.
It was considered because Noddy and Bigears had too close a friendship they just maybe homosexual. So the popular book series was banned.
Today we have legislation to help and preserve homosexuals who prefer to be named the softer term of gays. And the media and some others even seem besotted by them.
With homosexuals so much in favour let the children once again enjoy Enid Blighton’s little story books.

[woofa.express]

Our Mingle with a Different Type of Motor Car Enthusiasts.


Patsy and I had reason to overnight at Rainbow Beach, Queensland. It just happened to coincide with the local car and motor bike show and beauty contest known as Rockabilly.


There were no Model A’s and the only vintage was a Pontiac of about the late 20’s which needed a large injection of dollars. There were a few from the ‘50’s but most from the 60’s. Even some new cars. I could not get enthusiastic with the cars but I did with the girls. Wow. Dressed in the 50’s fashion and dressed to kill. Being fat just didn’t deter any of them. The Miss Rainbow Beach contest was hilarious. Only two girls had normal legs the rest had strainer posts. Most had tattoos and they looked like roadside bill boards with multi coloured displays. They were proud of what they called their “ink”. Many were sporting facial rings and studs. One in particular looked like she had fallen face first into a fishing tackle box and she proudly lifted her skirt to display her multi coloured art work. She showed a little more than what I might have expected. I say little more because covering her personal parts was a piece of cloth the size of a 55c postage stamp. She was a show off and enjoyed being the centre of attention and joined with us in having a good laugh knowing full well it was her we were laughing at. She is in the picture but unfortunately the photographer missed the opportunity of getting leg shots. You can see her arm and this is what most of her body looked like.
The blokes, well some of them anyway, were dressed in clothing that looked like they had come from a workshop having just finished a grease and oil change.
When I think back to my life as a young boy I remembered that some groupies were bodgies and widgies. I don’t really recall much about them except they had the “gentle folk” (Bing Crosby) intimidated. It was said that shop keepers closed up when they arrived in town. Patsy says the same happened when the Gypsies arrived in her small town of Gin Gin. I wonder if these groups were as bad as they are portrayed?

[woofa.express]

The life and times of Woofa.

I was having dinner with my work friend Annette. She had a stumpy tail foxie named Betsy. One could clearly see the happy disposition of this pup. My memory took me back to my childhood when my dogs were foxies. They were fun, good company and our whole family enjoyed them. Besides fun they had taunacity and courage. So when I saw the character of Annette’s pup I decided I too must have one. So through Annette I acquired one of Betsy’s litter mates and named him Woofa.

The mother was the fox terrier and the sire the fastest dog on the street, a stumpy tail Smithfield. He came from Euabalong which is about 40 miles west of Condobolin with a population fewer than 200. When one acquires a pup one can train it but has to suffer the growing up behaviour such as holes appearing in the yard and shoes missing from the back door. But it’s worth it.

Woofa lived in a small freezer. It had a round hole cut in the side at eye height so he always knew who was coming and going. Being a freezer it is insulated well and warm in winter and not heat soaked in summer. The bedding was sheep skins and he ate from stainless steel pots. If you think that is pampering just realise Woofa gave me his all and I was pleased to care well for him. He would fetch balls, sticks anything I threw and do everything I asked of him.. He was not permitted in the house but would wait at the door, ball in mouth and drop it inside as soon as the door would open. Patsy or I would throw it away and within seconds he would be back with it again. He would never tire. He’d never wag his tail, everything aft of his rib cage would wag rapidly, almost vibrate.

Woofa was not permitted in the motor cars either but with one exception. The Ford Model A. When I walked in that direction of that motor car he was under my feet for fear of missing a ride. I have named the vehicle “woofa express” in his honour.

I’d feed him in the evening so he always came willingly to his dwelling. He’d jump up on the freezer to save me bending over. When it had rained and that’s a rarity these days, he’d skid right across the top and tumble over the opposite edge. I was always waiting for this amusing unintentional antic.

Woofa met his fate on 20th June 2017. We get so little traffic up our street which ends only 40 yards past our house. But he was playing catch me with a guest’s dog and simply didn’t look. He was taken out by a Nissan and I haven’t liked Nissans since. I miss him badly. Don’t dogs give us so much pleasure? Don't you miss them when they've gone.

[katy]

I have lived on 2 different streets that were quite short and dead ended. It amazed me how fast most of the vehicles traveled up and/or down those short streets. I didn't have a Model A at those times.

[40 Deluxe]

Originally Posted by woofa.express

Back in Favour? Yes?

Today’s story was prompted by articles in the news papers, about the increasing authority of the “progressives” and the “word police”.

When I was a child I loved Noddy, that little fellow who lived in toyland and his friend Bigears who lived nearby in a toadstool. Bigears wasn’t permitted to live in Toyland for he wasn’t a toy. Mr Plod was the policeman who directed traffic and because he was polite and courteous bares no resemblance to the modern highway cop.
It was considered because Noddy and Bigears had too close a friendship they just maybe homosexual. So the popular book series was banned.
Today we have legislation to help and preserve homosexuals who prefer to be named the softer term of gays. And the media and some others even seem besotted by them.
With homosexuals so much in favour let the children once again enjoy Enid Blighton’s little story books.

Could very well have been that those children's books were slanted toward homosexuality. Seems like Q***s are always looking for fresh meat! So make it seem OK to innocent kids!

[History]

Here is another book about the subject.

[woofa.express]

Hi Deluxe 40. I don’t know what Q**** is? Probably some progressive (?) social group who are constantly finding grievances with society?

Hi History. The thumbnail pictures don’t enlarge sufficiently to see the titles. What are they? Some other innocent book banned for some social reason?

Cheers, gary.

[History]

Let me try again,,,,,