Early yesterday morning, just as the sun was starting to appear, I drug my half-asleep carcass from bed, dressed, made myself appear slightly human, made sure my camera was ready, and took off toward Somerset, Kentucky. Well…ok, let’s be truthful: I took off for Great American Donuts in Bowling Green first. At that unholy hour of the morning, Daddy needs his sugar fix.
As I’m getting out of the car I hear a sputtering that only can mean very old Ford four-cylinder power, and after a second I see this Ford roll in and park right next to me like it isn’t a shocking thing. First thing I did after saying “good morning” was to ask if I could get a couple of pictures of the car. He gladly obliged me, and gave me a little history: He has owned the car just over fifty years, was his daily driver for about thirty of them, it still sees regular service, and other than a heater and an air filter setup for the engine, it’s stock. It isn’t perfect, but it’s in great condition for a driver. Check out the stickers in the windshield, who knows how old they are? (No, really…I’ve never seen stuff like that before.)
I’ve seen this happen only once before. There’s a guy who lives around Parkland, Washington who drives a very clean 1930’s Ford similar to this one quite often. Most of the time if they are out they are hot rods, with engines half the car’s age or better, only just barely resembling what they used to be. To see this thing just tooling around Bowling Green was absolutely awesome, and for the guy to act like it’s just another day with another car instead of the usual “Don’t go near my car” act was icing on the cake.
Wow. Never seen a Real Model A before ?
Wait until he gets a load of a Real ’32. . . .
Have another doughnut. Try the glazed.
Really? When’s the last time you saw one just driven? Not restored. Not to a show, just as it is, like any other car on the street.
That’s pretty cool. There was an old guy who drove basically the same in blue around Culver City on a regular basis. He had owned it since he returned from the Pacific after WWII. It was his daily driver until the late ’60’s when he bought a new car. He couldn’t sell his old Model A and still drove most every weekend. I would see him at the old True Value hardware store.
Well said Brian The “load” is someone that can’t see the very COOL aspect of a car being driven because it is a CAR for over five decades. This car will most likely end up in the owners estate long after his last drive.
There’s a guy who restores Model A’s and other early Fords not far from where I used to live in Delavan Wisconsin. Every so often you’d see one of his restos putting around town, just doing normal stuff. Always put a smile on my face to see them out and about. Thanks for sharing this and reminding me how rare those instances were.
http://www.delavanlakeboatshed.com/index.php
The only non Mopar I is a 32 Ford Victoria. My great grandpa bought it new and I manage to get my hands on it when I was17 after he died. It’s still stock and original and it shows. I’m torn between restoring it and leaving it original. I’m not even going to think about making it a hot rod.
I don’t drive it anymore on bad days and only drive it on weekends.
yeh, saw a few yesterday….but yesterday was the Bay to Birdwood run in Adelaide, SA…. seriously cool event, around 1500 – 2000 official entries, but because its all public roads everyone with a nice car gets involved too – goes about 50 miles from the coast up into the hills, and ends up at the National Motor Museum. A zillion people line the way to wave, have bbq’s etc and everyone has a great time!
The Bay to Birdwood Run for historic motoring vehicles, is the largest most continually staged event of its kind anywhere in the world with an average of 1500-1600 entrant vehicles including cars, motorcycles, trucks and vans. All entrant vehicles must have been manufactured prior to 1 January 1956. The Bay To Birdwood Classicwas held for the first time in 1997 and is gaining similar stature. It is for vehicles built on or after 1st January 1956 but not after 31 December 1977 and takes place biennially alternating with The Bay to Birdwood Run. – See more at: http://www.baytobirdwood.com.au/faqs#sthash.vpPOsZgT.dpuf
Wow that is cool. I saw that guy driving when my son and I went to the corvette museum. We actually saw him driving enroute to our second stop at this little train museum in Bowling Green. My son could even appreciate someone driving a “oldie timey” (his description of any pre-war car) around. I miss Fort Campbell, lots of auto attractions around the area.
You, sir, might be the first person I’ve ever known utter the phrase “I miss Fort Campbell”…
“Air-Assault!!!”
Cool deal, I talked with a old duffer in his late 80s at a local show with a 29 Model A. He had owned the car for 40 plus years and drove the wheels off it until recently. Talked aboutat I had about a 29 Model A Fordor that I had bought. He was happy to hear of a kid getting into old cars. I’m 45 and just a kid?
I remember many years ago I use to see a gentleman Out on Sundays driving a Tucker !!!!