1930 Ford Model A rumble seat coupe ~ very original California garage-find car
1930 Ford Model A
1930 Ford Model A Rumble Seat coupe - Engine #A3887959 (built in September of 1930)This car has been owned by the same gentleman since 1974. He purchased while attending college in Santa Barbara and drove it daily until he graduated. He then drove it up the coast to where it has spent the last 35 years sitting on blocks in a garage at his family home in San Francisco.
This is one of the most solid and untampered with examples of a Model A that I've seen in a long time. While it did have a full black lacquer repaint over its original Brewster Green sometime in the late 1960's, as well as having both seats recovered, this car is still a mostly original specimen.
It was recently extracted from the garage and recommissioned for the road. I have driven several times recently and it starts every time, shifts through all the gears, and stops reasonably well considering that it is still running mechanical brakes.
The body on this car is super solid with very little rust. Both doors open and shut nicely and the rumble seat lid fits well also, though this is the roughest panel on the car with some slight dents and waves.The paint has lots of little dings, chips, and scratches, but has that great patina look that is so sought after these days. With minimal work this could be a great preservation car, or and extremely solid start for a full restoration or hot rod build.Why start with a rusty carcass that will cost you many thousands in rust repair when you could start with something as solid as this one?
Some of the highlights of the car include:
-New cap/rotor/points-New water pump-New intake/exhaust manifold gaskets-New tubes in 3 of the tires-New batteryAll the above items performed in the last 3 months.
-The wheels are upgraded Kelsey Hayes 18"ers. I had an old timer tell me the other day that these were a common upgrade because you could actually run them without tubes.
-This car has VERY little rust. Don't let the fact that it spent many years in San Francisco fool you- this car is so dry, you would almost think it spent its entire life in the desert. That said, there is some rustpresent wherethe rear fenders meet the body, as many Model A's have. It's not too bad and you can only see it if you look carefully through the rumble seat compartment- it can't be seen from theoutside of the car. There is another small spot at the bottom of the body near where the back fenderstarts.See external photo gallery for better illustration.
-Headlights and single tail light both work with the original steering wheel switch. The map light on the dash also works.
-Windows roll up and down nicely. All glass is good with no cracks or delamination.
-Comes with a file folder full of receipts, etc. from the previous owner back to 1974. Included in this is the original California pink slip from 1974.
-The car is currently registered until January 2019, despite the fact that the tags still say 1983 (new tag is in the folder)
As with any car of this age, there are some things that could use attention:
-Tires are old and are an unmatched set. They are all holding air just fine. I have driven this car 25-30 mph around town and the tires are fine for that, but I would recommend replacing them if you plan on doing any extensive or highway driving in the car.
-The top cloth insert is missing. I do have all of the bows, but there is no cloth. Reproductions are widely available.
-Interior door panels are missing. Reproductions also available for these
-The clutch could probably use an adjustment. It engages right at the top of the pedal travel. I've driven it this way and simply gotten used to it, as it shifts through all the gears just fine, but I'm sure it could be improved upon.
-There is an exhaust leak where the exhaust pipe meets the manifold, which you can hear when the car is running. I already have the copper gasket, but have not installed it yet. This may or may not be installed by the end of the auction, but I'll include it in the box of extra parts if I don't get to it.
-The fenders have had a couple repairs at some of the stress points, which is also common on these cars. The fenders are still very solid and have faired better than most that I've seen. There are also some stress cracks at the rear corners of the roof insert opening- see photos 19 & 20.
To see dozens more photos of the car and a video of it running, please visit my photo gallery. Simply cut-and-paste the following link into your browser:https://boardhoarder.use.com
The bottom line is, if you want a perfect, shiny old car with a small block, power windows and a DVD player, this probably isn't the car for you. But if you want a solid all original car that you can drive and enjoy as-is with minimal effort, or a super solid start for a restoration for hot rod project, you'll likely never find a better candidate than this car.
READ THIS BEFORE YOU BID PLEASE!:
I am the legal owner of this vehicle and have a clear Californiatitle in my name.No warranty is expressed or implied with the sale. I have made every attempt to describe the car as accurately as possible. It is for sale as-is and where-is. This vehicle is for sale locally, as well as on otherinternetsites. I reserve the right to cancel this auction at any time.
PLEASE ask any and all questions before bidding.Thelastthing I want is for you to buy a plane ticket or drive across five states with your trailer in tow, only to get here and find out the car isn't what you wanted. I will answer any question about the car to the best of my ability, and if I don't know the answer, I'll find it before the end of the auction. I want this to be a good experience for all parties involved.
A non-refundable deposit in theamountof $1000.00 via PayPal is due within 48 hours of the close of the auction, balance to be paid in cash upon taking possession of the vehicle.
You MUST pick-up the vehicle within 1 week of the close of the auction.I am happy to work with your shipper to get the car on a trailer or transport and on its way to you safely.
If you are not able to meet these requirements but still want to bid, please contact me BEFORE bidding so we can make alternatearrangements. Thank you!
- Condition: Used
- Make: Ford
- Model: Model A
- Year: 1930
- Mileage: 24,950
- VIN: A3887959
- Vehicle Title: Clear Want to buy? Contact seller!