[Steve Plucker]

[QUOTE=cpf240;1429949]Hi. I’m the new guy around here. I’ve been reading a lot of different topics in the Model A forum, and there is a lot of great information here.

My father bought this Model A from a farm in or near Iola Kansas some 30+ years ago. His father tore it down, and started to restore it. He used to work in one of the Ford factories, so was very familiar with these cars. Sadly, it got to about the point you see it in the pictures below, and then sat for 20+ years.

Now it is in my hands, and I’d like to get it running and driving again. The goal is a good, functional car, to be used for fun drives and maybe the occasional parade or local car show. This is not intended to be a garage queen, nor a points car.

It will run, and drive, once the junk is cleaned out of the carburetor. The fuel tank has some rust, and does plug the carburetor. At the moment, there is no sediment bulb, and I think one of those pencil filters on the fuel shutoff valve and a sediment bulb will take care of most of that issue. I’ll probably do one of those fill-shake-drain-filter-repeat processes I’ve read about, and watched the video of.

My uncle was doing some work on it, and had it running with an external tank. I’m told he put in a 12v coil and starter – no, the lights are not hooked up yet. When I got it, it was also connected for negative ground. My plan is to put it back to 6v positive ground. My father had wanted a rumble seat, so the trunk lid has been converted to open the other way. I’ll probably return it to a trunk, as I don’t know anyone that wants to ride back there, and I'm leaning more to keeping it reasonably original.

It is believed to be a ‘29 Special Coup (49a) but I can’t find a body number stamp on the cross member in front of the seat base. There does not appear to be a date stamp on the fuel tank. I don’t know if the frame number was verified to match the block, but I’m told the block number matches the previous owners title paperwork. The block number is *A1620XXX* .

Some questions for you all:

I’d like to confirm that it is a Special Coup – is it?

What carburetor is this? I can’t see any identifiers cast into it, but I haven’t removed it yet either.

I have the springs for the seat bottom, but they look pretty rusty and a bit, um… worn. I presume after market is the best bet? Any temporary seat suggestions to use until its time for an interior? The VW seat doesn’t cut it, and its not in much better shape than the factory seat springs I have.

Any comments or suggestions welcome, thanks![/QUOTE}

Welcome to the barn. Yes, it is a Special Coupe it is either a 1928 or 1929. If the back lower outside left side of the body rear cross sill has three holes, then it is a 1928...if not it is a 1929. The three holes are for the attachment for the rear light bracket. About February/March 1929 the holes were removed and the bracket was attached to the left fender.

Sometimes the body codes were not there nor were gas tank dates although it is kind of nice if they were.

Not sure of the carburator.

I think going back to a trunk is a great idea...In 1979, I converted my September 1929 Standard Coupe to a rumble seat thinking I could take all my friends for rides...Well, two years ago I put it back to a trunk as that was the way it was originally as with your Special Coupe.

On my website I have a 3 part article on converting a rumble seat to a trunk...check it out.

Study up on your car and ask more questions. Join one or two National Modle A Clubs and IF there is a local club in your area, wherever you are, join that to.

Pluck