One thrilled 90-year old!

29FordGuy

Member
Just had to pass this on. Three years ago I acquired a town sedan to restore. It was in pretty bad shape but had been stored in a barn. As I was cleaning it out I found the registration papers dating back from 1960 to 1970, during which time it moved from Central Point, OR to Gold Hill, OR, then to Etna, CA where it was last registered. During the last three years I have done several searches trying to find information on the former owners but could not find much.

Recently there was a TV car dealer ad and an older gentleman from Etna appeared in it. He had the same last name of the last registered owner. I called him and he said he was not related to the owner but someone else he knew was. I did another compter search and happened on to the name of the last registered owner. I called him and it was the correct person! He is 90 years old and was so thrilled that I had restored his old car. I then sent him pictures of the before and after look. This Saturday he took it to his senior breakfast get together in Etna and had a wonderful time showing the pics and reminiscing about the old Model A. He called me this morning after he returned home to tell me about his adventure. It really made me feel good when he told me that I had made his day, no, week, no year! He was so impressed that I would take the time to restore the old car and then seek him out. Needless to say, I felt real good especially when he told me that his son, who died young, drove it all over the countryside with his buddies. I had always guessed that it was owned by a young kid as his first car.

This July they have their annual Scotts Valley Bluegrass Festival and I have it marked on my calendar. I told him to expect me in July and we will go for a ride. I sure hope he hangs on till then. He is not in the best of health.

Sorry for my rambling, but I just had to pass this on.....

Robert Elayer
Brookings, OR
 
Thanks for sharing this story-Great to hear how the hobby continues to make people happy:)
 
Yes great story! I imagine it would be hard to find all the people who have owned the car since the first day it rolled off the line......
 
Nice story, and I hope the old man gets to go for a ride.

I'm still learning the hard way that you should never put things off. There is a nice antique shop about 50 miles south of me which is run by an older lady. She always had a jar full of homemade cookies and a pot of coffee. She used to race cars at the speedway and always enjoyed it when I'd sit and listen to her stories. I hadn't been down that way for about 3 years, so today I rode down there only to learn that she passed away 3 weeks ago.
 
At least you got good memories of her Tom. And i am sure she enjoyed your visits and never forgot them. Life is just to short and everyone needs to enjoy every day.
 
Its wonderful you were able to provide him with some good memories. Is there any reason why you can't take him for a ride now? What Tom said about those folks well along in years is so true.

We restored a 41 Tudor for a sweet old guy in his nineties. It had been his first car, the car he dated his future wife in. After it was finished, he went for a drive and was thrilled to his toes. All those memories of his late wife, his children, the good times... he died suddenly later that week, having had only one drive in it. His grandson has it now and will maintain it as original. But you see the point with these old guys .
 
One responder asked for the before and after shot. Here are two shots I ran some time ago on the FordBarn.

Also, I have been considering taking a special trip there this spring after the rains stop. I will have to trailer it there. I am just afraid he may not make it until July. Then I will feel real bad!
 

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One responder asked for the before and after shot. Here are two shots I ran some time ago on the FordBarn.

Also, I have been considering taking a special trip there this spring after the rains stop. I will have to trailer it there. I am just afraid he may not make it until July. Then I will feel real bad!

Go for it!!!
 
Great story, and nice looking car. I agree with others, if at all possible, I would make the trip as soon as I could. If he is in bad health, he might not be physically able to even enjoy the ride in July. Go for it now! Good job.
 
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