The Ford Barn

29FordGuy · 01-15-2011, 04:21 PM

Just had to pass this on. Three years ago I acquired a town sedan to restore. It was in pretty bad shape but had been stored in a barn. As I was cleaning it out I found the registration papers dating back from 1960 to 1970, during which time it moved from Central Point, OR to Gold Hill, OR, then to Etna, CA where it was last registered. During the last three years I have done several searches trying to find information on the former owners but could not find much.

Recently there was a TV car dealer ad and an older gentleman from Etna appeared in it. He had the same last name of the last registered owner. I called him and he said he was not related to the owner but someone else he knew was. I did another compter search and happened on to the name of the last registered owner. I called him and it was the correct person! He is 90 years old and was so thrilled that I had restored his old car. I then sent him pictures of the before and after look. This Saturday he took it to his senior breakfast get together in Etna and had a wonderful time showing the pics and reminiscing about the old Model A. He called me this morning after he returned home to tell me about his adventure. It really made me feel good when he told me that I had made his day, no, week, no year! He was so impressed that I would take the time to restore the old car and then seek him out. Needless to say, I felt real good especially when he told me that his son, who died young, drove it all over the countryside with his buddies. I had always guessed that it was owned by a young kid as his first car.

This July they have their annual Scotts Valley Bluegrass Festival and I have it marked on my calendar. I told him to expect me in July and we will go for a ride. I sure hope he hangs on till then. He is not in the best of health.

Sorry for my rambling, but I just had to pass this on.....

Robert Elayer
Brookings, OR

Aerocraft · 01-15-2011, 04:24 PM

Greay story......! Gar Williams

brum1 · 01-15-2011, 05:00 PM

Thanks for sharing this story-Great to hear how the hobby continues to make people happy

Jim Parker Toronto · 01-15-2011, 06:26 PM

Yes great story! I imagine it would be hard to find all the people who have owned the car since the first day it rolled off the line......

modeleh · 01-15-2011, 06:43 PM

great story. I'm sure he is really looking forward to July now.

1931 flamingo · 01-15-2011, 07:39 PM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Great story and I'm sure there are many, many more to be told here on the barn.
Paul in CT

Grapejuice · 01-15-2011, 09:13 PM

Wow, what a great story!!!

Malcolm Robertson · 01-15-2011, 09:14 PM

Robert

Thanks for taking your time to share a great story with all of us.

Malcolm

Model A Lady · 01-15-2011, 09:38 PM

This is a heartwarming story and exempifies the best of the good in the hobby

Tom Wesenberg · 01-15-2011, 09:50 PM

Nice story, and I hope the old man gets to go for a ride.

I'm still learning the hard way that you should never put things off. There is a nice antique shop about 50 miles south of me which is run by an older lady. She always had a jar full of homemade cookies and a pot of coffee. She used to race cars at the speedway and always enjoyed it when I'd sit and listen to her stories. I hadn't been down that way for about 3 years, so today I rode down there only to learn that she passed away 3 weeks ago.

zzlegend · 01-15-2011, 10:04 PM

At least you got good memories of her Tom. And i am sure she enjoyed your visits and never forgot them. Life is just to short and everyone needs to enjoy every day.

Jack '29 Sport Coupe · 01-15-2011, 10:07 PM

Great story!

Jack

tamagrouchy · 01-15-2011, 10:33 PM

Now that is the kind of story that should be on the news!

Pilotdave · 01-15-2011, 10:42 PM

Wonderful story! Could you share the 'before' and 'after' pictures on here?

pat in Santa Cruz · 01-15-2011, 11:29 PM

Its wonderful you were able to provide him with some good memories. Is there any reason why you can't take him for a ride now? What Tom said about those folks well along in years is so true.

We restored a 41 Tudor for a sweet old guy in his nineties. It had been his first car, the car he dated his future wife in. After it was finished, he went for a drive and was thrilled to his toes. All those memories of his late wife, his children, the good times... he died suddenly later that week, having had only one drive in it. His grandson has it now and will maintain it as original. But you see the point with these old guys .

Gumpy · 01-16-2011, 12:04 AM

great story robert I bet the original owner was grinning from ear to ear!

29FordGuy · 01-16-2011, 02:19 AM

One responder asked for the before and after shot. Here are two shots I ran some time ago on the FordBarn.

Also, I have been considering taking a special trip there this spring after the rains stop. I will have to trailer it there. I am just afraid he may not make it until July. Then I will feel real bad!

Mike V. Florida · 01-16-2011, 02:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 29FordGuy

One responder asked for the before and after shot. Here are two shots I ran some time ago on the FordBarn.

Also, I have been considering taking a special trip there this spring after the rains stop. I will have to trailer it there. I am just afraid he may not make it until July. Then I will feel real bad!

Go for it!!!

cradlescyth · 01-16-2011, 07:37 AM

This is what makes model A people great
Thanks for story

Scott Owens · 01-16-2011, 09:03 AM

Great story, and nice looking car. I agree with others, if at all possible, I would make the trip as soon as I could. If he is in bad health, he might not be physically able to even enjoy the ride in July. Go for it now! Good job.

