Re: "Hens Teeth" Ta Mike

Posted by Alex Billson on October 27, 1997 at 19:45:27

In Reply to: Re: "Hens Teeth"
posted by Mike Flanagan on October 26, 1997 at 23:21:36

Thanks for your reply Mike. My Model A is the second car I have decided to restore. My first car was a Ford Army model Jeep I used to roam the mountain range running along the East coast of Australia when I was a young buck and did all sorts of stupid things like hanging jeeps off winches on mountain sides and other fun stuff (I should have restored a Model A with hindsight). The model A seems familiar as there is a lot of things the two cars have in common as well as beauty and character.
About thirty years ago I spent many happy hours (and even more dollars) hunting around weird places looking for the numerous bits and pieces marked GPW... necessary to restore the jeep to original. I found places with new, old stock for model As along the way and also learnt that the very worst way to restore any car was to buy one that has too many bits missing especially in the body department.Thats why when I bought my A 55B I paid a good price for her (probably overpaid but money is not the only thing) She is registerable and I hope to get her on the road in a week or so for "flight testing".I know that the pop out ignition switch is wonky but apart from that I think she will pass the safety check OK. Fingers crossed.
I am doing the home work you suggest,reading restorers books 1-5 and "Henrys Lady" and I have joined MAFCA. A friend has suggested the "Judging standards book" which I will get too.
We will be using the car on runs ASAP and hope to go to the A model meet in Canberra in April 1998. My question about hard to get parts was to prepare myself for diving back amongst the old trails and accumulated dust.
Your knowledge of Australia is pretty good have you been here? I live in Melbourne where we have a reasonable access to old shops, garages etc. Out further afield (not quite the back o Burke) there are places that have not been picked over since the 1940s.
egA locksmith I knowinsists he has a big heap of original Briggs & Stratton key blanks "somewhere out back". Truth is that he can't be bothered sorting through all the junk to get to them, can't blame him but its frustrating because there are decades of detritus in there and there may well be complete ignition switches in there.As you say ?Quien Sabe?Guess I will have to enlist help from the guys in the Ford A club to nag him into looking for us but is it worth the trouble?
Thanks again Mike. Goodonya Mate
Alex

Follow Ups:
Re: "Hens Teeth" Ta Mike Mike Flanagan October 27, 1997 at 22:52:04(0)

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