I've just got to share this!!!
- Thread starter BRENT in 10-uh-C
- Start date
midgetracer
Well-known member
Fantastic story, Brent. I can't wait to see the after picture. It is truly a small world.
Brentwood Bob
Well-known member
Time to pay back. Few of us get the opportunity you have.
Looks like a solid car and well cared for.
Bob
Looks like a solid car and well cared for.
Bob
cradlescyth
Senior Member
Thanks for sharing !!
Ed Saniewski
Well-known member
This story is from 2012. I hope the outcome was favorable.
Tom Wesenberg
Well-known member
I was surprised that they wanted a repaint when it looked so nice in the picture Brent posted.
Sure wish any of my 3 looked that nice.
Sure wish any of my 3 looked that nice.
BRENT in 10-uh-C
Well-known member
Thank you for bringing this up again. Unfortunately the ending is not as 'story-book' as I would have liked it to be, but here it is anyway.
Approximately half-way thru the restoration, the owner found out he had the big C word. We hustled to finish the project and we delivered it to them in Texas. Although his health had failed tremendously, he was still able to drive some where he was able to take some Model-A rides with his grandchildren and was able to enter it in a local community car show. Unfortunately he passed away in 2015 a few months after taking delivery. The good news is that MAFCA Tech Director and fellow Fordbarner Jim Cannon recently met with his son to give him some driving lessons in the car with the plans that the family will go on some upcoming tours this summer with the local Piney Woods Model-A club.
1st Picture: is us unloading the car at their home. The entire family was there and had thrown a party for this "unveiling". Although he had seen pictures of the progress, the owner last physically saw the car when he delivered it to my shop in the Fall of 2012. Due to backlog, we did not start the restoration until the Summer of 2013.
2nd Picture: The owners patiently awaiting as I was unstrapping and unloading the car.
3rd Picture: Winching it out (Jeez it was humid down there!
)4th Picture: His grandkids all jumped in the car and wanted a ride.
5th Picture: Him starting the engine for the first time in 30+ years.
6th Picture: His first time driving it since the transmission broke.
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BRENT in 10-uh-C
Well-known member
...one of the goals for him was to attend a local car show with the car. Apparently they had attended this show for several prior years as spectators, but never as a participant. While the car was definitely not restored to be a show car, it was neat to see it do well as it won top car in the 1910-1955 category, Best Paint, Best Interior, and Best Engine Compartment in the restored category. Again, it was neat to see the family spending the day with him and his beloved car.
1st Picture: As I understand it, he was no longer driving by the time of the car show, but he rode with his son to the show in the car where the entire family helped displayed the car.
2nd Picture: The daughter had made him a pictorial book using pictures that we provided of the entire restoration process.
3rd Picture: I don't know how many cars were in the show but they said there was over 100. Based on their parking spot, I'd say they were there early that morning!
4th Picture: His Top Classic award plaque
5th Picture: A happy man that day.
6th Picture: The awards and the car...
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1st Picture: As I understand it, he was no longer driving by the time of the car show, but he rode with his son to the show in the car where the entire family helped displayed the car.
2nd Picture: The daughter had made him a pictorial book using pictures that we provided of the entire restoration process.
3rd Picture: I don't know how many cars were in the show but they said there was over 100. Based on their parking spot, I'd say they were there early that morning!
4th Picture: His Top Classic award plaque
5th Picture: A happy man that day.
6th Picture: The awards and the car...
..
.
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BRENT in 10-uh-C
Well-known member
A couple final observations. This man had this car built with the intention of driving it. When his health began to fail him, taking it to a show still allowed him the opportunity to spend the day with his family and his car, and probably brought him just as much happiness doing that as what he would have had driving 200 mile tour. My point is, never miss an opportunity to spend time with your family. My second thought is don't procrastinate on playing with your car(s). If I could have written this man's script, I would have repaired/restored this car much sooner where he could have enjoyed it longer before his health failed.
To share some details about this car, mechanically it was more worn-out than he remembered when we started with it, so mechanically it was gone thru completely. Some of the highlights are that it has new cast-iron brake drums, a 3:54 rear end ratio, a HD Brassworks radiator, a SCAT counterweighted crankshaft, O/S intake valves, 6:1 head, a Stipe IB330 camshaft, a shortened Pitman arm, new Stipe shocks, and all new US transmission gears that he purchased new from Mark in the mid-1980s but never installed.
The electrical has been converted to 12volts and an alternator added because the customer wanted an air conditioning unit installed due to Texas weather. We started with a Ken Davis kit and modified it to fit the customer's needs. If you look closely, we modified the gas tank some to be able to move the unit up and towards the firewall to gain more legroom. We also fabricated and welded new A/C mounts to the tank. We also modified the fuel shut-off and the A/C unit housing to gain room. In addition, we also rerouted the A/C hoses and drilled two holes in the firewall to 'unclutter' the floor around the pedals. Although I am often labeled as a 'purist', I enjoyed doing this modification as it makes sense to me. In reality, later on should the desire arise, I could remove the fuel tank and replace it with another tank that has not been modified, weld-up the holes in the firewall and repaint it, remove the A/C components and install a generator on this vehicle and it would score very nicely in MARC/MAFCA Touring Class Judging. Below are some pictures of the A/C installation which BTW, will freeze you out of the car!!
