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Old 05-18-2018, 02:55 PM   #41
DHZIEMAN
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This Model A Story is from my childhood, the years for this story cover probably 1946 to 1949. My dad, a mechanic had owned a Model A Ford since about 1935! The car was the 4 door DeLuxe with 2 wheel wells! (that he never put spare tires in.) and it had a full box trunk on the back that he used to carry water, as we had no plumbing.

From about 1938 on, in Chicago, my dad worked for a lumber company as a mechanic to keep trucks of the day going delivering lumber and bringing in lumber from the Western and Northern States and Canada.

During WWII, a lot of lumber got used for crating for the war effort. Any kind being cut was used, even exotic stuff. After the war, dad got involved with someone who had a lot of crating put together that was no longer needed and they were either going to burn it or they would deliver it to his property. I have never seen such a big stack of wood.

Anyway, my dad had been modifying the model A Ford to allow the place that the crank would be used to start the car to be set up with a pillow block on the bumper with a pinned shaft put into the crank hole, all aligned to drive a wide flat belt. ( the kind that was used on farms with tractors of the day to run wheat grinders and stationary implements of all kinds)

He also had built a high flatbed trailer with a very smooth wood surface, and installed in the very middle a saw arbor that had a large saw blade mounted. I do not remember the size of the blade but, 10x10 lumber pushed thru it you could still see blade. He put a trailer ball on the end of the model a bumper, blocked the trailer with wood to lock it in place installed a long leather flat belt, and then the fun. As a kid I pulled nails every day, and when dad got home he pulled nails from all this crate lumber. Let me tell you, some of this lumber was 8x8x12 or 16 and some was bigger.

Once we had the nails out and he and mom and I had stacked the wood, he set up the trailer saw to cut 2inch lumber. I would sit in the model A Ford, dad would give me the sign to rev it up, and he told me to keep the engine speed constant, once I hit the right speed. That effort went on for weeks. Eventually all the wood was cut into 2x4Â’s or 2x10Â’s and he had the lumber to build our home, and he did complete all framing from that lumber.

That old model A Engine, running as a stationary power plant and me, a 9 year old kid being the throttle engineer for my dad, is just something, I will never, never forget!

Today, we as a people in this world are not into this kind of use of a vehicle, as a kid, neighbors that had one, would take off a rear wheel and put on a pully belt and use 1st gear to pump water.

After the effort was completed, my uncle who had a farm in Indiana bought the model A Ford and trailer and drove it to his farm to cut wood there! Never saw the car or trailer again!

Henry built one heck of a vehicle for the world to use to improve life! That is the story!
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Old 05-20-2018, 09:29 AM   #42
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Winnie theblue dog crashes my 28 Tourer
Well I wasboth proud and pleased with my restored 28 A model. It was advertised in theMelbourne newspaper by a local farmer in our area. Had been a paddock basheruntil it wasn’t even any good for that. 2K was the asking price and whilst Icouldn’t immediately put my hands on that money the farmer agreed he would keepit for me until I could come up with it. There was numerous enquiries fromMelbourne which was 200 miles south.
I had itwell restored costing twice it’s market value but I was pleased.
I had a dog,a blue healer cattle dog by the name of Winnie. Winnie had been my daughtersdog. Given to her as a puppy which outgrew its cuteness when it grew into aproper size hound. It was left with us, her parents, on a temporary permanentbasis. I have heard many stories aboutparents inheriting dogs from their kids.
It’s ourpolicy not to have dogs in the house or car. One exception is the Model A.Winnie would sit on the floor only and never miss an opportunity of going whereever it took her.
One thisparticular day, with the car running and parked in our yard, engine running with the driversdoor open ( and it’s always been my policy to close car doors) Winnie was not goingto miss this ride. Up she jumped and squeezed between the seat and the gearstick. The gear stick was pushed forward and almost without a crunch was inreverse. I saw this. The staff car chugging backwards and approaching a 3000gallon fuel tank. Well the expected occurred. Crunch. I hadn’t made it back tothe vehicle at that moment and here was the staff car held stationary withwheels rotating in the dirt.
I climbedin. Winnie gave me one of those dog smiles to display pleasure. I gave her apat. How could I be pissed with something she did not intend and had no idea ofmy panic and 7 second 100 yard dash.
Fortunatelydamage was minimal and the rear bumper bar had saved the day. She continued herchauffer driven rides and we still loved her.
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Old 05-20-2018, 09:40 AM   #43
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My First A: The Staff Car.


I purchased this from a farmer who lives near Deniliquin which is 40 miles to the east of our town, Tocumwal. In New South Wales (NSW).


