we did it... our first Model A...

[TomInCologne]

Hi guys,
we did it, we bought our first Model A, a 1931 Fordor. We had a close look and established that she is female, so we gave her the name 'Margarethe'. She'll be delivered by the end of the week and i will have to do some changes to her (indicators mostly), but we should be ready to hit the road next week. I am as excited as i was when i was 6 and got my first bicycle...


wish us luck...

[Aretino]

Sweet! Welcome.

[ronn]

Congratulations! a very nice looking car.

[McMimmcs]

I am very excited for you. A great way to start the new year.

[Mike Peters]

Lovely slant window fordor. Ford's first all steel body fordor, (except for the wood roof ribs.) Great choice and enjoy your "new" car.

[Anteek29]

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Well chosen! I am jealous...

[WTSHNN]

Congrats!

[old ugly]

real nice!!!

[abachman3]

Sehr schoen! Sehr viel Glueck.

[Gary loves Fords]

Well now you will have to join both National clubs and find a regional one in your area. Model A's are great fun and can be driven anywhere. Congrats and have fun with her.

[AL in NY]

Margarethe looks gorgeous, have fun with her...........

[burner31]

The '31 SW 160-B is the best Model A in my opinion.
Since I have one myself I may be just a "tad" biased towards them.
Very good choice, I know you will enjoy it.

[mercman from oz]

Very nice 1931 Ford Model A Town Sedan - TomInCologne - Germany.
Congratulations on your purchase.

[WHN]

The pictures look great. Nice car! Take care of her.

Enjoy.

[Gene F]

This sure looks like a nice car.

[Cape Codder]

Das ist ein sub aussehendes Auto!

I don't know if I got it all right but " it sure is one sweet looking car" any way I look at it!

My German is non-existent! Sorry!

[Cape Codder]

Das ist ein sub aussehendes Auto!

I don't know if I got it all right but " it sure is one sweet looking car" any way I look at it!

My German is non-existent! Sorry!

[ckulchar]

Very nice car congratulations.
Charley

[Robbie1]

Outstanding! Congrats!

[Marcus]

Tom ~ an outstanding choice! As for your name: my wife is Margretha (obviously German heritage); and for location, we worked for four years in Bad Krauznach and lived in Wallhausen ~ not far from Koln ….
Sehr Schoen!

[Eccentric Old Guy]

Nice four door.....

What was the reasoning for introducing the slant windshield?

Was it a matter of aerodynamics?

eog

[jm29henry]

Gorgeous car

[TomInCologne]

Thanks to all for the kind words. Yes, we are so excited with our new family member.


On a more serious note: The fan is a two wing one, it seems to be made out of metal. How can i decide wether it's an original steel one, which has to be swapped, or an newer aluminium one? Is the steel fan magnetic?

[Brentwood Bob]

Magnetic.

[Chuck Dempsey]

'Hit the road...' The perfect attitude for every owner! Congrats!

[wwirz]

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Nice Model A. What factory was it manufactured in? Cologne??

[ETAModel]

Congratulations on a splendid looking A. I hope you enjoy her.

[dean from bozeman]

Originally Posted by TomInCologne

Hi guys,
We had a close look and established that she is female, so we gave her the name 'Margarethe'.

wish us luck...

Tom, I'm wondering where you had to check to find out that your new "A" is a female?

Beautiful automobile by the way.

[TomInCologne]

Originally Posted by wwirz

Nice Model A. What factory was it manufactured in? Cologne??

Thanks, No, i think there were only 8 or 9.000 Model As built in Cologne and this is not one of them. Margarethes engine number is A46188xx, so it'll be produced first half of May 1931 in the USA.


Can anyone tell me the exact production day?

[TomInCologne]

Originally Posted by dean from bozeman

Tom, I'm wondering where you had to check to find out that your new "A" is a female?

Beautiful automobile by the way.

Thanks, but i don't have to tell you where to look, do i? ;-)

[McMimmcs]

you should be very proud of that great looking car. The new rule is drive, drive and drive some more !

[TomInCologne]

Thanks again to everybody for your kind words. We will receive her tomorrow evening and i'll spend the weekend caring lovingly for her.


Again, can somebody find out on which exact day A4618859 was produced?

