This Week's Barn Find

I went through this "mouse thing" with a Fordor Sedan I restored a couple years. It had been stored in an Iowa barn for years, so you can imagine the damage and smell mice had caused, the little b*stards! Even removing the original interior didn't get rid of the smell. It permeated the metal panels behind the interior pieces. Scrubbing the metal with strong cleansers and disinfectants didn't help all that much. Mickey Mouse's presence was still noticeable to the nose. I ended up spraying a couple layers of deadening dum-dum and then gluing thick insulation material to that. I also put a few Fabreze tissues behind the new upholstery panels. That pretty much solved the problem, except on the clammiest, dampest days. Then there was still a faint mouse odor. Jeez, those critters must work for Chevrolet, being paid overtime to ruin surviving Model A's stored in barns and garages! :)
Marshall
 
Synchro909 said:
We are all only temporary custodians of these cars. Who is to say that what we do to our cars is going to suit the next custodian but original is original and can never be regained. Just my 2c worth.
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This post reminds me of my grandparents. Grandpa always put plastic seat covers on his cars when they were new and my grandmother would get so mad saying "Why should i have to sit on plastic just so the next owner can sit on new seats?". While I understand what you are saying, the reality is, IMO, that the current owner should do what makes THEM happy as it is now THEIR car. If you want to preserve it, then, buy all means do so but to preserve it just for the next generation when you would have rather restored it for yourself is folly IMO because for all you know, the next owner might scrap the fenders, tear the roof off to make a roadster and put a SBC in it. Just sayin'
 
Licensed to kill said:
Probably a stupid question but if that is the case, is it a roadster body with a wood framed roof??
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No, it is a coupe body. The roof section is not all metal. The sides of the roof are metal, it has metal framework around the door openings. The A pillars are metal going up to the roof. Just the rear section of the roof around the rear window is different. John
 
If you are considering restoring this car for your wife, you may want to consider selling it to someone who wants it "as is" and then buying what your wife wants in the correct
colors and body style.
Better then going upside down on all of the work.................
 
Some turn down buying a Special Coupe, because of ALL the WOOD, in the back of the roof. They're TOTALLY different from the Standard 5 Window coupes, which is almost TOTALLY METAL. It's a BIG-BIG job to replace ALL that wood, better suited for a BOAT RESTORER!!
Bill Noncarpenter
 
BILL WILLIAMSON said:
The Rumble Step IS CORRECT!
Bill W.
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Bill, you need to either put on your glasses or else get the dog to take a look for you!! :D :D

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327307
 

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Licensed to kill said:
This post reminds me of my grandparents. Grandpa always put plastic seat covers on his cars when they were new and my grandmother would get so mad saying "Why should i have to sit on plastic just so the next owner can sit on new seats?". While I understand what you are saying, the reality is, IMO, that the current owner should do what makes THEM happy as it is now THEIR car. If you want to preserve it, then, buy all means do so but to preserve it just for the next generation when you would have rather restored it for yourself is folly IMO because for all you know, the next owner might scrap the fenders, tear the roof off to make a roadster and put a SBC in it. Just sayin'
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Of course he has the right to do whatever he wants with the car but that doesn't mean he should any more than your President (or our Prime Minister) has the right to send the country to war but should they????. My comments were merely an expression of opinion, not an instruction.
In a nutshell, I'm agreeing with you but my opinion hasn't changed.
 
Synchro909 said:
Of course he has the right to do whatever he wants with the car but that doesn't mean he should any more than your President (or our Prime Minister) has the right to send the country to war but should they????. My comments were merely an expression of opinion, not an instruction.
In a nutshell, I'm agreeing with you but my opinion hasn't changed.
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Sorry, it looks like i gave the wrong impression. The first sentence was regarding your post and how your post just reminded me of my grandparents eternal argument. The rest of my post was generic and was not directed at you or your post. :o
 
Go to my profile, in my albums you'll find the highest mileage A. It a 30 Sport Coupe with a fabric top. The owner swore the top was original and it was very fragile. He planned to put it on the road again one day but he wanted to have a plastic cover, like a seat cover made for it before he go over 20 MPH in it. Any faster and the wind will tear the roof off of it. Great Find! Best of luck with it!
Terry
 
Licensed to kill said:
Sorry, it looks like i gave the wrong impression. The first sentence was regarding your post and how your post just reminded me of my grandparents eternal argument. The rest of my post was generic and was not directed at you or your post. :o
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NO offence taken - all good here.
 