There is one commercial business between the towns of Tocumwal. A pub at Blighty. It is the community meeting place for local farmers and others. The pub always has a good and happy atmosphere. They were serving 120 meals each Friday night. Now that’s pretty good for a little farming community.


Now it’s patronage has become so small the publican is considering closing. Why? Random Breath Testing. For no good reason it became a target of what is Highway Patrol (I call Highway men). They are the most despicable police in NSW. A police training school is located in Deniliquin and there are cops there with little to do. You know what that leads to don’t you.


Well in the town of Deniliquin the locals got sick of them too. So they got even. Cops arrived at a the Federal hotel one evening with no good reason. When they departed there was an awful crunch and a loud scrape. The front axel was detached and laying on the ground just where the vehicle was parked before it reversed out. A chain had been coupled the axel to a large post. The vehicle had reversed out but not the axel.


Not surprisingly they could not find a culprit but they did find a hotel full of jubilant drinkers.

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Old 05-20-2018, 09:46 AM   #44
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I


I picked up my ModelA ute in Yarrawongaand two of my grandkids travelled back with me.They wantedto luncheon at an upmarket out door country location called the‘Olive Grove’.


Well the Olive Grovehad good food,good service and a pleasant vista with farmingequipment aroundand farm animalsgrazing very near by.


Well the financialaspects ran throughmy mind, so when McDonalds came into view I talked theminto a ‘happy meal’.Well with enthusiasm we entered and placed their order,the happy meal plus addons, and for granddad a ham burger and coffee.Price$48.


Price, $48.I don’tknow if it was amore affordable price than the Olive Grove, but thefigures ranthrough my mind.For the three of us we could have each had a cooked chook and2 tall bottles ofbeer for the same money. And it’s not thegreatest culinaryexperience eating atMcDonald’s.



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Old 05-20-2018, 09:08 PM   #45
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I have taken a liking to writing. whilst my aviation stories are not related to my favourite motor car I will post them here. if you don't like them or don't approve just say and I will not post any more. aviation stories that is. here goes.


KhartoumInternational Airport.
In 1977 wehad a drought in Queensland so I worked a cotton season in Sudan, Africa. When an aeroplane service was required weflew into Khartoum. On arrival it was customary to circle the tower before landing. Don’t know why but that's what we did.


One day I didn’t and it wasn’t long before this big black man came and spoke to me.Couldn’t understand a word but when I pointed to the tower I figured I was in trouble.


Yes, I was told, I was a very dangerous pilot. Landed without getting a green verri light.I told the tower man, who spoke good English, that in all the times I landed at Khartoum I had never being given a green verri light and I asked if he would showme. We he messed around in a cupboard and pulled out a mains powered torch with a red light. Please will you show me a green light. Fiddles in the cupboard again and has a green lens in his hand. Screws out the red and inserts the green. But that’s not a green light, that’s half a green light (the lens was broken in about half). He couldn’t produce it and more than 10 minutes had elapsed. I had to write a report on why I was a dangerous pilot.


To depart Khartoum one would taxi to the front of the tower and the controller would step outside and give a wave. One could then depart. One of the pilots was a hardcase Dutchman by the name of Gerard Post. He lied to the controller and said as he was difficult to see he, the controller should wave his handkerchief. (Thecontrollers had hankies infact they were upmarket blokes who had house servants). they had been trained in England. It reminded me all of the movie ‘the magnificent men in their flying machines).


To depart wehad to lodge a flight plan the day before, and before midday otherwise we hadto wait an additional day. This was so the military had time to digest a departing aeroplane and wouldn’t shoot us down. Remember Khartoum is an international airport.


One learned not to have high expectations and not to become anxious about things.
And a foot note. to be trained. that means what monkey sees monkey do. It removes all initiative, character and imagination from monkeys head. strict protocol is to be observed and that is partly the downfall of todays modern workforce. I have taught just a few kids to fly. I always make them think for themselves. I asked them at each manoeuvre what they did correct and what they did wrong and how they would do it next time. As a result my 2 sons became pilots and captains of international airlines, carriers that you all will know. other kids became good cropdusters and have done well.



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Old 05-21-2018, 12:30 PM   #46
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stunning day. August 22, 1956 very sad as Daddy passed and I had to sell the car. August 22, 2017, and the 40Merc came home.