[woofa.express]

you beauty. Wish it was in my shed. Enjoy it. gary

[TomInCologne]

Offloading off the trailer yesterday evening was a bit of a challenge. Remember, this was the second time i started a Model A. I have a mental checklist to start the engine, bullet point number 10 is to press the starter button. Silly me (it was dark, we were blocking the main road,...) forgot bullet point number 7, which is 'turn on the ignition'. You know what happened, before i realised that, the battery 6V was flat. And no crank... But the trailer was on an incline and i let Margarethe run backwards with gear box in reverse and i got the engine started.


Thanks Margarethe for your patience with me...

[burner31]

Originally Posted by TomInCologne

Thanks again to everybody for your kind words. We will receive her tomorrow evening and i'll spend the weekend caring lovingly for her.


Again, can somebody find out on which exact day A4618859 was produced?

Engine #4618859 was made on May 4, 1931

[Bob Bidonde]

Join a local Model "A" Ford club and enjoy their activities.

[abachman3]

My great grandfather came from Koln in the 1890's. My daughter and I were in Koln for the world youth day, when the pope came for the event. I have returned there with my wife on one of our German visits.

[TomInCologne]

Originally Posted by burner31

Engine #4618859 was made on May 4, 1931

Thank you, it's marked on our birthday calendar now...

[TomInCologne]

Originally Posted by Bob Bidonde

Join a local Model "A" Ford club and enjoy their activities.

I have made contact to some local Model A fans, but as you can imagine, as there are less Model A enthusiasts in germany compared to the US and Canada there are no 'clubs'. We have a nationwide 'interest group' but that is very loosely organized.


i am afraid i will hang out in Fordbarn and annoy you people ;-)

[TomInCologne]

Originally Posted by abachman3

My great grandfather came from Koln in the 1890's. My daughter and I were in Koln for the world youth day, when the pope came for the event. I have returned there with my wife on one of our German visits.

I hope you liked Köln. It can be very dirty in places but a lot of little squares with ruins from the middle ages like towers and fortifications can be very charming in the summer. Sitting there in the sunshine in a beergarden, watching the young girls go by and having some beer.... Life can be brilliant!

[rotorwrench]

The day that an engine was built is likely an approximate but is likely close enough. Depending on where the engine was bedded into a frame may add a lot of time to a build date for the car as a whole.

[burner31]

Originally Posted by dean from bozeman

Tom, I'm wondering where you had to check to find out that your new "A" is a female?

Beautiful automobile by the way.

If you look really really hard you can find the utters hidden underneath the car, towards the backend, but you have to look really really hard, and above all, you have to believe.
I found them on mine and didn't even need my glasses

[TomInCologne]

okay, Margarethe and i had our first problem. She didn't want to start, smell of fuel was there but no ignition. I had a long, hard think about it and i assumed that it must be the distributor. What did i find? No connection between the distributor cover and the plate below it. See photographs. Worn and used up metal in 91 years? The new distributor is ordered and the tdmporary fix is a bit of copper grease on top the metal lid and under the cover, giving better connection between the two parts.
Should this little dab of copper grease be part of the routine service work?

[mgambuzza]

Congratulations and welcome to the ownership club!!

[mgambuzza]

Originally Posted by TomInCologne

okay, Margarethe and i had our first problem. She didn't want to start, smell of fuel was there but no ignition. I had a long, hard think about it and i assumed that it must be the distributor. What did i find? No connection between the distributor cover and the plate below it. See photographs. Worn and used up metal in 91 years? The new distributor is ordered and the tdmporary fix is a bit of copper grease on top the metal lid and under the cover, giving better connection between the two parts.
Should this little dab of copper grease be part of the routine service work?

I had this issue earlier and it was my ignition coil. I was driving fine and it suddenly quit. I had fuel but didn't seem to have spark. Using a test light, one side to frame, and the other to each side of the coil. I had light on one side and none on the other. Replaced the coil and voila - light on each side and immediate start.


Someone may want to chime in whether I had to have the key position on or off to test this, as I can't remember, but that was my issue.

[TomInCologne]

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The new coil is also on the way, but once she starts, she has no problem. Maybe it has more to do with the generator and the battery. I tried to start her again an hour ago and she would not start. Starter rotated her very slowly. I don't know about the condition of the battery, it may be decades old. During driving, the ampmeter shows up to 7A charge and sometimes, at a traffic light in idle, a 2-3A discharge. All with lights off.


