A 1929 Model A Ford finds a new life in the Lowcountry.
Well anyway that is the plan…
Needs Interior Work (seats are gone)
previous home in Virginia for about the last 50 years
From one garage to another
SOON WILL HOPEFULLY BE ABLE TO LEAVE THE GARAGE UNDER ITS OWN POWER
You have to start somewhere and the starting point for this restoration is not as bad as some others …
4 cylinder flathead
The Motor
The last time it ran may have been 1969
My dad fixed up the motor and had it running when we lived in Oregon…
The moon roof (?)
Interior and Top
NEED WORK…
The Model A never did have any seats since my dad owned it…that was the thing he was always on the lookout for. And given that the seats for these cars had frames made of wood, it is no wonder that they tended to rot away.
Of course the entire interior and the top needs to be re-done. My dad had the lights in a box — they were never mounted since he started restoring it.
Specs
Inline 4 L-Head
Displacement: 3286 cc | 200.5 cu in. | 3.3 L.
Power: 40 HP (29.44 KW) @ 2206 RPM
Torque: 128 Ft-Lbs (174 NM) @ 1000 RPM
Bore: 3.9 in | 99 mm.
Stroke: 4.3 in | 108 mm.
Compression: 4.22:1
Main Bearings: 3
Cylinder Block: Cast-iron
Transmission: 3 Manual Sliding Gear
Seating Capacity: 4
Doors: 2
Exterior
Wheelbase: 103.5 in | 2629 mm.
Front Track: 56.0 in | 1422 mm.
Rear Track: 56.0 in | 1422 mm.
Price: $522 (my brother Kent says adjusted for inflation, would equal $7,844 in today’s dollars)
Weight: 2350 lbs | 1065.942 kg
Suspension: Solid axle with transverse leaf springs
Tires / Wheels: 4.50×21 Welded Wheel Tires
Tires
The tires were flat earlier this summer when I started the process of getting the car ready to move. I pumped up the tires and the two on the driver’s side actually held air. I had to replace both the tubes on the passenger side. Thankfully my dad had a stock of new tubes…
Electrical System
The original electrical system for the Model A was 6 volt, positive ground. Presently the battery is removed.
Body
The body is in reasonably good shape. My dad had the whole thing sandblasted — then he painted it. There were some sections where he had to add some bondo.
Mechanically
The car did run and was driven, albeit over 50 years ago. It has basically sat in garages since…
Summer of 2020, let the rest of the restoration begin.
What family-members are saying
Eunice Blevins
“I’m just glad that car is out of my garage!”
Ana Maria Blevins
“I guess Lyle has taken over the entire garage…”
Isaac Blevins
“Cool”
History
Total Ford Model A Production for 1929: 1,715,100
- Sport Coupe 134,292
- Truck 156,433
- Commercial Chassis 130,608
- Phaeton Standard 49,818
- Roadster Standard 191,529
- Coupe Standard 178,982
- Tudor Standard 523,922 (this is the model that I am working on)
- Town Car 913
- Station Wagon 4,954
- Taxicab 4,576
- Fordor (2-window) 146,097
- Business Coupe 37,644
- Fordor (3-window)
- Standard 53,941
- Town Sedan 84,970
- Convertible Cabriolet 16,421
