Autistic child's Model A Ford automobile obsession lead to this. Is autism a superpower?
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- Опубликовано: 9 фев 2024
- When RUclipsrs talk about themselves, it is so pompous and narcissistic. So, that's why this Model A video almost never got made. Since so many people keep asking, and with great humility, here's the whole story. You can probably tell in the delivery just how uncomfortable and awkward this was to make.
For those who did not know, yes I have what people today call "high functioning" autism. I see the world much differently, and have great, sometimes crippling difficulty with many things. However, instead of a pity party, I used it to my advantage and became a highly accomplished electrical and electronics engineer with hard-working values and ethics. It is my hope that other people diagnosed with autism would adopt this attitude and use it to their advantage. Some forms of autism are indeed disabling, but that doesn't mean you should give up. Don't EVER give up.
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For those who did not know, yes I have what people today call "high functioning" autism. I see the world much differently, and have great, sometimes crippling difficulty with many things. However, instead of a pity party, I used it to my advantage and became a highly accomplished electrical and electronics engineer with hard-working values and ethics. It is my hope that other people diagnosed with autism would adopt this attitude and use it to their advantage. Some forms of autism are indeed disabling, but that doesn't mean you should give up. Don't EVER give up.
I was 8 years old when an elderly neighbor man picked me up twice to go fishing with a 1928 Closed Cab pickup. After each fun trip I would watch him leave, driving down our long driveway. At 38, I purchased a 1928 Closed Cab and have been heavily involved for the last 31 years. I enjoy rebuilding engines and driving/touring. My wife, Jean, and I have driven our 1929 Phaeton over 100,000 miles across the US and Canada. Last summer, I completed a journey to Alaska that completed a dream after eight years of preparation.
Hey Dave, I enjoyed going through your Route 66 book a few weeks ago. Thanks
Wow, that’s got to be a good story….
My story- at age 13 my father thought I needed to keep busy to stay on the right path. He said we will buy a Model A - I will pay for it and you will do the work (along with his supervision) the license plate is 5050 . This was in 1969 and I still own it and cherish the truck and the experiences I had with my father along with it.
Your dad did a good thing. Your are a great guy and treasured friend😀. The TCMAFC is so lucky to have you as a member of the club for so many years.
You are an asset to the Model A family, Mark! God is using you to do good.
Paul, my involvement with Model A’s started as a kid. My dad purchased a 1930 Tudor at 16. His father was ANGRY!! He was a scrap metal worker on the side and had junked many Model A’s. He couldn’t understand why May dad would buy one! Anyways dad was drafted into the Vietnam War. Fast forward he dragged the car everywhere he went post war. Raised 4 kids we all learned to drive on it. Never a “nice” car because heck he was raising his family. Retired at 66 years old then he suffered a major stroke. He survived it but no longer could drive. My brother restored the car it is still with us! Dad can ride along. Only one problem. I always wanted my own but intimidated by the maintenance. I’m mechanical to an extent but scared of the old
Car upkeep. I jumped on RUclips and boom
There was a fella Paul Shinn. I watched your video on how to set the timing. I was hooked!! I also saw Derek VGG drive his fresh purchase 700 miles LOL! After studying your videos I decided it was time! We found a 1930 Tudor. Needed some love but great solid car!! It’s been SOOO Much fun learning and enjoying this little Gem. So my dad had us involved in a sense from the beginning. It was You that encouraged me to take the leap and make a Model A part of my family! THANK YOU! We met you at Model A days and gave you the Happiness Is A model A ford T Shirts. We excitedly met Tina this year but couldn’t squeeze in to talk with you sadly.
So their…We are proud owners of a ‘30 sport coupe, ‘30 Tudor and an unexpected ‘32 Model B pickup! Now we need a bigger garage!!! Thank you Paul you and your family is why we are now part of the Model A family! Hope to see you again! Many thanks your much appreciated!!
Hi all, I got introduced to Model As in 1958 when I was 5 years old. My Dad bought a '29 Murray bodied Fordor sedan from the original owner who drove it for 28 years. It was all original paint, upholstery etc. BUT someone had stolen the steering wheel. We flat towed it home using vise grips to steer the car. My Dad replaced the tired engine and painted the body Niagara blue. My sister still owns the car. My Dad bought other Model As throughout the years that he restored. I bought a restored '31 Fordor from Charlie Howard of Rhode Island about 32 years ago. My son grew up on the back seat of that car. Now my grandson (2 1/2)loves riding in the car. I just finished restoring a '28 phaeton that I painted etc. I LOVE Model As!!!!!! My local Long Island Model A Ford Club hosted the annual New England Meet last September. I was the tour director for 4 tours for the event. What a great time we had with 186 Models As registered.
In the 90s I was gonna be a millionaire, so I bought a "collection" at an estate sale. Similar in condition to yer 1st buy, all 28 cars were dead, but the '31 Tudor sprang to life. Years later & many $ poorer only the Ford remains in my heart....
I'm cleaning out my garage. My model A hobby is still in its infancy.
We all start somewhere!
when I was a teenager I watched the Waltons and I fell in love with their Model
AA express . Fast forward to 1997 I was at church with my wife and 4 kids when my 1 year old son started to cry and the only thing that would stop him was putting him in the truck and taking him for a ride. we cruised around for a little while and in the middle of our ride there it was a early 28 AA dump truck. by that afternoon I had it in my yard and was driving it around without a seat and 4 tires with no air in them but the sidewalls were so thick thet they weren't flat. I put new tires on it and it sat in a shed for a few years when a buddy kicked me in the butt and we got started patching rust holes, sandblasting and painting it will never get any awards for beauty but every year I haul several loads of dirt or gravel and I drive it to a tractor show 60 miles away. its a hand crank heil dump box, it sure gets looks and I will never sell it
Awesome story!!! God bless
My story.. my Dad married my mom when I was 15 (30 yrs ago) I was into cars but still learning. He had a 1930 A in his garage and asked me to help him start the restoration. We tore it apart and there it sat. He also had a Roadster and a shop full of parts in the hills. Fast forward to 2019. He passed never having completed either one. Then a fire hit and burned the property in Mariposa and the shop. I had just pulled the roadster home before the fire. I am currently restoring it as a promise to him and to my mother that she will get a ride in it. Love your channel and all the info you have helped me with through it.
So sorry about your dad and the shop. That roadster is now very special.
My husband got hooked on model a's when he was 5 years old when his dad bought a 31 roadster, his dad restored the a and my husband would "help" sand on the body. His dad later bought a model a truck that really sealed the deal on his love of the model a. Fast forward to 1984bwhen his dad bought a 1930 cabriolet. Then in 1989 bought a reproduction phaeton. The cabriolet is still in the family. My husband got the phaeton before his dad passed away but traded it for a 31 slant windshield model a, he later sold it and then bought a 30 two door sedan. My husband then became disabled to the point he could no longer work on the 30 model so he had to sell it. He still at age 70 loves the model a. The sound of one idling is music to his ears, nothing sounds any better. Thanks for the videos Paul. Jack and Marilyn from West Virginia
Would love A 1931 Slant Windshield!
These are the better cars not much wood in the bodies, doors are all metal, both Briggs and murray doors interchangeable
My mother always talked about buying them for $50 when she was young. And she always wanted one when she got older . She passed without ever getting one. But that wasn't lost on me so when I found one I bought it
Sorry about your mom, Jerry. Honor her with that car! Good work.
I do understand the the connection to inanimate objects. While I don't fly anymore, I spent a fair amount of time as a youth flying. My dad was a flight engineer on P-3's in the Navy, and a private pilot. I flew with him as much as I could! My first flight was in an 1940's era Piper J-3 Cub when I was 8 years old. I was hooked. Rode on the back of a BMW motorcycle. Amazing! And took a ride in an old car (I believe was a model A) and same story; I was hooked! I watched Mr Rogers Neighborhood as a child, but for the life of me, I don't remember that episode. Maybe I saw it, but it doesn't ring any bells. But I am now in the model A community and many of the people I have met are like family. They have grown on me. And I find that the connections to the people one of the most important attributes of the model A. The friendships that result from the model A.
