91-year-old car enthusiast, teen bond over restoring vintage Model A Ford

91-year-old car enthusiast, teen bond over restoring vintage Model A Ford

We resume normal service now on Eclectic Ephemera with this heart-warming story from Washington state in America and which initially appeared in June 2023.  Proof, if proof were needed, that age is no barrier to friendship - especially if interests are shared as in the case of the two gentlemen who form the subject of the article.

Serendipitous events like the one which brought this pair of enthusiasts together are the sort of thing that make the world seem a little bit of a brighter place, where two people at the opposite ends of the age spectrum can meet by chance and hit it off in such a splendid manner beneficial to them both.  Quite apart from the obvious rapport that they enjoy Mr Sage gets to pass on his extensive knowledge on the subject of Model A Fords (see below for an example) to the younger generation and so ensure its ongoing perpetuation while Mr Mpare learns valuable skills - both of the life and the mechanical variety - that he has already put to good use building his very own Model A from parts sourced by the Model A Ford Club of America no less!  It is simply joyous to read of how an unexpected meeting has led to this firm friendship, the passing of the torch of experience, the obvious enthusiasm shown by both men for their common interest.  It goes to show that one never knows what Fate has in store for us and that unlooked-for opportunities should be embraced whenever possible - who can tell where they might lead?  Once again it is also splendid to read of another "old soul" - one with a nonetheless very mature outlook on past, present and future, who understands and appreciates the importance of traditional know-how such as this and the rewards he has gained as a result - the companionship of a responsible and grounded gentleman with a lifetime of experience, which in and of itself can be of great benefit to a teenager just starting out in life (a fact that young Mr Mpare and his family clearly appreciates) and, if that wasn't enough, his own antique motor car built with his own hands!  Well done and congratulations to Messrs Sage and Mpare, indeed!  May their friendship continue to blossom and may many more Model A's ultimately get back on the road as a result.

 

Vintage Adventurer aims to set new world record in U.S. ocean to ocean challenge

source

Vintage Adventurer aims to set new world record in U.S. ocean to ocean challenge

Just over one year ago I featured the story of Australian "vintage adventurer" Ron Wade and his intention to drive his 1930 Ford Model A from Beijing to Paris in the Peking-Paris Rally, then across the continental U.S.A. and finally from London to Cape Town - and trying to break world records into the bargain!

Now Mr Wade and his car have made the news again and I'm delighted to see that they are on the verge of embarking on the second stage of their around-the-world adventure - the "Ocean 2 Ocean America Challenge" - having successfully completed the gruelling Peking-Paris Motor Challenge in a remarkable 33 days earlier this year!  I never doubted that they would do it and the old Model A has proven to be a sturdy motor car I knew it would be.  (Incidentally if you ever get the chance to read the account of the original 1907 Peking-Paris race by Luigi Barzini Jr. - son of the journalist who travelled with the winning car - I can highly recommend it.)

The next challenge for Ron Wade and his Model A begins, fittingly enough, on Columbus Day (the 14th of October) when they begin the Ocean 2 Ocean challenge - to drive across the U.S.A. from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific (and, in a nice touch, Mr Wade will carry a bottle of water taken from the Atlantic Ocean and empty it into the Pacific upon his arrival!).  Here they hope to break their first record - to undertake the journey in less than 60 hours!  Will they do it?  Well, you can follow their progress on the Vintage Adventurer website; I for one am sure they'll manage it.

I'm equally certain they'll beat the London-Cape Town record too, although that attempt has yet to be confirmed.  No doubt we will hear of Ron Wade and his Model A again when it is; in the meantime, good luck to him in the Ocean 2 Ocean and "good on yer, cobber!" for being such a gentlemanly good sport all in the name of charity and "vintage" adventure.