I still thrill almost a year later

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRrfXebA6pI
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Old 05-21-2018, 04:14 PM   #47
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I joined the Navy when I was seventeen, just out of high school, in 1958. When I graduated from boot camp I was assigned to school in Dam Neck, VA (near Virginia Beach). I decided to drive my '30 Tudor down to Virginia from Massachusetts. So, off I went. (No interstates in '58). Ran 50-55 much of the way. BUT, after a while, the generator quit and I was running on just the battery. That was OK as long as I kept the engine running since it wouldn't crank well on a low battery. In those days before the Hampton Roads bridge/tunnel was built, you had to take a ferry across from Kiptopeke (sp) Beach at the end of the DelMarVa peninsula over to Norfolk. You couldn't keep the engine running on the ferry, so she had to be shut down. And, I was one of the first cars on the ferry, so no one behind me could get off until I did. No pressure!! We were allowed to start our cars as the ferry was approaching the slip, so I cranked the old girl by hand and she started right up and off I went. No one the wiser!! When you're a teenager anything is possible!!! An experience I will never forget!!!
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Old 05-22-2018, 02:39 AM   #48
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popular Bob Caldwell


Bob Caldwell was a gentleman. A second generation ag operator in Northern California. It is well documented his dad Byron was one of the very first aerial operators.


Many Australians knew Bob. He married an Australian girl he met whilst on R. & R. whilst serving in Viet Nam. Bob flew each rice season for a local operator in Coleambally NSW and he purchased many aeroplanes for Australian operators including myself.


It is possible to write many chapters on Bob and indeed maybe a whole book, so I’ll try not to run off on a tangent.


Bob flew an Iroquois helicopter in Viet Nam. He was infact shot whilst flying. Alone bullet entered the ear piece of his helmet on the right hand side and made an exit on the left hand side. If Bob did not believe in God at the time Ithink he would have following that shot. For some reason the projectile skirted around the back of the helmet before making the exit.


I can confirm this as I have held the helmet and inspected the entry, track and exit. Difficult to believe? Yes. In the right hand side and out the left. The military stores issued a new helmet and next day returned the damaged one to Bob for him to souvenir.


Sadly Bob’s life ended with prostate cancer when he was only 52.. A propeller stands outside the Coleambally motel where Bob stayed. A memorial to him. His ashes are spread across the rice fields at Coleambally and Williams California.

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Old 05-24-2018, 12:15 PM   #49
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MY FIRST AQUANTENCE WITH A GIRL THAT I LOVE.

In an earlier post I said even as a kid I always admired the Model A. My first drive of one was when I was 16. It was an unloved coupe, sitting out in the weather at my friends family farm near the cow shed.

My friend and I got it started and headed down the road to the pub. About 15 miles away along a busy road. Busy in those days was about 1 vehicle every 5 minutes.
The minimum ageto enter a pub was 21. Our age would have been very obvious to the publican but he must have liked us, or the money, or both.
It took only about half a dozen beers and we were screaming. Then the drive back. When we saw an approaching car I would set the hand throttle, climb out on the running board still steering the car. Just as we were about to come adjacent to this on coming car I would scream and throw out my arm and leg. We made it back okay. If we had been caught both the cop and my parents would have given us a belting.
With my kids I gave them a ute and told them to teach themselves. They seemed to do okay and they too would do errands around our country roads.However I wasn’tsilly enough to let them drive into town. However today with cops that just delight in writing infringements one just has to comply. Stuffy world.
Well my daughter Sarah used to frequent the pub underage. I had a chat to the local sergeant of police who collected her in the police car, took her to the police station where she got a good dressing down. She never went to the pub again. For 3weeks.
And for my friends Model A. Is it still sitting at the cow shed where it was more than 50 years ago. I do hope someone bought it and provided it with TLC.
I have a Model A for 3 of my kids and a early Holden (Australian GM.) for the other. Sadly they haven't shown a lot of interest in them at this stage. Hope that changes.

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Old 05-25-2018, 03:21 PM   #50
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pete View Post
My Last Drive.

While out driving around in my model A, I swerved to avoid hitting a deer, lost control and landed in a ditch, severely banging my head.
Dazed and confused I crawled out of the ditch to the edge of the road when a shinny new convertible pulled up with a very beautiful woman who asked, "Are you okay?"
As I looked up, I noticed she was wearing a low cut blouse with cleavage to die for...
"I'm okay I think," I replied as I pulled myself up to the side of the car to get a closer look.
She said, “Get in and I’ll take you home so I can clean and bandage that nasty scrape on your head.”
"That's nice of you," I answered, but I don't think my wife will like me doing that!
"Oh, come now, I’m a nurse," she insisted. "I need to see if you have any more scrapes and then treat them properly."
Well, she was really pretty and very persuasive. Being sort of shaken and weak, I agreed, but repeated, "I'm sure my wife won't like this."
We arrived at her place which was just few miles away and, after a couple of cold beers and the bandaging, I thanked her and said, "I feel a lot better but I know my wife is going to be really upset so I'd better go now."
"Don't be silly!" she said with a smile, while unbuttoning her blouse exposing the most beautiful set of boobs I’ve ever seen. "Stay for a while. She won't know anything. By the way, where is she?"
"Still in the ditch with my model A, I guess."