Model A people are happy people. Model A people are different. And model A people are family.
God bless you Paul.
May the road rise up to meet you...
Thank you!! God bless
Hey Paul, I'm 76 and I woke up one day last June and thought I want a model a. On August 10th I bought a 29 non running Tudor mostly original. Had it running and driving in six days. Fun car to own. I watch all of your videos. Thanks for all you and Model T do for the Model A world.
I don't own an A but I'd like to. I got interested in old cars back when I drove a yellow cab. One of my cabbie friends owned a model T and one morning after driving cab all night , he showed me it and we drove around the neighbourhood in his model T just as the sun was rising. Back then old cars were very affordable. Now I'm too old and broke to buy one, but I can enjoy them vicariously on RUclips, thanks!
Hi Paul, I got my first Model A, 1930 standard coup, after my wife passed away with cancer. I was 33 years old with two small boys. The Model A was my dream car growing, and I absolutely loved them. After the realization of how short life is, I decided to buy one. My boys and I have had great adventures in that car!
I absolutely enjoy your videos! Thanks for sharing your story!
Ken
Thanks Ken!
Hold em close Ken.
I still don't have a model A. Way to expensive in South Africa, but I grew up with old cars and I fell in love with model A pickups when I saw the 28 RHD Pickup my dad's friend Danie Dupplesis bought in Windhoek Namibia and restored over many years.
My dad Worked for a Model A parts house when he was in High School and wound up buying a '29 Tudor. He and his brothers fixed it up and drove it from Houston to Estes Park in CO and back. On the way back they had engine issues. One of the wrist pins managed to score the Cylinder wall, at the time he was told it was too deep to sleeve and would need a new block. So he packed everything Model A related into the Tudor and pushed it into my Grandparents Garage. He graduated HS and joined the Air Force in '69. The Model A was basically forgotten. Well he passed away when I was 11 and my Mom had issues so I wound up moving in with my Grandmother when I was 13. Every so often I'd go out to the garage and dig through the boxes of parts trying to figure out what that heap of parts was supposed to look like and figure out where to start. Well a few years later I was walking home from school and I noticed an old rusty car frame I had walked by probably a dozen times was a Model A frame. I stuck my head over the fence and there were probably 10-12 Model A's in this neighbors backyard. That Neighbor turned out to be Herman Garrett owner of A-Mart. Well he took me under his wing and taught me everything Model A and drug me around to the all the local Model A clubs and swap meets. He passed away shortly before I graduated HS and I moved on to College and starting a family. I still have the A it's not much further along then my Dad had it, but it's had it's original engine rebuilt and the cassis is mostly done. I now live in a rural area without any local clubs. I found your channel looking for inspiration and guidance to move forward with it.
It’s cool to have a club for instant inspiration, but the RUclips university is pretty good for that too. You just gotta turn that first bolt, then the second and let the avalanche roll. do something to it every day or every time you walk by it. One day you’ll drive it. Cool thing is there’s not a lot of “real estate there” soon you’ll find the light at the end of the tunnel relative to other kinds of car projects.
Well, your plan of getting young people into model A's worked. I've been watching your videos for a while now and it really sparked my interest in model A's. I've always love classic cars but more so the 50s 60s muscle. I bought a 31 4 door slant window a little over a year ago when I was 21 years old, a few days after my birthday actually. Did lots of work to it and have been enjoying ever since. Thanks for the videos
Good work Alex!!!
Hi Paul! My father-in-law passed away a few weeks ago. He has a 1928 Model A Special Coupe that was previously his father-in-laws. My wife and I have decided to purchase this car from the estate. I’m not a car guy but your videos have already given me confidence that I can do this. Really appreciate the treasure trove that you have already recorded and the many friends that we are destined to make through through the local club! We are excited to start this journey. We hope to have the car here in April.
You CAN do it!
I do not yet own a Ford Model A, although I have wanted to ever since I was 15yrs old in the Summer of 1972 when my Dad asked if I wanted to go next door to his friends house who had just rebuilt an engine from a Ford Model A. When I got there, I went next door to where a 15yr old guy had his rebuilt Model A engine sitting on a couple cinder blocks. I asked him where he got it and he said,"from that rusted out Ford Model A behind you." I turned around and all I saw was a frame of a Model A with all the sheet metal rusted out and gone. You could see through it everywhere. No axles wheel hubs. Just a skeleton of a Ford Model A. I couldn't believe it. He then said he was going to try and start up his rebuilt Model A engine. He grabbed a water hose stuck it in it, hooked up a battery and he started it right up. It sat there running on a couple cinder blocks. He, my friend and I thought it was so cool. It ran! The kid then shut it down and said, " Now all I gotta do is find a Model A to put it in." Well I kept that in mind. I wanted to see the marriage of his Model A engine to a Model A that needed one.
About 2 month's later, I went and collected money for my neighbor friend's Newspaper route when I walked up to a house that I could see the top of what looked like a Ford Model A. The part I could see looked new. So I asked the lady of that house if that was a Ford Model A in their back yard. She said,"Yes it belongs to my 15yr old Son. He just got through restoring it. Only thing is, it doesn't have an engine." I excitedly told he that I knew someone who has a rebuilt engine and is looking for a Model A that doesn't have one. I asked if they'd be willing to sell it. She said,"No, he'll never sell it. Ask your friend if he'd want to sell his engine." I told her I would, but he probably wouldn't be willing to sell his engine.
Sure enough, I asked the other 15yr old kid if he'd want to sell his engine to the 15yr old kid who had a Model A that needed one and he said No as well. I couldn't believe I knew 2 15yr old kids who each had a part of a Model A that the other one needed for a car that was (at the time) about 43yrs old. That got me hooked into wishing I had a Model A. I'm almost 67yrs old now and I still don't have one. Never giving up, just like those 2 15yr old kids didn't 52yrs ago. 😉😄
My father owned a body shop (Perry's Custom Paint and Body Shop) and had a huge hobby of restoring antique cars (first one was a 1928 Overland Whippet he brought home in pieces in the back of a pickup). He restored 27 vehicles of all makes from 1928 to a 1967 TBird he did for Mom, BUT never a Model A. He tired of it and auctioned them all off. THEN a friend told him of 2 Model A's in a farmer's pasture that he could buy for $100, a 1928 pickup and a 1929 Roadster. Only catch was he would need a crane because the old farmer wouldn't let anyone take down the fence to retrieve them. Dad discovered a second challenge when he went to get them - a 20ft tree growing through the frame of the Roadster! The farmer allowed the tree to be removed and Dad took home the A's. He did full frame-off restoration of both with only things he didn't do himself was sandblasting and sew the Roadster top. That was in 1990 and he went on to restore 19 more antiques (mainly A's). He sold most of them before he passed away November 2022 and the 1929 Roadster is now in my garage and I take it around town and to car shows. I don't know how to send pics here, but will gladly send you some and, if you'd like to ride around the Red Rocks of Sedona, AZ, come on out because that's where "Adeline" resides now.
My father had a 31 coupe that he used to carry mail and go fishing where the roads were rough. He sold it but I missed it so when I was old enough to drive we got another one and I learned to drive with it. I still have it out in the shed with 3 other model A's and a T. People want to buy them for hot rods but I hang on to them.
That’s awesome that Mr. Rogers was your guiding light into the realm of Model As and now you are the guiding light for many viewers. That’s how you pass it on so that Model As can continue to thrive a century after they left the Ford factory.
My Dad's friend had a '29 Roadster PU and a '31 Sport coupe. I was 5 and loved the way it looked and sounded. My dad used to drive me around in the pick-up. I had and still have most of the Hubley models. Took me until I was 50 to get a real one. I never saw that Mr Rogers episode. He was a little after my time.
My story is like this:
When I whas 18 and visit a town in Sweden-Gothenburgh,there I saw this yellow sport coupe !!
I just couldent move!My first thought whas -got to have one!
