As much as we would like to see every classic car restored to Pebble Beach Concours perfection, only a small percentage get the beautification they deserve.  The largest number eventually end up rotting away, while many are cared for the best they can by their owners.  Some parts may not be original, the color or colors of the finish and interior may not have been offered when they were new, and they may still be on the road thanks to ingenuity rather than an expensive trip to the machine shop.  This 1931 Ford Model A deluxe coupe is such a car.  While it may not be perfect, the owner has done what is necessary to preserve it for future generations while having a bit of fun along the way.  Do you see yourself as an owner or a caretaker of vehicles such as this one?  Does every car have to be perfect?

When telling the story of this Model A, the seller’s actions are all too familiar to those of us who love cars.  The car was purchased in 2006, and a Model A expert worked their magic on it in 2010.  At that time the engine and transmission were rebuilt, and the wiring harness was replaced.  In these early years of Model A ownership, the seller would find great enjoyment in driving the car around with the family.  Then reality hit.  The seller’s children reached driving age and life got busy.  Raising teenagers is no picnic as I am sure many of you can attest, especially when they become mobile.  That milestone marked the last time this Model A was found roaming the streets, and it has sat gathering dust since.

The seller tells us that it will “crank” but not turn over despite new gas and a new battery.  That probably means that the engine turns over, but it doesn’t show signs of cranking up.  Sadly, the seller is very upfront in saying that their limited mechanical skills prevent any diagnosis from taking place.  Given that the car ran fine before the extended dust collection phase of its life, the seller is certain that it wouldn’t require much to get it running yet again.

Some of the other issues are not discussed.  Whoever painted this Model A was not interested in restoring it to the factory original.  That is not a sin, however.  In the era when this car was likely restored, there were hundreds of thousands of Model As out there in every condition.  Restored to one person may mean a cheap paint job and a fresh set of tires, while to another the word describes a full body-off refurbishment of every single part.  Painting an old car with colors that are popular at the moment has a way of dating the work and making it look “off” years down the road.

Regardless of your thoughts on the paint itself, there are some issues with the current finish.  Some repair spots are starting to make their presence known as you can see in the picture above.  The raising of the paint around the gas cap is another issue.  This is not a convenient place to fill a car up, and spillage is guaranteed to be a regular thing with a Model A.  Why is the gas cap there?  Henry Ford was a fan of simplicity, making him hate such common parts as fuel pumps.  Placing the Model A’s gas tank in the cowl allowed gravity to provide fuel to the carburetor without the assistance and cost of a fuel pump.  This also cost Henry some legal fees, as the location of the fuel tank was illegal in some states at the time the car debuted.  The laws were quickly changed with the usual application of money and lawyers.

Another issue to deal with is the roof insert.  During the 1930s, the stamping technology needed to economically produce a one-piece roof slowly evolved, as did the concept of chassis rigidity.  Closed cars built before this usually had an open section of the roof that was covered with a softer, cheaper material that allowed for a little bit of flexing as well.  As you would expect, these rotted out on older cars and let the elements in.  This one has been replaced with a tan-colored material in contrast to the black vinyl-like material called Cobra Long Grain.  If the idea of not being original bothers you, then this is an area that would need work.  If you want a driver-quality car and don’t care, then it is fine as long as it keeps the weather out.

Inside we see that the dash is painted a much more subdued color.  Going by the color charts, this may be Stone Brown.  That may also have been the original color of the car.  We can also see that everything appears to be in good shape from the steering wheel to the wooden floorboards.  There are some wrinkles in the door panels and the shift knob is not the stock piece.  The seller tells us that the doors latch and the windows open as you would expect with no issues.

The material to cover the upper parts of the interior may be original.  It certainly has enough staining and wear to make one believe so.  This is another case of the material being sufficient for a driver, but an issue if you are a perfectionist.

We can also see in the picture above some chipping of the paint around the rumble seat.  There is also the issue of paint on the rear window gasket.  Otherwise, the rumble seat looks okay covered in grained vinyl.

In the ad, the seller states that the car is in good condition and that it just needs some “knowledgeable tinkering and some TLC.”  That is a fair description.  While the paint is the biggest issue, it looks like this is a solid Model A with an engine and transmission that should have a lot of life left in them.  With the prices of Model A Fords creeping upward as we speak, a car like this one may be a diamond in the rough at this price.  You just have to decide how much polishing you will do on this diamond.

If you are looking for a Depression-era project car with a rebuilt engine, then this 1931 Model A Ford coupe for sale on eBay in Lovettsville, Virginia may be the car for you.  This Model A was running a few years ago and is looking for a new home with a current bid of $8,000.