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Old 01-03-2012, 06:23 PM   #141
gilitos
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Default Re: What drove you towards the Model A hobby?

Bob, I would have given quite a bit to have met your grandparents!

Come to think of it, you sound pretty darn interesting yourself.......

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Originally Posted by Bob Tedrow View Post
My grandfather had an old ford that sat in a barn. I got*behind that wheel as a kid *in the 50's and drove around the world.*
Grandmother drove a '53 MG TD, played hot jazz piano and painted landscapes in oils. She smelled like turpentine and cookies.*

About twenty years ago I decided that I had to have a Model A and thought that owning one would make me happy.

Fortunately, I am a shallow materialistic man. Owning a Model A does indeed make me happy.*

For the last twenty or so years, I have driven my Ford almost every day in all seasons and weather. I have only been towed home three times!!*

I build musical instruments for a living...what does that say about me?

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Old 01-03-2012, 07:43 PM   #142
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Default Re: What drove you towards the Model A hobby?

My son bought a partially restored coupe in 2001. I knew he'd never have the time, effort or funds to complete the car, so I bugged him until 2009 when he reluctantly sold it to me. Not much had been done to it in the 8 years he owned it.

I was driving it 2 weeks after I got it. (sittin' on folded blankets for a seat and with no windshield). Spent the next couple of years finishing it.

I just always loved that little car...............Now fondly referred to as;
"Miss Tillie"...
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Old 01-03-2012, 07:54 PM   #143
Tim Armstrong
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Default Re: What drove you towards the Model A hobby?

My Mother, its her fault that I got the disease ! I was in the 4th grade and wanted a car, she told me to get a Model A, that they were easy to work on. Saved my money, bought a 30 coupe for 100 dollars, had to give the guy an extra dollar to drive it home, I didn't know how to drive. Been a hell of a ride since.
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Old 01-03-2012, 07:55 PM   #144
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Default Re: What drove you towards the Model A hobby?

I used to play in a junk yard full of old (20's - 30's) cars when I was a 8/9 years old.
Then around 10, I spied my Grandfathers '19 Gray-Dort in my Great Grandfathers barn. I could pick out old cars miles away.

Ok, so, getting to my first A. I was a teenager and my friends neighbour's boyfriend pulls up in a raked '28/29 dark blue, Tudor Hot Rod.......bing!!!!! That was it......I knew I had to have one. It took many years before I actually bought one and have enjoyed then ever since!
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Old 01-03-2012, 08:01 PM   #145
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Default Re: What drove you towards the Model A hobby?

MY MOTHER ! I got the disease. I wanted to buy a car to work on, in the 4th grade, she told me to get a Model A, they were easy to work on. I don't think she thought I was serious. Bought a 30 coupe for 100 dollars. Cost me an extra dollar for the seller to drive it home for me. I didn't know how to drive.

It has been on hell of a ride ever since.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Old 01-03-2012, 10:50 PM   #146
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Default Re: What drove you towards the Model A hobby?

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What drove me towards the Model A hobby?.....A passion for skinned and broken. bloodied knuckles, the ability to learn a whole new vocabulary using only four letter words, driving a heater-less car to work in sub zero temperatures, being stuck on an interstate in New England for 18 hours, viewing my right front wheel pass me and several other cars downhill, to name a few reasons....and saving the best for last, to see the look on my little girls face when she first pushed the horn button....(: )

Last edited by Mikeinnj; 01-03-2012 at 10:52 PM. Reason: spiellin
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Old 01-03-2012, 11:13 PM   #147
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Default Re: What drove you towards the Model A hobby?

My Dad learned to drive in a '29 closed cab pickup back in 1944. He always told me the story how he would reve up the engine then throw it into 3rd and let go...........he never told my Grandfather why the rear end always broke apart!!!! Then another story of he and a buddy driving all around hunting rabbits from a '31 roadster. That's when there was still acres of open land in California.

Ah the good ol' days!

I always loved old cars and when I finally had the money I searched for my Model "A". I decided on a '28 Phaeton. The year my Dad was born. A fun car to pile in a bunch of friends to drive around and be seen. Then I got the V8 bug, and since my Mom felt left out, I got a '33 Pickup too!
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Old 01-04-2012, 01:36 AM   #148
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Default Re: What drove you towards the Model A hobby?