Now I am 63 and have a Ford town sedan -31!
This car makes me happy everytime we taking a tour or some oilchange!
Thats my story
I'm now 36 years old but when I was around 8 or 10 I remember going to my great uncle's house who did restoration work for his model a club he was a member of and going for a ride around his property in his personal coupe. He always had 3 or 5 different A's in his shop and they were so cool to see what he was working on and it was always something different every time i went to visit. Now me and a few of my friends are in pretty deep with the same cars
Great video, Paul! (as usual!) In 1951, when I had just turned 16, my dad got a job for me driving newspapers to the carriers who had been 'shorted' in the amount of papers they needed. He thought I'd be driving a company truck. One week before I was to start the manager asked whether I was ready with my car and insurance. By pure chance, a friend of his was restoring a 1931 coupe, which he was able to buy for $150 ($1800 today). That car went to my grandfather when I left for college, but I was able to find a '31 coupe identical to it later, so much so my step-brother thought it was the same car. I have 3 other cars, but the Model A is my favorite. Along the way I also owned a 1930 roadster.
Sir, what an absolutely wonderful story and journey. God has a way of putting exactly where we need to be, even when it takes years to find out when and why. As to my story - I've always loved cars and "old things". I admire the engineering and function of something purely mechanical. My work life is technology, my balance is its absence. I don't have a Model A yet, as for the first time ever, I want to know the car before I buy it. I've rebuild several cars in my life, but each time I became an "expert" in the mark after I purchased it. I'm getting very close, and you've been a HUGE part of my education. Thank you again, many times over, Chuck. P.S. And in answer to the question you have in the tagline - yes it is a superpower. Why should we apologize for wanting things correct or in seeing details differently.
Thank you for sharing!! God bless
My story was very different. My father was the greatest man I’ve ever known and was my best friend. One day when I was in my late 20’s he called me at work and asked if I could get off for a few days for “a little adventure”. We soon got on an airplane packing more tools than clothes, flew to New Jersey and purchased a beautiful, all original, 1950 Chevrolet, just like his first car, and we drove that car back to Georgia. Never needed a single one of those tools. It was such a great time and the best part was how, at every stop for gas or food, all these old guys would come up and want to reminisce about the one they had “just like it”. Since then we’ve had 7 different all original vintage cars of various models from 1936 to 1952. My father has past away now and so have far too many of those old guys I enjoyed talking to so much over the years. In fact, now I’M the old guy! We never had a Model A in all that time but I’ve always been drawn to them, I love to hear them run. So, in many ways due to watching your videos, I’m seriously considering a Model A hardtop pickup as my next vehicle. And I really appreciate all the valuable tips on what to look for when buying one.
I know what you mean about original cars. Thanks!
I was 8 years old and I still have the picture of me and my family standing next to a Model A White River Junction Vermont, my dad told us all the story of how his parents were headed up to his one room school to pick him up when their Model A got stuck or stalled on the railroad tracks. The car was split in half and my grandmother was killed instantly, my grandfather was thrown from the Model A and his face hit the corner of a building and half of his face was ripped off. When my dad and his sister Madelyn arrived my dad said the one thing he remembered the most was that the front half of the car was sitting down the embankment next to the railroad tracks and it was still running. That! Is how and why I own a 1930 Model A town sedan 155C today :)
Special thanks to you Paul for telling your story and giving us all the opportunity to tell ours!
Oh, that is so tragic! I am very sorry. Your dad survived, but at what cost??
My dad had a 31 Dlx Roadster that my sister and I would ride in the rumble seat. When I was around 9 or 10 he brought home a cut down Model A, with just the cowl and hood for sheet metal. We got it running, bolted some 2x6 boards along the chassis and then bolted a couple of old Volkswagen seats onto it. That was my first car that I drove around the field and through the woods. My dad was a veterinarian that would go to many farms around the area so got to network with many people who knew about and where Model A's were. As I came of age to get my driver's license he figured I should get a Model A because they weren't very fast and I would be safer in one. He knew of 29 Town Sedan that someone had parked in a cranberry bog shed in 1957 and left it there. In 1970 my dad took me to the gentleman's widow's home where we asked if we could look at the car. Apon inspection we found that his son had pulled the cloth top off and had tried to replace it with a piece of plywood. Other than that, everything was as it had been parked although the engine was seized. We went back to her house and I asked her if she would sell it. She said I don't know, would you give me $50 for it. I couldn't say yes fast enough! I had it towed home but unfortunately one of the cables of the wrecker put a crease in the back up by the roof. Once home I filled the cylinders with Marvel Mystery Oil, rewired the car, installed a new cap, rotor, points, condenser and put in a new battery. After about a week of rocking the car back and forth the engine finally broke free. My dad towed me around the block a few times while I left the car in gear to spin the engine over and free it up more. Installed new plugs and fresh gas before the initial startup and it fired right up! I drove it for a year and a half through all kinds of weather with no heater. It was a good excuse to keep my girlfriend close in the winter! She lived about 15 miles from me and one winter night on my way home the fan blade broke off leaving only one blade attached. Luckily the broken blade only bent some of the fins on the radiator but no other damage was done. This was around 12AM and I was a couple of miles away from her house all ready. Of course there were no cell phones back then to call anyone so I ended up braking off the other blade, to stop the terrible vibration, and drove home! I still have the car but it doesn't have a drivetrain in it anymore. It's now another project waiting it's turn. My dad ended up selling the roadster to buy a basket case 31 Dlx 2 dr Phaeton and later in life he restored a 31 wide bed pickup. I still have those two vehicles also.
I don't expect to own a Model A, if I get a car older than my 1991 Geo, it will probably be a Corvair, which should be about as EMP resistant as a Model A, and is a car I am fairly.familiar, having owned a couple as a kid. As a little kid, I was fascinated by any pre-WWII cars, which were few and far between by the early 1960s.
A neighbor who lived across the street from the neighborhood park (my home away from home from the age of eight or so on) bought a 1931 Ford four door, which he set to work refurbishing. I spent a lot of time hanging out with him, watching him work (and probably driving the poor man out of his bird). He purchased a 1929 roadster (running and driving, but completely covered in rust) to use as a parts car. I learned a fair amount from him.
As a kid, that '31 Ford seemed so old, yet today the Geo I drive is the same age as that Ford was then.
It was you, Paul, that got me interested. Watched a video 2 years ago, then went north to the Model A swap meet at the Gilmore Car museum with my kids. We all had a great time. So thank you.
Awesome! Did I get to shake your hand??
@ModelA
Unfortunately, we didn't get to meet at the time, but it was a great experience. We made a lot of fond memories.
I always thought Model A's were cool. Finally bought a 31 coupe.I find your channel to be very helpful.thank you for these very informative videos.
There is little town in Iowa called Mount Pleasant where one of the largest Old Tresher Reunions is held. I really like all things International Harvester there but together with my wife we always enjoyed the Ford Model A’s. As empty nesters we finally purchased a very nice 1928 sport coupe to bring home to our farm. Greetings from the Midwest. From East Central Missouri. 😊
Greeting from Williamsburg Iowa and an old thresher repeat visitor
In 1982 bought a 1969 Camaro with a 327ci engine 3 speed manual transmission and NO: power steering, power brakes, air conditioning, power windows and doors. A basic car, and I loved it!! Without all the useless junk on the car, it got 25 miles per gallon on the road, another shock. I could have rebuilt the engine as an efficient "breather" (high efficiency air flow) and coaxed another 3mpg out of it with more power. Since then, the computers took over; manual trans and power steering/brakes/air option to eliminate are gone, stripped cars (and trucks!!!) don't exist anymore.
So here comes Paul with his Model A, and me, a 4000 mile a year driver (10,000 mile a year bicyclist), and the perfect match...with a 4th gear :) You don't have to look at 1000 cars to find a stripped one, All Model A's are stripped!! And a 99.9% parts availability ( I think the fuel tank is the only one you can't buy) of new replacement parts, a frame that doesn't rust, just enough engine power so it doesn't overload transmission and differential strength, simple maintenance with full access to the engine (hood design!). Lightweight car with plenty of brakes to weight ratio. And should pull 25mpg and cruise at 55mph with an overdrive added. Though some A's don't achieve 25mpg; an interesting and needed feature Paul should take on in video.
