You’re Never Alone In Your Journey Into Classic Boats
Jimmy’s Model A and the road ahead
I have been slooooowly wandering into the Model A universe, and as part of all that been sniffing around the clubs and yes, facebook and so on. Like many that start in our passion. And its all the same. More young people and yada yada, Cliche cliche.. Ahhhhhh,
mmmm whats under there?
It is interesting that the journey into this little universe of Model A’s has the same pit falls and fears. Where? What? Who? Help without ripping me off. Or what is the unknown.
My first ride on a classic boat was the day after I purchased it. JUST SWELL is still around.
And it brought back a rush of memories and why I created WoodyBoater in the first place. To be a place to make folks feel welcome with zero strings attached, and to only have trusted partners. As in people, business’s I would spend money with, and have dinner etc. If you see a banner here, a story and a link, that is the filter. With close to 6,000 stories, there is a lot of good in our small universe. A LOT OF GOOD! I may bitch and rant, but its family.
That feeling of being alone out there floating around
The thing is, I had forgotten that feeling. I never want anyone to feel like we are trying to take advantage of that lost feeling. That north star of why Woody Boater is even a thing is the fuel that drives me. Even if it is a Model A. Corvette, T Bird, and the countless cars and stuff I drool over daily.
We welcome change here. If its good, we adapt, if its bad, we trash it.
SO WHATS THE POINT OF TODAYS STORY? Woody Boater is going to be changing a bit. What was good 15 years ago, is no longer viable today. With Facebook, Instagram, clubs evolution etc. Woody Boater needs to evolve, too evolve in a way that helps our community in new ways. Thats what Woody Boater is. The place to try new ideas, a skunk works, a lab, a place to try an app, That sucks BTW, in a trusted way for our community without strings. Just mistakes, success’s and fun.. ALWAYS FUN.. ALWAYS!!!!! STAY TUNED.
The original first header. This header stayed up for 5 months..
The app was fantastic ….. until it needed more updates, and then more, and then more and then? It would stop working. Like an MG. Great when it worked. UGH, I am still bitter over this one. It’s out back with an old tarp on it now. I just weed whack around it and curse
I know where I am going.. Really!
HAPPY HEADER DAY!
As a die hard old Varnish Head, my reaction to today’s story is NNNOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!
It’s not a model A but a model 68, 1936 Ford 3-window that I have always wanted and I took delivery yesterday. Should look great hauling my 41 CC.
Tuobanur,
Congrats on the purchase! That will be an awesome looking combo.
Don’t change the habits of old men it’s not pretty…..get up coffee email woody boater…
Like Greg & Mahoganymadness, I’m wary of change. Many of life’s bad experiences arrived that way. Of course, many good things did as well. So, I’ll “wait & see” what the changes are.
Change? You mean like the spark plugs??
Nice Dagmars he said. There’s a change in describing bumper guards that happened in the early 60s never to return. Change in styles, change in attitudes toward others.
Go for it and I will follow fearless leader!
Well said Matt.
In my real day job that allows me to support my other businesses and ADD insanity, our mantra is grow or die. There is no choice in today’s world.
As we pivoted to opportunities during the Covid madness to stay open and keep everyone employed, (Design it Monday, Engineer it Tuesday, Manufacture it Wednesday, Test it Thursday, Ship it Friday), we didn’t always get it right, so since then, we’ve trimmed inventory and/or scrapped product.
To stay open and generate cash flow, you constantly have to adjust and trim the sails.
That said, we keep what’s traditional and our identity, still offer repair parts to fix a hundred year old Murdock hydrant or drinking fountain but always look to the future trends. When the world went flat twenty-five plus years ago, it wasn’t necessarily a good thing for the US, so we have to stay focused.
So, keep the good stuff we all love and embrace the change. Marketing 101.
Interesting, Murdock since 1853 , I need a dog fountain for the boys .
Well. I don’t know what an app even is, but I am app to lose all my Woodyboater friends if I have to get one???
