Double D Mods
Junior Member
Little while ago I posted how we are purchasing the 29 Roadster my father in law has had for many years. I know he has been writing alot of info down for us about the cars history so we know as much as possible about it. I had this little bit of info sent to me tonight so I thought I would share some history of the 29 Roadster we will be writing the next chapter on one of these days.
Enjoy. I sure did!
Dennis
How I Learned the Word Jalopy – by LeRoy Bangert
I Purchased my 1929 Ford Roadster in 1962 or 1963 from Ed Orser of Billings for $150, it came off a ranch east of Bridger. Had a box in back. No engine or transmission, complete under carriage. I found another roadster body in Canyon Creek on Kindsfather’s farm. It was a roadster the Amen family had in the ‘50s. Between the 2 body's I had the beginning of a very fine car. Had the body in my home shop and chassis in another shop...Holy Smoke! Fire. Garage burned down. Destroyed chassis, lots of 35-39 parts, frames and a lot of small rare A parts. A truck load of iron went to scrap. Now what do I do? Being a bull headed German I had to have a 29 Roadster. Why? I will tell you why later. About 1959 or 1960 I bought my first 1929 A. I used it as my irrigating rig. Bought it in Roundup for $50.00. It was a 49A special coupe. The leather backs model made in 28-29. Body near mint, the rest of it was bad. The owner told me the engine was a rebuilt with low miles. Everett Glen went through it, and other than a valve grind, it was excellent. This car was in the fire but I got it pulled out in time.
Now I have a roadster body and a good engine. Now is this progress or stupidity? Why didn’t I restore the coupe instead of the roadster? Only God knows what goes on in a 20 year old brain. Traded the coupe body to someone I don’t remember for ‘A’ junk parts. In those days $50-$100 was more fun than saving $500 and buying a real good “A”. Now, back to the story of why I had to have a 29 roadster. When I was 5 years old in 1946, my dad had a Hispanic family work for us on the farm, they had a 29 roadster. They let me ride in the front seat and I hung on for dear life. What a blast. My first “A” ride that I remember and learned a new word, “Jalopy”. That family left the A on the farm. Dad got a new hired hand. Sometime in ‘47 or ‘48 the new hired hand destroyed it selling all the good parts, all that was left was a body shell, 2 bent doors, a broken frame, 2 splash pans and a steering wheel with controls. It broke my heart to see my Model A broke. For the next 10 years I would move it around the pasture when it got in the way. In 1956 my cousin and I decided to build a hot rod from this shell. Word got out and it got stolen out of the garage. Never found it again.
During the years of the 60’s I bought many Model ‘A’s and of course other projects. The roadster was still number 1 on my list. From 1962 to 1967 I put it together and drove it for the first time. A body as best I could build but a running gear that was worn out. I had fun. Went to Yellowstone Park and the State meets in Billings and Helena. Not bad for a farm boy with a 20 year old brain and a dream that will last me forever.
The restoration of the 29 roadster body. The Bridger body had an excellent tank. Cowl, dash, lower cowl, windshield frame and posts. Left door good, right door had bad scrape. All wood replaced in body using old patterns. Sub frame excellent front to rear. Original body blocks except the last one. Now remember this was the early 60’s and good patch panels were not good. There are no welds on the body and fenders that I remember. The entire body was sandblasted. The left and right rear body panels were removed, blasted, glassed and stove bolts used as rivets in places I cold not reach. The Canyon Creek body provided the rear lower rumble area, rumble lid and hinges and the panel in front of rumble had a gas tank hole. Patched it, but it could be better. The rear wheel wells over the tire have cracked and I repaired once and repainted. Maybe today’s panels are better. The stamping years ago didn’t match. Other than the drain panel under rumble, body is 99% original Ford. I believe the windshield frame may be early to mid ‘28 because of holes for the wiper and it had a model T rear view mirror. By ‘60 era standards and being a purist at heart, this body is as good as I can get it. Today’s Ford Roadster body's are being produced that are built better, look better and perhaps are better. But no reproduction can beat an original. The body is dated 5-9-1929 and each item is as close to date according to the judging standards by MAFCA and MARC. The original ‘29 windshield wipers are priced in the $500 to $1,000 range. I am still looking.
Top rests are original re-chromed. Tire carrier is a later model. Fenders and aprons are original Ford had no breaks or welds. The hood shelves are reproductions, hood is original. Radiator shell original, radiator is not a Ford. All plating is in chrome, not nickel. Done in ‘60’s by Denver Bumper. Headlights scripts were buffed badly. The top bows were found in Molt through my cousins wife's brother. When I found them in that old box car, it was one happy day for me. The upholstery top and side curtains were purchased from Carters Cut & Cover. One of the best shops at the time. It cost me lots of money.
After the 60’s other interests took hold, I had changes in wives and families and careers. The A went in storage over a 20 year span. About 2002 I started working on it again. No rush, no deadlines, enjoy my part time retirement working on and driving the “orange crate” around town. Now I am tired of writing about my story and may go out to the garage and sit in my little model A roadster and enjoy it. Maybe it will tell me another story. Just maybe it will give me a new word to learn. Maybe that new word sounds like Jalopy.
