what makes a A'er

[richsfords]

Today we had a tune up day for my first trip and our clubs first trip to the Blue Ridge.
Having lunch I wonder what makes up a "Model A" lover, collector, because I want one type person. what you all think????????. why did you buy your first A? any good stories to share? I am on my second A.

[Synchro909]

I started in As after I lost all of my cars in a workshop fire about 18-20 years ago. I swore off cars for a while but the bug was already in there and wouldn't be denied. I didn't want to go through the restoration process again so I started looking for a car within set parameters:

• It had to be mechanically good but cosmetically, presentable was enough
• It had to be a good rally car
• It had to be easy to keep on the road.

There was only one choice - a Model A. After searching for the right car for a while, one turned up close to home that ticked all of the boxes. Long story short about buying it but it ended up in my garage. My wife and I have done many tens of thousands of miles in it, it has had pups (I now have 3) and I wouldn't be without one now. It has taken us to places I would never have expected.
What kind of person is attracted to As or any other vintage car is something I have pondered briefly at times myself. All I can conclude is that there is a certain longing for the old days in all of us and a preparedness to feed that longing. Some people might call us all sick!

[Steve Plucker]

On the ranch, I remember as a kid, we had a 28-29 Closed Cab Pickup sitting just outside our shop and I used to get in it and pretend to drive it. Unfortunately it got sold before I had any say about it.
I got my interest in the Model A Ford a few years later when I used to go to a farmer friend of mine who lived about 3 miles down the Touchet River Road and up a canyon. There he had this nice restored 1928 Open Cab Pickup which belonged at one time to another neighbor. I was about 11 years old and liked to sit in the Pickup and pretend to drive it. My friend took me for rides in the pickup and I was hooked.
In the spring of 1964 he asked me to come up and pull rye out of his wheat. Hey, why not earn a little money. While at his place, I noticed that he had another Model A in the barn. It was in real nice shape and needed restored. I asked my farmer friend what he was going to do with it. As usual, he told me just what most of us have heard at one time or another. He told me that he was going to restore it someday.
Well, for the next two years or so I was always going by and looking at it. I was also admiring a 1929 Closed Cab Pickup in another shed. I kept pestering him about selling it to me because he just was not going to do anything with it as far as I could tell.
One day in September of 1966, just as I was starting my Junior year of High School, I must of got him on a good day because he asked me if I wanted to buy it. I told him yes. He told me that he would sell me the 1929 Standard Coupe and the 1929 Closed Cab Pickup on one condition….that I restore the car and pickup to original and not to a hot rod. I told him that I would so he told me that I could have both vehicles for $250.00. I couldn’t get back to the ranch fast enough. I was soon the proud owner of two Model A’s.
Started to restore the coupe but after graduation from high school in 1968 I went to California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California where I graduated in 1973 with a degree in Crop Science.
Moved home in 1977 and continued the restoration. At this time I joined MARC and MAFCA, for which I have been a member ever since.
Restored my Coupe but sold the Pickup. You should of seen the smile on my farmer friend’s face as I showed him the Coupe for which he sold me. I then returned the favor and took him for a ride! I will never forget that day. I then moved back to California in 1982, returning back home in 1993.
Since 1977, I have been a member of the Chico A’s (82); the Bakersfield A’s (82-86), the Capitol A’s; (86-93) Flying Quail A’s (88-89), and the Walla Walla Sweet A’s (93 to present), named for our “Genuine” Walla Walla Sweet Onion. While with the Capitol A’s, I was responsible for organizing the cover photo which appeared in the Model A Ford Club of America’s (MAFCA) September/October, 1991, The Restorer Magazine.
Started indexing the 1928-1931 Ford Service Bulletins and the 1928-1931 Indianapolis Ford Service Letters in to one document in 1984. Thanks to Mr. Fred Gooding of Wilder, Idaho. I added the 1930-1931 Chicago Ford Service Bulletins and the 1928 Fargo Service Bulletins and completed the project in 2004. It is titled “A Comprehensive Index about the Model A and AA Ford featuring Ford Service Bulletins and Ford Service Letters, 1928-1931”. It is for sale through the Model A Restores Club (MARC) and you may order it for $22.00 which includes shipping and handling.
Got interested in the Model A/AA engine block, A-6015, and started noting the differences in the blocks themselves and thus recording them in a data base. As to date I have about 190 blocks recorded throughout 1928-1931 and am always looking for more. In 2004, I was awarded by the Model A Restorer’s Club’s (MARC) the George DeAngelis Literary Award for the article for which I wrote on the differences which appeared in the May/June, 2003 issue of Model “A” News.
In 2004, I started on another venture of indexing Model “A” News, The Restorer, The Double A’er, and Model A Times.
In 2005, I started researching the evolution of the Model A Ford Frame and Brake System. Then came the Bill of Sale project. All ongoing projects.
Besides farming and Model A’s, I do living history presentations representing my great grandfather, Charles Plucker, who was a member of the 9th US Army Infantry in 1856-1861. I also do family history, historical research, and collect old tins, steel beer cans, and Orange Crush items. Have also restored some old trunks and old furniture.
To date, I have my September, 1929 Standard Coupe and am working on a March, 1929 Closed Cab Pickup and a September, 1929 131-1/2” wheel base stake bed truck. The truck and the coupe are separated by only 20,000 numbers and are still September, 1929 vehicles. You know…plucks329s!
Thank you for visiting.
Steve C. Plucker
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[Steve Plucker]

