A Dad's A - 1929 Model A

Frank Maniatis so treasured his 1929 Ford Model A Roadster that 75 years after he bought it, the car still owns a special place in his daughter Tina Higgins' heart -- and her garage. From cross-country pleasure trips to lumber hauling, makeshift repairs and patched-up fenders to a full restoration -- and even a tearful homecoming after it had been stolen -- this family heirloom has just about seen it all. For more visit www.hagerty.com...
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[@mattluckeydotcom]

I have a 29 Ford Roadster that was sitting in a garage in San Diego since 61. I get happy just lookin at her! The car starts up just like a lawnmower! This video brings tears to my eyes because I know how special this car was to him.

[@scoobyroorogers]

I love this story! Isn't it cool how a car starts out as transportation and if held on to becomes a big part of the family. So glad it was returned to the family after the theft.

[@woodyhueston6500]

i drove a 29 model A to school in 1948 /loved it.

[@billbright1755]

My pickup is now 66 years, I always feel most proud when she tows a newer vehicle to safety.

[@weezerfan999]

Bill Bright mine turns 44 in December

[@unionrdr]

What a wonderful, heart-felt story! I know exactly how he felt. I've had cars I built myself that I truly loved and had to sell or trade for one reason or another. Broke my heart to tears to have to say goodbye to them. They become so ingrained in your life that they're like your right arm. That, my dears, is the true definition of a car guy!

[@infidel900rr]

It's interesting to here these old stories about how they just bought a summer home up in Idlewild while on their honeymoon. Man, I wish there were those kinds of opportunities still today. Forget the summer home, if you just want a house, you need to be grinding all the time. And not just working jobs, but you need to build a solid career or business over years, potentially even decades just to finally get there.

[@au1317]

So crazy. My dad grew up on the East coast and joined the military, drove West to California, met my mom, they moved up to live in Portland to raise our family. From the service to the roadtrip up until he met my mom, my dad was driving his Toyota pickup. Selling that truck is one of the major regrets of his life. The similarities in the stories has me awe-struck. Thanks so much for sharing.

[@mortennwalker]

Great Story........brought tears to my eyes!

[@edwardperryman5515]

I be crying 😢 also I love his love for A model Great man God bless

[@fordmodela3641]

I love this story, one of my favorites on KZbin !I have two 1930's and they are my prized possessions . Thes cars make me smile just to sit in them.I understand his attachment to his.It's not about weather he cried ove the loss of his wife, I'm sure he endured a different sadness al together.It's about the fact of how passionate someone can be about another major part of their lives! This car was always there too.

[@TheBoss-nj3dk]

This is a fantastic story, another great chapter in automotive history. I love to hear heartfelt stories as this! Thank you for taking the time to sharing your memories and photos. Sincerely appreciated!

[@shanerobinson7128]

That’s a wonderful story. So glad it’s still in the family.

[@modeladenny1218]

It took me over 60 years to find the1931 Model A my wife wanted. Sadly I didn't find it until two months after she died. It's not exactly what we wanted. But there was a reason 'MsDollie' came into our lives.

[@2233golf2]

What a lovely story......your dad smiles from above.............

[@Chr.U.Cas1622]

Fantastic guy, car, family and story. God bless them all.

[@Rottingboards]

Wonderful story and it's great that you have it to pass on to the next generation.

[@jeanshepherd7185]

I'm wearing my grandfather's underwear. Thanks for the memories, fruit of the loom

[@moyses9293]

Such a beautiful story

[@lclaughton]

Nice little custom roadster with a great history. Very nice story!! What great joy this old Model A has brought to your family. I am a 38 yr member of the MAFCA. I own a number of these still today...all in garages! I think the newer improvements make this roadster very road worthy and they are way cool!! I might consider doing the same on one of mine. But in the end, I like them just the way Henry built em.

[@stanhamilton6031]

What a great story for this car! Thanks for sharing!

[@seano2178]

Love the story. 🥲😢

[@nedharrisjr2991]

Great story about a car owned by nice people. .

[@luisfernandopereira5891]

Very nice. Pretty history. Congratulations for you dad and your car.

[@Mega32roadster]

This video was shot at Frank Streff's old car garage at the SoCal store in Phoenix AZ. I recognize the building the car, and PU in the background!

[@gregorycombs2527]

I drove a 1930 Model A Coupe to High school 1963.

