1930 Model ACoupe Close friends and co-workers often can be the best source for locating the car of our dreams. This was true in the case of the '30 Model A Coupe. Vern wanted an old car to fix up. Perhaps his father or grandfather had owned one in the past. His co-worker's mother had a '30 Model A that, much to her dismay, none of her children wanted.
When he first saw the condition of the car, he shook his head. He knew the car was worth less than he offered, but he wanted it. His offer was rejected outright. His desire out weighed his concern for the cost. He upped the offer and trucked the car back to Montana.
The frame off restoration took more than four years to complete. Vern wanted this car to be as authentic as possible, right down to the 24 1/2 horse power motor and the three speed transmission. He was able to find everything that he needed. It was as if Henry Ford was handing him the keys to a brand new car.
Vern did the upholstery and trusted the paint to Everlast. This stunner has appeared in dozens of shows and has won a total of 60 trophies to date. Style was key to the designers of the '30s. They reduced the size of the wheels by two inches and added larger tires to lower the car. The gas filler remained on the newly designed cowl in front of the windshield for a smoother appearance. Vern & Irene Johnson, Bozeman, Montana
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Did you Know...
There are over 15,000 classic and collectable cars in the Billings area, and thousands more statewide.
In an average year, Billings hosts over 100 car shows...large and small.
CMYRYD is Montana's only source for dates and schedules for car shows and events throughout the state.
Make sure your car show or event is listed on CMYRYD. Go to the Events Page to register.
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Montana Bill to Provide for Single License Plate Signed Into Law
Legislation (H.B. 213) to provide for the issuance of a single rear mounted license plate for certain motor vehicles was signed into law by Governor Steve Bullock. Under the new law “if a person is not able to comply with the requirement that a front license plate be displayed because of the body construction of the motor vehicle, the person may submit to the Highway Patrol an application for a waiver along with a $25 inspection fee.” The law requires that the waiver certificate be carried in the motor vehicle and available upon demand by law enforcement. Vehicle owners are not obligated to apply or pay the fee.
Thank you to those who participated in supporting this bill!
1.Drop a business card with your name on it down the window slot in case you ever have to prove ownership.
2.In the glove box, keep a few handy wipes to remove the gas odor from your hands from filling the tank.
3. Remove auto grease from hands with baking soda and water.
4.When visiting a mechanic to have a part replaced, always ask for the worn or damaged part back. This way you'll be sure it was actually replaced .
5.A radio antenna will slide up and down easier if a coat of wax is applied occasionally. Wax paper works great for this job. Rubbing the wax paper up and down the antenna will do the job.
6. Get rid of tar on your bumper with an unexpected item from your fridge ~ mayonnaise. Wipe on, wait five minutes, then easily wipe off both the mayo and the tar. "Do not use on painted bumpers"
7. Only 5 percent of cars actually run better on premium gas as oposed to regular. Check your owners manual...
WE CAN STILL REPAIR THEM
By Monty Wallis
Years ago, I bought a 1999 Ford Ranger Pickup from a local dealership. As part of the deal, it came with “Lifetime” Oil changes. Needless to say, I’ve saved a few bucks utilizing that perk. I drive my vehicles for a long time, and try to make them last. But over time, the dealer has made it harder and more frustrating to use this freebee. They now make you go through the service department rather than driving up to front door of their quick lube building. The formerly 20 minute oil change now takes over an hour from drive in to drive out. Not exactly a "quick lube." And to top it all off, I’m getting the feeling that their free service may be substandard. Are they sending me a message that this "lifetime agreement" mayb be coming to an end?
This last oil change was a good example. When I left the service department my check engine light came on within a mile. Rather than turn back, I preceded home and found that the mechanic had failed to snap the air filter box closed. Easy fix…right? Well, usually…but after resetting the check engine light, it came on again within a few days. So, I’m now going to borrow the computer to find the code that’s triggering the light; and check through the usual culprits like the MAF sensor, Idle Air Control Valve, ERG and PVC systems.
So, why you ask, don’t I take the truck back to the dealership and have them fix the problem that didn’t exist before the oil change? Frankly, because I’ve lost trust in them to perform even basic services like an oil change. And I don’t want to sit in their waiting room for hours drinking stale coffee and reading year old magazines and then fight them when they come back with a bill for something they caused.
The great thing about old cars and trucks is their simplicity. Usually, we still can fix them. It’s not major surgery to change plugs, wires, thermostats, filters and sensors. Not so with the new cars of today. In most cases you can’t even locate the offending part in the engine compartment.
So "old" can be good, and taking care of our vehicles is still possible. With hundred dollar per hour shop rates and all the inconveniences involved, it pays to still have basic skills solve problems.
Time to Store again
By Bill Henry
Just in case you haven’t noticed, we live in a very dry climate. Even our skin and hair are dry and this time of the year, the humidifier runs constantly. Well, this dryness takes its toll on our cars too. If you notice those little cracks along the sidewalls of your tires that run into the tread, it means just one thing… dry rot. And dry rot doesn’t just happen to your tires, anything rubber or vinyl is a prime target. These materials naturally degrade over a period of years depending on climate, temperature and humidity. How you store your vehicle can either help or delay this process. With tires, the air pressure inside your tires is also a determining factor. The common denominator in all these products is oil. As the oils in the rubber and vinyl begin to evaporate, the dry rot process begins.
So what can you do to prevent this happening to your classic car? First, drive that car often, especially during the winter storage period. Drive it at least once per month and more often if you can. Pick a nice day when there is little or no moisture on the pavement and put as many miles on the car as you can. Get the tires up to highway speed and let the rubber compounds heat up. This helps prevent dry rot and gets the oil compounds circulating in the tires. Also, keep those tires up to rated pressure. Under-inflated tires seem to crack and decompose more quickly.
Where you store your car makes a difference. Storing a car near excessive heat or in direct sunlight will speed up the deterioration process. Also, try getting your tires off the cement. Just driving onto boards can make a difference, but be sure not to use treated lumber. The chemicals in treated lumber could possibly react with the chemicals in your tires over a long period of time.
For the inside vinyl, regularly using a good vinyl or leather cleaner and sealer will help keep the moisture in place. Door panels, dash boards, seats and consoles all need to be cleaned and treated on a regular basis. Rubber seals and trim should also be treated to keep them soft and pliable.
Years ago, a doctor friend was discussing the aging process. When someone asked how he was doing…he jokingly said…he was in a constant state of deterioration. Well, that is true of both people and cars. How well and how often we do maintenance on ourselves and our vehicles can determine how long we and the vehicle last. Another one of the doctor’s favorite saying was…”I would rather wear out than rust out.” If exercise is great for the body then the same holds true for cars too. So the best prescription for a long life for us and for our cars may be a good dose of preventative maintenance and regular exercise.
Top 25 Cars
Modern classics, built in the 1980s and later are the classic car market’s strongest segment according to this month’s Hagerty Vehicle Rating. Click here to see the latest list. Courtesy Hagerty.com
Bottom 25 Cars
The collector car market has been superheated over the last 24 months, but certain classics seem to have cooled considerably. In fact, the bottom 25 cars in this month’s Hagerty Vehicle Rating include plenty of familiar faces. Click here to see the list Courtesy Hagerty.com
Built Ford Tough: A Flathead V-8 Rebuild Time-lapse Video
