Before FordBarn

>>Where did yall get your advise/help/encouragement for this era?
No advice no help no encouragement.
We did have two dead A's. I still have the chock rod I pulled off when I was about four.
It was my job to go to the chemist shop to get a brown paper bag of corks for the cork clutch on a farm cart (made from a cut down T axle, cut down standard 10 diff, wheel barrow wheels and a Sunshine harvester seat) about once or twice a year. This was because a cork clutch actually needs to run in oil.
 
I'm 88 years old and started playing with performance bangers in high school. Common sense, trial and error were the most important things. In 1959 I joined the 4 ever 4 club, they were and are all about performance. Hot Rod Magazine was some help but not much when it came to hands-on. I've since raced at the drags, sry lakes and Bonneville, with pretty good success.
 
Back when my Dad and I cosmetically restored my '28, I did most of the tear down work. Halfway thru he lost interest, so I had to rely on my memory plus ask a local very knowledgeable Model A guy for help on assembly if I got stuck. Got the car all back together and my Dad put it on blocks and there it sat for 30 years. After he passed in 2016, I started to get it going and turned to the internet for help immediately since my memory had faded on a few things. I found this site, plus ModelABasics.com, YouTube, and a couple more to help me out, plus joined a club.
 
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Jim Brierley said:
..... I've since raced at the drags, dry lakes and Bonneville, with pretty good success.
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An understatement. I'm looking forward to "school" May 17/18 at El Mirage watching the Four Ever Four Lakester. These shots were taken at the 70th anniversary event Jim hosted at his home.
 

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Didn't Shelly ease over to van Pelts' operation? She was so helpful!!
My Uncle left 3rd grade and went in to bicycles'/gas station. Fixing cars business. When Daddy passed early wanted to quit school and fix cars for Unc.
 
We did everything by snail mail and telephone before the internet. I always gravitated toward other mechanically inclined people since they were the ones that either had there own projects or a father, or other family members, with the interest in old machines. I had no less than three great uncles that started out working on their father's Frick traction engines and went on to life time careers in automotive maintenance and sales. They started out working on what are now referred to as horse less carriages. It was definitely in my blood.
 
My Dad taught me how to build things and improvise. Besides trial and error, he had a fairly vast library of books and club magazines. The tech articles were gold.
 
My dad bought an A when I was 1. He bought and sold many and I learned a little from each one.
 
I bought my first "A" with paper route money in 1973. Got a part time job with a older, local fellow who repaired TV's and Model "A" Fords. I was 15 years old. He taught me me most everything I know about old Fords. I made $2.00/hr. What I learned there gave me the skills and confidence to restore my own cars.
 
I made mistakes! Many times I thought "I won't do that again". I first started driving a Model A in 1964. I can say my Model A never had to be towed home. It was close a few times but I always managed to limp home. Ed
 
Ed in Maine said:
I made mistakes! Many times I thought "I won't do that again". I first started driving a Model A in 1964. I can say my Model A never had to be towed home. It was close a few times but I always managed to limp home. Ed
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I don't ever remember my dad towing any home but I have once last year. A jet in the carburetor came apart and dumped gas out the rear of the carb. Luckily I found the top half sitting in the intake port!
 
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