01-15-2011, 04:21 PM	#1
29FordGuy Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Brookings, OR Posts: 62	One thrilled 90-year old! Just had to pass this on. Three years ago I acquired a town sedan to restore. It was in pretty bad shape but had been stored in a barn. As I was cleaning it out I found the registration papers dating back from 1960 to 1970, during which time it moved from Central Point, OR to Gold Hill, OR, then to Etna, CA where it was last registered. During the last three years I have done several searches trying to find information on the former owners but could not find much. Recently there was a TV car dealer ad and an older gentleman from Etna appeared in it. He had the same last name of the last registered owner. I called him and he said he was not related to the owner but someone else he knew was. I did another compter search and happened on to the name of the last registered owner. I called him and it was the correct person! He is 90 years old and was so thrilled that I had restored his old car. I then sent him pictures of the before and after look. This Saturday he took it to his senior breakfast get together in Etna and had a wonderful time showing the pics and reminiscing about the old Model A. He called me this morning after he returned home to tell me about his adventure. It really made me feel good when he told me that I had made his day, no, week, no year! He was so impressed that I would take the time to restore the old car and then seek him out. Needless to say, I felt real good especially when he told me that his son, who died young, drove it all over the countryside with his buddies. I had always guessed that it was owned by a young kid as his first car. This July they have their annual Scotts Valley Bluegrass Festival and I have it marked on my calendar. I told him to expect me in July and we will go for a ride. I sure hope he hangs on till then. He is not in the best of health. Sorry for my rambling, but I just had to pass this on..... Robert Elayer Brookings, OR

01-15-2011, 04:24 PM	#2
Aerocraft Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Naperville, IL Posts: 1,387	Re: One thrilled 90-year old! Greay story......! Gar Williams

01-15-2011, 05:00 PM	#3
brum1 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: The Villages, Fl Posts: 584	Re: One thrilled 90-year old! Thanks for sharing this story-Great to hear how the hobby continues to make people happy __________________ "no one knows more than everyone"

01-15-2011, 06:26 PM	#4
Jim Parker Toronto Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,289	Re: One thrilled 90-year old! Yes great story! I imagine it would be hard to find all the people who have owned the car since the first day it rolled off the line......

01-15-2011, 06:43 PM	#5
modeleh Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Nanaimo BC Posts: 242	Re: One thrilled 90-year old! great story. I'm sure he is really looking forward to July now.

01-15-2011, 07:39 PM	#6
1931 flamingo Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: new britain,ct 06052 Posts: 9,428	Re: One thrilled 90-year old! Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Great story and I'm sure there are many, many more to be told here on the barn. Paul in CT

01-15-2011, 09:13 PM	#7
Grapejuice Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Richardson, TX Posts: 123	Re: One thrilled 90-year old! Wow, what a great story!!! __________________ Alan 1930 Cabriolet (the newest project) 1929 Special Coupe (pieces n parts) 1928 Sport Coupe (the driver)

01-15-2011, 09:14 PM	#8
Malcolm Robertson Junior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: SLC, Utah Posts: 23	Re: One thrilled 90-year old! Robert Thanks for taking your time to share a great story with all of us. Malcolm

01-15-2011, 09:38 PM	#9
Model A Lady Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 47	Re: One thrilled 90-year old! This is a heartwarming story and exempifies the best of the good in the hobby

01-15-2011, 09:50 PM	#10
Tom Wesenberg Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mpls, MN Posts: 27,582	Re: One thrilled 90-year old! Nice story, and I hope the old man gets to go for a ride. I'm still learning the hard way that you should never put things off. There is a nice antique shop about 50 miles south of me which is run by an older lady. She always had a jar full of homemade cookies and a pot of coffee. She used to race cars at the speedway and always enjoyed it when I'd sit and listen to her stories. I hadn't been down that way for about 3 years, so today I rode down there only to learn that she passed away 3 weeks ago.

01-15-2011, 10:04 PM	#11
zzlegend Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Reseda, Calif. Posts: 2,191	Re: One thrilled 90-year old! At least you got good memories of her Tom. And i am sure she enjoyed your visits and never forgot them. Life is just to short and everyone needs to enjoy every day.

01-15-2011, 10:07 PM	#12
Jack '29 Sport Coupe Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Posts: 798	Re: One thrilled 90-year old! Great story! Jack __________________ Cincinnati, Ohio

01-15-2011, 10:33 PM	#13
tamagrouchy Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Fox Valley Illinois Posts: 122	Re: One thrilled 90-year old! Now that is the kind of story that should be on the news!

01-15-2011, 10:42 PM	#14
Pilotdave Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Grafton, MA Posts: 1,311	Re: One thrilled 90-year old! Wonderful story! Could you share the 'before' and 'after' pictures on here?

01-15-2011, 11:29 PM	#15
pat in Santa Cruz Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: santa cruz, calif Posts: 2,012	Re: One thrilled 90-year old! Its wonderful you were able to provide him with some good memories. Is there any reason why you can't take him for a ride now? What Tom said about those folks well along in years is so true. We restored a 41 Tudor for a sweet old guy in his nineties. It had been his first car, the car he dated his future wife in. After it was finished, he went for a drive and was thrilled to his toes. All those memories of his late wife, his children, the good times... he died suddenly later that week, having had only one drive in it. His grandson has it now and will maintain it as original. But you see the point with these old guys .

01-16-2011, 12:04 AM	#16
Gumpy Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Sf bay area Posts: 1,464	Re: One thrilled 90-year old! great story robert I bet the original owner was grinning from ear to ear!

01-16-2011, 07:37 AM	#19
cradlescyth Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Taunton Ma Posts: 342	Re: One thrilled 90-year old! This is what makes model A people great Thanks for story

01-16-2011, 09:03 AM	#20
Scott Owens Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Trinity, Alabama Posts: 137	Re: One thrilled 90-year old! Great story, and nice looking car. I agree with others, if at all possible, I would make the trip as soon as I could. If he is in bad health, he might not be physically able to even enjoy the ride in July. Go for it now! Good job.