Vintage adventurer hopes to break record

Ford Model A, similar to Mr Ward's 1930 example.  Australian Model As were built
in Geelong, Victoria

Vintage adventurer hopes to break record

Last year I did a post about a chap in Michigan who ran a Model A Ford as his main car every day for a whole year (and who still drives it frequently today).  Now a "vintage adventurer" (what a great term!) from Australia's Gold Coast is planning to beat the current record - set in 1936 - for the fastest journey time from London to Cape Town by a Model A in his own car, according to this article that popped into my inbox this morning.

Mr Wade sounds like the archetypal adventuresome Aussie (and seems to be proof that an active lifestyle can be good for the health) and all-round good egg, much like his compatriot I reported on at the beginning of the year, who similarly drove his Model T Ford across Australia and then from Durban, South Africa, to Moscow. 

Not only is Mr Wade aiming for the London-Cape Town record but he intends to take part in the Peking-Paris race beforehand and then ship the Model A to America and drive it from New York to Chicago to Los Angeles - in short here is another vintage car and driver who will have travelled around the world by the end of next year!

Whether successful or not vintage man and machine will have followed in the wheeltracks of many an historical endurance racer in famous long-distance journeys such as the Peking-Paris race, the London-Cape Town route and the myriad others who continue to this day to prove what the motor car was and is capable of.  It will be a testament to the car's longevity and strength that it should be able to undertake this trip, although Mr Ward has taken care to refurbish all the mechanical components which is fair enough.  It should be remembered, though, that cars of this vintage were engineered for rough use simply because the road networks that were in existence at the time were limited at best.  A round-the-world trip should therefore be quite possible even in a 1930 Model A.  I fully expect to read about Mr Wade's adventures and arrivals in Paris, Cape Town, Los Angeles and finally his home town of Wongawalla in 2013 and I'm sure the documentary he will be making en route will be a fascinating record of the endeavour.  The best of luck to him and his car.

Flying in a '20s Snow Bird

All images courtesy of ClassicCars.com

Last year when the snow came and caused travel chaos I recalled a 1920s solution to snow-covered roads - the Ford Model T snowmobile conversion.

This year when the snow came and caused travel chaos (d'you think there might be a pattern emerging here, Britain...?) I was once again reminded of this novel and effective vehicle - or rather this time its successor, the Model A snowmobile.

In the same way the the standard A improved upon the T, so the newer snowmobile conversion continued to be refined and updated.  Companies such as Arps offered conversions like the "Snow Bird" (top) for the likes of farmers, rural doctors, the U.S. Mail and anyone else who frequently travelled through heavy snowfall.

As the Model A was not built in as large a number as the T, and as conversion kits remained expensive, there are actually fewer A snowmobiles left than there are Ts.  If you look at the video clip in last year's post you'll notice only one or two As compared to a dozen or so Ts.  Still, I'll bet the closed-cab A was slightly warmer than the open/convertible T!

Nevertheless provided one is wrapped up properly a Ford snowmobile is still for my money the best way to beat the snow.  As the country is once again brought to a standstill I sit indoors looking out on a crisp white mantle and imagine zooming along in a "Snow Bird":

1930 Model A Ford Wraps a Year on the Road

Image courtesy of Autoblog/Zach Bowman

1930 Model A Ford Wraps a Year on the Road

Speaking of keeping vintage machinery running, here's a chap who took that to heart and then some!  A true enthusiast, Mr Jonathan Klinger has been running his Model A Ford for a whole year; proof, if proof were needed, that these cars can and should be used on a regular basis.  And aside from a few mechanical hiccoughs that were perhaps to be expected in an 81-year-old car it has performed well in all weathers, taking whatever was thrown at it in its stride - be that a 270-mile journey to Detroit or driving to a friend's in a snowstorm.

Mr Klinger has also discovered the joys of a more relaxed, simple motoring attitude, avoiding major roads and visiting small independent roadside eateries instead of garish chains - much like the first owner of the car would have done.

All-in-all a jolly good episode of the kind of thing I favour.  Well done to Mr Klinger, and I hope he continues to enjoy motoring in his durable Model A.