[@modeladenny1218]

I bought my first Model A project car in 1959, months after we married. Like a fool I sold it before I finished it. Then bought several different Model A drivers just to ride around in. A year ago my wife and I decided we need another Model A to get us out of the house. Then the Corn Virus came along and it was put on hold again.

[@waynemetevia7983]

Great story. Thank you for sharing.

[@GIguy]

That is so true, my first car was a 1981 Ford Mustang 5.0 L five speed manual, and I loved that car more than life itself! Until one day when I was in the grocery store I hear a big crash outside. Got a really bad feeling, ran outside to see a brand new Corvette that T-boned my Mustang, nearly slicing it in half, it was sitting in the grocery store parking lot when some jack ass decided to get drunk and take his new Corvette out, didn’t have the first clue how to drive a powerful car, ended up going over 100 km an hour in the parking lot, losing control and hitting my car. I was 20 years old at that time, and I balled my eyes out like a baby, you don’t realize how emotionally attached you can get to a car, but you can! I was so pissed off, and worst of all, the guy was a lawyer, and extremely wealthy, so naturally he managed to sleaze his way out of being charged with drunk driving, receiving only a ticket, while my insurance company screwed me over, especially because I was a starving student and didn’t have the funds to fight back. There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think about that car, because while I was saving for a new one with the few thousand I got from the insurance company, I was diagnosed with intestinal cancer three months after my car was totaled. I thought I’d have some treatment may be a couple of surgeries and that would be it...... that’s not what happened, instead fate decided to let the cancer come back four more times, and in total forcing me to go through 37 brutal surgeries over the next 3 decades, leaving me flat broke, and forced to go on permanent long-term disability, because I only have 5% of my entire G.I. tract well. Believe it or not I’m not complaining or looking for attention, but I do like to tell my story to give people perspective, so that they can appreciate all the things that they do have, things that I would literally Cut off my legs for! You don’t know how lucky you are if you’re healthy, because after spending my entire adult life hospitalized, I can tell you that it’s absolutely devastating, in every way imaginable, so be thankful for your health, I know it’s cliché, but it’s so true. If I hadn’t gotten sick, I would’ve been able to complete my education, got my degree, and most definitely would’ve had a nice car and a nice house, instead of driving a 16-year-old car living in a rented a two bedroom apartment. This video shares the same message, hold on to what you cherish, and be so thankful for it, because you never know, What fate has in store for you, I pray none of you ever have to go through what I did, and I wish you all nothing but the best, and thanks for the video, while not the same car, you brought back a lot of good memories for me before the accident happen, cheers!

[@tmcqueen7848]

Great Story!!

[@nelsona779]

Amazing Story great family car. imagine how many cars stories like this one are out there

[@vettegirlc3]

Wow that was a wonderful lovely beautiful story. Thank you for sharing ~ Jenny

[@connorthe1st]

What a great car. I had a 1930 coupe and loved it. Was not halfway as fancy as yours.

[@NoWay23548]

What a lovely story!

[@1incipitvitanova]

Great story, what a history. Thanks for posting up.

[@collinblubaugh3094]

Fucking ruined the car by restoring it. That original yellow paint was gorgeous.

[@BooBooJonez]

Love it. What a great story...

[@Mr91495osh]

I had a Model A California style roadster in high school. I traded it for a 55 Chevy Bel Aire Convertible.I never kept a car for more than 2 months. I high school I had 7 cars. Not at the same time!!

[@MrBrendog67rat]

they shoud have left it alone, just get it running good! they took the soul out of the car

[@user-zs9lc7mc5e]

Totally agree, they ruined it by restoring it....

[@skunkhollow1]

Yup, I agree. I would have just rebuilt the motor and done the mechanical side of the restoration, and maybe patch some of the badly rusted areas with new steel, but yeah, after a full restoration it looks just like any other model A.

[@ethan41623]

MrBrendog67rat yeah just put a clear coat and fix mechanical issues

[@GamePlayWithNolan]

+LAFOLLETTER I totally agree! I have a 1948 Pontiac and I have everything original except it has a 12 volt battery rather than a 6 volt! The drum brakes are not very good, but I like it that way! The reason people change everything is because they are used to power steering, power brakes, aux cord, power start, heated seats, LED lights, and other bells and whistles.... When you first drive a classic car, you will feel like everything is not working right but it is actually working perfect! Too bad they did not leave it original.