This really sucks...no way to use my edit or delete functions. Anyone else have this problem?

Sorry for the above post for nothing! It was a good story to add to the original poster!

Pluck

[RUNNERBUN]

Originally Posted by richsfords

why did you buy your first A?:

My first vintage car was a 1927 Chevrolet. Need I say more.

[Phil Brown]

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Left click and high-light the print if you want to read Steve's

[TRP]

Here is Steves original post...



On the ranch, I remember as a kid, we had a 28-29 Closed Cab Pickup sitting just outside our shop and I used to get in it and pretend to drive it. Unfortunately it got sold before I had any say about it.
I got my interest in the Model A Ford a few years later when I used to go to a farmer friend of mine who lived about 3 miles down the Touchet River Road and up a canyon. There he had this nice restored 1928 Open Cab Pickup which belonged at one time to another neighbor. I was about 11 years old and liked to sit in the Pickup and pretend to drive it. My friend took me for rides in the pickup and I was hooked.
In the spring of 1964 he asked me to come up and pull rye out of his wheat. Hey, why not earn a little money. While at his place, I noticed that he had another Model A in the barn. It was in real nice shape and needed restored. I asked my farmer friend what he was going to do with it. As usual, he told me just what most of us have heard at one time or another. He told me that he was going to restore it someday.
Well, for the next two years or so I was always going by and looking at it. I was also admiring a 1929 Closed Cab Pickup in another shed. I kept pestering him about selling it to me because he just was not going to do anything with it as far as I could tell.
One day in September of 1966, just as I was starting my Junior year of High School, I must of got him on a good day because he asked me if I wanted to buy it. I told him yes. He told me that he would sell me the 1929 Standard Coupe and the 1929 Closed Cab Pickup on one condition….that I restore the car and pickup to original and not to a hot rod. I told him that I would so he told me that I could have both vehicles for $250.00. I couldn’t get back to the ranch fast enough. I was soon the proud owner of two Model A’s.
Started to restore the coupe but after graduation from high school in 1968 I went to California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California where I graduated in 1973 with a degree in Crop Science.
Moved home in 1977 and continued the restoration. At this time I joined MARC and MAFCA, for which I have been a member ever since.
Restored my Coupe but sold the Pickup. You should of seen the smile on my farmer friend’s face as I showed him the Coupe for which he sold me. I then returned the favor and took him for a ride! I will never forget that day. I then moved back to California in 1982, returning back home in 1993.
Since 1977, I have been a member of the Chico A’s (82); the Bakersfield A’s (82-86), the Capitol A’s; (86-93) Flying Quail A’s (88-89), and the Walla Walla Sweet A’s (93 to present), named for our “Genuine” Walla Walla Sweet Onion. While with the Capitol A’s, I was responsible for organizing the cover photo which appeared in the Model A Ford Club of America’s (MAFCA) September/October, 1991, The Restorer Magazine.