Thanks for your story and the video idea!
Great story Paul! I'm 76 and in the UK , I've learned so much following your videos. My interest in Model A's started when I was 13 when a school friend showed me a copy of Hot Rod Magazine. Back then all I could afford was Plastic model Kits of Model A's and Hot Rods, Monogram, AMT and Revill kits filled my bedroom. Life and work and bringing up a family came and went...I kept looking at A's for sale over the years, and last Summer I bought a Detroit built late 31 Fordor, Murray body slant shield. It had been used as a Wedding Car by previous owners painted cream and black. Apparently it started out as Dark Blue and Black Chicago Police car, and it still has it's working Siren on the firewall! I love driving it, fiddling with it and fixing stuff previous owners have messed with. Thank you Paul xxx
My great grandparents had a couple. Rode in the rumble seat with them a lot. And then in 2006 my dad’s mom and stepdad bought the car I have from some friends at church. as well as a handful of other model A’s 2 4 doors, 2 pickups and an a400. He drove a 31 Tudor in high school and still had it. But it didn’t run. . Did parades in it for a while. My grandpa stopped driving in 2011 and the car didn’t get driven much aside from a handful of people he trusted to drive it. 2014 comes around i showed interest in driving it. And learning more about it. Well my grandma is a charter member of one of the model a clubs in the portland area, i signed up for membership in the clubs that they were members of. In 2017 i became VP of the flying eagle A’s not fully knowing what i was getting into. And next thing I know I’m president in 2019 just before covid and im still president at this time. Spent a couple years as member at large for the volcano A’s in Vancouver as well.
Wow. What a cool story!
@@ModelA thanks. My cousins and I were more interested in the 36 ford roadster that my grandpa bought when he was 21 and never fully got running.
Bought a sight unseen 29’ Mode A Fordor year at an aviation auction auction for a VERY reasonable price. Always wanted one because of their history and classic looks. Now it sits in a Ford dealership in the showroom. Haven’t even driven it yet since it’s so cold where we are. Cannot wait to poke and prod every nook and cranny before we get out and drive it! We have 5 young kids who are eager to learn and experience it. Thank you for your videos on how to operate it properly!
Just got my 1at Model A Pickup Truck. Totally in love with it! Thank you for your great videos.
Glad you like them!
You certainly influenced me now as well... The Ford Model A was also the one the Ford Plant in Cologne started the production with in 1931. But I think, not for long.
The former mayor and later chancelor of Germany, Konrad Adenauer made Henry Ford to build his plant in Cologne next to the river Rhine. So they could use the Rhine ships and railways for the logistics. And, Ford gave people jobs back in a time when the economy crisis of the late 1920s was still around.
I have always been interested in Model A's because my parents, and family of their generation drove them. I remember listening to stories about these legendary cars as far back as I can remember. My uncle had a coupe and he would get it out at family reunions and got to ride in and drive it as a kid. I borrowed it for the get away car my wife and I's wedding. My father was a died in the wool Ford man and had Model A's growing up and into his marriage to my mother. He always talked of getting one and restoring it but never did. I ended up trading for a early 30 model coupe and restoring it for him (long story) with the help of my family. Luckily before my father passed he taught my son all about starting and driving it. He drove dad in his 75th high school home coming parade. At the time it was un finished but painted and they had a great time. Dad has since passed but we still enjoy his car and all the stories he and my uncles told us. It is Washington blue with black fenders and straw wheels. My wife wants me to paint the wheels blue like yours. We all watch your videos and have learned a lot keep up the great work.
Thank you for sharing your story! Hessian Blue is a good wheel color, as long as you don't read RUclips comments. Hahaa!
In 1968, when I was fifteen, my older brother (seventeen) bought a 1930 Model A Ford Five Window Business Coupe. He was mechanically challenged. Keeping the radiator full of water was the height of his skills. It was a running car with ignition and generator issues.
We lived in Long Beach, CA. Ford sold a high number of Model A’s in the L.A. area. The weather of Southern California allowed many to remain into the 60’s. The prices were also consistent and affordable for High School students.
I was the kind of boy who took apart every toy I received just to see how it worked. Depending on how cheap they were assembled, I could usually get them back together, too. However, I knew nothing about automobiles. There was a box of tools, parts, and books in the trunk of the Model A. I found a one-inch thick ‘owner’s manual’ in there. The first chapters were on internal combustion theory, tool making, and assembly/disassembly of the frame and body.
There was also a Ford Obsolete auto parts store in Signal Hill, just a few miles from me. Between these two resources, when the Model A stopped running, I did a complete ring job. The engine purred like a kitten when I was done. Did it need a ring job? I don’t know. I was so ignorant of cars and auto parts stores I would drive all the way to Ford Obsolete for a cotter pin. I had never seen one and thought they were as unique as all the other Model A parts. At least I got the correct size from the knowledgeable guys at Ford Obsolete.
My brother got tired of a car that he wasn’t driving and gifted it to me on my sixteenth birthday. I got a surprise when I registered it in my name. My brother had never transferred the title. The guy he bought it from had never transferred the title. He was the grandson of the original owner. I was now the second registered owner of this Model A.
I had good times driving the Model A all through High School. I would use the crank to start it to impress the girls! Drive to the beach and watch sunsets lying in the fenders. Everywhere I went, old guys would tell me about the Model A they used to have.
At nineteen, I joined the Navy to avoid being drafted for Vietnam. I had no means to store the Model A and ended up selling it. I have regretted that decision ever since.
Your channel and all the other resources made available by the internet have shown me how easy it is to resolve many of the nuisance maintenance issues I struggled with sixty years ago.
Thanks, Paul, and keep up the excellent work.
Dave Acevedo, Rochester MN
Thank you for sharing your story, Dave!
Another great video Paul ! I was fortunate enough to have been raised with a 1931 Slant Window Fordor Deluxe . My Mom got it for my Dad's birthday when I was about 8 months old . Countless car shows and parades all through my youth . Dad sold the A when I was around 17 , sadly , but I did get to drive it a few times . I will have one of my own . Watching your videos has been informative and entertaining. Someday the right one will pop up and I will take the plunge! Keep the videos coming ! Hope to see you and Model T again someday! Take care
My Model A story began in 1980. My dad bought a 1931 Tudor from a guy that had been laid off from the place dad worked. Dad expected my older brother and I to restore the car which was running but not much else. My brother and I were fresh out of high school and while attending junior college had little time or expertise to restore the car. We parked the car for the next 42 years in various barns. Fast forward to 2021 and my brother and I are retired. Dad would turn 90 years old and I thought wouldn't it be fun to restore the car and take dad for a ride. Well dad saw us dig the car out of the barn and trailer it to a restoration shop but sadly he passed several months later. The 31 Tudor is still undergoing restoration but my wife and I have purchased a 1929 Tudor. We joined MAFCA and met many new friends. We met Paul and Tina in Texas and at Gilmore. Your video's helped us improve the 29 and have been inspiring. THANKS! Regards Rita and Jim
Thank you!! God bless Rita
I only recently got into Ford Model A's. I joined my local chapter of MAFCA and acquired a pile of parts I am turning into a car. I'm a younger guy, and I've always been into classic cars. The main thing that appeals to me is the self-sufficiency. If something breaks, I can fix it myself.
I started with cars made in the 60s and have slowly worked my way back in time. I have been on the fence between acquiring a Model T or Model A for a long time, but decided a Model A was more practical, as I like driving my cars regularly. I like the flathead engine, the mechanical brakes, and all the manual controls. The mechanics are a major aspect of why I like these cars, and the Model A is just plain neat!
Thank you for sharing your story of learning to love the Model A Ford. When I was a teenager, I worked at a gas station and the Sun Test Equipment salesman owned a Model A Ford pickup truck and gave me a ride. Never owned one, but I sure like them. Thanks for your channel.
