Question for Original Unrestored car owners

[Joop]

I have found an Original (almost) Unrestored 1931 Standard Coupe.
Last real owner bought it when he was 16 and had it for 50 years.

I would like to know from other owners of unrestored cars how they finished (or left as original found) the engine compartment. This car has been power washed by the previous owner and most of the original paint was removed. I want to keep this car as original possible. Would love to hear from you. Thanks
(The ugly looking bowl is a dirt trap and has been removed)

[Special Coupe Frank]

According to the "Paint & Finish Guide", the "engine-side" of the firewall was painted lower-body color, but was left "as-sprayed" - it was not sanded or polished, so it had a matte or satin look to it.

The underside of the hood was done the same way.

The engine assembly was painted Ford Engine Green, with the exception of:
fan, generator, starter, carburetor, oil-return pipe, lower radiator pipe, oil-fill pipe, and steering column, which were all black.

From what I can see on the cowl pillar in the right-hand photo, the body was dark blue ?

Looks like a previous owner borrowed that Tillotson sediment bowl from a two-wheel Gravely tractor...

[Tom Wesenberg]

I would replace the coil with an original and carry that one as a spare, and also buy a correct black cloth coil wire. Also replace the missing terminal box cover.

WD-40 and a soft cotton cloth can clean the firewall quite well. The engine is a toss up, whether to paint, or leave it as is, or give it a light coat of oil. If you decide to paint it, I would use care to paint just the parts that should be green and not paint the head nuts, etc.

[Aerocraft]

Joop:
You will get a lot of opinions on this question. It is my feeling that as soon as you start refinishing something, it is no longer "unrestored original". I would install the missing original parts such as the correct fan with the same patina. If it was mine, I would leave the car as is with the exception of cleaning and waxing as much as you can. Gar Williams

[Jim Huseby]

Some bits of criteria to add to the confusion are: What do you have as an educated vision of the car as it would have looked after the number of decades of use and type of care it would have had and the places it might have travelled (long trips, family use close to home, dusty environment, city environment,etc)? In other words, what kind of stories does the car have to tell? Where did it go and what did it see and experience at the hands of its drivers? What kind of personalities drove and occupied the car? What kinds of conversations took place in it? What were the hopes, dreams and accomplishments of the owners and occupants? Keep in mind it would have had some maintenance and replacement of small parts like water pump, head gasket, and maybe a bearing adjustment that would have left the pan cleaner than the rest of the engine with a new gasket. It may have had a small collision that left a dent, scrape or an obvious repair, or a repetitive injury.Lots of layers of hardened dust and lube will be built up on the rod ends, spindles, transmission, diff gaskets, engine block, and depending on how much blow-by it produced, how many layers of petrified oil and dust are on the firewall and insides of the hood panels. The old oil in this mixture was refined no telling how many decades ago by people who had life stories to tell and the dust wants to tell its stories, too. All the personalities that touched it, service station attendants, mechanics, etc. contributed to its personality. It seems to me that an important consideration would be to keep the extent of cleaning and restoration consistent, and possibly, minimized. The type of wear will tell much about its previous owners' physiology and personal habits. That's why I think, in many cases, it's tragic to restore and erase all of that including the assembly and paint applied by long dead personalities. After enough more decades, the regretable firewall crud removal will have an old story to tell, also. Come to think of it, you may be able to take some used motor oil and mist it on the firewall, then throw some dust on it and repeat that process every time it starts to harden, and "restore" the firewall to its "correct" condition. Anyway, my opinion is that it should indicate a certain date at which its career ended/owner changed and it went into storage, so that when people see this bonafied time machine now and in the future, they will be able to read its history and hear its stories from observing the evidence.

[flexiheep]

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Like was said above, I would replace the missing parts, and leave well enough alone if you want to keep it unrestored (non car people think this is pretty cool, heck I do too). I am sure some of the folks around here could supply some experienced parts like the junction box cover to keep the look going. I wouldn't even search out the "correct" parts like the fan, to me the one on there is part of the cars story and you can say "this is what they were like when people drove them as a primary car"

I was in the same boat, my car was someones daily driver in the 60's when my great uncle bought it and basicly just kept it running by him and my dad for the last 40 years (about 300 miles driven in that time). I get more attention by people when I drive it around because it is battered and beat. The engine was an awfull silver that was mostly rust, but it runs like a top. The A group in town likes it too, they all have restored cars, and then there is mine at the end of the line. We laugh because they want a fun driver like mine and I want a little nicer looking one like theirs.....

