30/31 Sport coupe ? why ?

[peters180a/170b]

I went back to passed issues of both MARC/MAFCA mag. and can not find any Henry Ford award winners or MARC of Excellence OR even MAFCA of Excellence ??? I had asked around and a couple of answers were the "TOP" MATERIAL for the 30/31 Sport coupe would be to expensive to make and very hard to copy . Its orginial top was ugly anyway. So am i to guess if entering in fine point judging it would take a major hit for the TOP MATERIAL and that's why no one will enter a 30/31 Sport coupe. There were a couple of 28/29's. in the past 10 years. I restored one back in the early 80's with a two tone GRAY T-14 top material which looked pretty good.

 

[Kevin in NJ]

Sport coupe, all the work of a convertible and the top does not go down.

Never did see why they were made. The only advantage was the back window opened up.

 

[peters180a/170b]

Kevin ,I know what you are saying about all that work after restoring one myself .But you own a Cabriolet right and if is wasn't for the Sport coupe there would not be a Cabriolet... There are no 28's cab's but there's 28 sport coupes. So who came first. Remember Douglas Fairbanks recieved his 28 sport coupe in Janurary 1928. The point i am making is does BOTH clubs make a allowance when judging the top material on the 30/31's....

 

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

,,, and if is wasn't for the Sport coupe there would not be a Cabriolet...

The point i am making is does BOTH clubs make a allowance when judging the top material on the 30/31's....

Actually, Henry sold the Cabriolet way before the Sport Coupe was ever even marketed, --he just did not call it a Cabriolet.

I'm pretty certain most Judges evaluating Tops would make no allowances for top material on the 50B body and give a hefty deduction if a inaccurate reproduction was indeed used. That is only fair! I think the term 'expensive' is relative to one's perception. Some feel comfortable in spending $100k on a Model A restoration ...and others would not spend that much on buying their home!

BTW, exactly "what" does it cost to accurately replicate a bolt of that material? Is it $5,000, or $25,000 --or $50k?? The way I figure out whether it can be done is to ask, "If money were no object, could we do it?"

.

 

[Frank Nemo]

My '30 Sport Coupe, has the INCORRECT tan canvas top "and frankly darling I don't give a damn". My personal opinion is the correct top material is uglier than sin. Since I have no intentions of ever getting into high point judging I am perfectly happy with the way "Ole Betsy" looks.

 

[peters180a/170b]

Brent ,Hello will you be at Hershey this year? same spot? Are we talking Model "T" as the first Cabriolet If so what was the Model name? I am not a "T" guy but like them. I did asked at one time about someone reproducing the correct top material when i restored the Sport coupe. If i remember right its not possible to do and even so not that much of a demand. I think that's why owner's do not enter the Fine point class due to Hefty Deduction. Kinda shutting them out on those top foot steps of that ladder. Well time to feed the pig.[see ya] Frank Nemo , you are right about your top ..I agree with you and that's why if not allowed by the judging standard it should be [tan top material] .I had a piece of that orginial top material and it is U.G.L.Y. and thank God it can not be reproduced.. [nice car you have there.]enjoy it

 

[dlshady]

Does anybody have a close up color photo showing the original top material? I don't think I've ever seen anything other than the standard issue old black and white Ford press release photos.


Deron

 

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Brent ,Hello will you be at Hershey this year? same spot? Are we talking Model "T" as the first Cabriolet If so what was the Model name? I am not a "T" guy but like them. I did asked at one time about someone reproducing the correct top material when i restored the Sport coupe. If i remember right its not possible to do and even so not that much of a demand. I think that's why owner's do not enter the Fine point class due to Hefty Deduction. Kinda shutting them out on those top foot steps of that ladder. Well time to feed the pig.[see ya] Frank Nemo , you are right about your top ..I agree with you and that's why if not allowed by the judging standard it should be [tan top material] .I had a piece of that orginial top material and it is U.G.L.Y. and thank God it can not be reproduced.. [nice car you have there.]enjoy it

I guess I do not understand the circumstances why it "not possible to do". I have always had the attitude that if they did it once, surely we can do it again. Oh I realize that it would be expensive but technology also advances each year that can be used to easier replicate things. I still say that If there is a will, there's a way!!

I will be at Hershey this year but as a 'spectator-on-a-buying-spree' only.

Yes, you are correct that the Coupelet was actually the first Cabriolet.