Leroy and I out for a ride
Enjoy. I sure did!
Dennis
How I Learned the Word Jalopy – by LeRoy Bangert
I Purchased my 1929 Ford Roadster in 1962 or 1963 from Ed Orser of Billings for $150, it came off a ranch east of Bridger. Had a box in back. No engine or transmission, complete under carriage. I found another roadster body in Canyon Creek on Kindsfather’s farm. It was a roadster the Amen family had in the ‘50s. Between the 2 body's I had the beginning of a very fine car. Had the body in my home shop and chassis in another shop...Holy Smoke! Fire. Garage burned down. Destroyed chassis, lots of 35-39 parts, frames and a lot of small rare A parts. A truck load of iron went to scrap. Now what do I do? Being a bull headed German I had to have a 29 Roadster. Why? I will tell you why later. About 1959 or 1960 I bought my first 1929 A. I used it as my irrigating rig. Bought it in Roundup for $50.00. It was a 49A special coupe. The leather backs model made in 28-29. Body near mint, the rest of it was bad. The owner told me the engine was a rebuilt with low miles. Everett Glen went through it, and other than a valve grind, it was excellent. This car was in the fire but I got it pulled out in time.
Now I have a roadster body and a good engine. Now is this progress or stupidity? Why didn’t I restore the coupe instead of the roadster? Only God knows what goes on in a 20 year old brain. Traded the coupe body to someone I don’t remember for ‘A’ junk parts. In those days $50-$100 was more fun than saving $500 and buying a real good “A”. Now, back to the story of why I had to have a 29 roadster. When I was 5 years old in 1946, my dad had a Hispanic family work for us on the farm, they had a 29 roadster. They let me ride in the front seat and I hung on for dear life. What a blast. My first “A” ride that I remember and learned a new word, “Jalopy”. That family left the A on the farm. Dad got a new hired hand. Sometime in ‘47 or ‘48 the new hired hand destroyed it selling all the good parts, all that was left was a body shell, 2 bent doors, a broken frame, 2 splash pans and a steering wheel with controls. It broke my heart to see my Model A broke. For the next 10 years I would move it around the pasture when it got in the way. In 1956 my cousin and I decided to build a hot rod from this shell. Word got out and it got stolen out of the garage. Never found it again.
During the years of the 60’s I bought many Model ‘A’s and of course other projects. The roadster was still number 1 on my list. From 1962 to 1967 I put it together and drove it for the first time. A body as best I could build but a running gear that was worn out. I had fun. Went to Yellowstone Park and the State meets in Billings and Helena. Not bad for a farm boy with a 20 year old brain and a dream that will last me forever.
The restoration of the 29 roadster body. The Bridger body had an excellent tank. Cowl, dash, lower cowl, windshield frame and posts. Left door good, right door had bad scrape. All wood replaced in body using old patterns. Sub frame excellent front to rear. Original body blocks except the last one. Now remember this was the early 60’s and good patch panels were not good. There are no welds on the body and fenders that I remember. The entire body was sandblasted. The left and right rear body panels were removed, blasted, glassed and stove bolts used as rivets in places I cold not reach. The Canyon Creek body provided the rear lower rumble area, rumble lid and hinges and the panel in front of rumble had a gas tank hole. Patched it, but it could be better. The rear wheel wells over the tire have cracked and I repaired once and repainted. Maybe today’s panels are better. The stamping years ago didn’t match. Other than the drain panel under rumble, body is 99% original Ford. I believe the windshield frame may be early to mid ‘28 because of holes for the wiper and it had a model T rear view mirror. By ‘60 era standards and being a purist at heart, this body is as good as I can get it. Today’s Ford Roadster body's are being produced that are built better, look better and perhaps are better. But no reproduction can beat an original. The body is dated 5-9-1929 and each item is as close to date according to the judging standards by MAFCA and MARC. The original ‘29 windshield wipers are priced in the $500 to $1,000 range. I am still looking.
Top rests are original re-chromed. Tire carrier is a later model. Fenders and aprons are original Ford had no breaks or welds. The hood shelves are reproductions, hood is original. Radiator shell original, radiator is not a Ford. All plating is in chrome, not nickel. Done in ‘60’s by Denver Bumper. Headlights scripts were buffed badly. The top bows were found in Molt through my cousins wife's brother. When I found them in that old box car, it was one happy day for me. The upholstery top and side curtains were purchased from Carters Cut & Cover. One of the best shops at the time. It cost me lots of money.
After the 60’s other interests took hold, I had changes in wives and families and careers. The A went in storage over a 20 year span. About 2002 I started working on it again. No rush, no deadlines, enjoy my part time retirement working on and driving the “orange crate” around town. Now I am tired of writing about my story and may go out to the garage and sit in my little model A roadster and enjoy it. Maybe it will tell me another story. Just maybe it will give me a new word to learn. Maybe that new word sounds like Jalopy.
Leroy and I out for a ride