Started indexing the 1928-1931 Ford Service Bulletins and the 1928-1931 Indianapolis Ford Service Letters in to one document in 1984. Thanks to Mr. Fred Gooding of Wilder, Idaho. I added the 1930-1931 Chicago Ford Service Bulletins and the 1928 Fargo Service Bulletins and completed the project in 2004. It is titled “A Comprehensive Index about the Model A and AA Ford featuring Ford Service Bulletins and Ford Service Letters, 1928-1931”. It is for sale through the Model A Restores Club (MARC) and you may order it for $22.00 which includes shipping and handling.
Got interested in the Model A/AA engine block, A-6015, and started noting the differences in the blocks themselves and thus recording them in a data base. As to date I have about 190 blocks recorded throughout 1928-1931 and am always looking for more. In 2004, I was awarded by the Model A Restorer’s Club’s (MARC) the George DeAngelis Literary Award for the article for which I wrote on the differences which appeared in the May/June, 2003 issue of Model “A” News.
In 2004, I started on another venture of indexing Model “A” News, The Restorer, The Double A’er, and Model A Times.
In 2005, I started researching the evolution of the Model A Ford Frame and Brake System. Then came the Bill of Sale project. All ongoing projects.
Besides farming and Model A’s, I do living history presentations representing my great grandfather, Charles Plucker, who was a member of the 9th US Army Infantry in 1856-1861. I also do family history, historical research, and collect old tins, steel beer cans, and Orange Crush items. Have also restored some old trunks and old furniture.
To date, I have my September, 1929 Standard Coupe and am working on a March, 1929 Closed Cab Pickup and a September, 1929 131-1/2” wheel base stake bed truck. The truck and the coupe are separated by only 20,000 numbers and are still September, 1929 vehicles. You know…plucks329s!
Thank you for visiting.
Steve C. Plucker

[Steve Plucker]

Thanks guys...I was going to delete 1/2 of it but can not...didn't need all that other stuff in there.

Pluck

[Russ B]

I got my first A in 1958 or 59. I still have it and drove it over 500 miles last week on a trip by myself. It has a four banger touring style motor, hydraulic brakes, and smaller 15" steel wheels. I've had two or three A's at all times since 1963 or 64. I am not a restorer, but I still feel I am as much an A' re as most restorers.

[Hoogah]

Originally Posted by RUNNERBUN

My first vintage car was a 1927 Chevrolet. Need I say more.

SNAP! So was mine, Runnerbun (not counting the '28 Nash in a million pieces). Sure is nice being able to STOP in the Ford!!
Don't miss those two wheel brakes, especially in the wet, when they become No Wheel Brakes!

I had always secretly yearned for an A, since being a little boy and seeing a nice blue '28 or '29 Tudor that came down my street every morning at the same time. So you could say my reason for buying was also because of imprinting at an early age. Finally bought my '28 Phaeton just a few years back (but way too late in life!) and sold the Chevy. LOVE IT.

[updraught]

Never bought one. Farmers kept giving me all their old junk and I had to do something with it. Now, too much time and effort has been invested to get rid of it ...

Steve, try edit --> advanced, hilite the text, and go to the big A and change the font colour to something other than white, might help.

