The Ford Barn - View Single Post - What drove you towards the Model A hobby?

Farrell In Vancouver · 11-12-2010, 10:53 AM

This has been a fanatastic thread and a good read!
It seems almost all were bitten early on and either started right away or came back after raising kids and getting established.
I too was bitten early and did not know it.
My Father courted Mom in a 1930 coupe which he paid little for, he was a salesman of brake and clutch linings and traveled all over three provinces of prairies. He tells of some harrowing trips in blizzards and wind storms to make sales and deliver to garages and such, he soon wished for a car that would be better suited and sold the the 30 for $20.00 to some friend who really need it for work. I think he picked up a meteor of something and brought it home. Mom was not amused, (especially when he revealed that not only had he laid out money for a newer car but never got paid for the old one. I was too young to hear the row, but Pop finally promised her he would buy another coupe for her one day.
Fast forward to 1962-63 and while traveling through Fisher Branch Manitoba on Highway 17 in the north Interlake region of the province, Dad spots the 1928 Special Coupe in a Farmers field. The car was of course not for sale, as the gent had sold it to another guy two weeks before for $20.00! The farmer went on to say he had not yet been paid, so Pop offers $25.00 and the deal was made. Here's where my first memory of a Model A Comes in. At the time we lived in Winnipeg and towing the coupe from Fisher Branch was accomplished with the family car a long way South to home. My job as a 5 year old was to yell to dad when ever the coupe started to wander off the road as he had it tethered on about 30 feet of rope. Some how he made it, how I don't know how, as I fell asleep in the back seat of the car at some point.

Zoom ahaead to 1967 and Dad and Mom have decided to move us four kids to the Wet Coast to try their luck in the West. The coupe followed by train in 1974 and then was stored in the car port while Dad started a restoration of his beloved 30 CC P/U. He justified this by telling Mom he "needed the truck to haul parts home for the coupe".
Now ten years ago Mom asked me and my new bride if we would restore the coupe and get it running for her. This we did with much help from my Dad and it was a great bonding time for me and Dad. Mom unfortunatley did not seee it finished but I still think she would have love to ride in it just like the old days.
Now we are working on saving another, a 29' Tudor which should be on the road next spring and then we'll tear Dad's P/u down for a much needed restoration after 30 years of service.
I have built a few 60's trucks a lot of Japanese and American bikes, and loved my hot rod Pontiac but driving the coupe is a lot like when I sold my first sport bike and bought my Shovel Head FLHP. Suddenly I could hear the engine and feel the machine under me, not just a high frequency buzzing noise. The Model A sings a beautiful song to your heart and imagination. I am sometimes (rightfully) accused of not listening to my passengers as we chug a long the road. The song is too deep to ignore. I am now passing this love on to my Kids, (my eldest Daughter will inherit the coupe and I am hunting for a truck for the younger one) My wife now understands, and calls herself the Model A Widow. I hope to spend many more years driving and restoring these music makers.
Thanks for all the Barners and thier help!

11-12-2010, 10:53 AM	#127
Farrell In Vancouver Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Pitt Meadows BC Posts: 1,003	Re: What drove you towards the Model A hobby? This has been a fanatastic thread and a good read! It seems almost all were bitten early on and either started right away or came back after raising kids and getting established. I too was bitten early and did not know it. My Father courted Mom in a 1930 coupe which he paid little for, he was a salesman of brake and clutch linings and traveled all over three provinces of prairies. He tells of some harrowing trips in blizzards and wind storms to make sales and deliver to garages and such, he soon wished for a car that would be better suited and sold the the 30 for $20.00 to some friend who really need it for work. I think he picked up a meteor of something and brought it home. Mom was not amused, (especially when he revealed that not only had he laid out money for a newer car but never got paid for the old one. I was too young to hear the row, but Pop finally promised her he would buy another coupe for her one day. Fast forward to 1962-63 and while traveling through Fisher Branch Manitoba on Highway 17 in the north Interlake region of the province, Dad spots the 1928 Special Coupe in a Farmers field. The car was of course not for sale, as the gent had sold it to another guy two weeks before for $20.00! The farmer went on to say he had not yet been paid, so Pop offers $25.00 and the deal was made. Here's where my first memory of a Model A Comes in. At the time we lived in Winnipeg and towing the coupe from Fisher Branch was accomplished with the family car a long way South to home. My job as a 5 year old was to yell to dad when ever the coupe started to wander off the road as he had it tethered on about 30 feet of rope. Some how he made it, how I don't know how, as I fell asleep in the back seat of the car at some point. Zoom ahaead to 1967 and Dad and Mom have decided to move us four kids to the Wet Coast to try their luck in the West. The coupe followed by train in 1974 and then was stored in the car port while Dad started a restoration of his beloved 30 CC P/U. He justified this by telling Mom he "needed the truck to haul parts home for the coupe". Now ten years ago Mom asked me and my new bride if we would restore the coupe and get it running for her. This we did with much help from my Dad and it was a great bonding time for me and Dad. Mom unfortunatley did not seee it finished but I still think she would have love to ride in it just like the old days. Now we are working on saving another, a 29' Tudor which should be on the road next spring and then we'll tear Dad's P/u down for a much needed restoration after 30 years of service. I have built a few 60's trucks a lot of Japanese and American bikes, and loved my hot rod Pontiac but driving the coupe is a lot like when I sold my first sport bike and bought my Shovel Head FLHP. Suddenly I could hear the engine and feel the machine under me, not just a high frequency buzzing noise. The Model A sings a beautiful song to your heart and imagination. I am sometimes (rightfully) accused of not listening to my passengers as we chug a long the road. The song is too deep to ignore. I am now passing this love on to my Kids, (my eldest Daughter will inherit the coupe and I am hunting for a truck for the younger one) My wife now understands, and calls herself the Model A Widow. I hope to spend many more years driving and restoring these music makers. Thanks for all the Barners and thier help!