New Owner - Could use some advice

kingsley

kingsley

Junior Member
I just bought this 1931 5 Window Coupe and will begin a slow long term restoration. It is a brown top/black finders and a biege or tan colored body.

Is this an original color scheme? If so I am looking for the color codes for the biege and brown so I can do some touch ups. Total paint job is likely years away.
 

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Kingsley, NICE looking deluxe coupe. Why would you restore it? Get it running, driving and get to know the car. before desiding to restore or not. As an owner of a '31 myself, I would like to hear more about your car. Pictures? good luck
 
For touch-up paint, I would take your great looking coupe over to a professional automotive paint store and have them scan & color match. They can make up a small quantity, even in a rattle can if you want. It's been 5 or more years since I had that done, but the price of a rattle can was only about $20 at that time -- even in Alaska.
 
From experience leave it as is . Once you get that shiny new paint job and new interior it's not as much fun anymore. You don't want the kids or grand kids to touch or spill or climb on anything. You turn into a Nervous Nelly. Get it running and as others have already stated "Drive the crap out of it".
 
It's a great looking car as is. I agree with the others. Use it for a year or two, then decide on restoration. You'll probably find lots of things to do to keep you busy as you continue to drive it.
 
Looks like a 45B, Color combinations are as follows:

Production Paint Colors 1931 45B
Deluxe Coupe​
Lower Body & Reveals Upper Body, Belt, Qtr& Sill Molding Stripe
Ford Maroon Black Vermilion
Brewster Green Black Apple Green
Chicle Drab Copra Drab Straw (1)
Kewanee Green Elkpoint Green Apple Green
Black Black Apple Green

(1) Tacoma Cream Stripe beginning July 1931​
 
You want to do what to that dowager princess? Make it into a trailer queen? From the picture, I see nothing that needs restoration. Just enjoy it! My coupe doesn't look half that good and I drive it about 3 times a week.
Terry
 
Terry said:
You want to do what to that dowager princess? Make it into a trailer queen? From the picture, I see nothing that needs restoration. Just enjoy it! My coupe doesn't look half that good and I drive it about 3 times a week.
Terry
Click to expand...

trailer queens are fun
 
"slow long term restoration"

I hope it means to bring the mechanics up to Ford's specification, then like the others have posted - drive it like you stole it.
 
I hope your slow long term restoration means, drive it, Change something you want to change, drive it some more. That is what I do, we drive it every week, take it to car shows, let the kids get in and play....... As soon as we decided not to put an expensive paint job on it, it just became more fun.
If you aren't going to drive it, you might as well be collecting clocks.
 
The only thing that I see that needs to be done before you drive it is take off that tacky turn signals and use a sledge hammer on them. I would also change the oil and perform a lube service. Other than that it looks almost too good for a Model A which at its time was a true people's car, more affordable than any other car on the road.
 
Factory or not, that is a really nice color combination. It really "pops" and stands out. I like it!

I see you have a spare, spare tire. Interesting.

As for the comments above, that is sound advice. Fix any mechanical problems and drive the car before you really do a lot of paint work. These cars are SO much fun to drive and use, you will really get into it.

I have seen several Model A's that get the total paint and polish treatment, then never get used because the owners are afraid of getting a scratch or rock chip, or even getting them dirty. That's sad. But, you see it all the time in ads, things like: "Completely restored 10 years ago. Only 900 miles since restoration", etc. Heck, our Tudor gets 900 miles every couple of months!
 
My PU had less than 1500 miles since "restoration" that was 20 years previous. I've put more than 1500 miles on it this summer already, and it's not over yet. It gets driven almost every day. Saturday it will get about 350 put on it just that one day. As others have said, just drive it -- after the mechanicals are checked out and fluids are changed.
 
The lighter color looks like it could possibly be Manila Brown which was used on station wagons. I don't recognize the dark color.
 
kingsley said:
I just bought this 1931 5 Window Coupe and will begin a slow long term restoration. It is a brown top/black finders and a biege or tan colored body.

Is this an original color scheme? If so I am looking for the color codes for the biege and brown so I can do some touch ups. Total paint job is likely years away.
Click to expand...
Kingsley,
Really spiffy coupe! I've seen much tackier cars, when gone over by a GOOD used car detailer, touched up where necessary, lightly cut & polished, where necessary, & ZINGO, it looked ready for local, FUN car shows!:D Bill W.
(Somehow??? both my cars were MAFCA's "CAR OF THE DAY" at one time! Proud? YOU BETCHA')
 

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Kinglesy,

First off, welcome aboard. You have landed amongst a great group. My 2 Cents worth of advice is also to get the car running and drive it and drive it some more....
 
Now a VIN question. There seems to be some confusion as to the year. Title says 1931 but looks like the 0 was typed over with a 1. It has registered 1930 vintage plates. The VIN is A1411784. And the verdict is....?
 
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