I don't want to throw money straight at it, a Powermaster 6V pos ground was planned but not yet...

[TomInCologne]

Okay, another question...
Do you know the sound that a bag of hazelnuts makes when you shake it around? Providing you hear that sound when you are going down a hill and the car is pushing your model a... not always but sometimes. What would your thinking be? (Apart from 'oh shit...')

[TomInCologne]

Hi guys,


update and a question...


I am preparing Margarethe for the german TüV, the inspection you have to go through before getting the certification to use the roads. i had to work on the indicators, brake lights,... so basically electrics.


I have a short term certificate right now and i have driven about 80 miles with her. What i do notice it is a misfire when the engine is being pushed, like down a hill or even during shifting. I have opened up the gav but i was not under the impression that that helped.


Next thing i am gong to check is for a leak on the intake manifold. any more recommendations?


Thanks in advance...

[McMimmcs]

Congratulations! A very nice looking “ A “!

[Ed in Maine]

It looks like an outstanding, well maintained Model A. However, I would do a complete lubrication before you take it out on the road keeping your eyes open toward future restoration/maintenance projects. Have fun, I have been in this situation before. I feel bad for other motorists who have never heard the sound of the Model A as it starts out in first and on to second gear. It is the sound of pure reliability. Ed

[Marshall V. Daut]

Check your private messages in the top right corner of this webpage.
M.

[TomInCologne]

Originally Posted by Ed in Maine

It looks like an outstanding, well maintained Model A. However, I would do a complete lubrication before you take it out on the road keeping your eyes open toward future restoration/maintenance projects. Have fun, I have been in this situation before. I feel bad for other motorists who have never heard the sound of the Model A as it starts out in first and on to second gear. It is the sound of pure reliability. Ed

Thanks, Ed. I did a complete 'lube job' on her, service A, B and C. The wheel bearings have to wait.

[ronn]

I have a short term certificate right now and i have driven about 80 miles with her. What i do notice it is a misfire when the engine is being pushed, like down a hill or even during shifting. I have opened up the gav but i was not under the impression that that helped.


check your timing on the column.......

[TomInCologne]

Originally Posted by ronn

I have a short term certificate right now and i have driven about 80 miles with her. What i do notice it is a misfire when the engine is being pushed, like down a hill or even during shifting. I have opened up the gav but i was not under the impression that that helped.


check your timing on the column.......

Thanks Ronn. Whilst going downhill, i tried to move the spark advance lever up and down and the only thing it changed was that at full retard the misfire was louder. i also adjusted the gav 1/2 of a turn to 'fuel-rich', so counter-clockwise. I don't think that made a change.

[ronn]

another thought Tom- did the car sit for awhile before you bought it?


You may want to add some gas additive for the valves, carb and such. something could be sticking. Here most use Marvel Mystery oil. In Germany, I dont know what similar product you might have? It is sold at Walmart, btw- should one be near you.

[Rob Doe]

Your car is beautiful.

Check fluids in transmission, differential, and steering box, asap. If you order something from a vendor, order at least 3 bottles of 600W so you can drain and add new before running the car. Change the engine oil too. Front wheel bearings can be checked for adequate grease in about 10 minutes per wheel, add 30 minutes if you need to clean and grease them. Rear wheels are not so easy, read up on it here before doing the rears. Good spindles are not so easy to come by if you ruin one. Transmission bearings that are good are the same; I have read.

Do you have the Les Andrews Books, 1 and 2, a red and blue one? The red one is nicknamed the Model A bible. For troubleshooting I prefer the blue one. It has everything a newbie needs and then some for engine and electrical diagnosis. Vendors have them.

Kopr Shield, copper grease is good stuff for electrical connections.

An exhaust leak at the engine manifold or the muffler attachment can make some odd noises on deceleration. When warmed up and driving your GAV should be near 1/4 turn open. Cars do vary, but that's a rule of thumb. If I remember correctly, a popping sound coming from the carburetor on deceleration is a lean condition, and opening the GAV is sometimes the cure as you tried.

There are several methods to check the manifold to engine gasket for leaks. Be careful if you spray something flammable to stay clear of the spark plugs. Professionals use a smoke machine.

