What drove you towards the Model A hobby?

[Ray A from PA]

Restored tractors for years, then one day the light came on and I remembered my youth when I worked with my Dad in his garage. That was in the 40's and 50's when there were many Model A's still being used as every day drivers. I was inspired again, to get back to those years. So I bought my first A. A 29 Special Coupe, now I have 2 A's.

[Dennis Pereira]

I drove by my 29 standard coupe project on my way to work for over twenty years. The coupe had become a target on the side of a hill. Started on restoration about 3 years ago. Also have a 1928 closed cab pickup waiting for me to start on. My neighbor has 28 sport coupe from the same ranch that he bought 30 years ago I'm ahead of him ha ha.

[1931 flamingo]

got my first A, 29 sport coupe $100 about 1959-60, 2nd was a roadster 29 $75, . Then into 32,37 ,40 fords, etc. Sold e/thing in 72 when got married. Been out of work 16 mo (who's counting, $790 billion stimulous and NO jobs). I've been looking about 6-7 years for a p/up but settled on a late 31 tudor about 2 1/2 mo ago. Mainly because they're affordable and fun. I'm enjoying
Paul in CT

[Ron Lowe]

Dad had a 30 coupe always under the car-port, so as a child I would play on it and in it. I remember hot days laying on the fenders and running boards to keep cool. My first night to sleep away from our house was in the front seat. Many rides in the rumble to get ice cream. Today I'm 53 and own a 30 coupe, Dad is 86 and owns a 30 Roadster

[Jerry Parr WI]

In the late 50's my father-in-law was working part time in a used car lot. My wife and I were desperate for a car, so when a 29 Coupe was traded in he gave it to us. We drove it as an everyday car for some time. Years later in 1972 a friend decided to sell his 1930 Coupe and we decided to get back into Model A's. Still have the Coupe and some additions.

[Bruce]

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I think I got a spell put on me ... or I got a broken gene from my great grandfather who had the first car (a Model A -- the one with the wicker baskets) in Decatur Illinois ... or it was something that I ate. In fact, love happens.

[Robert/Texas]

My first Model A trip was in 1934 on the drive home from the hospital in the family 1930 2-door. Below is a picture of me and the car about four years later. My father built me the 6 foot pram (on top of the car).


I bought a nice '28 roadster in 1954 and had it for a couple of years (no pictures though). Now I have 2 A's, a '28 AR open pickup and a '28 roadster. Both are drivers.

[V4F]

to old & to broke to do anything else ..................... steve

[Clem Clement]

Daddy had 4 Model A's. His bud offered me an AA but no place to keep it. In 75 a fellow who worked for me said his bud was selling an A pickup next spring. a week later the bud's wife wanted it gone, so we dug out 4 foot of snow in front of the garage and it followed me home. Clem

[Brubaker]

Memories of riding around the apple ranch clinging to the spare tire well of a '28(or '29) PU. My uncles bought it from their shop teacher 'Mr. Hanies'. To this day, 'Mr Hanies'(the truck) survives. We also had(have) an Overland.
I finally acquired mine through marriage(father-in-laws). I think the real reason I am drawn to A's is the restoration aspect. Makes me feel like I'm saving a little bit of history.

[Glenn C.]

The first car that my dad bought me when I turned 14yrs. was a 1928 Briggs Body 60A Fordor. This car I still own, but is in a full frame off restoration. Too many pigeons and mice took it's toll over the years in storage. As he did not like the Copra Drab color of paint, he had me paint it with a brush, Fire Engine Red with bright yellow wheels. Looked neat for a couple of years, then it went yuc. As he did not want me to get into the mechanics to much with it.......I bought a non running 35 Ford Coupe for $5.00 to learn about "What makes it tick". (Wish I still had that car)Mechanical then became a way of life

[Steve Wastler]

I wanted a street rod at age 11, bought many books and liked the 'A' best, mowed a lot of grass and saved all my money. Found a 29 roadster in '81 at age 13 got it home and deceided it was too nice to make a rod out of it. Early on, I had slowly been replacing the repro crappy parts of the 70's and it segued into finding good originals then mint originals and n.o.s. parts. Roadster has been in a state of preservation, not fully restored, but a nice driver. Bought an almost abandoned farm house 6 years ago, focus was on that, but always was interested in the unique body styles of A'S hence the start of the hunt for the unrestored mail truck, three years later, with much joy I found it. I am hoping to have my third when I win the MAFFI raffle sedan. LOL ...

[marc hildebrant]

In the 1960's, my father bought an old Edison record player. As he collected more machines/records, I started to catalog the records for him.