ever thought of writing a book Pete? It would sell well. cheers, gary
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Old 05-25-2018, 06:25 PM   #51
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MY TASMANIAN TOUR IN THE UTE AND TOURER.

My crop dusting buddy, Wayne Cowan, is an operator in central northern Victoria. He runs anAirtractor and a Thrush. His son Andrew is now flying in the business. Wayne mainly loads these days with Andrew flying.

Wayne had a visit by two C.A.S.A. inspectors. Both these no brain, clip board, university graduating inspectors who had just starting to shave had exactly nought experience of ag.operations. They told Wayne they didn’t like his attitude. This didn’t bode well of course nor did it lead to a great conversation and thus report.
Each operatoris required to nominate a ‘chief pilot’ to be responsible for the pilots and operation. Well Wayne had this office revoked. It didn’t bother him greatly. But I have gone off at a tangent to my story.
Wayne called and invited me to take a tour of Tasmania. He with his Ford Mustang and me in my A ute (pickup) and A tourer (phaeton). My younger brother Michael and numerous friends came. By the end of the 8 day event attendees got to know my name. By the end of day 1 everyone knew Michael. He is gregarious.

It was a great rally and the most memorable aspects were the interest shown in the A’s by the oldies. I would take them for a ride and it would have been a memorable event for them. Some of them took the vehicles for a drive. I am not protective about my cars. They were a heap of junk when I purchased them and any mishap could be repaired. People are always hesitant in driving them for fear of damaging them.

Another pleasing aspect I had was giving kids at rally points a ride. They would pile in or ride on the running boards. I would drive in low gear very slowly. They too would remember it for years.

Tassy wasgreat. In some ways it’s a step back to the ’50’s. Locals are relaxed and well mannered. Tassy was also known as Van Deemans Land. In the 1800’s the English dumped their convicts there. To be a descendent was shameful until maybe 30years ago when it became a status. Well my g.g.g. grandfather ended there plus my g.g. grandmother. Theft in both cases. When I am in England, which is not frequent, I thank god that they were thieves and thank the magistrate who transported them.


The only disagreement I had was when I was about to drive on the ferry to cross Bass Strait and get home. An official wanted any materials I had which were flammable.I told her no, she was not getting it. She became argumental and at last demanded to know what I had. A bottle of whiskey I told her. Conversation ended in a friendly manner.
What a great trip. The only mechanical breakdown was one flat tyre.


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Old 05-27-2018, 05:14 PM   #52
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Mouse Hunter.


John Lynch was an accomplished pilot and aeroplane builder. He also built perspex canopies for aeroplanes and gliders.
John was a hermit. Lived alone just out of our town of Tocumwal NSW. His property was about 30 acres with an airstrip from which he flew his aeroplane and glider. His front gate was padlocked. I entered by way of landing and taxing up to his door. I enjoyed a chat with him.
John once bragged about his shooting expertise. He says he could shoot a mouse at an incredible distance ‘off the hip’. He became known as the great white mousehunter or mouse hunter for short.
One day a pilot by the name of Terry Walsh and I were flying around in a Beaver. The flight controls are on the left of course but the pole could be flipped to the right. But not the rudder pedals. Here I was flying from the right with the pole and Terry from the left, the pilot seat, with the pedals.
I said lets stop by and say goodday to Mouse Hunter. Everything went normal until touch down. We shot off to the left, over corrected then to the right. And again and again. Big over corrections. Mouse Hunter who was watching this shot off behind his house to avoid being sliced up by the prop just like a loaf of bread. We eventually stopped with propeller turning just where John had been standing.
That night I washed my own underwear so as to avoid my secret getting out.

Conclusion ofthe story. The brain that controls the pole must also be the brain that controls the pedals.