It just came to me. My dad's first new car was a '29 cabriolet; but he soon gave it to his mother, who drove it until she died. My cousin drove it a year or two and then went in the Navy, so in 1958, my uncle brought the car back to my dad for me to have as my first car. The first requirement dad had was to put hydraulic brakes on it before I drove it. I stopped driving it in 1964, but kept it and am rebuilding it now.

By '63 I wanted a hot rod, but was not about to turn the cabriolet into one, so I got another '29, free, as my second car. It had been abandoned and left along the side of the road, partially buried in silt for years from an earlier flood. I turned the heavily rusted tudor into a V8 powered hot rod. Later came a roadster, then a closed cab PU, and, recently, a standard coupe, all '29s. The Cabriolet was my first car and was never original or fully restored in the 50+ years I have had it; but soon it will be in its best condition, by far, still with its original motor.

A's have just been a part of my life, but the cabriolet is part of my family history.

Last edited by Russ B; 01-04-2012 at 01:40 AM. Reason: grammer
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Old 01-04-2012, 03:34 AM   #149
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Default Re: What drove you towards the Model A hobby?

My Dad had a Model A when I was 17 years old, I remember going down to the family farm to pick up the remnants of a 28 Pickup, after Dad have restored it, I got to drive it often, I remember one day when starting it, that it back fired and stripped the timing gear, so my Dad said you broke it, you fix it, well I did. 30 years later, I got the bug and had to buy a 1928 Tudor, fantastic car, fantastic people and what a great community Ford barn is.
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Old 01-04-2012, 09:41 AM   #150
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Default Re: What drove you towards the Model A hobby?

old age & lack of money ..................... steve
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Old 01-04-2012, 10:09 AM   #151
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Default Re: What drove you towards the Model A hobby?

When I was 13 years old (1960) I had saved $75 from the money I had earned from my summer job. I wanted a go-cart and had found one but my dad said that what I should do is spend the money on an old car instead. Owning a car at 13 had never crossed my mind!

After looking a a few old cars in our area I picked this one because it had the best tires. New to me when I was 13 in Bend, Oregon. Am I proud looking, or what?






I drove it to high school and for a while after that, then took it completely apart and started restoring it. For many years it sat untouched due to lack of money and time, but especially money.


In 2000 I retired and we moved to Baja California Sur, Mexico. I took it with me as I wanted a project to work on, and I wanted to restore this vehicle that had been such a big part of my life since 13 years old.







With the help of a wonderful body and fender man in a nearby town I was able to finish the restoration in 2007.

One of the big celebrations in Mexico is November 20th, Revolution Day, and our small town always has a big parade. I have taken my Model A to the parade each year since it was restored, and I almost always have Revolution Day princesses or the Queen riding in my vehicle since it is the nicest vehicle in the parade. This year was no exception as I had the queen and 2 princesses in my pickup!! Eat your heart out guys! (Yes, there is one with me in the front seat!)
This picture taken November 20, 2011




As you can see, I enjoy the hobby and the driving as it always brings smiles to everyone's face. Now I am working on a wood bodied station wagon. The chassis is 1928 Ford model A and the body was made by Martin-Parry. I hope to have the station wagon done enough to be drivable in a couple months.
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Old 01-04-2012, 08:09 PM   #152
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Default Re: What drove you towards the Model A hobby?

I grew up Playing in and hiding in my grandpa's Tudor. While my brother played in the yard I played in the Model A. So about three years ago My whole family was all getting together for thanksgiving at grandpas house. I flew into town a couple days earlier than anyone else. With nothing to do I decided to go out and piddle around with it and try to get it started. A couple days later Grandpa and I had the Tudor barely running when my older brother and cousin showed up from the airport. They walked over and were looking at the car and saying stuff like " i cant believe it runs" and "Man this thing is in good condition".... Then my cousin said " I hope I get this thing, I would love to chop 6 inches out of the top" then my brother said " it would be hard to build a Z'd up chassis for it...... I looked at my grandpa and thought he was gonna have a heart attack! He didnt say a word about it. he just shook his head. So later that night Grandpa and were drinking a beer together and he looked at me and said " You got room for the A Model? And the rest is history. This Tudor is the second love of my life!!
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Old 01-04-2012, 10:23 PM   #153
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Default Re: What drove you towards the Model A hobby?

My folks' car was an A when I was born. During the war the U S Mail trucks went by the house. Loved that exhaust note! Bought my first roadworthy A in 1950 for $75 and have driven them ever since. (I sure got razzed for paying so much)
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Old 01-05-2012, 03:56 AM   #154
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Default Re: What drove you towards the Model A hobby?

