Go Back   The Ford Barn > General Discussion > Model A (1928-31)

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 07-12-2019, 01:39 AM   #1
TerryH
Senior Member
 
TerryH's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Fountain Valley, Calif.
Posts: 937
Default Dave Lopes Fordor Model A

For those who might have neither seen or heard of it, here is a good photo I took many years ago of his car, during a Hemmings Model A Calendar photoshoot in Orange County. He trailered it down from the LA area and was really interesting to talk to. I don’t remember the exact details, but I believe it was a very low mileage, original car, and not restored....original paint, interior, etc.....a veritable time machine. Does anyone know what happened to the car after he passed away?
Attached Images
File Type: jpg 0361A771-DF3A-43B9-9459-47D8830EFB56.jpg (107.7 KB, 383 views)
TerryH is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-12-2019, 07:53 AM   #2
Steve Plucker
BANNED
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Walla Walla, Washington USA
Posts: 6,066
Default Re: Dave Lopes Fordor Model A

I saw the car at the 2004 MAFCA National Meet in Portland, Oregon.

Very impressive...Both David and the car!

Pluck
Steve Plucker is offline   Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Old 07-12-2019, 10:58 AM   #3
Gary Karr
Senior Member
 
Gary Karr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 1,483
Default Re: Dave Lopes Fordor Model A

Dave's Fordor is still here in California, owned by his family. It is indeed an original, unrestored 4500 mile Model A. I drove it several months ago during a visit with his widow.
Gary Karr is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-12-2019, 12:41 PM   #4
History
Senior Member
 
History's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: NC Mountains
Posts: 689
Default Re: Dave Lopes Fordor Model A

Wow Gary, I'm a little jealous of that. I've often wondered what a new car would feel like compared to a rebuilt. I guess properly rebuilt its close to the same.

I love original condition items, whatever they are. The car in your avatar seems to have a similar shine on the paint to the one mentioned. Is yours also original paint car?
History is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-12-2019, 08:18 PM   #5
ryanheacox
Senior Member
 
ryanheacox's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Northwest CT
Posts: 1,092
Default Re: Dave Lopes Fordor Model A

That has got to be the best example of an original car that I have seen. There have been other pictures of various parts of the car posted in tech threads as a guide.

I have a similar question to history, how does it compare to a well restored car? I’ve heard original ford engines put almost all rebuilds to shame.
ryanheacox is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-12-2019, 08:36 PM   #6
Tacoma Bob
Senior Member
 
Tacoma Bob's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Tacoma, WA
Posts: 1,025
Default Re: Dave Lopes Fordor Model A

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
I heard it run in Portland in 2004. It sounded so different as to what we have all become accustomed to.
Tacoma Bob is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-14-2019, 02:42 PM   #7
BRENT in 10-uh-C
Senior Member
 
BRENT in 10-uh-C's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Eastern Tennessee
Posts: 11,486
Default Re: Dave Lopes Fordor Model A

Quote:
Originally Posted by ryanheacox View Post
That has got to be the best example of an original car that I have seen. There have been other pictures of various parts of the car posted in tech threads as a guide.

I have a similar question to history, how does it compare to a well restored car? I’ve heard original ford engines put almost all rebuilds to shame.


Without hi-jacking this thread too far, you are probably correct in that statement but we also need to remember that most professional rebuilders do not have the budget to be able to replicate the balance and tolerances of an original engine. Matter of fact, most so-called "restorations" do not truly return a vehicle to a mechanical condition as they originally were when manufactured. I have been fortunate to be able to drive and ride in several under 40k mile unrestored examples, and they are indeed smooth, and there is no rattles or squeaks. Restore the engine correctly (matching reciprocating weights and all tolerances) and they will replicate the engine as it originally was.




Now to add a few pictures of Davey's Fordor that I took at the World Meet a decade or so ago. Enjoy...…..
__________________
.

BRENT in 10-uh-C
.
www.model-a-ford.com
...(...Finally Updated!! )

.
BRENT in 10-uh-C is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-15-2019, 05:36 PM   #8
SteveB31
Senior Member
 
SteveB31's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Englewood, Colorado
Posts: 1,372
Default Re: Dave Lopes Fordor Model A

We used to have a 1928 Special Coupe with 13,000 original miles. It was the best driving , quietest, smoothest Model A I have ever driven. Only reason we sold it was we wanted to drive it more and felt guilty putting lots of miles on it.