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Old 05-29-2018, 02:16 AM   #53
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William the Conqueror 1066
When I wasin primary school we learned history. I can recall how frequently we weretaught ‘William the Conqueror, 1066’. I haven’t forgotten.
But whatwasn’t told to me was just who this William was. I did learn however, at theage of about 60. He was a Frenchman who invaded England and had a scrap withthe poms. He, the frog, in his 21 year reignnever learned to speak English and so new words were introduced. We continuemany of these words today. William never learned to speak English and a gobblegook language was born. This did wear off over years and it could have beenhundreds of years. Except. Except one surviving western industry still usesthis stupid language. The legal industry. That’s why it is almost impossible totranslate legal jargon to simple everyday easy to understand English.
In 1968 Ilearned to become an agricultural pilot. Amongst the pesticides we used was afamily called ‘organic phosphates’. Quite toxic. If poisoned by ingestion onewas to take orally ‘ipecac syrup. At times when spraying insects out bush Ialways gave thought to where our closest supplier of ipecac syrup might belocated. Pharmacist or hospital and time it would take to acquire some. Somelocations were more than two hours drive away.
It took atleast 40 years of curiosity to get to the bottom of why this treatment?
Ipecac syrupinduces vomiting. Why the hell didn’t these instructors tell us that years ago?We always filled the correct answer in any exam papers we were required to sit.
Two hoursdrive to get this stuff? Two fingers down a victims neck would have providedthe same outcome. Preferably someone else’s fingers. But never the less.
William theConqueror. Ipecac Syrup. To think these teachers and instructors were paid toprovide useless information.
It ispossible that today these people are in industry, carrying clip boards wearingyellow high vis vests and welding considerable authority and acting with superiority.Many of them with CASA.