I do think every "Newby" should watch the You Tube "Oil Change Shocking after sitting for 50 years ". Well intentioned but ill informed people have to get that old barn find running .I understand in this case the auction house would get better money if the coupe ran but no doubt IMHO the engine has been damaged by running it . Over years the cast iron block breathes with temprature changes and condensation accumulates in the block itself and the valve chest . The result is rusty valve springs and nasty gloop submerging the oil pump pickup . The oil looks nice and golden on the dipstick but all the water/ toxic acidic nasties are settled out right where the oil pump picks up .When the motor is run the debris in the valve chest can block up the main bearing feeds that is if any oil gets by the blocked or semi blocked filter screen anyway . A horror story for sure but this is what happens . The motor in the You Tube clip RAN with this stuff in the pan ,check out the dipper tray that oiled those big ends.I know this is a "Hobby Horse" of mine but it grieves me to see maybe a good engine with thousands of miles still in it being ruined . You Tube has many clips of new owners doing this, some I cant bear to watch !!! So new coupe owner drop the pan ,open the valve chest clean that motor out !!!


John in sunny morning with showers Suffolk County England .
 
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Nice project, looks like mine but I have a trunk and not a rumble seat. I replaced all the wood above the belt rail and re covered the top. That was back in 1980. There are metal flat plates under and beside the rear window which are easy to duplicate and the rear quarters with the small side windows are special to that coupe style then the padding and top material go over the padding. All the top material is available at LeBaron Bonney. I would strip and replace the top first after making the chassis roadworthy.
 
Dale,
Mine is a mid June 29 gas tank date, I bought the wood top kit from FORDWOOD. com and it went together well and I'm not a woodworker. Yours looks like the top covering has been replaced at some time because the original topping goes completely under the band at the beltline and there was no extra welting over the band like yours has. The Special coupe was produced from mid 1928 to mid 1929 then the standard coupe was reinstated. I would recommend you get the book by Deangelis called the Model A as Henry built it, some good info on the special coupe.
Barry
 
Thanks again to all who have replied - very helpful information. I'll make a couple of specific comments and then post some more pictures.

John Charlton - I agree completely with your comments. Just remember the auctioneer/owner did the starting with the intention of increasing the sale price with the car running. That makes me cringe. I rebuilt my first auto engine back around 1967. Even when I have personally 'pickled' an engine I drop the pan, etc. to check prior to trying to start. I will not attempt to start this one (and I have not heard it run!) without dropping the pan and valve cover and cleaning as necessary.

Runnerbun - Guess I'll have to find a 'can' (container) and send it your way with your generous offer! I've always wanted to make a trip to Oz but my wife thinks the flight would be too long. And she does not know what a long flight is, never having been 'dumb cargo' for the US Air Force like I have been.

Wife and I are going to have to think on this one. I'm not hung up over keeping this one - either as is or doing a restoration. But there are other cars/machines in the restro queue and I'm not getting any younger. Might well end up being the case of sending this one along to someone who would like a 'survivor' and finding a roadster driver for my wife to pass along to the granddaughter some day.

I'm going to post some more pictures. I agree with those who question if this was a later conversion to bumble seat. Steps are after market. Pictures will show the upper hinge hardware that is present, the fender washer covering the hole where the trunk lid latch was previously attached and also pictures of the rumble seat cushions. I don't know what original looks like and how the trunk lid was configured depending upon original use. I'll let you experts comment on that. One mystery is the gashes on each side of the lid that appear to be done by a cold chisel.

In any event at some point I'll have to check out the gas tank, drop the pan and valve cover, clean everything (including fuel lines and sediment bowl). Then I'll try starting it. But might well take a while. Have had company this week and am behind on everything.

Ooops - more company - pics later.

Dale
 
I did very much what 1crosscut mentions. I left the exterior as original as I could (making any needed structural repairs) but re-did the interior. The inside is clean and comfortable and my wife is happy to ride with me. I did make sure to match the original interior. There was enough original fabric to know what it came with.

Would it be rude of me to ask what you paid for it at auction?

Ken
 
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Here's the more pictures I mentioned. The trunk lid with top hinge parts, fender washer over lower hole, the cold chisel slashes, etc. Also a couple pictures of the seats and also where it took the hit on the passenger side rear bumper.

Dale
 

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