Steve Becker
Bert's Model A Center
SteveB31 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-15-2019, 10:36 PM   #9
dean from bozeman
Senior Member
 
dean from bozeman's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Bozeman, Montana
Posts: 997
Default Re: Dave Lopes Fordor Model A

Dave Lopes contacted me one time about a '29 Briggs Fordor with 32,000 original miles. He also 'needed something to do' to keep his mind off the cancer that was invading his body. He spent time cleaning the Fordor and putting the correct era parts back on it. The engine was the original and never been tampered with.

When done I showed it at MARC National meet in Merriville, Indiana. It was an amazingly smooth driving "A". A person can rebuild to factory tolerances but there is something different about driving an original "A". Perhaps it's like the difference between a new boot and a nicely worn in boot. Built with the same specs but there truly is a difference.

One year Dave brought his '29 Fordor to the San Diego swap meet. After 5:00pm when the meet was closed he said, 'Get in boys we're going for a ride'. Many might say museum piece, don't touch. Dave said, 'Let's go'. We drove around the swap meet, laughing and ahooga-ing! Enjoying friendships and a very special "A". Dave was not only a good buddy and he was a true Model A hero.
dean from bozeman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-16-2019, 06:49 AM   #10
History
Senior Member
 
History's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: NC Mountains
Posts: 689
Default Re: Dave Lopes Fordor Model A

I love militaria and manly collect German WW2. ((Anything)) German in original condition is pretty much night and day from something reconditioned. Unless, it was originally reconditioned by the Germans. Sounds similar to an original model A versus a redone. I hope one day to ride in an original MODEL A or would I be better off trying some drug???
History is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-16-2019, 07:29 AM   #11
jhowes
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: upstate NY near Mass border
Posts: 789
Default Re: Dave Lopes Fordor Model A

The engine and intake manifold do not look ford green. Is that the camera or is there something that I am missing? Jack
jhowes is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-16-2019, 08:02 AM   #12
BRENT in 10-uh-C
Senior Member
 
BRENT in 10-uh-C's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Eastern Tennessee
Posts: 11,486
Default Re: Dave Lopes Fordor Model A

Quote:
Originally Posted by jhowes View Post
The engine and intake manifold do not look ford green. Is that the camera or is there something that I am missing? Jack


Jack, herein often lies the issue with some folks 'restoration my way' mentality in that it often confuses later generations of what is authentic and not. Another area is older LeBaron Bonney upholstery kits installed from the 60's & 70s are often mistaken as being authentic.

As for your question, the original engines & certain components were cast at the foundry then painted with a light coat of Ford's 'Engine green' paint. Afterward painting, the pieces were then allowed to season before machining processes. The paint was only applied to add a small/thin layer of protection from flash rust. Restorers along the way have tended to 'over-restore' in this area almost to the point of trying to achieve a finish as slick as the exterior of the sheetmetal. I have included a picture below from the archives that shows the thin layer of green paint. The engine paint of Dave's Fordor has likely faded over time but it was definitely green.


.


.
.

Attached Images
File Type: jpg archive_engine-01a.jpg (72.5 KB, 653 views)
__________________
.

BRENT in 10-uh-C
.
www.model-a-ford.com
...(...Finally Updated!! )

.
BRENT in 10-uh-C is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-16-2019, 09:25 AM   #13
Jeff/Illinois
Senior Member
 
Jeff/Illinois's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 2,787
Default Re: Dave Lopes Fordor Model A

Those are neat pictures of the late Mr. Lopes' car, thanks for posting them. Neat story.

Norm Miller of Davenport, Iowa was very active in the AACA and always was surrounded by antique cars. After he died a few years ago, his estate was selling a '28 Sport Coupe that Norm had owned, all original low mileage, around 26,000 as I recall. A very young Davenport school teacher had bought the car new and left it mostly in the garage, walking back and forth to school, and taking the streetcar downtown to shop. In later years she bought another car but hung onto the '28. Norm got the car many years later from her. He was then the second owner.

If I can find a picture of it I will post it here. It was an utterly amazing car

https://www.mcginnis-chambers.com/notices/Norman-Miller
Jeff/Illinois is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-17-2019, 06:28 AM   #14
chrs1961815
Senior Member
 
chrs1961815's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Spring Grove, Illinois
Posts: 1,371
Default Re: Dave Lopes Fordor Model A

Here are a boatload of photos.


http://jmodela.coffeecup.com/Fordor.html
__________________
"The more things change, the more they stay the same."
chrs1961815 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-17-2019, 07:30 PM   #15
barry022
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Raleigh, NC
Posts: 57
Default Re: Dave Lopes Fordor Model A

Enjoyed viewing photographs of the 1929 Fordor. Thanks for posting them.