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Old 05-29-2018, 02:27 PM   #54
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Good day Model A fans.
I have enjoyed writing these stories and reading other owners tales too.
I have gotton a bit away from the A stories and gone to aviation stories, 5 consecutive I see. whilst I have many more I can tell, it is time for someone else to have a go. So lets hear some. Please.
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Old 05-29-2018, 11:14 PM   #55
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Reprinted from Henry's Horn, the newsletter of Henry's A's Model A club, Livermore, CA
From the Drivers Seat (Because I'm the President)
Dave Mc Arthur - Danville, California - [email protected]
Chapter 1 - The trip to Addison
Well here we are in Addison and will be looking forward to having a fun week and an uneventful trip home, via Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, Utah and Nevada, with the last mad dash from Fallon on the 5th of July if all goes as scheduled.
This was how the trip Started, ten miles from home, at the top of an overpass the left front wheel departed, never to be seen again.
Initially there was the problem of a six wheel roadster
insisting that five wheels are plenty. Unfortunately the
one it chose to throw off was the left front. Fortunately I
had a Jack. Unfortunately it wouldn't lift the axle high
enough to put a tire on. Fortunately I have a bride.
Unfortunately she was home in bed. Fortunately I had a
cell phone and she could bail me out with another jack.
Now with two jacks, I could put on a spare tire and be
on my way, all be it an hour later than planned. The
errant wheel has yet to turn up, though I suspect it is
directly below the flyover at Hwy 680 and Hwy 580.
That was where it headed and I didn't want to watch it as I was steering to a stop, a tad apprehensively, and amid a shower of sparks that would have started a grass fire, had I been out on the road. But luck had me on the highest part of the flyover.
Hot over the Tehachapi's, but the little car pulled that fine. Once out in the Mohave at Kramer Junction, running on the two lane out of where 395 and 58 cross, the points did their diminishing clearance trick. Once up to speed they bounce enough to let me cruise on into Barstow, but then it was all popping and backfiring into the Motel lot. Gapped them out a bit and all was well.
The next day was fun exploring the wild and exciting city of Barstow, then off to Oatman to see a burro. I had a pal leading the way and we both stopped at Golden Shores for some fuel. I barely made it up the hill into Oatman.
Street scene in Oatman Arizona, wild donkeys come into town for a handout from the tourists. Carrots can be purchased at the store.
Page - 1 -
On old Hwy 66, Cool Springs Station, AZ. Closed today
After leaving Oatman, the car did fine until we got back to Hwy 40. I managed to get it to wind up on the highway and we got to Kingman. There we put on another distributor and left with full power. Five miles later it was again running poorly and after nursing it for an hour with no noticeable improvement, I was on the trailer into Williams. By now I was running on my third distributor, second coil and frustration. The next morning I drove off to the Grand Canyon and it ran rather well most of the way there. Then lots of popping and backfiring. Steve Lewis put his spare carburetor on and away I went to the Canyon. Sort of. We got there but the popping and snorting was back and no power.
By now I was thoroughly frustrated and out of ideas, but as a mild exhaust leak had now turned into straight pipes we changed the manifold gasket, had to double up to stop the leak, but it ran fine back to Williams. Then it did the pop, snap, buck thing so I backed out the mixture control and it improved. We cleaned the carburetor and tightened wires and got back to my original distributor and carburetor and it ran okay. Not perfect, but okay. In Gallup, NM we took the ammeter wires off one of the studs and tightened the stud.
In Santa Rosa, New Mexico, a lady advised us of pending hail and tornado warnings on the way to Tucumcari, NM. We braved the weather and were rewarded with smooth sailing though it did appear threatening. All turned out sunny and dry in Tucumcari.
That seems to have me running like I should and I did so
well into Tucumcari that the next morning I took off on
my own for Amarillo and an old fashioned biscuits and
gravy, sausage and bacon, eggs and fixins breakfast at
Nelda's cousins. (For those that don't know, Nelda is my
bride of 50 years.) Then drove to Quanah where I met
the rest of the group. Now we are safely in Addison and
will be checking out the convention. This all sounds
bad, and it would have been except for the wonderful folks I'm traveling with. They still are talking to me so I guess they haven't totally lost patience with me yet. So I'll test them on the way home.
Thanks to Roger Griffith and Bill Miller, Nelda has sent me some spares for the trip home.
Page - 2 -
Chapter 2 - Addison and the Return Trip Home
By now you've all read of my wonderful start and the trip to Addison. It was a lot like the Marine Corps boot camp. Looking back it was a lot of fun and challenges met. At the time it was a lot of frustration and grief. But how about the event and the trip home, you ask?
The first day in Addison I got settled into my room, met a few of the folks staying in my hotel from various states and with various cars. Seems a lot were from Indiana and Iowa. Most were just there to observe things but one guy from Oregon was busy making his car ready for Touring class judging. I believe he must have topped his classification as he scored 486 points. I also walked to the International Hotel and got the lay of things. My main concern was to find the repair tent and compare it to Reno or Lodi. Then I ambled off in search of good Tex-Mex.
Second day I went to the time trials put on by F.A.S.T. Some real driving and fast cars at the time trials in Addison. This lady can make her machine fly.
I saw some real displays of racing skills and some hot machines. Went to the repair area and changed my oil and greased a few fittings. Then went in search of vendors to replenish my friends parts supplies, of those pieces I had put on my car.