Very cool! I have an old Sun Test console test unit that's been sitting outside for years. I'm never going to get around to restoring it. Sure wish someone would come get it.
I saw one of your videos and got immediately interested as I learned more and more. I still haven´t jumped off the diving board yet and made a purchase but I look everyday online. I feel like I could jump in and get one running and driving after watching your videos.
I was first introduced to Model A's when I was 9 years old, my brother in law had 2 Model A's, one was a Tudor, and the other was a Fordoor. I enjoyed riding in his Tudor so much it left an impression on me. And when I retired, I figured it was time for me to get one. I've never regeted it. I've met some amazing people ( you and Tina) and made great friends along the way. Learned a lot from your videos and from the guys in my club. What an awesome hobby we are involved in.
It was a sincere pleasure to ride in your coupe with you driving, Jerry! You looked so happy!
I was born in 55 my dad got his 31 model A pickup from a ranch in Santa Ysabel ca it needed alot of repair and he got it all done in no time According to photos i was helping at 5 years old lol. He ran it untill 1960 And traded it at ford used cars for a 54 f100 - that i still have -. I never wanted to see that A go. And it never left my mind. So fast foreard to 2003 an old timer friend of mine found me one. (1931 standard bed ,And i bought it with no hesitation. It was a driver, meaning it was unrestored but in great shape. And eversince i started watching your videos ive been nudging closer to doing somthing with it I had it stored in a container till 2 months ago and it in the shop now. 😅. I love your videos they ate very inspiring. Thank you. Larry
Wow. What a story, Larry. Thank you for sharing! Hey, YOU are the warranty now!
I was a year old when my dad bought a 28 Fordor. It was a basket case that he restored on our carport. Whenever he brought a wrench out to work on it he had to bring one out for me too! From 1963 and that Fordor through the 1990's he probably owned and sold 20 different A's in different stages of "surviving". I helped him on many of the cars and learned so much from him. When I met my wife and we started our family, I had to put my love of Model A's on the back burner for a few years. I have recently finished restoring a 30 Tudor and inherited the 28 Fordor that my dad restored in '63. I'll probably start looking for another project soon! 😊 Thanks for all of yours and Tina's helpful videos!
Dad and my two older brothers tinkered on Model A's in 1962 time frame when I was 5 in Arcadia, CA. We had a '29 AA Stake Bed truck that had belonged to the City of Pasadena as a water truck. We had a neat backyard with tall grass, old chicken coops, sheds, etc. A body of a Model A Coupe sat out there ...I sat in it a few times.
Beautiful tall Eucalyptus trees around.
There was a Ford parts store for T's and A's in nearby Rosemead 6 miles away.
Wooden floors, gumball machine, peanut machines in there. I still have the booklet from that Ford store in my place. Even rode my bike there when I was 12 to drool over the parts.
Bought a 1929 82A in 1976 in Santa Rosa, CA. Was in pieces when I bought it. Dad and I picked it up in Sonoma. Had belonged to a Dentist in Sonoma in the 30's from what we were told. Had the pickup for a couple of years before I sold it. Was in the Sonoma A's Club for a 2 years before I got hooked on old airplanes.
Every time I drive or walk through a grove of Eucalyptus trees (there are some near me now) I can go back in my mind to being a kid playing in that old AA truck or my A pick up.
Got that yearning again to get an "A" from watching this channel.
Thank you Paul, and Tina. ~ Miles
Thanks Miles!
Hey Paul! Great story and video. My story started wen my Grandfather talked his Brother out of his Model A. He and Grandma drove to Oklahoma and picked up the car and trailered it back to California. He and I restored the car while I was in High School and finised it in 1987. He was a member of the Hangtown As and the car was enjoyed for many years of shows and tours. When he passed the car was handed down to me and it was brought to Southern CA. Where I am teaching my son about the car. We also joined the local club and really have a blast. I was recently voted in as President of the Ventura County Model A Club. I have the same questions and issues about getting younger people interested. As a new and first time President this will be a focus for our new year. Please continue to share any ideas and make these videos. I think they have inspired people into the hobby.
I have a similar story. One evening in the early '80s an add on TV for a 250cc Honda scooter came on the TV. I turned to my wife and said something like "If I had one of those I could ride it to work instead of taking the bus". She said "You should go look at them". This is the similar part: When your wife tells you to shop for a motorcycle (or classic car or whatever else you are interested in) you should shut up and do what you were told.
Saturday morning I took our 6 year old son with me to the Honda dealer. They didn't have the 250 scooter so the sales guy showed me a smaller one. I must have looked disappointed because he asked if it had to be a scooter and then showed me a 250cc motorcycle for about the same price as the 100cc scooter. Hmmmm.... I'll have to think about that...
Monday morning I told my co-worker who drove a sidecar outfit and he asked if it had to be new. We started shopping the want ads (in the paper - this was pre internet) and I ended up with a good used 400cc Suzuki. A couple of years later I found a sidecar and the rest is history.
As for Model As, my Mom had a '29 roadster when I was born so it was probably the first car I rode in (on the way home from the hospital). I guess it became ingrained in me before I was old enough to remember because the model A (& particularly the roadster) is what I think a car should look like. I may never own a real one but as a teen/young adult I built a number of 1:24 models of them and I still have the one I built to look like hers on the mantel.
My mom’s dad bought a 1930 Model A coupe in the late 60’s. He was an old school former Army Air Force WW2 air plane mechanic! I was born early 1972 and he passed away from bone cancer a few months later. My folks ended up just holding on to his old car and we drove it occasionally. For me it’s keeping a bygone era alive and driving! And imagining turning wrenches with my mom’s dad! They lived in Lancaster California and man do I have fun memories of there in the late 70’s and early 80’s going to Disneyland and visiting the Queen Mary! Disneyland now makes me loose my brain! Thanks so much for extending your warranty coverage so fellow travelers can cruise in their Model A’s! And, I also remember that Mr. Roger’s episode! I just laughed!👍🏻👍🏻❤️😎☕️
Thank you for sharing your story! Disney makes my blood boil now too.
We still have my grandpa’s coupe! It gets out now and again! It lives in southwest Colorado now! Originally a Durango Colorado car it made it to California….and now it’s in Cortez! Since 1986!
Hi Paul great story and video as always .
My Dad had been into Ford Flathead V8s and Model As since the late 1960s , when I was a kid in the 1980s my Dad bought a 1928 Model A Roaster Pickup as a pile parts he restored it and still has it along with a few other old Fords .My dad was also a member of the Wellington early American car club we would go away with them every labor weekend in the 1980s. Growing up with old fords has given me a life long obsession with mid 19 century American culture Old fords Model As and Ford V8s I have 1928 tudor and a tourer project .one day i plan on buying a 1926 ford TT my dream truck . Love your videos kind regards Aaron Webster from New Zealand
I was 6 or 7 when my dad brought home 1929 Sport Coupe. We completely restored it. Body off the frame, frame sandblasted and painted. I remember he took the motor someplace to have it rebuilt. We painted the body and fenders in the garage at home. This was the late 60s early 70s. We belonged to a car group called the Eastside A's from the eastside of Detroit. Attended the Model A Restorers Club National Meet at Greenfield Village, Dearborn MI July 73' and just had a blast with the car.
im hooked i bought my first model A last march 29 truck spent the whole year working on it runs perfect now and its so fun i love all the smiles i get and the people i meet i should have got it twenty years ago up here in vancouver wash and its beutifull for country drive i watch all your vids on you tube and learned so much thanks for all the knowledge
Thanks Mark!
Hi Paul.
