Yet another new user dealing with an estate

[rf900rkw]

Good evening gents. My name is Randy Wilson and I have made a career out of post war British sports cars. Due to the passing of my father in law, I now find myself learning all about Model As. I have the task of clearing out the barn, at least six cars worth of parts, and probably a lot more. Since the proceeds will be going to the widow, I really do not want to just dump the stuff, as I've seen too many times in the world of MGs and Healeys. However, I also do not want to spend a decade doling the stuff out in ones and twos.

I have been reading the forums, and realize fully that this is a common situation these days. I have been in touch with the local clubs, as the father in law was very active in them. None of them are actively building cars now, only maintaining what they have. I have talked with the regional Model A parts suppliers. No real interest, and though none said, I suspect they hear versions of my sob story often.

The real reason for this post is so I have a place to ask really dumb noob what's this type questions.

MY first one. I have determined the frame in the middle is a AA of some unknow configuration. In a different corner of the barn I have what I call a cowl section; windshield frame, door pillars, cowl/sides/firewall. This section has a fixed cowl top. No gas tank. It *looks* original 30-31 style, but as far as I can tell none were made without the tank. Is this something someone made, or was there a version of the AA that used a saddle tank?

Also, let me say that the parts are well buried. @0 plus years of Alzheimers induced scavenging and hording as filled the barn with *stuff* since the last real work was done. It will be a bit more before I can get reasonable pictures of what's there.

Ooops, one more. I see some ads looking for 1930 oil pans. There are at least six pans on the shelf, and more scattered. How do I tell a 30 from the others?


Thanks!!!!

[texas webb]

You have a great job.Ask the A club members to help with id when you can get stuff sorted out.Welcome and good luck.

[J Franklin]

Since there is a lot of items it might be best to consider a well publicized auction. The collectors will be there and it will be all over in a day or two.

[Mike V. Florida]

" Since the proceeds will be going to the widow, I really do not want to just dump the stuff,.."

You have quite a bit of work ahead of you if you truly want the most money from the hoard.

Individual sale over a great amount of time will result in the most money.
Auctions, while quick, often result in near scrap prices due to shear quantity.

No matter what, you will have to sort out all the parts. Groups by type then year.

I do not envy your position you have quite an education of A parts coming. As an example, The "gas tank" top you speak would have been a very common thing to do have done with a hot rod. The Rod would have a separate fuel tank located somewhere else and a pump for the fuel to the engine.

Here is a case where a camera is your best friend and copy of the Restoration Guidelines, as well as a vendor catalog or two will help with the identification of the parts.

Here is a question to the others reading this, is there not a vendor similar to Berts on the east coast?

rf900rkw, Berts is a source of original Model A parts in Denver. The "problem" with selling the parts to a reseller is that they have to sort them by condition, store them until they sell, and make money on the resale of the parts. That equals a low price to you but a quick removal of the parts from the location.

Like I said, I do not envy your task. Wish I was near by help out.

[Dave Mellor NJ]

That cowl might be from a 28-29 4 door. It looks to the average person like thereis no tank but, in fact. the tank goes underneath the top and only the filler is visible. Does it have about a 2" hole in the top?

[Stew Masche]

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Somewhat quick review of oil pan changes, as presented in the Judging Standards;

Beginning of production - Plain sides with no ribs to secure inner tray, which was screwed to brackets spot welded inside the pan. Unreinforced mounting flange (single layer), with removable clean out plate below oil pump.

Feb '28 - Ribs added to sides to support snap in tray.

June '28 - Reinforcement strips added along mounting flange.

Early '29 - Removable cleanout plate deleted.

Dec '31 - Drain plug boss changed from round to hexagonal.

I have an assortment of parts my father accumulated in the 60's & 70's and have been selling piecemeal on line, and pick-up loads taken to swap meets. Things are moving, but not as fast as I'd like. Good Luck!

Stew

[1931 flamingo]

Pictures, pictures, pictures....................
Paul in CT

[Kevin in NJ]

Having been around the Hobby for decades as well as having my mother doing estate sales I can tell you that you have a choice.

You can get top buck for the parts, but honestly it will be a lot of work and usually not with great rewards. Often the person selling the parts for the widow get their feet stepped on pretty hard more then once.

What I would recommend you do is hit a middle road. Find a couple of local club members and ask them to review what is in the pile. Often the piles are not worth as much as you might think depending on the condition and what the parts are. Oil pans for a 1930 are extremely common since they were all the same. A late 31 or early 28 might be a bit more, but still not like a set of fender mounted parking lights which are really rare. Too often the pile of rusty parts in a barn are truely closer to scrap value then the $$ some imagine.