I would clean the cable connections at frame and battery under the floorboards to bright metal and apply your copper grease to the surfaces. (copper grease that is electrically conductive)

Many Model A's have had additional ground cables added to improve the grounding path of the starter. My second is a cable attached to a bolt at the top of the transmission. I use a trickle charger/maintainer to keep the battery at full charge. Check the fluid in the battery and keep the internal plates fully covered, but not much more as it will come out and make a mess if overfilled.

Good luck and please post your efforts here. We all can learn or relearn from them.

[TomInCologne]

Update...


- I played around with the GAV whilst going downhill, that did not really make a change


- i played around with the spark advance lever, did not get any better


- the only way to make the misfires go away was to push the throttle down a little bit. Which is not what you want to do whilst going downhill.


What do you think?

[Oldgearz]

Sweet ride! Hope you enjoy it as much as you anticipate.

[TomInCologne]

Update:


i just started her up and let her run in idle. i sprayed some starter spray onto the intake manifold and on one of the two connections the rpms dropped. I think that's my culprit and i will have a look at new manifolds, gaskets, whatever...


Is there some cement or similar that could act as a 'quick and dirrrrrtyyyyy' fix until parts arrive?

[TomInCologne]

Margarethe is tired...


after swapping the manifolds and finding out that the gasket between inlet and carb was upstairs and i was too lazy run up the stairs i checked compression...


The engine was cold, since we bought her in January, we have driven about 270mls.


The results were 1st cylinder 36psi, 2nd 36psi, 3rd 34psi and 4th 35psi.
So, the good news is that the compression is equally bad? Just a tired engine?

[burner31]

Have you tightened down your carb, manifolds, sometimes they just need a little torqueing down

[TomInCologne]

Originally Posted by burner31

Have you tightened down your carb, manifolds, sometimes they just need a little torqueing down

sorry, i have not made myself clear: the manifolds are all fine, they have nothing to do with my question.



The question was:I checked the compression and it was 36, 36, 34 and 35 psi. The engine was cold. Is that a reason to be concerned or will the values be (much) higher with a warm engine?

[Ernie Vitucci]

The compression may improve as you drive if you can put a top end lube in the fuel and it might loosen up the rings a bit where they are slotted into the pistons. I would be inclined to check the points gap (20 thousands) the spark plug gap (35 thousands) and clean and check the gap on the four contact points in the distributor body (25 thousands). Since the compression is so equal...a new head gasket might well be in order...or at least torque the current on to 50 pounds feet. It may not have been tightened in years. Drain out much of the water...back off the head nuts, clean the threads and then re-torque round one at 20 pounds, round two at 40 pounds and round three at 50 pounds...sometimes the simple things are all that is necessary. Ernie in Arizona

[TerryH]

Congratulations……you will love the Fordor…..they are just wonderful and comfortable.

[Werner]

Hi Tom,

when measured cold, a serious diagnosis is not possible. Engine at operating temperature after 20 km of hard driving is really warmed up.

I also use my powerful charger in parallel, since the gradual drop down of the turning speed has a negative effect on the compression pressure.

An even distribution is important, more than 15% is bad.

You are familiar with the test with oil injections, I think?


My revised engine (head planed 1 mm) shows 5.4/5.2/5.4/5.2 AtÜ.

[Jeff/Illinois]

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Wow congratulations!!

NICE car love it and the color combo

[JtownJoe]

Wow, what a great looking Model A. Enjoy! I've owned mine since 2008 and can't wait to get her out every year.

[Rckjone]

Congratulations! a very nice looking car

[SHEC]

Wunderbar!
Enjoy the FORD road ahead!

[Tosti36]

Awesome looking Model A! Congratulations and happy motoring!

[TomInCologne]

Thank you!


She's ill right now, having both front wheels off to get cast iron drums and new brakes. I hope she'll be fine again on saturday...

[TomInCologne]

Good Morning to all,


i am having trouble with my passenger side door handle, it's sagging. I think this is a well known problem but i would like to rectify it. I would like to order the necessary parts with Snyders before opening the door...


Can anybody point me to the parts that are needed for a sagging door handle repair for a '31 slant windshield Fordor on the Snyders website?


Thanks in advance...

[Tom A400]

Have fun!