Re: In search of the right Model "A"

Posted by Wayne Parker on December 06, 1996 at 16:04:28

In Reply to: Re: In search of the right Model "A"
posted by Marith McCoul on December 04, 1996 at 20:21:13

: You would do well to join the local chapter of MAFCA or MARC.
: I don't know where you live, so I can't give you the address
: of the nearest one to you. These guys will "hold your hand"
: and generally help you out as you go through the very difficult
: process of finding the right car. Model A's are some 60 years
: old. There's nearly "no such thing as" an UN restored original
: Model A - they've all been used, abused and worked on extensively
: with varying degrees of skill and success. A club member with
: a few years of restoration experience under his belt can save
: you from making a ghastly (and costly) mistake. Here in my
: area, would-be buyers bring prospective purchases in to us for
: my appraisel. The stuff they drag in is frequently AWFUL. They
: truely don't know the difference because they don't know what they're supposed
: to see, what they're supposed to hear, and what they do see
: and hear is going to cost them to correct. Failing to find
: the "local" chapter, contact the nationals: MARC: 1-313-278-1455
: MAFCA: 1-310-697-2712 and, if need be, buy a copy of their
: national membership roster and look up members near you. I
: can't stress enough that what you don't know can and will cost
: you plenty. A top notch 30-1 coupe can cost $15,000., but you
: can get badly burned, at that price, by a dishonest (or stupid)
: seller just the same as you can waste $4,000 or $5,000 on a
: car that's simply rolling junk billed as "an amatuer restoration".
Let me add my total agreement to Marith's advice. Find a knowledgeable Model A person or persons and take them with you when you look at any Model A. They will spot things that you will not. Even if you are fairly knowledgeable about cars in general, there will be many details that you will miss. I recently looked at a 30 Tudor that was advertised as being in excellent condition -good paint, upholstery, bumpers etc.- asking $14,000. The car had been painted in 1967. The laquer paint was cracking. The car was painted in 1 colour only. The uphostery was non- Model A and poorly done at that. It had 16 inch wheels. The bumpers needed replating. It had no shocks. It started OK and seemed to idle all right. Bottom line, it wasn't worth $4000 let alone $14,000. To bring that car up to even a decent driver, could easily run $30,000 if you paid the asking price. One of the great things about the Model A hobby is the great people that are involved in it. Make contact with these people in your area and they will help you from making a major mistake. The first Model A you look at might be the one. But it would be easy to be so anxious to buy, that you are not as objective as you ought to be. Good luck in your search.

E-Mail Comment to Webmaster