Chapter 06

Model A Ford

 

model a 2

Around 1963, Dad bought a 1928 or 1929 Model A Ford from one of his customers in Central Florida for $150. I rode with him to get it and we towed it home behind his 1960 Chevrolet Biscayne,with a 283 V-8. It was going to be a father-son project, as I was going to turn 16 in a year. We worked on it some and even took the body off to work on the frame. Dad didn't have much time to help me, as he travelled during the week, and had to do chores on the weekends. I took it over and took it to Mr. Kahoe's garage in 1964. We got it running but that was about it.The right rear (pushrod) brake was the only one that worked, and the driver's seat was a peach crate. There were no other seats. We painted it black with a brush. It made one trip to Mickler's Landing (dunes) to harvest sea oats for McGahan's Florist with Bill Upson and Kathleen Smith. Mr. McGahan paid us 25 or 50 cents a hundred.

I used it in our Summer 1964 recruit class initiation as part of a skit - Shotgun Wedding. I drove under the overpass at Beach Boulevard onto the beach and turned the ignition off and on to make it backfire. We even used a real shotgun. I was the preacher. Coach George Paugh was the father. Davey Jones was the baby.

From The Beaches Leader

 

It made several trips to the beach where George and I rented out surfboards to the Townies by the 6th Avenue South pier. We parked on the beach and put out a for rent sign by the boards, I think we had 3 between us. They would ask, "How much?" and George would reply, "How much have you got?", and the dickering would begin. We would take their $ and go buy beer, and sit in the shade (north side) of the car and drink beer. I had a fake id. Those were the days. I sold the Model A to Dick Govignon for $150 in 1965.

May 12, 2020

 

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