1st Picture: A view that shows how the A/C unit is installed in the middle yet still gives the front seat occupants plenty of leg room.
2nd Picture: ...another view of the A/C unit. Color coordinating it helps make it look like it belongs there.
3rd Picture: Note the firewall insulator and the refrigerant hose routing.
4th Picture: Ken Davis compressor & alternator mount. Note the hose bulkhead in the firewall.
5th Picture: The body was fully insulated using Dyna-Mat, upholstery Jute mat, and Radiant-heat barring wrap.
6th Picture: The rear floor pan, seat riser, and inside of the rear body all insulated.
7th Picture: Installing the roof wire for the top, but notice the radiant heat barrier under the wire. Under the heat barrier is a layer of jute that is suspended on wires. When we fabricated the roof bows, we made them .125" larger (Deeper) which gave just enough room to fit the extra insulation and still have room for the headliner to attach to the rib. From the inside, you don't notice the difference of the extra depth of the roof bow.
8th Picture: The condenser mounted under the back of the body cooled with an electric fan.
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To share some details about this car, mechanically it was more worn-out than he remembered when we started with it, so mechanically it was gone thru completely. Some of the highlights are that it has new cast-iron brake drums, a 3:54 rear end ratio, a HD Brassworks radiator, a SCAT counterweighted crankshaft, O/S intake valves, 6:1 head, a Stipe IB330 camshaft, a shortened Pitman arm, new Stipe shocks, and all new US transmission gears that he purchased new from Mark in the mid-1980s but never installed.
The electrical has been converted to 12volts and an alternator added because the customer wanted an air conditioning unit installed due to Texas weather. We started with a Ken Davis kit and modified it to fit the customer's needs. If you look closely, we modified the gas tank some to be able to move the unit up and towards the firewall to gain more legroom. We also fabricated and welded new A/C mounts to the tank. We also modified the fuel shut-off and the A/C unit housing to gain room. In addition, we also rerouted the A/C hoses and drilled two holes in the firewall to 'unclutter' the floor around the pedals. Although I am often labeled as a 'purist', I enjoyed doing this modification as it makes sense to me. In reality, later on should the desire arise, I could remove the fuel tank and replace it with another tank that has not been modified, weld-up the holes in the firewall and repaint it, remove the A/C components and install a generator on this vehicle and it would score very nicely in MARC/MAFCA Touring Class Judging. Below are some pictures of the A/C installation which BTW, will freeze you out of the car!!
1st Picture: A view that shows how the A/C unit is installed in the middle yet still gives the front seat occupants plenty of leg room.
2nd Picture: ...another view of the A/C unit. Color coordinating it helps make it look like it belongs there.
3rd Picture: Note the firewall insulator and the refrigerant hose routing.
4th Picture: Ken Davis compressor & alternator mount. Note the hose bulkhead in the firewall.
5th Picture: The body was fully insulated using Dyna-Mat, upholstery Jute mat, and Radiant-heat barring wrap.
6th Picture: The rear floor pan, seat riser, and inside of the rear body all insulated.
7th Picture: Installing the roof wire for the top, but notice the radiant heat barrier under the wire. Under the heat barrier is a layer of jute that is suspended on wires. When we fabricated the roof bows, we made them .125" larger (Deeper) which gave just enough room to fit the extra insulation and still have room for the headliner to attach to the rib. From the inside, you don't notice the difference of the extra depth of the roof bow.
8th Picture: The condenser mounted under the back of the body cooled with an electric fan.
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BRENT in 10-uh-C
Well-known member
I had another vehicle in the shop at the same time that we were restoring that had Tacoma Crème wheels too, so I installed them on one side to see the contrast between tires.
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Art Newland
Well-known member
I'm sorry you misinterpreted my post, I'm sure if it were me, I'd have enjoyed having the car for 3 months rather than not at all.
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H. L. Chauvin
Well-known member
The car looks beautiful.
Always wonderful to meet respected friends from so long ago.
Thanks for sharing stories and all of these photos.
Always wonderful to meet respected friends from so long ago.
Thanks for sharing stories and all of these photos.
daveymc29
Well-known member
I love these stories so much I wrote a book about growing up poor during the depression. Not the only kid to do that but it was different than most. Try this site if you like this kind of stuff also. http://bit.ly/FromtheShadows
Brent I will tell you a teacher story sometime soon.David K. Mc Arthur
Brent I will tell you a teacher story sometime soon.David K. Mc Arthur
Henry's Lady's Man
Senior Member
Thanx Brent; Great legacy for you all. Henry should be smiling to know how just ONE of his cars has brought families together in a truly amazing ongoing Odyssey.