Original and unrestored Model A/AA Fords that you have seen...

[Hoogah]

Thanks for those inspirational words and photos, Dean and Ray. Wish I hadn't responded about mine now (Post #3). Much as I love it, it's not what this thread is about, for sure.

[Arcieri]

In response to Plucks original post, Dave's 1929 Fordor would be my favorite. Close runners-up would be the unrestored cars I have acquired: the two in my avatar and the 1929 Fordor that Dean mentioned as one of the last cars Dave Lopes worked on.

I was fortunate to purchase this 1929 from Dean a couple years ago. Dave did a fantastic job detailing this car for a national meet, especially the original paint.

Here is how it looked last summer in my driveway.

[wrndln]

Don Biven's original rose beige 29 special coupe was at French Lick in 2014. It was a very nice original car. I can't remember how many miles it had on it, but it wasn't a whole lot. I took lots of detailed pictures, as I have a 28 special coupe, but unfortunately I didn't take a picture of the whole car. I saw Steve Ciccalone's fordor at Merrillville in 2009, which I believe was a 28, possibly a 29. It also was a very nice low mileage original car. I am pasting in a picture of Steve in his fordor below. Original cars are a delight to see.
Rusty Nelson

[dean from bozeman]

The Leatherback Fordor is a 1928. It had just over 14,000 miles on it. Steve bought it from the Gooding's. It was bought by Fred Gooding at a swap meet in Portland some years back.

Steve Ciccalone also had a 54,000 mile 1930 Coupe. He had it at the first French Lick meet. I remember being in that car on the mandatory tour. The course by the golf course was real hilly and that Coupe didn't enjoy taking its 500 pounds of passengers up those hills.

Ray, I love the fact that the Fordor went to a man who enjoys it so and has a family that will help him cherish it for years to come. I hope to see it at the Colorado MAFCA meet this coming summer.

I'm with you Rusty, there is nothing better than an original Model A.

[Deluxe Delivery Don]

After reading all of these wonderful stories about these true survivors ,It seems that most of the cars that are mentioned were from 1928 or 1929 . Just a thought but when the depression hit in Oct .1929 maybe these owners of these cars were scared to put a lot of miles on them for multiple reasons . 1 maybe lost there job, 2. could not afford fuel ,3 did not know when they could afford to buy another car 4, were stretching out there resources has long has they could . This could be all speculation ,but it was some of the reasons why these cars have such low mileage .Just my thoughts only.

[40 Deluxe]

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Originally Posted by Arcieri

In response to Plucks original post, Dave's 1929 Fordor would be my favorite. Close runners-up would be the unrestored cars I have acquired: the two in my avatar and the 1929 Fordor that Dean mentioned as one of the last cars Dave Lopes worked on.

I was fortunate to purchase this 1929 from Dean a couple years ago. Dave did a fantastic job detailing this car for a national meet, especially the original paint.

Here is how it looked last summer in my driveway.

Okay, I'm out of place here, but I couldn't help but notice the flammables and the clutter in the garage behind the car. If that's where the car lives, it might be living with a risk of fire. I know a home garage is a multi-use facility, but sometimes we tend to get a little lax. You should see the garage my '40 lives in! Probably many of us could do a little cleaning and neatening.

[d.j. moordigian]

Thanks you,...sure brought back GOOD memory's of Dave and Steve...

I miss those guy's...

[Rex_A_Lott]

Cool thread. Thanks to all for the stories and pics.

[Alan Greenleaf]

The car that Fred Page had was a A400 that had just over 1000 miles, I saw it in1971 and he wanted the crazy price of $10,000, too much for a twenty year old kid but it was a really nice car, just not real clean in the big barn.

[2manycars]

When I was a kid, there were some original cars in the CT club. The Tully twins had a really nice 29 town sedan, which they kept until they died. Jim Duckworth had a collection of model As that he kept in rented garages around Hartford, including a completely original 30 coupe. The windshield had turned yellow from the safety plastic failing, and the paint had runs in the trunk area and under the sun visor. When he died, he had no heirs, or will, and the state auctioned off all the cars. Walt Cloudman had a 28 tudor that was original execpt for a repaint in the 50's. He was a Ford salesman in 28 and sold the car to a customer, who traded it in for a new 29, and Walt bought the car then, and kept it until he died as a very old man. He was old back then and that was about 55 years ago. Another guy in the club had the fordor his mother bought new in 29, and he rode home from the dealer in the back seat. It however had been restored, and a high point restoration. He is also dead.

[Arcieri]

[QUOTE=40 Deluxe;1162143]Okay, I'm out of place here, but I couldn't help but notice the flammables and the clutter in the garage behind the car. If that's where the car lives, it might be living with a risk of fire.