Met up with some friends for dinner and a movie in a park the third day. None of us stayed for the movie, but the hot dogs and hamburgers were great.
Next I went to the Dallas Book Depository and heard the story of Kennedy and Oswald again. Also went to an Air and Flight Museum.
Snoopy's Sopworth Camel at the flight museum in Addison.
Another trip was to the Forth Worth Stockyards and the place that prints much of our money for the Federal Reserve. Had another shot at the Tex-Mex. Spent a good part of the rest of the time wandering and looking at the cars. We were never allowed to see the top cars up close. One could view them from above, over a balcony rail.
Nelda joined me and we wandered some more. We also went to her cousin's in Hurst for a night. That was right after we did the three laps on the Texas Speedway and then changed our distributor for the umpteenth time because the backfiring had people ducking for cover.
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We started early on our return and drove up to Clinton, OK. Another of Nelda's cousins came over from OK. City and we took him through the Hwy 66 Museum there. Another meal and off the next morning to Fairview, OK.
Some of the many steam and gasoline tractors A fine collection of race car bits and pieces and other machines in Fairview, Oklahoma In Fairview
There we visited a machine shop, farm, airport, racecar builder and whatever. The older man restores tractors his wife makes quilts. The son builds and restores race machines. We also were fed fritters and good things of every sort. All too soon we were again on the road into Garden City Kansas. There we hit Hwy 50 for our journey home on America's Loneliest Road. (Actually that part is in Nevada.)
The next day we took off early and drove over to Pueblo, CO, and stopped for lunch. I have a sister fifty miles away, so we decided to drive up to Colorado Springs and see her. While we ate lunch our condenser sat out there cooking and when we got back to the car it had no intention of going to Colorado Springs, so we nursed it into Canon City and I finally fixed the backfiring for good. I put on a complete distributor Roger Griffith had rebuilt and also put the cover back on my manifold heater. But by the time I got all this done it was late and so we went to dinner and spared my sister unexpected company.
29 Smile, my little roadster, at 11,312 foot Monarch Pass, in CO. You ask "Why 29 Smile?" Because that is the license.
I bought the car from Alan Funt and he had Smile 29, he had told me I could use it, then after I bought it changed his story, so I got 29 Smile.
I also still have his Smile 29, just in case I can ever us it.
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Two of us at the 11,312 foot summit of Monarch Pass in Colorado.
Morning found us driving up the Arkansas River and over Monarch pass and down into Gunnison, Co. Great breakfast and a great museum where we spent several hours.
The ride out of Gunnison, CO took us past this beautiful lake, on our way to Grand Junction.
Our stop for the night was Grand Junction. There I discovered a slight drip in my "leakless" water pump. Within minutes I had a spare in hand and proceeded to put it on. With my six bladed fan on it there was no way to turn it. So off it came and back on with the leaky leakless.
Parked overlooking the San Rafael Swell, a 35 by 70 mile stretch of rocky residue from oceans of the past with deep, narrow canyons and high rock cliffs. It's a beautiful bit of country and very dangerous to those that get off the main road without proper maps or a guide. Also food and water are required. A local guide is advised.
Next we drove over to Delta, UT. It's a beautiful spot to have some Tex-Mex and then kick back. A friend supplied me with a water pump and I put it on in twenty minutes. Did a test run and the leak was history.
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Morning again found us pulling a grade out of Delta, on our way to Ely, NV. Near the top the new pump began to scream at me to stop, so I did. The repair truck was a few minutes behind us so I changed back to the leaker and was just in time for the repair driver to help me a-fix the hood and off to Eli, determined to just add water from now on. In Eli we took a train out to the massive copper mine that is in Ruth. One of the largest open pit mines, they say. It is over 900 feet deep. Then back past the brothel, where one of the ladies was out waving at the train and telling us, "Ya'all come on down."
From Eli to Fallon was our next drive, and Fallon was our last night out. 4th of July and no Fireworks. No gunfire and I doubt anything else happened that was worthy of note. The next morning we all went our separate ways home. We stopped in Carson City for breakfast and got home about 1:00 pm All in all, a very memorable trip.
I learned that a manifold heater is a good thing in cold weather and a very bad thing when it is 100 degrees plus. They are also worse with the cover off than they are with the cover on. Also it is okay to back the fuel mixture screw out if you are experiencing slight vapor lock, even in high altitudes. At some points mine ran best backed out 2 1/2 turns. At others it had to be all the way seated. Even modern point condensers will malfunction if exposed to enough heat for long enough. I used up two before I got wise and replaced the cover on the heater. I also folded aluminum foil and stuck it between the heater cover and the distributor, several layers.
Also learned that "leakless" water pumps aren't leakless, and it only takes 15 minutes to remove and replace a water pump, if you practice enough times. Leaving more than half your spare parts at home is not a plus. Having a "quick fix" sort of tool set consisting of a screwdriver, a test light, 1/2," 9/16," a pair of pliers, feeler gauge, gloves, flashlight and a small crescent wrench is a great time saver. You don't need to carry a starter, just a crank, but a generator is a good thing to have along. Someone else may need one.
Dave Mc Arthur
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Old 05-31-2018, 04:16 PM   #56
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Default Re: tell a Model A related story

