Can the Model A hobby survive?

After admiring model As for some time, I decided earlier this year to sell my modern car and buy a 1931 Tudor for daily transportation. I grew up working on old cars. My dad always had unusual cars around-our family transportation when I was a kid were a series of vw beetles. He has a 51 MG that he has had since he was 19 or so and has also had several E type Jags. Even after he became an attorney, he did a lot of his own wrenching. I grew up with that. I too have my son out in the garage with me rather than sitting in front of an electronic nanny all night long. He loves going to drag races and we meet some friends who also have Cal Look vws during the summer and hang out. So he's growing up with it and so far really enjoys cars. It can't be forced but some healthy exposure may help the next generation.

The Model a has proven to be a surprisingly capable car for daily use. Yeah it's not fast, but I live in Chicago so it's no problem keeping up with everyone in our often terrible traffic.

One thing I will say is that people on here have been very helpful with the issues I've had. So thank you! BUT some people are a little too Henry a Ford hardcore. If use ability is an issue for some People-and it seems to be- maybe some upgrades should not be so harshly frowned upon. I actually felt guilty for converting to an alternator! Know , what's wrong with a few upgrades to give these cars a little more safety (I installed working wiper, LED taillights, and seatbelts-and I'm proud of it Lol).

Also people need to get out and drive their cars more often. Young people won't know about them if you keep them under lock and key at all times except to go to Model A meets. Maybe get out to multi make shows more often or bring your car to work now and again? The average price of a new car is $30k yet people nearly throw their bodies on a $15k model as rather than have a few rain drops hit it.
 
The future of the hobby depends on us. If people only see our cars at car shows or in our garages I think we may lose the interest of most people. If we drive them every chance we get and take our vacations in them people see that they can drive these cars and not worry about getting parts to keep them on the road. Whenever we stop for gas or food people are curious about them and this gets them thinking about getting into model a's. Traveling in our model a is fun but the people we meet and the interest they show is priceless. Plus, the more we drive them the better they run.;)
 
Hey Steven,
Welcome to the forum and your observations, some of which are 'spot on'...IMO are welcome also !
I am CURIOUS...could you say why you do not post your general location ? I have always wondered why anyone , who asks for help/parts and information, doesn't post their location.

Anyway, I think that you have answered your own question within your inquiry/statement. You state that your job is to bring/'drag' people forward from their era, into the modern era. IMO, you have come up against the 'immovable object'. Do you think that you are the unstoppable force ? Time will tell, eh :) I hope that you stick around to enjoy this free forum supplied by Ryan, a forum that allows much freedom for some to vent, but for most to make friends, be helpful and Informative. There is much psychology involved to discuss/explain what you have asked ! To capsulize , for most,if you grew up associated with something that may have interested you, it maybe became your interest/passion. For us people from the Model A era, working with and having the interest in Model A (antique) technology is 'normal'. Pocket rockets and disposable /totaled computer controlled (modern) cars/tech is the 'normal' today !
Your basic question regarding...how to add people from the later to the former, has and will be discussed endlessly.

Myself, I love them all, i.e.- Model As and old cars in general AND the people who own them !! I've had restored Model As and now have a Model A that I've configured as, IMO, many of the pre war ('30/'39) Model A owners had. That is, a Model A that is somewhat beat up looking, but mechanically sound and able to keep up with any traffic of the day. I do not believe that most Model A/B owners , back when, had 'restored' high point cars, so I chose that route myself and have fun tinkering with my A.

BTW...What Model As are you riding in that are vibrating/shaking, etc ? If I knew what area that you live , and it is close by, I'd have you come drive my '30 roadster to find out how about the good road manners, well behaved and fun a Model A can be;) !
 
Wayne, you got yourself some really neat toys there (I never noticed the list before) including some neat WW2 goodies.....highly desireable and Kool as you well know. One of the restos we did in this shop was an M38. The woman owner wanted an MB in the worst way but could not locate one.
 
Thanks guys, for ALL the posts. Whether I happen to like or agree with each one is beside the point. Taking time to post shows interest and passion.

Someone asked about my location. I am in North Carolina.

The former owner of my car was actually the guy who restored it. It has a B engine, and it's my understanding that he toured extensively with it until he got too old to drive. He had a couple hundred pounds of spare parts with it.

What I've done so far is change from the distributor with the counterweight to the older style that is controlled by the advance lever in the car. It really helps me control some of the spark knock that plagued the car. Also the former owner had the spare BEHIND the trunk. With a load of spare parts in the trunk it was quite a weight far to the rear. I took the trunk off and put the spare on the correct mount. Also toed the front tires in a little more and balanced all the air pressures.
I can actually keep it in the road now without constant attention.

One other issue was that the jet under the GAV was stripped. Got all that squared away and the car is actually fun to drive. It is a unique driving experience though. There is definitely a learning curve involved.

If I could add one other little thing that strikes me as odd about the organizations involved with the hobby; I have yet to be contacted by any of the "region's" or local clubs in any way.

By the way, what finally got ME in a Model A: we live in a tourist destination, and close to a scenic highway. A regional A and T club had a meet here, and it was the SOUND of those cars that really touched a chord in me.
 
Thanks tbirdtBird! We love them all. I have a display I call "Ford Technologies" where we park the black T touring, black A Sedan and black 42 Sedan together with a poster describing the evolving technology from one to the other. Another I call "America Enters the War Years" with the 42 sedan, MB Jeep, WLA, hand cart and bicycles with a poster describing the events in 42/43. Lastly, the Jeep and WLA are marked as vehicles from the HQ section, 28th Recon, 6th Cavalry, 15 Corps in Northern Ireland in 43/44 prior to D-Day (also known as Patton's household cavalry). For Memorial Day, Veterans Day, etc. I pull all the WWII stuff together with a poster describing the unit history. I like putting the cars into historic context, doing the research, and assembling the posters.