Hi 40 Deluxe

The 1929 does not live in my cluttered garage. All three of my original unrestored '"A"s are in a climate controlled warehouse that two of my sons and I bought a few years ago. They are "car guys" also and have early Ford mustangs stored there.

My oldest son also has a 1969 Stage One Buick that he inherited from his Father in Law. We made an exception for him from the FORDS ONLY rule that we made when we bought the warehouse.

Here is where the 1929 is stored.

[Jeff/Illinois]

1928 Sport Coupe, bought new by a lady school teacher in Davenport, Iowa. 2nd owner was Norm Miller who got the car in the early to mid 1960's if I recall correctly. 16,000 original miles is what was on the car when Norm died a couple years back.

Don't know where the car went after that for sure, heard that a nephew got it. Hope he left it alone ( not street rodded) and also doesn't drive it

[SeaSlugs]

Originally Posted by Deluxe Delivery Don

After reading all of these wonderful stories about these true survivors ,It seems that most of the cars that are mentioned were from 1928 or 1929 . Just a thought but when the depression hit in Oct .1929 maybe these owners of these cars were scared to put a lot of miles on them for multiple reasons . 1 maybe lost there job, 2. could not afford fuel ,3 did not know when they could afford to buy another car 4, were stretching out there resources has long has they could . This could be all speculation ,but it was some of the reasons why these cars have such low mileage .Just my thoughts only.

very true, probably only used the car when absolutely necessary, otherwise you walk or use a horse/mule and a wagon.

[Arcieri]

I have only brought one of my original cars to a Model A national meet and that was Dallas in 2008. I brought and entered into fine point judging my original unrestored 1930 Deluxe Fordor 170-B.

As I was getting out of the car right after the boy scouts had pushed us to our judging spot, a man was walking towards me from the car in front of mine. He introduced himself. It was Dave Lopes. I thought I had a really nice unrestored "A" until I ended up parked directly behind his original 1929. That was a humbling experience.

Soon another man headed over, I think mostly to talk to Dave, but his first words to me were "I think you stole my car". It was Marco Tahtaras and he was referring to his unrestored 170-B featured on his website. Both were really kind and helpful as they knew this was my first National and explained judging procedures to me etc.

So now, within an hours time, I had met three very well respected and active members of the Model A community. The first was Roger Kauffman at start and idle. That was a memorable experience also that I have posted about on this forum in the past.

I have included a picture of my car in Dallas parked behind Dave's magnificent 1929. Also, a picture of the show cars at sunset the day before judging that I think is pretty neat.

[SeaSlugs]

absolutely love that 2nd picture!

[Arcieri]

OK one more unrestored car. This is a 1928 Special Coup that I was talked into buying by Phil Turner a few years ago.

Many of you know Phil as the highly knowledgeable counter guy at Bert's Model A Store. He and I had hours of conversation across that counter on many Saturday mornings over the years. Steve would join in as time would allow.

He took this car to Madison in 2004 to the National Meet and received Marc of Originality and Marc of Original Excellence awards.

[Tom Wesenberg]

I saw Phil's Coupe at Madison, and it is a beauty.
When I stopped at Bert's a couple years later I was surprised that Phil had sold it.

[Bill Cilker]

I have 2 more nice original cars to mention. One is a 1930 Town Sedan owned by Doug Clayton and the other is my own May 1931 Victoria. There are quite a few very nice unrestored Model A's that you never hear about. This year at the NWRG meet I Walla Walla, WA, a man had a nice original 1931 SW Town Sedan that he was using as a tour car. You never know when you will see one.

[Arcieri]

[QUOTE=dean from bozeman;1161807]

Ray, I love the fact that the Fordor went to a man who enjoys it so and has a family that will help him cherish it for years to come. I hope to see it at the Colorado MAFCA meet this coming summer.

Hi Dean,

I do plan to have my unrestored Model A's at the Meet in Colorado.

Steve Becker of Bert's Model A's has a really nice Canadian build original unrestored "A". Haven't seen it for a few months but think he still has it.
Hopefully he will bring it to the meet.

I don't know of any other unrestored A's in Colorado but I'll bet there are a few more. Would really like to see the most unrestored cars attend the MAFCA meet in Colorado that have ever been to a national.

All of you owners of unrestored cars from all states and other countries, please consider attending in 2016.

Ray

[Joop]

This is our 1931 Standard Coupe
Found it about 5 years ago.
It had been in storage for about 50 years with only 47K miles on it.
Going to sell it as we will be moving.