The key is to identify what you have. A pile of nice looking used tranny's is good, but nothing to kill yourself marketing. You want to move them and they will be cheap. The NOS quail rad cap or model A speed parts need to be researched out and price appropiately and are worth the effort to gain the bucks for the widow. Same goes for sheet metal, if the guys happens to have a quarter panel for a town car you want to know. A rusty tudor cowl is not very special.


Pictures here will help too.

[Mikeinnj]

If you decide to sell items and/or post photos, you will want to post them in the "Swap Meet" section at the top of this page. Good luck !

[rf900rkw]

Thanks so much. To answer some of the questions. To date, and we are talking months, I have been digging out the trash. Massive amounts of stuff pulled from the neighborhood trash, and I assume other neighborhoods as well. Thirty some rusty lawnmowers and dozens more in pieces. Gone. Weedwackers, pots pans chairs and tables. I occasionally hum the chorus from Alice's Restaurant as I've shovelling the stuff into the back of a... Ford pickup.

I unearthed enough that I could get a glimpse of the left rear spring of the frame in the middle. It certainly wasn't Model A, so I figured it was the old firetruck legend says lurks in that barn. Much later I dug down enough on the left of the barn to find the Left front of a frame with a big wooden wheel... and the center cap says GB. Oops, this is the firetruck, so what is in the middle? That's when I learned of the AA platform.

It's been like that for a while. I have a few parts manuals and catalogs. And massive amounts of Google. After every session, I research the more interesting things uncovered. Last night it was a box containing about a dozen shafts that I guessed, correctly surprisingly, to be waterpump impellers. Since it appears rebuild kits are ~$50, these are worthless.

Pictures will be coming, once we can get pictures that are useful. Right now we are working on glimpses and memories of what should be there. I do have a local club member that has offered to help with identification. But again, I see no need to ask him to travel out until I have the parts organized and available.

Originally Posted by Dave Mellor NJ

That cowl might be from a 28-29 4 door. It looks to the average person like thereis no tank but, in fact. the tank goes underneath the top and only the filler is visible. Does it have about a 2" hole in the top?

This! I have a complete '28 Sports Coupe in the other garage that I have been using for comparisions. I didn't realize the four door was a different cowl section. As said, this does look factory, and does have the filler neck hole. It also has a sun visor built in, which is what was leading me to suspect it was from the AA. If I believe the list I was handed last night, the AA would be a '29.

Thanks all!

[Tom Wesenberg]

If you have broken lawn mowers, weed whips, etc. that you figure has no value, just make a free pile and list it on craigslist. It should go away quickly and you won't have to load and haul it to the dump. I have two neighbors that fix some stuff and separate the metals on the junk, then haul it in to the metal recyclers.

[rf900rkw]

The scrap metal is been separated and sorted by a nephew in exchange for heavy lifting on demand. Did I mention bicycles? Bicycles parts and pieces everywhere. I could not get a rise from the local bike repair shops, even the friend that specializes in making artsy things from the parts. Lawnmower repair guys uninterested. So with the exception of a few interesting items, to the scrapper it goes.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Yep, it's too easy to sit and play on the computer, rather than build or fix something. When's the last time you saw a kid fixing a bike or turning a bike into a motorbike?

[Rusty Junk Ranch]

'GB' is more than likely a Graham Brothers truck. I have one , but mine has steel wheels. The center cap is aluminum and has GB on them. Good luck. We all like pictures & would be happy to help you identify things !

"I dug down enough on the left of the barn to find the Left front of a frame with a big wooden wheel... and the center cap says GB. Oops, this is the firetruck, so what is in the middle?"

[ccb360]

Randy,

I'm not too far away. Send me your contact info by PM. I may be able to help.

Charles

[rf900rkw]

Originally Posted by Rusty Junk Ranch

'GB' is more than likely a Graham Brothers truck. I have one , but mine has steel wheels. The center cap is aluminum and has GB on them. Good luck. We all like pictures & would be happy to help you identify things !

"I dug down enough on the left of the barn to find the Left front of a frame with a big wooden wheel... and the center cap says GB. Oops, this is the firetruck, so what is in the middle?"

This is the only non-Ford picture I shall post in this forum. This is all that can be currently seen of a '23 Graham Brohers chassis with some sort of firetruck coachwork




Back on topic, here is the first of the "what is it" pictures. At first I thought it might be trottle linkage, but it appears not. Maybe door handle linkage?

[Charlie Stephens]

Originally Posted by rf900rkw

This is the only non-Ford picture I shall post in this forum. This is all that can be currently seen of a '23 Graham Brohers chassis with some sort of firetruck coachwork




Back on topic, here is the first of the "what is it" pictures. At first I thought it might be trottle linkage, but it appears not. Maybe door handle linkage?

Yes it is a throttle linkage. It bolts to the back of the block using the two open holes.

Charlie Stephens

[Mike V. Florida]

Careful with the bikes there are some pedal bikes work a small fortune.