I was born in April of 1981. My great grandpas model AA dump truck that had been put together at a lumber mill at some point was made up of all sorts of pieces and parts. It came to live with us in 1985 when I was 4. We took it in the local parade every year. I was about 6 when I asked my dad if I could drive the truck since I loved driving it around the field behind the house. He said if you can get it started you can drive it. So I went out to the garage and like I had saw him start it I gave it my best go at it! And of course I got it started. Backed it out of the garage and went as long as I had fuel. It had its course of problems over the year but there was a guy here in town that I had got to know that worked on them and he would come over often and I would go to his shop. We got to be good friends. I have never lost my interest in model A’s and have just started doing car club activities. Now I don’t belong to a model A group around here since most of them like to do all the activities during the week when I’m working but I hope to someday! I currently own two AA’s a closed cab pickup and a coupe! I hope to go to a big model A get together someday and hope to meet the one and only Mr Paul shinn! Your videos are great! Thank you!
John cordell Rochester ,wa
Two-year ago I bought a 1928 Ford Model A. I love cars since i am litlle boy. I born in 1974, i have 4 powerfull new cars, and a close friend , who knows i love cars , and we is more aged than me, ask me if i would like to buy a really old car. So i bought one in Portugal ( is my country), and then it was like a wake-up for a world i didn't imagined. How i can like cars , and i do not know how they start. Since that day, i rebuild my car, and my family loved it. I am 49 years old, is my project car until i have 80 years old. I only take off my car , to ride, in special days, and were i go, is the start of the road.
I love it to drive , and is a fast and comfortable car. How is possible this car, had been made in 1928. The lightning in the night are so good too. Tks Paul Shin, for your videos. Best Regards PC from Portugal.
Gracias, amigo!
Thank you for that beautiful story! I got my first jalopy when I was 11 year old, a 53 ford. I took the heads off just to see how it all worked. Got it running , but it was just a driveway car(no brakes). Next came my 68 Mustang fastback which my parents helped me get at 17. (that's another story, it was new ,but in the used car section of the dealers lot, window sticker and all)Being in central Jersey, with Englishtown , drag strip not that far away ,started racing, the 289 broke,and put a 69 Boss 302 with 4 speed.Still own it. At Hershey I saw a 30 Roadster,Washington Blue, but way too much money. Saw a 30 Tudor in Hemmings . Trailered it from Long Island. It started overheating, so rebuilt the motor and went through the brakes and trans. Just putting the distributor back to original as per your suggestion. Runs great, will never let it go!
Thank you so much for sharing your story Paul.❤
There are three reasons for me driving a Ford Model A:
1. We are a family of car enthusiasts, it’s in our blood.
2.When I was a little child, back in the 90‘s, there was an amusement park called Panoramapark in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany,
which we visited quite a lot. The first ride they had right behind the entrance, was a ride where you could „drive“ Ford Model T Tourings,
except they where go-carts on a rail going in circles. It was a highlight to drive a car as a child and I just fell in love with pre-war cars back
then and it never let loose on me. 22 years later, in the middle of 2021, I started my research for purchasing a pre-war car and it became clear,
that the Ford Model A would be the perfect car to start with that hobby. In December 2021 the dream came true and I bought my Ford Model A Fordor.
3. During that time gathering infos about Model As I stumbled across your RUclips channel and you gave me a big boost in my confidence to buy a
Model A and after the purchase you supplied me with a lot of infos to maintain or fix the car myself or get the right supplies.
So thanks a lot Paul for all your work to „keep those Model A‘s driving for generations to come“ (greeting to Model T😉)
Thank you for sharing your story!
I fell in love with model a coupes as a kid. My father played “Hot Rod Lincoln” driving down the grapevine hill passing cars like they were standing still. I had to get one. Took 22 years but I got a 30 coupe. It was rough, no interior so to drive it I sat on a milk crate. I had to sell it because of a divorce. I’m wanting another one. My Grandfather had a few. One of my favorite stories is my grandpa and my uncle(grandma’s brother) were running a plumbing business in Missouri. During the week they drove a model a truck and every Friday they would come home park it under a tree and pull the engine out and put it in a Tudor so they could go out with the girls and had room! Two model a’s, one engine. Sunday they would put the engine back in the truck. This was in late 1930’s I think! I joined the Bakersfield chapter but now have moved out of state. I’m looking for another 30-31 coupe. I love your channel.
Paul, thank you for sharing your Model A story .My Uncle Harold found a model A roadster ai a Central Valley farm.He purchased the roadster and restored it . That was in 1952. After Harold died, his brother had the car for two years and then he died. Aunt Sherry thought that of all the people in the family, she thought I was most likely to care for the car. That was in 2009 and it has been with me since then. Paint and pinstripes are from 1952 and my goad is to keep it running well and ready for the next caretaker. In the meantime, I’ll drive it and share it and hopefully inspire young people to take interest in these treasures.
Thanks Duane!!
My father was born 1922 ,WWII - POW he was almost 50 when I was born . Didn't talk much ish about his past . Except he enjoyed vehicles of all kinds . His brother owned a Studebaker dealership back in the day -- operated as station. One car Dad talked about from his childhood was a new Ford A his dad drove home one day . How he'd like to have that do over . sadly Dad died 1998 August. 1999 spring drove home the car I sent you a photo of Paul 29 Murray deluxe. Not perfect but has never ever not started or failed ever . My daughter and son grew up in it . Folks you want to know relaxation? Take a model a out w your family to the country drive around for a few hours on a Sunday @ 35-40 mph the world's just different in a good way . 🙏💯💪
Thank you for sharing your story Matt!
Got my first Model A, a 1929 Tudor, in pieces, when I was @ 14. It was meant to be a joint project with my dad, but that never happened. After moving 4 times over the next 8 years, I ran out of places to store it, so had to sell. Have kicked myself ever since. This past May I found an intact '28 Tudor and bought it. Two weeks later I found a '29 Town Sedan and bought that as well, thinking I would decide which I like best and sell the other. Having waited 45 years to get one again, I know now that that most likely will NOT be happening, as I love them both. Dad was born in 1929, so that year is rather special to me.
I did not own one myself but have been the passenger in many as a kid and helped to repair them in the 1960s and 70s. My older brother and his friend purchased, repaired, and resold them for many years. It was a lot of fun. Thanks for the video.
Hi Paul, I started out as a kid on the farm, but it was a Model T truck rotting away at my Uncle's place that got me. I would play on that thing for hours, and hear the stories family told...
My Mom's oldest brother was an old school body man who had restored dozens of cars, including a couple for the Forney Museum in Colorado many, many, years ago.
The last car he restored was a 1931 Model A "Vicky", and I fell in love!
I have had old John Deere tractors for years, but I've moved off the farm & can't keep them. So... who knows???
Trip down memory lane! Thanks Paul,really enjoy your videos.
I saw Bonnie and Clyde in the movies when it came out and was hooked. Bought my 31 deluxe coupe at age 14.
Great story Paul. Loved it. A wonderful day in the neighborhood!
Paul what got me hooked on old cars wea all of the different shapes on that body .
the wheel opening in the front fender must have taken the artist days to draw.. and he takes his drawing to his boss and tells this to the boss it perfect .
bosses response not perfect do it again!!!!!!!
his boss was Edsel Ford.
Thanks Matt!!
Well first this Paul, what a beautiful story, and with your pictures and Tina’s. You gave us goosebumps of the warmth your story emitted in to our living room.
Paul, you and Tina are soo special in all you carry out towards these great vehicles.
You both have the vipe of the model a in your bones, and that is also for me, growing up knowing my grandfather had the coupe and a phaeton.
His brother Mr Gilberto de Jongh, was during 1928 till 1950 the local Ford dealer her in Curaçao.
So, the Ford brand is in our family long way back.
But to come back on your footage today, it was breathtaking your story and with your lovely wife Tina.
May god give you both many many year of the best of the best and as you said, the family out there and overseas that loves you both and appreciate to have know you both. Till soon now Paul. Regards to Tina!
