What drove you towards the Model A hobby?

[Earle]

My Dad bought a very used '31 Dlx Rdstr for $50 in about 1936 while in high school in Wilkes Barre, PA. He courted my future Mom with it (Model A Roadsters are chick magnets - lucky for me!) and they got married in 1940. He drove the car until he was drafted into the Army in 1942 and then "put it up on blocks" in his garage as he shipped out for Europe.

He returned home from WW II in 1945 (also lucky for me!) and when he took his old friend (the roadster of course!) out for a spin, she threw a rod straight through the side of the block (metallic age embrittlement or dry bearings from non-use?? There's a lesson there!). - Off to the junk yard. It broke his heart - no money to get it repaired with a family (me!) on the way.

Fast-forward to 1983 when Dad got the bug to look for a '31 roadster "just like the one he had as a kid". We found a very-poorly "restored" roadster at Renninger's in the PA Dutch Country (Bird-in-Hand) in 1984 and bought it (for significantly more than $50.00!! We think we got taken for a ride (though not with dishonest intent) even before we had a restored, operating Model A to ride in!!. We were eager and naive. But after that, Gene and Dave Renninger were good friends and a great source of parts, books and restoration advice even to this day! (Dave now - as Gene has sadly passed on).

Dad and I then spent some of the best times we ever spent together over the following five years "restoring" the car to the best of our ability but we sure learned how very much we didn't know. No Ford Barn back then and few "how-to" books that we knew of. But lots of "friends" and "helpers" who offered lots of incorrect advice and help. But we got her into basic "drivable" shape - with extremely poor brakes and a criminally-poor engine rebuild job we got ripped off for in NJ.

From the poor out-sourced workmanship, rip-off prices and resulting poor road performance and on-going engine problems, Dad lost his excitement in the car and it sat unused in his NJ garage until he passed away in 2001. This all left a very sour taste in my mouth and a strong level of anger and impatience for any supplier or "restoration shop" in the Model A hobby that is either incompetent of dishonest toward their customers. That's what destroyed my Dad's dream.

I brought the car to my home in Delaware in 2001 and have worked to correct our earlier efforts and correctly complete the restoration - for real, this time. And I have tons of gratitude and credit to pass on Ora Landis at Schwalm's Babbitted Bearings in Strasburg, PA. His absolutely honest and thoroughly-expert approach to his work has helped me get the car completely straightened out in the engine, fuel system, drive train and electrical departments. What a professional to have the privilige to work with.

So, I caught my Dad's original love for the Model A in general - and the whole era of the 30's and 40's where it "grew up". And, all the fun I've had restoring her and driving her with my supportive wife (tours, parades, shows, grandchildren's ice cream safaris, etc.) has me hooked. I'm hoping I can get one of the grandchildren seriously hooked (not just the "cutesy/novelty" factor) and pass on this historic heirloom and love of the hobby to him (or her!).

Earle