When growing up in the 50/60/s there was a lady that worked for the DMV, in southwest MI, that drove a 30/31 coupe daily. I always loved that car and drove by her garage to look in frequently first on my bicycle later in my 56 Ford. In the 70's a friend, in VA, had a 30 Tudor that was my first hands on experience, helping him, I was driving a 37 Dodge Coupe. Not until the 90's did I get closer to the total "A" experience. A close friend purchased a one owner 31 Coupe and had it shipped fron CA to GA. I liked the car from first sight. The car was soon in pieces. I helped with restoration of the rolling chassis then the project sat for a few years. I purchased the car and started in. I payed someone to do final assembly and paint. Since then I have had to do almost all of thet work over to correct spec. I later found out my parents dated in a pair of "A" roadsters years unknown. My mother had at this time moved to GA and was under my care so the coupe project became something I wanted to do for myself and also her. We have been driving the Coupe since 2004 45K miles. Longest trip from GA to AK last summer. My wife and I love these cars and will probably have one until they pull my cold dead hands off the steering wheel.
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Old 01-05-2012, 10:22 AM   #155
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Default Re: What drove you towards the Model A hobby?

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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
i am now ora masters my ANUT got deleted and i could not get it back now working on number 8
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Old 01-05-2012, 01:40 PM   #156
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Default Re: What drove you towards the Model A hobby?

I found the "31" pick up my Dad use to drive to town. It was buried in a barn down to the frame. The man who owned it said he buried it so a thief would have to dig all night long in the dark to steal it!. He became paralised and I got it to restore. My wife and I replaced the floor pans and the bottom of all the panels but the frame was good. I had lots of doubles and traded off parts. I restored it down to new paint and sold it to move to North Carolina in 2003 to a well driller from Conn. My wife cried all day after it was gone. Before the man passed away that I got it from, I gave him the original gear shift ball. He cried and held on to it the whole time I was there.
Since then, I've fretted over loosing it until last year, when my son found a 29 Murry in the Dakota's. Now I'm knee deep in model A. It's taken over my garage and my spare time. Just try to wipe this smile of my face! Oh yea.
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Old 01-05-2012, 02:01 PM   #157
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Default Re: What drove you towards the Model A hobby?

Back in the late '50s, our neighbor owned a gas station and had a '30 Model A he would start every morning and had a cup of coffee letting it warm up out on the street. I would lay in bed about 6:00 a.m. and listen to that car... the sound of it was music to me.
When i was 14, my Dad knew I wanted an A and came home one evening and told me he found one in a small city nearby. We went to take a look at it and it was stored in the back of this old guy's cabinet shop, covered with cardboard boxes of stuff. We removed all that and there was a '30 sport coupe, six wheels and rumble, white top on a maroon body; look like it had been brush painted maroon, fenders and all. He wanted $250 for it and Dad got him down to $210. I repaid Dad with my paper route money and we towed it home with Dad's '59 Ranchero.
I was 14. I had it running in about two months and took it out for a ride one afternnon. Dad was waiting in the driveway when I got home; I saw him and wanted to keep driving, but pulled in. He just told me to drive the car into the garage and he got an old rusty chain and strung it through all four wheels and locked it up.
The A stayed ther until I reached 15 1/2 years old, when I could get a learners permit. The chains were removed and I drove that car for another four years before selling it for a new '65 Mustang. Yeah, I wish I had kept it...
While in college, I bought a Model A pick-up, converted from an ols tudor. That was followed by a '29 tudor, then a ground up on a '29 special coupe. Then a good 25 years with no A until I bought this last special coupe in Feb, 2010.
Can;t seem to shake the habit...
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Old 01-05-2012, 11:15 PM   #158
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Default Re: What drove you towards the Model A hobby?

My dad...
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Old 01-05-2012, 11:43 PM   #159
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Smile Re: What drove you towards the Model A hobby?

My first memory of riding in a car was in 1939 when I was three years old.I was standing behind my folks and looking out over the green hood of a Model A. I don't know what year it was but I remember it was a tudor and it was bought from my Moms cousin. I always remembered the sound and smell of it. Finally got my own a few years ago.
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Old 01-06-2012, 11:22 AM   #160
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Default Re: What drove you towards the Model A hobby?

A Chevrolet!
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