Sincerely The Jacobs👏🙏🤝👍🏼😘
Thank YOU, Myron! May God bless you
Since I very young Saturdays I’d work with my uncle who was a car mechanic. When I was 30 a neighbor said there was ‘31 coupe that was complete but needed work. It needed a throw out bearing. So that was straight forward so I was hooked. I’ve relied on the Restorer for guidance and still do! What year was that clip of Mr Rogers? Thanks
I think 1974
Having totaled my 64 1/2 Mustang and without wheels at the tender age of 21, I spotted a '30 Tudor Sedan by the side of the road "For Sale" $1K. I bought it on the spot and drove it home to my very skeptical wife. This was in 1969. It was my daily driver in medical school. I tinkered with it. Joined Harbor Area MARC in 1970, restored it in '74. Drove it from So Cal to Yosemite, Rocky Mtn. NP, Chicago, Detroit. I bought a raft of KR Wilson tools and opened an engine rebuilding business. I was (briefly) the MARC Senior Master Judge and helped write MARCs first Judging Standards, I've owned a 30 Std. Roadster, '31 str window Cabriolet and my current ride, the '31 DeLuxe Coupe. Very much enjoy your videos, especially those featuring your ideal Model A Roads--scarce anymore in So. Cal. Keep up the good work.
I grew up watching the Waltons and loved the Walton's AA truck. John-Boy got his A to go to college and I wanted one also some day. Took me 50 years, but I now have an unrestored 29 Tudor that a fun to work on and drive.
When I was 9 or 10, I got a model of a 32 v8 tudor and a model of a 34 pickup. Since then, I wanted a 32, but my lifestyle and space available didn't permit. Finally I retired, and spent two years building a garage. By now it was clear I would never find an affordable stock 32. As I looked around, I realized that I really liked the details of the 31 model a more than the 32, and finally got a 31 Town Sedan, the best model for me to enjoy with family and friends. Now to get it roadworthy!
My love for prewar Fords started around age 4 with watching the "Absent Minded Professor" and rolling on the floor as the professor's Model T bounced on the roof of his rival's car, squealing its Klaxon. That was followed up when one of the first books I read unassisted was "Tin Lizzie" that tells the story of a 1909 Model T from when it rolled out of the factory, was sold new to an urban family, sold to a farmer, stripped for parts for neighboring farmers with Model Ts as it rusted away in a farmyard, then restored to its former glory.
Fast forward to high school, and one of my lady friends from church invited me to her birthday party, and one of the activities was to ride around the neighborhood in her grandfather's fully restored, recently finished, 1929 Model A Fordor Sedan. That car had won multiple blue ribbons for authentic restoration, and it was spectacular! My senior year, I invited the same lady friend (we were more like siblings) to my senior prom and humbly asked her grandfather to take us there in the Model A. He not only agreed, but refused any gas money, I think he said it had to do with the insurance policy not allowing the car to be "driven for hire."
Sadly, his health had deteriorated to the point that he could no longer drive it himself, so a buddy of his from the club took the wheel, and they both donned suits and straw hats to drive us to the prom. (I had parked a modern car at the hotel beforehand for the return trip) Now, for context, I was not popular in school. I'm a socially awkward, neurodivergent weirdo. I went to a wealthy suburban high school whose students drove to school in late model cars their parents had bought. Those same "popular" kids all hired limousines for prom though, but when I rolled up in that Model A, Klaxon tastefully sounded, opened up the passenger side back door and offered a hand to my lovely date in a white gown, I upstaged the entire popular crowd and got compliments from classmates who previously wouldn't give me the time of day. It was the peak of my social life in high school.
I don't own a Model A yet, and due to the damage fossil fuels inflict on the planet, when I acquire one, it'll be a vehicle whose engine is completely shot, so I won't feel the least bit guilty about replacing the engine with an electric motor. I'd like to work with an engineer though, to create an electrical system that emulates the Model A driving experience, by using both the accelerator pedal and throttle lever to control speed, configuring the spark lever to regulate regenerative braking, and leaving the transmission in place even if shifting isn't all that necessary.
my story of my ford is a short and simple one i took votech in high school where one goes to a different school to learn. I just so happen to take auto collision and repaint. well on the bus ride there the first day i was sitting in the seat chatting with my partner and i see it a 1929 briggs fordor leatherback. I immediately took a love to the car and for the next 6 months i would bug everyone i thought could help me get it. my votech teach actually knew the owner and put in the good word for me and we made a deal. $4000 for the car. he had actually had plans to ratrod the car I believe but I would rather her be original .fast forwards to now, I'm in my current state of fixing her up and running into all the problems. there's no clubs anywhere near me so im figuring it all out on my own cant afford the wood for the frames so i have some of my friends make them useing the rotten ones as templates ect. its been a short but lengthy and fun journey say the least i may not be a down right ford model a only guy but imp certainly a 1920s car guy.
(Early 1970s) My Dad, brothers and I restored a 1931 Slant Window. I was 12 when we started. Got to primer and needing upholstered. Older brother went to college, I purchased a $500 69 Road Runner and Dad lost interest. It sat several years and Dad sold it. I have several 60s cars and can’t get that Model A off my mind. I’ll own one one day soon.
I love hearing things like this. Mine is a story in itself as to how I ended up with it. I love telling that story to people willing to sit still & listening to it. I too have met a lot of great people in the clubs I have joined since I own a Model A & they have become my extended family as well. Love your videos & hearing your story.
My son's Papaw had a 1930 model A and watched my son when he was young. They drove the car all the time. Whether it was to eat lunch with his Deeda, run errands, or just go get ice cream. He was young enough that he was in a car seat so Papaw figured out how to hold it in place with a ratchet strap and off they went. Fast forward , Papaw passed away unexpectedly when Coby was 9. The car stayed in the estate for several years until my wife and I were able to purchase it. We brought it home and surprised our son with it. He hadn't seen it in quite some time. We gave him the keys and the car. We wanted him to have this car a memento to his Pawpaw and the great times they had in this car. It still has the ratchet strap in it. We love this old car, and he even drove it to his senior prom. We enjoy your channel and have learned so much from it.
This might be the winner for best story. Thank you!!
That was a really cool video Paul!! Thank you for sharing such a personal story. I'm in my mid 70's and have been a "car guy" since my High School days. I've only recently gotten into Model A's, my first one being a '28 coup hotrod a couple years ago. Then I acquired a "barn find" '29 standard coupe a year ago, running and driveable but not yet road worthy. The, a couple months ago I found a '29 standard fordor. Running, driving and very road worthy, only needing a little TLC to become a touring car with my local Model A club. Like you, I've found a lot of new friends. The videos that Tina an you have put out have been both helpful and inspiring. Thanks to you both. Two more new friends in my life. 👍
Thank you for sharing your story Michael!!
"Could eat corn on the cob through a picket fence" 🤣Doggone it, Paul that's terrible! 😂
I have no filters... Hahaha!
First off, really appreciate your videos, cannot express how helpful they are, and how good of a job that you do with them. Thank you.
My dad had always wanted a Model A from the time he was a teenager, when a local fellow brought one to my grandfather for some wood repair. While I was growing up, he always had his eye on them and wanted to pick one up, and we actually looked at several, but he would never pull the trigger. Always something coming up or some good reason not to. Fast forward to 2022, and he is 75 years young. My brother and I were able to pick up an order restoration ‘31 Sport Coupe driver. He was ecstatic, but on the day I delivered it to him, we had learned that the car had been stolen! It was a crazy story, and I did everything correctly, but it was a very elaborate scam. Title and all. So we gave the car back to the rightful owner, the crooks got prosecuted, and are sitting in jail right now. Moving forward a few months in the fall of 2022, we found him a nicely restored ‘31 Deluxe Roadster, and he has been driving the wheels off of it. He’s like a kid on Christmas morning enjoying it. 😊. That’s the story from here.
Wow!! What a horrible turn of events!! Glad you have a car now and enjoy it!
Yeah the story on the SC was unreal. It’d take 15 minutes to tell the whole thing in person, lol. But literally by Divine providence did it turn out the way it did. We are all good now, I did get the SC running for the rightful owner (with the help of a few of your videos!), and made a new friend in the process. And bad guys are put away and won’t be bothering anyone for a while. We get the most satisfaction seeing Dad have fun with that Roadster. Thanks again!
