Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Da Tow'd]

Hi Gang,
52 years ago my high school pal Daniel Greenwood and I rebuilt this 1929 Model A Businessmen coupe. We built it in his dads drafty old hay barn, no heat in the winter.
We traveled all over eastern Pennsylvania looking for parts. We bought a homemade Model A tractor that used a Ford worm gear differential and used to pull the front wheels off the ground with such a low gear.

One lesson I learned that the spark goes off when the point opened not when they closed- we spent quite a while trying to figure that out.

Just about this time of year in 1964 we took off across the states to California, with the plan on finding a Ford dealer that we could trade it for a then brand new Mustang. It didn't happen. A Mexican guy waved us down and offered $150 , no thanks but we did drive back to Pennsylvania.
The only problem we had was the engine fan blade flying apart when we over rev'd going down the Rockies. We wiggled the opposite blade till it broke off and had a two blade that made it back home.
The mechanical brakes were not up to the Rockies.


no speed records for us


The cloth top did not go down


Top of the Rockies


cooking dinner

On the way home we scored a extra engine and a few radiator shells that we strapped on the passenger side running board.

We swapped of driving times, one time when it was Dan's turn we spotted a young lady hitch hiking, being gentlemen we stopped and I got sent to the rumble seat. We had a spare 5 gallon metal can of gasoline in the rumble seat so with her suit case, the can of gas and me in the rumble seat. All was OK until the can of gas spilled on my crotch --nasty stuff then but a big laugh now.

I lost track of my pal Daniel but have the memories
cheers
Hank

[Rick]

Great story and photos Hank - what happened to the car, still got it?

RJ
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[Rootes75]

Love the car and lovely story. I love the look of American cars of this age.
_________________
Various Rootes Vehicles.

[roverdriver]

Later wheels off, probably, an early V8. What did the headlights come from?
Interesting car, worth somewhat more than the Mexican's offer these days.
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Dane- roverdriver but not a Viking.

[Da Tow'd]

The wheels were from a 1934 Ford . The headlights were on it when we bought the body.
The car was in Daniel's name so he kept it.
I went back to California to attend Photography School, Daniel stayed in the east coast, we drifted apart.
I'd sure like to cross paths with him again.
great trip
cheers
Hank

[colwyn500]

That is a great story. Thanks for posting it.

[Da Tow'd]

Two more parts to that adventure.
Gasoline was 25 cents a gallon then and we had $400 between us and we both had $50 each left when we made it home.
At every gas station we would ask if they knew of any old Model A's. At a gas station in Kansas the gas jockey said his grandfather had some out in his field. He said he would be glad to show us the way
Well Kansas is dead flat for the most part with huge fields of corn and sunflowers and the guy said that his grandfathers place was out of town 10 miles. He also said he knew a short cut along the railroad tracks.

"Turn here on the tracks", he said. We drove maybe a half mile and then Daniel managed to get the wishbone front suspension hung up on the tracks.

Just joking I asked when does the next train come by here. "About 5:15", he said I looked at my watch and saw it was 4:45 then heard the whistle. I got out and started running down the track with tall corn growing on both sides.
I ran as hard as I could my sides felt like they were going to explode. The train came around a slight bend, I jumped off the tracks and started waving like a mad man. The engineer stuck his head out of the cab and smiled and waved back. The long freight train went speeding past.

I ran back just to see the train stopped 15 feet from our Model A. A crowd of railroad men all talking at once . I came out of breath and everybody looked at me. Someone asked me for some identification. "Your in a heap of trouble', he said.
He took my Pennsylvania drivers licence and looked at me and said," I know your father, no wait a minute it must be your grandfather, we worked together back in Pennsylvania". My grandfather, my father, me and my son all have the same name.

With the help of the of the railroad men we lifted the front off the tracks and I was able to back up the half of mile with out getting hung up.
We didn't make it the grandfathers field to look at his Model A's.
but continued to California

One thing we did for laughs was to retard the spark and shut off the key while in gear then turn the key back on. Big loud backfire. We thought that was the most fun.

In Salinas California we went past a grocery store when a lady was coming out with her arm full of paper bags and a gallon glass jug of bleach on her finger.
Retard the spark off with the key then back on- Big Bang she threw the bags in the air and dropped the glass jug.
Which shattered at her feet. A mile later we were still laughing so hard we didn't see the California Highway Patrol flick his light on. I was sure glad that Daniel was driving. We had a story all worked out saying that these old cars back fire all the time.
The cop comes along side and said. "I see it is a 1929 Business mans coupe.
You boys better follow me".

We were really sweating thinking we were going to jail or worse.
We went out of town down a dirt road to a house with Model A's all around the yard.
The cop said that this is his fathers place and would we like to spend the night and have dinner with is folks.

It was a big relief and a great time swapping stories and a home cooked meal.

glad to tell this adventure to somebody that appreciated it
cheers
Hank

[Rick]

cool story! love reading stuff like that

RJ
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Rick - Admin
Home:https://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk
Videos:https://www.youtube.com/user/oldclassiccarRJ/videos
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