Since I had to play them, I found that I realy liked old music. From that, I found old antiques and things had a special place in my heart.

In college, I got a 1933 Chev. from my parents as a Christmas Present. It fit right in with the liking of "old" things. Along the way, I found that parts were not easy to find, but Model A parts were easy and cheap to get.

When our family started, I sold the old chev. as I had no money/time/space to work on cars. Family comes first......

Now that all the kids (5) have left home, I was looking again for a fun old car again as I still like old antiques !

The Model A seemed good as the parts are still easy to find.

Marc

[Tacoma Bob]

In 1954 at age 5 I walked what seemed a million miles with my Dad to pick up his newly acquired 30 ccpu. It was a gas station attendant truck and was beat to death. Dad bought it just to have something to go to the dump with. He parked it in the garage in 1962 with the promise it would be mine someday. I started tinkering with it about 1966 and by 1968 sporting a dirt ally paint job (not bad either) I was on my way. Although I eventually went the chevy V-8 route with it I have been forever bitten by the bug. My second A was a29 Tudor that I also streetrodded. Miss Wilma and I bought our 30 Tudor some seven years ago and love the hell out it four banger and all.

[anut]

about 1940 my older brother got out of the ccc camp baught a 1930 vicky we lived on a farm with a big barn and barn lot when no one was around i would drive around barn in first and second gear have loved model ays ever since am now working on number 7

[HoarseWhisperer]

I was motivated to obtain a Model A, just so I could see the look on their face when I drove into a Ford Dealer and ask for warranty service.

[asapguy]

Got my 1st 30 Cp in 1958 when I was 15 for $90. It had hyd. brakes & a sheet for a headliner. Built the 4 banger with a Super Winfield head two 94's. Always had at least one Model A since. We now have 5 & won't be w/o one. We've had collector cars from 1911(EMF) through 62 Corvetts but still love the Model A's.

[Terry, NJ]

On our family farm, we had two Mod AA trucks in the fifties and early sixties. At the time, I just thought of them as old junk from a past era that had been retained too long. You could see the ground trough the floor, one door was permanently shut with bailing wire. Everthing imaginable was wrong with them. But they ran and hauled stuff. And had been running for thirty some years with a minimum of maintenace. A fact that was nearly lost on me. Nearly, but not quite. You got an admiration for these old battle scarred warhorses. Not long after, My Cousin gave up the kind of farming that required them and parted them out.
Terry

[Ron/IA]

My Mom drove a '29 Coupe in high school, and for three years after graduation till in 1946 when she married Dad; they traded the A Coupe for a '46 Ford. In 1951 it was traded for a Chevy and their personal cars from then on were GM; but they never forgot the A Coupe and the '46 Ford. Dad was a machinist's mate in WW II, and was an excellant mechanic; rebuilding all of the farm's tractors for better power and reliability.

My interest in Model A's began when one Saturday in 1968 (I was 19 at the time), he annouced he and I were going to a farm sale. I figured he had his eye on a tractor or some implement for the farm, but to my surprised he went there to look at a Model A; a 1929 Fordor. We hauled it home that day, and spent many days and hours restoring it. Besides being a good mechanic, Dad was an equally skilled wood-worker. The top had rotted out of the A, and consequently the interior was destroyed too. He fashioned all the replacement wood for the top and interior, and then working with a local lady who recovered furniture; we replaced the interior. It turned out (too me) just as good as today's brand-name interior kits you can buy. Mechanically the A was in decent condition; it just needed tightening up, new seals, some bearings, etc., due to the many miles it traveled over the years. We were fortunate to find a '31 engine that was in good condition and only needed some rebuilding to make it fresh. After finishing it and driving it to the county courthouse, Dad transfered the title to me. Ever since, I have manitained and driven it. That was 41-years ago, and although Dad passed away in 2002; I know he is still with me in that A and knows I learned a lot from him. Although I have looked at others, it is the only A I have ever owned. Now my daughter gets her fingers greasy right along with me; keeping the A running. Next is her learning to drive it, and again Dad will be along to help.

[Cletus]

I have always thought A's were pretty neat. Of course, I'm younger (32) so most I have ever seen were restored. I happened to talking to an older friend of mine over a cold beverage and I mentioned something about an A. He said he had one out in his storage shop that he hadn't driven for 8 or 10 years. Well, me being interested in it prompted him to get his 1930 coupe out of storage. Seeing his car all of the time, prompted me to get more serious. Fast forward to Oct. 2008, I bought a 1931 Fordor. I'm currently in the middle of a complete restoration. My avatar is a pic before I started the tear down.