What a well thought out produced, and edited video. Now I want to know more about Mr Roger's model A 😁
I tried tracking it down a few years ago but came up empty
Hi Paul, I am 80 years old and my grandfather had an A pickup on the farm. Riding to town in the bed with all the eggs and cream was the big treat for my older sister and me; the wind blowing in our faces on Saturday morning on the way to the creamery. That pickup was my dream car growing up in I was told that I was to have it when he passed. I was in the Navy when this happened and in Viet Nam in the bush so I didn't hear about his death for six months; very disappointed that the pickup had been sold at auction along with the farm. Thanks for the memories and keep up the great videos.
Oh, Larry... That's terrible! I am so sorry. Tell you what... If you come out my way, I'll take you for a spin in the rumble seat of my coupe. That's a promise.
I've always wondered what happened to Mr. Rogers' Sport Coupe. Anyone know?
I asked around a while back. Every lead I got was a dead end.
Hey there! Firstly, thank you! I enjoy your channel!!! My dad brought home a 1931 Pick- up back in 1969 ( I was 6 years old) , a restoration was done over the next 3 or 4 years by someone he met in the local AACA region ( who became a lifelong friend) ,fast forward to 1978 or so when I was 15, Dad took me out to this friend’s cornfield, gave me a quick lesson and turned me loose for a good half hour or so….then I was hooked….fast forward one more time, I’m 60 now, the truck is still a cherished part of my family!! I realize it takes work to provide the videos like you do, Thank You for taking the time!! Kw
Thank you Paul for telling your story love story, I don't suppose you open up a little more about your military and electrical engineering career.
I hate talking about myself. Might take a few more years before making another video about me. Or never.
My story? I've always been interested in old cars, even since I was a little kid. I mean pre-school age. I knew all the logos and could identify Kaiser-Frazers, De Sotos, Studebakers, Hudsons, Packards, as well as Fords, Chevys, and Nashes. Many years later, I met a friend who had had a '31 Model A. He had sold it decades earlier. But he still had the owner's manual. I asked to borrow it, to which he kindly consented. I took that book home and devoured it. When I got to the electrical wiring schematics, I understood everything that was going on; yellow to yellow, black to black. It looked easy. And the engine schematics made everything crystal clear. And me...I don't have a mechanical brain in my head. But I thought "I could do this." I thought then "Someday...." Well, Someday hasn't come, yet.
I don’t have a model A yet, but my kids have autism. I’ve been watching your videos for quite awhile and I had no idea. I like you all the more for not playing the victim card! A model fords and autism aside, that aspect of your character is what I want for myself and my kids! I am impressed Paul!
Thank you Brian. Yes, I am autistic. No, not a victim. Not everyone appreciates brutal honesty, and I still get a lot of hate because of it. Even from video truth-telling. But the good news is, I know deep down that truth is more important than feelings. I like working with the autistic kids because they tell you EXACTLY what they think! No ego, no pretense. As God intended!! Just remember, neurotypical people will mock us, punish us, even persecute us, but if you are truthful, THEY are the ones who are wrong. You remain the righteous man. That is the right thing to do.
Paul, thanks for sharing your story! I bought my first model a when I was 15. My uncle had restored a 1931 Tudor and my cousin and I had a million questions while he was restoring his A, that’s when I caught the fever. I’m now 71 and I’m starting my sixth restoration, a 1931 Deluxe roadster I bought at auction last summer. It’s true that the Model A people are a special group of friends! Never a lack of topic for conversation and stories that Model A people will share! Thanks to you and your wife for your contributions to the hobby! Doug L
Thank you for sharing! Your story is beautiful. 6 restorations!!! Nice.
My Dad bought the 1931 Coupe I now own in 1960 from a Ford dealership in Omaha Nebraska about 2 weeks before he was to be discharged from the Air Force. It was their parade car, they bought a Model T to replace it. He He drove it home from Omaha to mid Minnesota. Fast forward to 2019 to when I was able to buy it from him. Long story short, (not really) I grew up with Model A's. He owned a few other ones, two that my older brother now own, a 1929 AA truck that my Grandfather and Great-uncle converted into our hometown's first firetruck and a 1929 AA truck with a dump box. My 10 year old son is obsessed with the Coupe, so I plan on passing it on to him. Keep those Model A's running for generations to come!
Hi Paul, I was bitten by the bug in the ‘60s when I wanted to build a hot rod for my first car, but my parents said no, I should instead buy an investment. So with $500 I bought a ‘31 Town Sedan. Silly me, thinking I was the master mechanic I really wasn’t, I took it apart, never to drive it again😢. Life got in the way and my dad sold it to get his garage back. But I always remembered that car and the regret that never got to have fun with it. Now I’m an empty nester, almost fully retired and am bored with my current “fun” car. So I’m ready to take the plunge again with a Model A. I’ve been binge watching your videos and find the enthusiasm shown by Model T and you is most infectious. Thanks to you both for inspiring me to go forth!
Bummer. But your story is happier now!
That's a great story Paul. My Model A was my grandfathers. It's a 1928 AR Roadster Utility (an aussie model) which he bought in 1930. I have the original receipt for it. I started fixing it up in 1979 when I was 18 and finally got it on the road in 1990. So it's an older restoration now but still gets plenty of comments and attention when I am out and about in it. My family love to go for a drive as well. My daughter (20 yr old) has now joined our car club and has a 1985 Mitsubishi Cordia registered in her name. I have yet to convince her to have a drive of the A! Your videos help me maintain it as well as keeping me up to date with what is available nowadays. Love your work, keep it up! George
A few years ago my wife and I visited the Coker Car Museum in Chattanooga. It was during Covid and we were the only visitors. I was looking at an unrestored 32 Ford pick up with a flathead V8 when Corky Coker walked by. We made eye contact, so I introduced myself, and told him I loved that truck. His reply was "Want to hear it run?" Hey, I'm a car guy, of course I want to hear it run!! Not only did he give us a complete tour of the truck, but was gracious enough to spend over an hour taking us through the museum including a behind the scenes tour! I became a fan, and have been thinking about Model A's ever since...I think his 32 is technically a Model BB? Anyway, I love the simplicity and amazing engineering for the time. I've also been watching your channel since that encounter. I'm restoring a 57 VW Beetle now. Hopefully there is a Model A in my future.
Thanks for doing what you do Paul!
Thank you for sharing your story! I met him once, agree he's so cool.
I bought a 1931 Model A off of my father-in-law. He was selling a collection he had and it was sitting 10+ yrs in the corner of an old warehouse. I bought it, got it running...not well. Running well took time but it is now running that way it should. I LOVE the simplicity, workability, the fact that a screwdriver, wrench, and a few other simple tools you can basically fix any issue. Plus, the darn thing ALWAYS starts!!! Thank you for what you do, you've helped me on this journey/obsession more than you will ever know. Proud Model A owner!
DUDE!!! Good job!!
Hi Paul - I'm 55 and before I was born my dad got a Model A and thought it would be cool to take it all apart and rebuild it. He was really thorough with the "taking apart" phase, but then I was born and then my sister was born and life got busy. Growing up, the parts were all around and we always talked about rebuilding it, but it never happened. Now he's 85 and the car still isn't put back together and I've decided that the time has come. I've been taking some auto shop classes at College of Marin and working on a '40 Chevy to start developing my mechanic skills. We're just about done adding a garage to our house so I'll have a place to do the work and hopefully this spring (or summer at the latest) I'll be able to start bringing all the pieces to my new garage to clean up and start reassembling it. I love watching your videos and know I'm going to be spending a lot of time with you in the next few years as your videos coach me through the reassembly. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and enthusiasm - it makes a daunting process feel a little less daunting! If you're ever up in Marin and want to see the progress, let me know and you're invited over for dinner!
Loved your story, Paul! My Model A came from my dad; it was his retirement toy and he loved that car, and I told Dad that the only thing I wanted when he passed was his Model A. He lost his sight before he passed, so I got the Model A and he lived long enough to see me drive it. He never put any money in the car, so although I got the car for free, $15,000 later it was a very much nicer 1931 Tudor!