I made my decision a couple weeks ago when my top insert split open in 4 spots (rainy season in a month or so).... New top insert, a rustoleum paint job and a good sanding to take care of the rust blisters (black fenders, hunter green body). I had to replace the exhaust manifold, so I cleaned up the engine and painted it ford green and lastly I need to replace the windshield as the seal is shrunk, and the glass is in bad shape and rattles so bad you can't hear anything else while driving. I guess I will call it a spruce up to the the old girl when I am done....

[FL&WVMIKE]

"A" FORDBARNERS ............................
I have two unrestored flathead V8 Fords, which I intend to keep "unrestored". However, I see no problem in removing the grime, etc. On the chasis, more than likely, you will get down to the original paint, which can be washed with a solvent. Just don't leave any scrape marks, when cleaning.
You can also "help" your car, by using replacement original parts, that show the equal patina.
MIKE

[Jason in TX]

I drove my unrestored coupe on many Model A Tours and even got on the back cover of the Restorer with it. It was a lot of fun! No worries about it getting scratched, and it got a lot of attention (good attention from others, bad attention from the staunch Model A guys)

I would say just clean it off, get it working and drive it. Don't paint the engine, don't paint anything. It's fine the way it is.

[Model A Speedster]

I agree totally with Jim Huseby's reply. It's only unrestored/original once. I like to see restored cars, but if you park your car next to a nicely restored car, it would be a good bet that yours would get the attention. That's the way the people who drove their Model A on a daily basis remember them! It was the car that got them there and got them back.

[middletown]

I would leave it as is replacing items that fail. These days in a sea of restored A's one that displays the years of being driven and used as a primary vehicle is just awesome. I would also leave period modifications provided they were safe as they represent how these cars were used and maintained then which I feel is also important to preserve. not many A's where kept as high point show cars they were used and that is where there reputation is based a quality affordable car.

Please don't take this as a show car bashing response, it is not. They are beautiful and a wonder to appreciate but sometimes shiny paint and the polish take away the “real world experience" of the car and they can lack a bit owner influenced personality. An old sticker from a Grand Canyon trip in a window, a medallion on the bumper from an Auto Club, an after market solve all your problems do hicky from the 50’s all give an insight it the travels of the car. Maybe it’s more important to me because I’m a young’n (only in my 40’s) so I was not part of it all. Each of these items can be a window in the cars and the previous owners past.

Not a rule JMHO

Thanks,

Joe

[Special Coupe Frank]

I would agree with the above posts - stabilize and preserve what you have; arrest any immediate decay, and clean things up with WD-40 / soft rags...

As previously stated: "It's only original once".

The Antique Automobile Club of America has two relatively new preservation-based classes: Historic Preservation of Original Features ( HPOF ) and Driver Participation Class ( DPC ). Cars that are approved for either class are no longer judged in regular competition, but do receive participation placcards for each AACA event they attend.

It is very popular amongst car owners and spectators alike.

[Jim Mason]

I would leave any original parts as is. I would remove any non-original parts per the RG&JS and replace them with obviously restored parts in pristine condition. You then then can show what has been changed and what hasn't and won't confuse the issue for the next owner...fwiw,jm

[Joop]

Great info guy's



Thanks and I will follow the advice given.



Joop

[kp]

WHen I purchased my 31Coupe it had (and still does ) white wall tires ,new interior and Paint ,but I like what I see in the picture ,I think original is GREAT !!

[Midwest Tin]

Hi Joop,
Can you post some more photos? Interior, sides, rear view. Looks great.
Jim

[Joop]

Here are some more pictures

[Joop]

More

[1931 flamingo]

WOW!!!! That's a really neat find.
Paul in CT

[cradlescyth]

hi Joob
I am in process of dickering for a like car. This artical has help me make a decision as to what to do to it. I plan to just get it running and keep it as original as possible.
ENJOY!!

[Joop]

What Model are you looking at

Joop (Yope)