[@funtyes1970]

i disagree.. restoring looks better instead a rust bucket . lol at tooking soul out of it yeah people are morons

[@milorivera66]

Aww ! damn it ! ..you made a grown Man cry ; ) .. me ! but with a smile !....awesome car !.nice memories ,great photos, ! ..I Salute you People..God bless!

[@hutchcraftcp]

Great story. Sad that they rodded it. Should have been kept stock like the father had it.

[@funtyes1970]

why keep it stock is it your car? why you care you dumb ass . i hate fan boys originality cars.. yeah lets keep it stock so we can kill someone down the road cuz car isn't safe.. plus car is worth so much more money when it restored and dont tell me it not

[@filmvi37]

I agree

[@crissd8283]

@@funtyes1970 People can like whatever they want. I personally like stock so if I had a model A I would keep that old 4 banger with babbit bearings and all. But you are free to want a V8 with a hydromatic trans. I may not like your choise but it is your car, do what you like. Don't tell others what they should or shouldn't like.

to me it is stil otiginal just restored nothing wsong with that,a real love story

[@440roadrunner]

hutchcraftcp Agreed. They’re only original once, though it could’ve been faithfully recreated and safely updated.

[@jessecooper5106]

Thanks for documenting this!

[@50023boy]

Neat! Love the car and the story!

[@REMROB]

EXCELLENT story!

[@hughgemmell1137]

Great story!

[@EliAngwin]

Awesome story,(except for the stolen part)..Thank you for sharing...

[@collinsup844]

What a great story !

[@parkerdavis7859]

nice car, nice story, nice people.

[@ApartmentKing66]

My dad's first car was a '29 Model A just like this one. Only cost him $50 in 1942.

[@smug8567]

That's old timey, Leon !

[@jagcad100]

I get it. Sometime in the early thirties, my dad moved up from a T coupe to a 28 roadster. Not a classic family car. Mom,dad, and brothert and I fit in it. Brother and I in the rumble on good days, On mom's lap in not so good. Stone stock, 21" wire wheels. It's main clim to fame was it's rebuilt engine with a 60 over bore. Breat the stock ones easily. well Dad, a profesional soldier traded it in on a 31 Hupmobile. Lots more room for us. Before he turned it in he and an uncle swapped motors. What a shame as uncle's really n ice roadster was stolen and never found. good thing for the thief. If uncle and dad had caught him, it would've been the end of his years!! No problem in West Texas.

[@jeffroberts1834]

Great story, thanks for sharing

[@glenmclaughlin5291]

I've always said when Jesus comes back a Model A will be running..this might be one of them...smiles

[@PatrickBaptist]

+Glen McLaughlin King Jesus will burn them all, those that are saved wouldn't be able to care less of the junk of the world friend

[@ddf414]

just made my day!

[@JimmyKraktov]

Nice restoration :~)

[@waverider66]

Great story Mike.

[@94jrose]

Another great story

[@boboshop55]

Got a little something in my eye on this one...

[@NoWay23548]

Kyle Henricks yeah, damn this onion!

[@666jammer]

Love how the thieves ditched it in a lot

[@atranas6018]

vintage cars got souls

[@jaimesantiago1751]

Nice story.😍

[@SteffiReitsch]

Where are the door handles? And the front bumper? Why?

[@tinahiggins3120]

since there are no windows - we just have the door latch inside.

[@fredhull4894]

Tina your dad got to own and drive that car his whole life. He maintained it the way he thought it should be. It's your car now, do like wise. Its a bomb lookin' ride.

[@mrnacho4829]

Despite repaint still a beautiful car

[@profpudwick]

Very very cool.

[@kennedysingh3916]

I like it.

[@jimclarke1108]

interesting family, great

[@postmann1000]

now it is street rod. cool story.

[@xmo552]

The photos at 0:52 and 1:03 Can you tell me where that is ? Please 😁

[@mattfarahsmillionmilelexus]

SoCal Speed Shop Phoenix, back lot, right?

[@stephenpomeroy1214]

all the chrome is blah.....what a great car and story........where.s the wheel on the back?.....all the personality has been painted over

[@theeecandlemaker2197]

exactly

[@Shyzah]

exactly what i though. the repaint ruined what the car once was. its something else now.

[@funtyes1970]

lol really ruined the car? you a moron .