There is one quote I never miss the opertunity to drop.

You are discussing with a farmer the paddock to spray. Farmer informs you that pilot“Jack” sprays this way or pilot Jack does things this or that way. Farmer has chucked you a challenge because Jack pleases the farmer. I’ll make the point by an example.
Sometime in the early 80’s I was to spray cereal for the late Allan Hawkins at Tocumwal. The paddock had a kidney shaped lagoon on the north and Allan asked if I could start at the lagoon , working south maintaining the curve I’d track on the first run. Continue to fly the curve. Well I’m not that good but I can maintaina straight line between the markers, starting with two short runs, getting longer until they meet.
Well that didn’t seem to please Allan and he informed me the last bloke I’d sent there could maintain a curve, and in this very same paddock. “who was he I enquired.”Came from Victoria somewhere in Gippsland.
Maybe, I said, Bob Landsbury.
“Yes, yes, that’s the bloke” Allan responded.
Now here comes my punch line. And I love to quote it.
“but Bob’s a much better pilot than me”.
It just kills the farmers point of view and generally ends with a laugh or chuckle from the farmer.

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Old 06-01-2018, 09:46 AM   #57
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Default Re: tell a Model A related story

My first Model A story ends sadly. I bought a '28 roadster in 1954 from a young lady who had inherited it from her grandfather who was the original owner. It was in solid condition but had been brush painted red and had 17" wire wheels. It ran well and I owned it for about two years. Once I tried to find out how fast it would go and the engine blew a rod through the pan and destroyed the block. Sears was selling rebuilt short blocks for $35.00 so I went to Sears on South Main in Houston. Lucky me, they were closing them out and three were left for $5.00 each. I bought one and three of us got the car running again in about three hours using a chain and a person on each end of a 2x4. When I decided to sell the car in order to buy a '32 Model B pickup, an acquaintance offered me $100 for it which is what it originally cost me. The sad thing is that he decided to make a hotrod out of it and cut off the fenders and completely dismantled the car. While that was going on he joined the navy and I never heard from him or found what happened to the car.
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Old 06-01-2018, 02:45 PM   #58
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Default Re: tell a Model A related story

Quote:
Originally Posted by Robert/Texas View Post
My first Model A story ends sadly. I bought a '28 roadster in 1954 from a young lady who had inherited it from her grandfather who was the original owner. It was in solid condition but had been brush painted red and had 17" wire wheels. It ran well and I owned it for about two years. Once I tried to find out how fast it would go and the engine blew a rod through the pan and destroyed the block. Sears was selling rebuilt short blocks for $35.00 so I went to Sears on South Main in Houston. Lucky me, they were closing them out and three were left for $5.00 each. I bought one and three of us got the car running again in about three hours using a chain and a person on each end of a 2x4. When I decided to sell the car in order to buy a '32 Model B pickup, an acquaintance offered me $100 for it which is what it originally cost me. The sad thing is that he decided to make a hotrod out of it and cut off the fenders and completely dismantled the car. While that was going on he joined the navy and I never heard from him or found what happened to the car.

I can tell of a disgraceful tale of my behaviour. As a kid we had a 26 Chrysler 'doctors special' which had been purchased new by my grandfather. It was stored in a machinery shed with tractors and our family car was an Austin A40 which was badly rusted out because we also used it on farm and it picked up much cow shit.
Anyway, I used to drive the Chrysler in and out of the shed using the starter motor. It was 6V of course.
Dad could never understand why it always had a flat battery. Eventually it became junk and was towed out into the weather. The engine was removed and installed in a speed boat as a temporary engine. The vehicles was towed to the rubbish tip and we shot it full of holes with a 22 rifle.
I do feel sad about this now, but at the time, nearly 60 years ago, the vehicle had no value. We were all short sighted weren't we.
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Old 06-01-2018, 03:26 PM   #59
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Default Re: tell a Model A related story





I worked onthe Darling Downs for 5 years, based at Miles which is about mid-way between Dalby and Roma. Enjoyed most everything about it with the exception that seasons / rainfall was unreliable. When, one season, drought became prolonged my employer asked us all to see if we could get some outside employment to tide us all through. Gary went to Sudan in North Africa and sprayed cotton in an area known as the Gazera.
Khartoum was the capital and when in town we stayed at the Excelsior Hotel. Whilst Sudan was a dry state some hotels had bars. It has since changed to totally dry. Well one day I walked into the bar and here’s a bloke dressed a bit like an Australian farmer and wearing a straw hat.
I said ‘goodday’ and he said like a beer. Of course I accepted, we conversed and the blokes name was John McKeechie, an ag pilot from Victoria. A well known fellow who was well known for his funny antics.
About 15years later he flew a rice season for me. Sometimes we talked about our times, good and bad, in Sudan. Here is one of John’s stories.


The previous year he was ferrying back to UK a Pawnee and experienced engine trouble in north Libya. He figured landing in Libya undesirable but more desirable than landing in the Mediterranean. John landed near Tripoli infact at or near the well known war graves site. He was confronted byseveral armed military men and marched away to a military site. Here he was spoken to by a high ranking military official and still surrounded by armed men. He was frightened and said he was infact shaking. The high ranking man asked why he was shaking and John gave a very clever answer.
“I don’tknow if you are bad men and will shoot me or you are good people and will help me he said”.
Well no one wants to be bad and the military man put his arms around John’s shoulders and said, ‘we are good people’. John has set himself up well and was given assistance. He returned the aeroplane back to England.
Goodthinking John.





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Old 06-02-2018, 07:09 PM   #60
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Default Re: tell a Model A related story

Coota’s fly through shed episode.

Well Coota couldn’t resist it. Flew the Airtractor through a big shed at Ravenswood on the west side of Hay. And for good measure he turned and did it again.
No great feat, but had everyone talking. Bickley, who was the manager at Finley for the operator wanted him fired. Bickley couldn’t even start an aeroplane but considered himself to be an authority.
After a while of this silly talk I called the boss man of the company and told him that I too would fire Coota. That is if he couldn't fly through the shed.
That killed all the silly self appointed adjudicators.

Last edited by woofa.express; 06-02-2018 at 07:21 PM. Reason: seperate words joined during cut and paste
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