A true barn find?

Hoogah said:
Affairs of the heart defy logic, but Brother Hesekial came pretty close to describing what I see in a car like this. It's the wondering about what that car might have been through, it's a representation of 80+ years of history, and importantly it's perhaps the closest we will get to an authentic driving experience for an era that fascinates each one of us in one way or another. Sitting in that car will transport you back in a way that a fine point car can never do.

Call it what you like. "Barn find", "barn fresh" have lost their meaning. It doesn't matter. I reckon you either get it or you don't. And no disrespect either way. It's horses for courses. I GET this car! Do what you have to, but leave it to represent what it really is.

By the way, the seat looks good to go!! :D
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Well said Hoogah...

I wonder if guys who have ' restored ' shiny fine point cars would let a fellow barner or anyone even sit in their car, let alone drive it .

I bet the majority of the barn finds and running survivor' owners would let anyone who asked, go for a drive .

It is almost starting to get snobbish at shows, where the concourse dudes have their noses in the air, and 99.9 % of their cars are cheque book 'restorations' anyway.

They probably even get some guy to check their oil and water and pump the tyres up.

They have their LOOK BUT DON'T TOUCH signs on it and they will not even walk to the dunny and leave their car unattended.

As a purist will walk straight past a rat rod , I generally walk straight past these plastic looking 'restorations '.

A model A off the assembly line never had flawless shiny paint all over and every stitch in the trim perfect .

To drive a survivor on a country lane with no other traffic around , and just pottering along without the constant battle to keep up with or out of the way of modern traffic, does transport the mind back to what it would have been like generations ago.

The last time I truly enjoyed a drive in a survivor was 2 years ago, when I drove at 5.30 am on the highway with no other cars anywhere and the moon was bright and the stars were shining and the wind freezing, and it was glorious.
 
I will have to track down some Gibbs oil and give it a good rubdown, then work on getting it started and hopefully it has no major engine damage. The engine dates May of 29. The top irons and windshield pivots are frozen in place but those should be easy to get workable again or maybe I will just leave them as is... The hood pivots are very nice, not locked up and no hinge cracks.
 
Karasmer, I hope you can post some photos of your car after the Gibbs oil treatment, if you decide to go down that path. It would be great to compare with your "before" photos. My '28 Phaeton has a mixture of duco jobs ranging from recent attempts to preserve the original look on parts of the body back to original, but quite weathered, paint on the mudguards (well that's what we call 'em downunder!).

How do you propose to tackle the issue of a new top while trying to keep the survivor "feel" of the car? I have another car that I dismantled 30+ years ago with absolutely no restoration work done since (yes, I know!! :() and which I would now like to put back together as a survivor car. Trouble is, it's a sedan and I have to replace most of the original interior linings (door and roof etc). I reckon I could get away with re-using the original seats (the driver's seat has some fantastic hand-sewn patchwork that tells a story all on its own), but can't see how to avoid a clash of old and new in there! Even considering buying some material and somehow "distressing" it to make it match the seats, but have no idea how to do this! Maybe leave it out on the road for a week or two?? :D:eek:
 
BRENT in 10-uh-C said:
I sure hope what you are saying is not really true (I saw no emoticons associated with this though) but IMHO it takes a 'sick' individual to receive an erection solely just thinking about a car!! Truer words have never been spoken about it being explained and me not understanding. I will never understand someone with that perverted mindset.

As to your second statement, I have sat in both types of Model-As that you describe, and I find your statement totally false. I suspect many others would say the same. What many do not understand is 99.9% of hobbyists do not accurately restore their Model-A to garner points, ....but instead do it as a goal to see how disciplined they are at following instructions and replicating exacting details. How challenging is it to garner accolades off of someone else's doing, ...especially if it is having a "sexual experience" with a non-living object someone else over time has created?? Again, what a sick & twisted world. :confused: :o :eek:
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i get a woody when i sit in my car,, whats wrong with that:eek:
 
Mitch//pa said:
i get a woody when i sit in my car,, whats wrong with that:eek:
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Seriously, you may need to see a doctor.

I understand the phrasing and expect it on the hamb and thought that other expressions for, "I like my car", would be used on the ford barn. Maybe to better explain it, I would call it juvenile.

No slam on the O.P. But let's call rust rust. When I see a line of "A's" I will look over the rust ones as much as the shiny ones. The rusty A's have the feel of how they were used in the later years. Takes all kinds to keep it interesting.

Neal
 
oh i forgot to add this excuse me
 

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While the majority of posters seem to be inclined towards changing things as little as possible, I don't think the pictures you've posted have given them a good reading on the actual condition of this roadster. I remember the eBay listing and the pictures in it showing further serious rust and other issues. If you genuinely want people's opinions, I think you need to post a lot more good quality pictures. Just saying .......:rolleyes:
 
Very nice find. I would check the mechanicals, make it safe to drive, and show others what an original car looks like.

Henry's 31
 
If you keep it looking as it is, you might find parts that have the same patina but are not rusted out to replace the ones that are in really poor condition like the running board, apron and perhaps a decent used seat. It all depends on what you want. Me, it would look new before I got through with it because that is what I like.
 
Fix it up so it is drivable and functional.

My car was in "storage" for 50 years--twenty three of those years in a well-used dirt floor warehouse-garage that housed a fleet of giant Peterbuilt Wreckers and Payloaders. Here is what it looked like the day I purchased it. Very, very dirty. I cleaned it up good and polished it up. Looks great. Here is the car this past Saturday. A real survivor.
 

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"sitting IN a shed for over 50 years..."? More like it sat behind the shed! Or the shed did not have a roof. That car has been sitting full of leaves, dirt and other moisture-retaining debris, from the extensive rust it has. It's rusted in the oddest places, too. Usually rust forms in pockets like door bottoms where moisture is trapped. This car has rust holes on vertical surfaces even! Hate to see the underside! This poor car is NOT a survivor. It died some years ago! Sadly, it's a rat rod candidate without major rust repair.
 
Karasmer. is that spare tire an old USA made 21" goodyear or a out of the country reproduction. it sure does not look like the new reproductions ones
 
Well here's tough one. I guess it comes down to what you want. And everyone's got a different spin on that one. I have friend that finds a car like this and every winter he rebuilds a part of the car. The motor and trans the first year. The chassis the second year etc. etc. and drives the car every summer. He's been driving his cars for years while I've been doing a ground up restoration and I've still not driven the car. Guess it comes down to what you want. I think I would get it running if you can and run it around the block to see what you've got. Then make a decision. My car was to far gone and needed a total rebuild. See where yours is and go from there. Welcome to the World of Model A's.

The Old Tinbasher
 
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