 

[2manycars]

I restored a sport coupe a few years ago, and used the dark brown material, which is still not right, but perhaps closer in color to the original. It is the only one I have seen with the dark roof.

 

[peters180a/170b]

Well Brent , with all technology today and willing to pay a price then [Where's or what's the "CORRECT" frame black finish[material finish] .. just messing with ya...

 

[Roadster62]

Peter, Please post a photo of this UGLY material! Not everyone here has a research library. I've always liked the looks of the Sport Coupes, wouldn't mind having one. Has a Fine PoinT Cabriolet owner ever folded his top down? I think that is the reason Sports Coupes were built, the tops never wrinkle.

 

[peters180a/170b]

I'll see if i have a picture of a n.o.s. rear window frame with U.G.L.Y.material. P.S. Sept 11, Saturday show [ the old Conn. Ridgefield meet] off [rt107 Georgetown] there might be a surprise showing up--- a "SUPER" rare Model "A'. I am getting a small group of owner's together .... is there drinking allowed???[beer]...

 

[5window]

My '30 Sport Coupe, has the INCORRECT tan canvas top "and frankly darling I don't give a damn". My personal opinion is the correct top material is uglier than sin. Since I have no intentions of ever getting into high point judging I am perfectly happy with the way "Ole Betsy" looks.

I'm pretty happy with the way my "ole Betsy" looks,too-since we've been married 37 years.

peters180a/170b is that really your pig? Pretty cute. We used to see quite a few pot-bellied pigs in our practice but the fad died out pretty quickly about 12 years ago. Plus a lot of them sold as PBP's turned out just be be regular hogs that got BIG.

 

[Roadster62]

GREAT!!!!!!!!!!! There is always a good turnout of A's at this meet. Last year was a rainout, but the year before was real nice. A lady looked at a 30-31 Town Car and said her father had one years ago, truned out it was THAT car. I'm guessing the beer is a no no, however the main guy running the show owned a brewery.

I'll see if i have a picture of a n.o.s. rear window frame with U.G.L.Y.material. P.S. Sept 11, Saturday show [ the old Conn. Ridgefield meet] off [rt107 Georgetown] there might be a surprise showing up--- a "SUPER" rare Model "A'. I am getting a small group of owner's together .... is there drinking allowed???[beer]...

 

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Well Brent , with all technology today and willing to pay a price then [Where's or what's the "CORRECT" frame black finish[material finish] .. just messing with ya...

If you will disassemble your 180A and bring me the bare frame, I will paint it with an asphaltum-based Japan Black paint and bake it for free so it will mimic exactly what it was 80 years ago!! Someone needs to be the first to have it and it might as well be you!!

.

 

[msmaron]

If you will disassemble your 180A and bring me the bare frame, I will paint it with an asphaltum-based Japan Black paint and bake it for free so it will mimic exactly what it was 80 years ago!! Someone needs to be the first to have it and it might as well be you!!
.

Yup lets do it Brent and start our just like it was 80 years ago....I am with ya!

 

[peters180a/170b]

5window , the pig is a she. My brother is on this kick- 28 chickens [for fresh eggs] and 3 white ducks[ why?]. His neighbor went out and for a pet bought this pig. It comes up to me every morning and looks for a dog's milk bone.[She loves them]His other neighbor is looking into cows. Brent [THANKS on the frame] .I have a rust free frame with most of the orginial paint on it. I can get away with using it. Its that nice. But to me it just does not look right on a fully restored car. I was thinking about using a driveway sealer for the frame. Maybe on the 170b? Brent ,,, Bill Sturm will shoot me if i even think of removing that body from the frame.. [ the top might shift with the body] and that will ruin our day.

 

[d.j. moordigian]

Peter & Brent,

Don't forget to leave the running board bracket RIVETS natural...no lost POINTS.

Dudley

 

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Peter & Brent,

Don't forget to leave the running board bracket RIVETS natural...no lost POINTS.

Dudley

Nahh, I would use pyroxilyn and spot that frame so it looks like a Cheetah!!

.

 

[mot]

seems like a few want to see what an original sports coupe top looks like
this is my NOS sports coupe top
jpg 01 is the interior
05 is a close up of the exterior and 07 is the whole top
it is not like canvas at all,it is very smooth ,but looks like it has dimensions to it
the picture of the whole thing is very close to the color,it is grey
im sure when it was new on the car it looked nice
the color of the window frame inside and out is fairly close to the real thing
tom moniz