[Rparker28]

I don't know exactly if it is in your DNA or not but I know that I love cars! My dad was always working on cars when I was little and I still have snapshots in my mind of projects that he worked on and I assisted or hindered. My first car was a 1963 Mercury 4 door comet and I remember taking it to earl schiebs(if anyone remembers his famous saying...I will paint any car for 99.95)and I thought I was the king of the neighborhood. What made it even more interesting was the fact that the police contacted my dad and asked him questions about the car as they thought it might have been used in a robbery. I was only 16 and I remember looking that car over trying to find the loot. I have had so many cars since then but there is just something special about the model a that I cannot explain. Mine ain't running but my wife told me last night that she would like to have one with a rumble seat! I love this woman! Ralph

[mhsprecher]

There are many factors, too much to go into here, but for a start, I would say that we are pretty smart to latch onto a car that is handsome, well engineered, fairly inexpensive and easy to get parts for. We could take that a bit farther and say that we are practical and maybe like to do things the easy way. ;-)

[Slowplane]

Earl was an A'er.

[Questus]

I don't know exactly if it is in your DNA or not but I know that I love cars!

YES I do too !!

I´m Beetle infected to yesterday:

First I`m 18: VW 1,2 l 30 PS mechanicalbrakes, semaphores, Building 54 sold

now I`m 66!: VW 1,2 l 30 PS mechanicalbrakes, semaphores, Building 58

and VW 1302 3,0 l 237 PS Porsche Brakes and so on Building 71

and now .... FORD A 1928 Canada Import via NL and now Germany....

the best Thing to do many mechanical work I have had learnd in my first life time, she is called GERTRUD and I`m waiting on FEDEX from Georgias MIKES to do a lot of Things - end of JUNE we want to visit the technichans by authoritys to get the documents for Germany.

I love GERTRUD !

[Rparker28]

Slow plane..........That is incredible! I have not thought about Earl in a long time and isn't it interesting to know the REST of the story,Ralph

[Rparker28]

Questus......As you said.....Infected and it is so true! I am not interested in the cure!

[V4F]

I had been a chevy guy since I could drive . need for speed then . but decided to buy an "A" , and now cant get away from it . also to old to go fast anymore .

[Steve Plucker]

Originally Posted by updraught

Never bought one. Farmers kept giving me all their old junk and I had to do something with it. Now, too much time and effort has been invested to get rid of it ...

Steve, try edit --> advanced, hilite the text, and go to the big A and change the font colour to something other than white, might help.

Ryan will not let me edit anything so I am stuck...anyone else have that problem...this really sucks!

Pluck

[jhowes]

MY FIRST MODEL A WAS IN A NEWSPAPER AD. WHEN I WAS 15 IN 1951. iT WAS A 31 COUPE AND I DROVE THE WHEELS OFF OF IT. MY DAD MADE ME REBUILD THE ENGINE SO THAT I KNEW WHAT I WAS DRIVING. ALTHOUGH I DROVE A 30 CHEVY TO COLLEGE WHICH I LOVED, THE MODEL A WAS IN MY BLOOD AND i NOW HAVE A 31 2-DOOR AND A 30 OPEN CAB PICKUP IN POOR SHAPE. I ALSO HAVE A 31 WILLY'S KNIGHT THAT I WILL TRADE FOR AN A IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED. JACK

[Ray in La Mesa]

Model A's snuck into my subconscious before I knew what they were. I was 4 or 5 and would be awakened every morning by the idling of a car about 50' from my bedroom window. It turned out there was an old Italian fellow next door who grew flowers & fruit for the Los Angeles flower market, Every morning he would start up his 1928 sedan delivery & let it idle while he loaded it. It was ingrained into my mind so I didn't have a chance to love another make of car as much, even though my dad had a '28 Chevy roadster pickup for dump runs. I don't remember what happened to the Chevy but my daily driver now is a '28 A roadster pickup while I'm restoring a '30 cabriolet. The pickup is an original beater & always draws a crowd when I park it, especially when it's next to a restored car.

