The very few times I’ve had issue with something I purchased from either Snyder’s or Bert’s the vendors have bent over backwards to resolve it. Fantastic customer service, both of them!
Getting my first Model A
- Thread starter SitkaMachine
- Start date
The very few times I’ve had issue with something I purchased from either Snyder’s or Bert’s the vendors have bent over backwards to resolve it. Fantastic customer service, both of them!
ThirstyThirty
Senior Member
Hello -
Almost anything AK, WA or Model A gets my attention! Welcome to The Ford Barn. I am also a relatively new forum member, but not new to old things to include Fords!
Your background and such sound interesting. will look fwd to reading your posts and progress! As a commercial rated pilot, I also hold FAA Rating: Seaplane COMML (floatplane). I live in TX, from PNW... and like salmon better than beef! lol
"Welcome Aboard!"
TT
Chuck Dempsey
Well-known member
SitkaMachine
Junior Member
In any case, he's a young man traveling for work - absolutely nothing wrong with that. I hope he was made to feel welcome and valued during his time with us. To a person, the folks coming up to work in the summer have been great people as far as I can tell.
rotorwrench
Well-known member
30 years is a lot of water under the bridge even if it has been garaged. I'd be preparing for a gummed up or even corroded fuel system which includes from the tank to the carburetor. Find out what carb it has and look for a kit. A boat type fuel tank can be used to get it running if need be.
Exhaust valves love to stick after many years so having a top end gasket kit may be in order. I would remove the distributor and pour a fair amount of oil down there into the valve chamber since that's where the oil feeds down into the main bearings. Do this after dumping out the 30 year oil in the sump and refilling with fresh.
If your lucky, the points and condenser will still function the coil to get you some spark. I'd get one of the little spark testers made by Nu-Rex to make that job easier. A person may need an ignition cable connect adapter for the distributor if the ignition switch doesn't work. If she still turns over with the hand crank, your good for a run. No telling how well the cooling system has held up but a lot depends on how it was put up for storage. It will start and run without coolant but it will need attention at some point. New rubber for hoses and a fan belt would be good. Tires may need new tubes or total replacement depending on condition.
I'd be curious if it's a Standard Coupe or a Special Coupe. If it's a Sport or Business coupe then the condition of the top is a bit more concern than the other two. The Standard coupe is the easiest to keep up. All four coupe types were available in 1928. The 1928 models can have the early brake system and multi-disc clutch too so there are differences from the later models. It just depends on the date of manufacture. They also came with an outdated starter bendix on those early ones. Finding replacements can be difficult if there are problems with early components.
Welcome to the Barn.
Exhaust valves love to stick after many years so having a top end gasket kit may be in order. I would remove the distributor and pour a fair amount of oil down there into the valve chamber since that's where the oil feeds down into the main bearings. Do this after dumping out the 30 year oil in the sump and refilling with fresh.
If your lucky, the points and condenser will still function the coil to get you some spark. I'd get one of the little spark testers made by Nu-Rex to make that job easier. A person may need an ignition cable connect adapter for the distributor if the ignition switch doesn't work. If she still turns over with the hand crank, your good for a run. No telling how well the cooling system has held up but a lot depends on how it was put up for storage. It will start and run without coolant but it will need attention at some point. New rubber for hoses and a fan belt would be good. Tires may need new tubes or total replacement depending on condition.
I'd be curious if it's a Standard Coupe or a Special Coupe. If it's a Sport or Business coupe then the condition of the top is a bit more concern than the other two. The Standard coupe is the easiest to keep up. All four coupe types were available in 1928. The 1928 models can have the early brake system and multi-disc clutch too so there are differences from the later models. It just depends on the date of manufacture. They also came with an outdated starter bendix on those early ones. Finding replacements can be difficult if there are problems with early components.
Welcome to the Barn.
ratmother
Member
Chris - welcome to Model A ownership! Like you, I’ve been a car guy forever and have several pre-war cars, but my first Model A - a ‘31 Sport Coupe - “followed me home” - just a little over a year ago. I was lucky that it hadn’t been modified so that Les Andrew’s red book still applied. 1930ArtDeco’s suggestion is a good one - see if the current owner can send you detailed pictures so you can avoid surprises when you go to pick up your A. Best of luck!