Our MB was originally a French Lend Lease machine and spent most of its life in Montreal before coming back to the states 10 yrs ago for the first stage of its restoration. It's a "motor pool" restoration to look like one in the UK before the invasion, so lived in but not too much. It's my daughter's favorite car to drive, she found an old Skitch Henderson tune called "Liitle Bo Peep has lost her Jeep" she likes to play when she's got the car.
 
All the forums that I have looked at so far (including this one) follow this pattern; someone makes a comment or asks a question, and the discussion devolves into personal attacks, name-calling, politics, etc. or it is dominated by the same few experts talking to each other. Or, there are endless discussions among the same few about minute and obscure details that almost no one cares about.

This is the reason that I no longer will post a question! but there is nuggets of tips if you do a search, this is a hobby for me and not at all interested in wise guy answers. :rolleyes:

The Model A will survive because this is the only antique car that many parts are available and really not that expensive. I have noticed this past summer quite a few younger people (20- 30's) attending the shows. The Model A is a entry level collector car and the stock Model A setup to factory specifications drives very well and is safe and can actually be used every day, I know because I also have a 31 Slant Window that is my daily driver, yes even in the snow!
 
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It always amuses me, the ones that insist this hobby is dying are the ones with the least time vested in the hobby and the least posts here on this forum. This hobby ain't going nowhere, anytime soon. If it does happen it'll be when all of us here are dead and will make no difference.....
 
I have asked some questions to this forum and got answers. I have answered some questions and was respected for it. I have bought some parts, sold some parts and made some good friends electronically. What more can one ask of an electronic forum. This is the 21st century and this is the way we do things. How else could one find tons of spot on advice and hard to find parts. As for the future of the hobby, I have three sons and one son-in law that really enjoy my 6 Model A Fords and will be using them for another generation. Cool old cars never go out of style. The aftermarket parts are constantly getting better and more abundant so this seems kind of utopia doesn't it?
 
Posts 30 and 31 are right on.

Watch out, the comment,
"Model A is a entry level collector car" could be taken very easily in a negative way. They are very desireable cars, well built, reliable, fun, and a very important part of automotive history. I've been to several concourses and there are always a couple of As there. (For those who do not know a Concourse d'Elegance, such as Pebble Beach or Amelia Island, etc) are high end car shows by invitation only. The As always draw a big crowd. Not everyone can afford a $5 million dollar Duesenberg like Jay Leno)
 
I appreciate ALL the antique cars personally, of the Model A era. I'm only into the Fords but enjoy seeing the Chevy's, etc. too. The '31 Packard Roadster on Chasing Classic Cars the other nite was really cool. Still retains that Ford '30-'31 Dlx. Roadster style of that era.

Saw an add the other day for an alternator, for Model A Fords, that looks like the Model A Ford 'long' generator in either 6V or 12V. Has a 'cutout' on top too. That tells me there is a definite interest in these cars for somebody to make that part, along with all the other good parts being reproduced out there

Yes, there is/will be an interest in Model A's AND Model T's throughout my life time after I'm gone doesn't matter anymore:)
 
The hobby will go on for the people that are interested and can afford it. Though plenty of new reproduction parts are available the prices continue to climb. Forced insurance and restrictions take away most of the fun . I remember when I could get a tag for less than five dollars with no questions asked . It has got more difficult to register the model A without removing the body to reveal the VIN . I remember when the parts from J.C. Whitney-Warshawsky to overhaul the model A engine was around ten dollars. The common man could overhaul the model A engine . Now, sometimes a botched up rebuild with lead content in the babbit with a 90 day warranty costs more than a new crate engine for a modern car with a three year 50.000 mile warranty. Back in the day we could get good gas that could sit in the tank for a long time with no problems. Now with the ethanol adultrated gas , if you leave it in the tank over a month you've got problems.

A couple of days ago I commented that the hobby was now mostly a rich mans hobby if you were interested in national judging competition. In just a little while I got a PM saying NOT SO... The PM went on to say that some shops would do a driver restoration for forty thousand dollars. If a person can do all of the work himself and find a reasonable priced car to restore it may still be practical . I figure that forty thousand for a fun driver car with lots of restrictions is more than the common man will be interested in. If I hadn't collected model A's and parts for over 50 years and have the ability to do the restoration work myself I probably wouldn't have any model A's now.

My daughter, son in law and grand daughter have a big interest in model A's. I've already given them one of my model A's. They will get the rest of my cars and parts after we pass and the hobby can go on for them as long as they are interested. If not Deb can sell it on eBay. I don't worry a bit about the hobby. My advice to those that worry about others hoarding parts is simple... If they want model A parts, buy them, there are plenty of parts still out there . Model A's are proibably the lowest priced hobby car that a person can get into .
 
I wish the worlds real problems could be boiled down to whether the Model A hobby will survive or not. Really?
 
Well where I live I drive by the bone yards , , junk yards and I have not seen a model a in 40 years , so I would guess people are hanging on to them , ,,

Name another car that's 85 years old that is as popular as the model A

Grown men walking , working , scraping , painting , sewing , saving , dreaming ,,,.,, of a drive when they get her back on the road ,,.





,,.,,,
 
The beauty and sound of the model A will continue to attract those with the means ability and determination to own one. Having lots of parts never hurts, eBay usually has a good selection .
 
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