[Robert/Texas]

I had a '28 A roadster and a '32 B pickup back in the 1950's. I got my '28 open cab pickup and '28 roadster in 1989. I still have these two plus a couple of T's and early V8's. All run well but none are show cars.

[wmws]

The pickup is an original beater & always draws a crowd when I park it, especially when it's next to a restored car.[/QUOTE]

Isn't it interesting how a beater will draw a crowd.

[mantta]

I have owned Model "A"'s since age 13, I'm 74 now. 61 years!

[Gunmetal blue2]

From a little kid that seen a model A, I told ever body that some day I would own one. In 1970 I turned 15 bought my first car. It was a 1929 Town Sedan. When I was 16 I got a 29 ccpu, turned 17 I bought a 1929 Tudor a 1930 Tudor and a Woopie or Model A that someone turned in to a tractor. A 54 years I bought a 1929 AA CCPU. I think it runs in my blood, none of the rest of my family owned any. O when I said a kid I meant 4 or 5 years old.

[boo]

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learned to drive in one in 1953,bucked like a bull, could only touck gas petal with my toe. had lots of A's sence have one it took years to get a judge died and i finaly got his A hunting buggy, was in 1947 hunters bible, still looks the same [ google- florida palmetto jumper] will post pix when i learn how....still have 3 A's, looking for a good 4dr

[updraught]

My goodness, what are they shoot'n at?

http://www.kitschy-kitschy-coo.com/b...ng-vehicle.jpg

[Growley bear]

Originally Posted by Phil Brown

Left click and high-light the print if you want to read Steve's

Thanks for that. I am not very computer literate; you just taught me something. Thanks again,

Chet

[Growley bear]

Originally Posted by Steve Plucker

Thanks guys...I was going to delete 1/2 of it but can not...didn't need all that other stuff in there.

Pluck

I found your story very interesting. Great read.

[JDupuis]

My wife bought me my first Model A for my birthday in 2005. I'm one lucky guy! Jeff

[boo]

updraught,they were quail hunters, the car is still exactly as in this 1947 pix, even the grarley gas line , will post a pix soon i hope, car was used by boy scouts for camping, etc all oldtimers in town kno the buggy that are still alive. he was the city judge and parked it doen town during hunting season, last inspected in 1976, he never married and this was his wife & baby,i tried to buy it from for years after he bought a 1958 fwd truck, wouldn't sell just sat in his garage untill he died then a nephu had it for a few years, then his sister [my 4th grade teacher] call me to see if i wanted it. he built it in 1937 originaly w/updates. still has his sleeping bag, stove and all you see in side box are still there. WOW! just realized that pix is 70 yrs old.i had the sister car to this one in 1960-64, his hunting buddie had built on similar but not all the unique things on this one.

[WHN]

When I was a young boy I would take anything apart. At 12 my parents bought me my first Model A, a 1931 Sport Coupe. Have had Model A's ever since. My hope is that another generation will feel the same attachment to this wonderful car. Cross your fingers.

[Railcarmover]

Originally Posted by Questus

I don't know exactly if it is in your DNA or not but I know that I love cars!

YES I do too !!

I´m Beetle infected to yesterday:

First I`m 18: VW 1,2 l 30 PS mechanicalbrakes, semaphores, Building 54 sold

now I`m 66!: VW 1,2 l 30 PS mechanicalbrakes, semaphores, Building 58

and VW 1302 3,0 l 237 PS Porsche Brakes and so on Building 71

and now .... FORD A 1928 Canada Import via NL and now Germany....

the best Thing to do many mechanical work I have had learnd in my first life time, she is called GERTRUD and I`m waiting on FEDEX from Georgias MIKES to do a lot of Things - end of JUNE we want to visit the technichans by authoritys to get the documents for Germany.

I love GERTRUD !