I was was always drawn to original cars that maintained most of their their original parts when I was a teenager in the 1970s and owned a 1930 Chevrolet at that time that had its original interior in very good condition and I did nothing more than get it in running condition and drive it regularly.


Many people viewed good solid original Model As as an "easy restoration" and advertised them with that description. Unfortunately many of these cars had their original interior replaced and required no or very little body work for new paint to be applied over the original or second paint job.
barry022 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-17-2019, 08:25 PM   #16
mhsprecher
Senior Member
 
mhsprecher's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Takoma Park, MD
Posts: 2,811
Default Re: Dave Lopes Fordor Model A

Nice thread. Thanks to all who added to the story.

I had to chuckle when I saw the interior door photo with the sagging door pocket. I was at a local show and the guy who was judging my car commented on how my door pockets were sagging, among the dozens of things "wrong" with my car. My car is not a showpiece, but a driver, but I had it judged in the local show just for the heck of it. That was the last time I did that...
mhsprecher is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-26-2019, 01:08 PM   #17
daren007
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Saint Cloud Mn
Posts: 745
Default Re: Dave Lopes Fordor Model A

test
daren007 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-26-2019, 01:18 PM   #18
daren007
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Saint Cloud Mn
Posts: 745
Default Re: Dave Lopes Fordor Model A

To what level would one have to bring back a "A" engine to replicate the original engine characteristics. After reading many posts on how original unmolested engines are much smoother then todays what needs to be done to reach this level.. Std. deck height, Std. crank and rods, Std. "Ford" pistons and rings. Std. cam and cam bearings, Std. lifters and lifter bores etc. Could you skip the cam bearings and other items? I find it hard to believe "Ford" shipped cars that you could not tell the difference between clutch chatter and engine vibration. I realize the I-4 has inherent vibrations but apparently todays engines could be much smoother. My "T" runs like a swiss watch in comparison.
daren007 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-26-2019, 02:39 PM   #19
BRENT in 10-uh-C
Senior Member
 
BRENT in 10-uh-C's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Eastern Tennessee
Posts: 11,486
Default Re: Dave Lopes Fordor Model A

Quote:
Originally Posted by daren007 View Post
To what level would one have to bring back a "A" engine to replicate the original engine characteristics. After reading many posts on how original unmolested engines are much smoother then todays what needs to be done to reach this level.. Std. deck height, Std. crank and rods, Std. "Ford" pistons and rings. Std. cam and cam bearings, Std. lifters and lifter bores etc. Could you skip the cam bearings and other items? I find it hard to believe "Ford" shipped cars that you could not tell the difference between clutch chatter and engine vibration. I realize the I-4 has inherent vibrations but apparently todays engines could be much smoother. My "T" runs like a swiss watch in comparison.


Daren, several things factor in on this. The commonly-available pistons that most rebuilders use is heavier than original pistons, ...and even the wrist pins on today's pistons are almost 100 grams heavier than Ford's OE piston pin. That is huge when it comes to slinging a piston upward and then changing it's direction.


Next you must realize when the crankshaft is machined undersized, the offsetting material is babbitt which is not an equal weight transition. Next, most people opt for higher compression ratios which affects the feel of the engine. Each time the piston reaches TDC, the higher compression creates a 'snap' (think back to little Cox airplane engines and how hard they were to prop thru the rotational cycle) that causes a minute amount of crankshaft deflection on each cylinder pulse.


From my experience, most rebuilders of the typical '$2895.00 short-block' do not balance the internal parts of the engine. If they claim they do, are their tolerances & weights equal to what Ford had? If not, there your answer.
__________________
.

BRENT in 10-uh-C
.
www.model-a-ford.com
...(...Finally Updated!! )

.
BRENT in 10-uh-C is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-26-2019, 03:18 PM   #20
alexiskai
Senior Member
 
alexiskai's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Mebane NC
Posts: 2,332
Default Re: Dave Lopes Fordor Model A

Quote:
Originally Posted by BRENT in 10-uh-C View Post
Daren, several things factor in on this. The commonly-available pistons that most rebuilders use is heavier than original pistons, ...and even the wrist pins on today's pistons are almost 100 grams heavier than Ford's OE piston pin. That is huge when it comes to slinging a piston upward and then changing it's direction.
This is interesting, why is that? Thicker walls on modern pistons?
alexiskai is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 07:04 AM.