Is this a rich man's hobby?

This is a Fun Man and Womans Hobby, the rich might enjoy the Peirce Arrows or the V-12..the Model A just like Henry made it.....for the common man and woman!
 
6 years ago I did my senior Thesis on the social aspects of the Model A hobby and I was amazed at the incredibly wide range in annual income. The survey I put out to MARC members showed that the range of annual salary went from $25k to over $500k a year.

That is one of the reasons why I like the Model A hobby so much. You can have a ditch digger standing next to a CEO and they get along just fine.

-Tim
 
When I got started in Model A's during high school, I certainly wasn't rich.

You don't need to be rich to get into Model A's. However, having people smile as you drive by in an "A", meeting your friends at a meet, bruising a knuckle or two when working on your "A", calling a buddy across the country for information, replying to a message on Fordbarn are all ways that my life is enriched through this hobby. How do you put a price on any of these? Enjoying your Model A with others....priceless.
 
Very welll said Fred...
Most talked about what it cost but few understand true "richness" has nothing to do with money, and more to do with "what you do with what you have"
 
Ya know if I was rich it just might not be as much fun.......but I'd be willing to take the chance:)

Looking for a pot of gold in WV
dusty
 
I wouldn't consider this a rich man's hobby. Just because most cars and parts are affordible. I am lucky enough to have inherited a car so I didn't have to pay for that, but I do pay for the parts. And I'm 17 while enrolled in high school, and college classes, and working. I would by no means say that my car is the prettiest, but it gets me everywhere I want to go without failure do to it's reliability because of the little modifications I have made. I would say this hobby is very affordable.
 
I feel the hobby "model A" specifically is affordable compare to other car hobbies. Because of the amount of A's still milling around we are fortunate to have numerous competing suppliers and vendors for parts. There are not many other car types over 50 years old where you can select from a high, mid, and low quality part for a given piece.
Regards,
Bob
 
What a great thread. Great comments. I bought my '29 Tudor when I was 15 for $150.00 and that was a lot of money! What's great about this hobby is that you don't have to have a high point blue ribbon car to be welcomed into the group. It is a hobby for everyone. I could not afford to have a professional restoration shop restore a Model A for me. That's why I do it myself. To me, working on the project is just as fun as enjoying the car when finished. Bottom line, it's the folks we meet and the experiences we have along the road in this hobby that truely make us all rich.
 
Gary Karr said:
What a great thread. Great comments. I bought my '29 Tudor when I was 15 for $150.00 and that was a lot of money! .
Click to expand...

Ok Gary...now your killing us all..that stunning masterpiece was 15.00 ......wow wow wow...isnt this a great hobby~~
 
I saved for a while. After I paid down on a 29 sport coupe. The car is not complete but everything is there except some minor stuff.I had other cars at the time.29A roadster. I also bought a rat rod.For parts.It is a cute car just not my stile. The man that had it could not get the bugs out of it. My wife got angry at me because she thinks that people will think that we are rich. We are not! I have saved and did without for a long time.Paid off everything house,autos. I now draw a retirement and work long hrs. also.The 29 sport coupe is her Birthday gift.She thinks that with the economy the way it is today that we will get ripped off. Hire some work to be done on the house and they will look at the cars and up the price. Or break in and rob us. people are strange creatures. I had to rent a storage space to hide some of my cars.
 
There is an "A" for everyone------rich or poor. It doesn't have to be a "points car" just something you can tinker with in the garage. A model A with a few dings and
a little rust has character and a patina that can excite as much as your prom date.
My first Model A was such a rag that I had to wait a whole year before I could save
up enough money to buy a new roof---including the wood, but I was proud to drive
her anywhere from Lompoc to Los Angeles (about 150 miles) once a month rain or
shine. I have her picture posted in my picture section in all her canvas tarp glory.
Am I rich? .......not if you use money as the definition of wealth. Some would say
that a "mega buck" pill popping drug addicted starlet is rich, but I'll take my antique
car and antique model A friends any day of the week! JMHO

Jack
 
I think it's more of a poor man's hobby. After you get the A and the catalog's, or someone repop's something and you've just got to have it, you become poorer. But right now I'm really enjoying myself.
Paul in CT
 
Looks like everyone has a similar response to that question. Nobody needs to define their wealth in this hobby, elegance of cheap.
I know some financially well off folks who envy my projects and respect the work I do but have no clue that I mostly barter or trade, mostly. And wish they had my interests and "talent". modestly.
Then there are those that I know with not much more than their next meal jingling in their pocket who wouldn't spend a moment discussing antique restorations for their thoughts of it to be for the "wealthy".
I'm in between, I find my motivation when I have steady employment, but ordering new parts is out. Low points of interest are when I'm seeking funds for survival but still tend to this as it's a meditation, a link. Something that will function at some point.
 
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