'67 type 1 1600cc single port heads,counter balanced crankshaft,hand balanced pistons and rods,W100 cam,010 distributor,type 3 starter,hand lapped and fitted heads,drilled and tapped for full flow filtration,bosch Al82n alternator,rotary electronic fuel pump..ruby red sedan..and a '57 type 1,mainly stock being sold..model A's and Vw's go back to when I was nine,in 1967.. my father bought a late 31 coupe and a new 1967 convertible.The similarities between the two cars,from the factories they were built in to the economical reliable transportation they offer makes the connection for me. Germanys Model A and Americas Model A..

[phonconn]

My first A was a 31 slant fordor and I thought it would be a chick magnet as I was a poor teacher's son and could not afford a muscle car like many of my peers in high school. It cost $150 in 1966 and I drove it home crashing into the rear of my father's 64 Nova at the end of a long hill on the way home. Needless to say the repairs to his truck lid, and both rear fenders cost much more the $150 I spent on the car and I learned some really cool new cuss words that day. I was hooked and have been collecting parts at swap meets since and used the parts hobby to fund my restorations even to this day. I have since gotten rid of that first A but added several others since including a 29 closed cab that we have gather original parts for this past 20+ years and hope to have it ready to be judged in Branson for the MARC National there in June 2018.

[Beauford]

I saw it sitting in the woods with stuff growing out of it and decided it needed to be brought back to life to tell me the many stories!

[Chris H]

First of all, I have always been a sports car guy. I used to have posters and built models of all the neat cars, but could never afford. I always dueled over the Packards, Pierce Arrows, Cords, and Dusenburgs, as well. All well out of my price range.
I ended up with my first MGB in the '80s, my second a few years later. My dad always wanted a Model T, and always said "some day we will get one". Well that day never came. I always liked the Model As, as they were more drivable on today's roads than the primitive Model Ts. They are more affordable than the Packards, and parts are much easier to get. So I found a Model A and have not regretted the purchase.

I keep mine in as original condition as I can afford. I want it to not only look original, but drive original. After all, what's the point of it all, anyway, if you can not enjoy the entire experience! Dropping in a modern V8, juice brakes, auto transmission, and power steering, it is just a modern car that looks old. Not the full experience! Just my own personal opinion on it all.

[kippmw]

My first ride in a Model A was at 2 weeks old in the 30 Deluxe Coupe that my Grandpa and my Dad restored in 1971. I've been working on Model A's, driving and participating with my local chapter ever since. I'm 33 now and my Grandpa and my Dad have since passed on, but I keep the old coupe and our 29 Fordor going, with no intention of stopping. I've owned a lot of different cars, but Model A's will always be my favorite!

[KenCoupe]

When I was very young, I had a babysitter that had an old, beat up ccpu Model A. One evening, he gave my brother and me a ride in it. That was probably the start for me. When I got a little older, I started collecting books and magazines about old cars, especially Model T's. As I got older, I began liking the Model A more and more because it was more driveable than the Model T. I finally got my Model A (coupe) after my kids graduated from high school. I'd like to get another one, but I don't have any room to put it.

[Synchro909]

Originally Posted by KenCoupe

When I was very young, I had a babysitter that had an old, beat up ccpu Model A. One evening, he gave my brother and me a ride in it. That was probably the start for me. When I got a little older, I started collecting books and magazines about old cars, especially Model T's. As I got older, I began liking the Model A more and more because it was more driveable than the Model T. I finally got my Model A (coupe) after my kids graduated from high school. I'd like to get another one, but I don't have any room to put it.

You could leave it (with keys) at my place.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Originally Posted by Beauford

I saw it sitting in the woods with stuff growing out of it and decided it needed to be brought back to life to tell me the many stories!

Beauford,
Reminded me, In Oklahoma, I saw a ROOFLESS OUT HOUSE in the woods, with a 17 Foot Cedar growing out of it
Bill Amazed