But Model A’s…I don know. From my early teens I was a grease ball from working on them….had many…traded grease for sawdust and wood boats years ago…but still love the 28-29’s…never a fan of the 30-31’s…ironically two friends of mine just did a Model A swap..YESTERDAY 15K for an older restoration ’29 roadster…a great driver car. Prices are down as is interest. that car would have been way more 25 years ago…like our boats the market shrunk. Gotta love em though I wan an expert on them before I had a drivers license! John in Va.
Forget Model A’s… a Model T is where it’s at, simplicity at its finest.. and you can even get your wood fix too… as seen on my 1915 Cut-Down Touring / Pickup.
Agree 100% Andy!!!
With three pedals, two levers, manual choke and hand start, no one is going to call a “T” a “self-driver”!
Love mine!!!!
Very cool, murdoch
Now you did it. …”it would stop working. Like an MG”….
I’ve had a 65 MGB since 2003 and it has never once broken down. For chrissakes, I have over 185,000 miles on the original gearbox.
We have owned four American cars recently and all FOUR have needed a new transmission before the clock hit 100,000 miles.
Your statement should have read…” It stopped working, like an American auto manufacturer’s shi,%tty transmissions!”
Also, Americans just flat out do not take care of the crap they purchase. I cannot tell you the number of times I have seen an MG “repaired” with the wrong part bought at the local auto parts store and then Jerry rigged up. Buy the right part and they work great.
Rant over. Right turn Clyde.
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Model A Model T 36 Ford 3 window coupe. The 32 coupe in the 50s pic who would not love that!! What great rides. You know Matt we love old things and simplicity. Do not change anything.
The contrast between vintage cars and boats is an interesting one. If your financial situation and your wallet allows you to have both, more power to you. But if I had to choose it would be vintage boats all day long. The reason: I can drive a boat on a lake and not worry about other cars.
A few summers ago my son and I had a membership in a vintage car club here in Minneapolis. We could check out a different vintage car every weekend and drive it to the cabin. An Alfa Spider Veloce, a first Gen Bronco, a 70 Firebird 400 convertible, a Land Rover D90… I could go on and on. But honestly, I felt vulnerable as hell driving those cars on the highway and when I got back in my modern BMW 3 series at the end of a weekend I’d say to myself “yessss!”
Don’t get me wrong, I love admiring vintage cars. Both my grandpa and dad were Ford dealers. And I spent my ad career leading car accounts: Porsche, BMW and Cadillac. I’m a car guy. But I’m a vintage boat guy.
As for the Model A market, I’m not surprised it’s down. But other pockets of the vintage car market have never been hotter just look at the auction prices at Monterrey last weekend or just try to buy a vintage 911, Bronco or Defender. There’s no equivalent in vintage boats.
Finally, if you want to see an interesting slice of vintage car culture follow The Motoring Club in Instagram. It’s a “clubhouse” in LA that celebrates car culture in all its form. There are no rules about who can join, but every car is just plain interesting. Wish there was the same for boats, but it requires some critical mass.
Good analysis Rabbit, comes from experience, the best teacher. Its why old folks are so smart (usually). I’ve always wanted a vintage truck but I spend most of my time and $$ keeping up my diesel which at 20 years old I guess is already considered vintage. Older vehicles have lower braking capability, not as many creature comforts and fewer safety features needed in this crash crazy world.
Speaking of boats and cars, it looks like Lee Anderson won best in show at Pebble Beach this week with his rare “Doozy”.
❤️👍
My morning refreshed
Hope all the changes go well!
I am finally believing you about your sponsors as I notice that some of the less credible members of our community no longer have banners on WB.
I agree with the Modet T crew…but they are so slow that you get run off the road. Not that we can’t find remote roads like we find remover creeks…Model A’s are just as cool and with a old market rear end can role at 55 all days…not over heat like T’s do etc etc. Love em both….had many….then I somehow got fed up with being creasy and traded it for sawdust and the water.
John in Va.
WoodyModelAer
One of our Model T’s has a wood body as well.