[@Wlechija]

Wish she had left it as it was. It's only original once. My avatar is my patinated '46 Ford pickup.

[@funtyes1970]

yeah ok originality fan boy .

[@modeladenny1218]

I have Hagerty insurance on my Model A. Is it safe to say I race against Corvettes and win?

[@voodoochild661]

I'm bummed out they swapped a v8 into it

[@barrymonroy7138]

It was his first love..😎

[@g.a.c.4139]

I prefer my vintage cars as stock. But that car? Leave it just like it is, and put your dads name on it somewhere.

[@Sourman1545]

gotta tip my hat to the wife made made that car the talk of state. bet whom ever stole it where just freaking out

[@50nick83]

the rims and bumpers are wrong

[@schlusselmensch]

Nice story, but the day I cry over a car being stolen or damaged is the day I'll hand in my decent human being membership, and I really like cars.

[@queenofyeay]

+Schluesselmensch Yeah, well, do you think you might feel different about a car that was your first car, at the age of 14? Do you think his attachment to the car might have something to do with his father's death? Could maybe the fact that the car never let him down throughout the Great Depression have something to do with it, that it also earned him his livelihood during those desperate times? Is it possible that you might feel nostalgic for a car that was still there for you and as reliable as ever after returning from a World War and a cross country adventure? Is it possible that if you owned a car through all that and drove it on your honeymoon it might mean more than just another car to you? Could you seriously not feel an attachment for something that has steadfastly and faithfully worked for you for something like over 60 years and NOT be upset when it gets stolen? A car is one thing, a life story like that, embodied in THIS car is something else.

[@schlusselmensch]

+MISTERComaToes Nope, sorry. As I said, even though I'm a dyed in the wool car and bike enthusiast, I have just about 0 emotional attachment to inanimate objects. I'd be pissed off if one of my vehicles was stolen, IF it wasn't insured. I ENJOY cars and motorcycles, but loving them or crying over them just isn't in me. There are vehicles I surely wish I hadn't sold, but that's because they're worth about 20 times the price now!

[@queenofyeay]

Schluesselmensch But then YOU don't still own the car, your first car, the one you bought at 14, right after your father died, the one that helped make your livelihood during the depression, that drove you across country after you returned from WWII, the car you took on your honeymoon, that you owned for 60 something years... OH and you aren't 80 years old. So maybe you don't think you'd ever feel that way about a car, but since you did not experience any of those things, since you are not 80 years old, you can't know what this car meant to him. Yet, if you HAD experienced those things and lived that long with a car, you can't know if you wouldn't have felt the same in his place.

[@schlusselmensch]

+MISTERComaToes Pfft, here's the straight dope; I love my wife and I'm very fond of my two dogs. You show up with the right money and anything I have, save spouse and hounds, is yours. I think I heard someone say during the piece that he didn't cry when his wife died, but he did when the car was stolen? That's just a little bit awful, don't you think? At any rate, I understand that you're all sentimental and maudlin about such things, but I'm not.

[@queenofyeay]

Schluesselmensch I didn't cry when my father died, I was too stunned and still am stunned by his death... Does that make me an awful person? We do not know the back story, it is possible that his father's death scarred him emotionally, it's possible he came back from the war changed, a lot of vets were. You wouldn't sell your wife and dogs to the person with a blank check, you obviously have your priorities straight, good for you!

[@rosendodominguez676]

yo. tenGo un modelo A)para andar en la niebe era de Gobierno para. entreGar la cartS de coreo.

[@Mr91495osh]

FORD made over a million Model A’s. FORD put Americans in wheels.

[@modeladenny1218]

The Ford Model T put America on wheels. 5 million Model A's were made.

[@GK1918]

Very nice story, too bad utube has ruined it and everyone elses vidio cant understand one word. too bad

[@Mr19thcenturyman]

Not the same car anymore.

[@mattkaustickomments]

Aww nuts! Did you not learn anything from Mater?? That car EARNED everyone of those dings! You restored the soul out of that car. It’s too bad you didn’t just keep the mechanicals tip-top and leave the patina alone.

[@user-zs9lc7mc5e]

Why'd they restore the fucking thing. The appeal is the shitty way it looked. Now it just looks like an average show car

[@AlainHubert]

Great story. Too bad they've ruined the spirit of the car by restoring it. No wonder it overheats now, it's probably ashamed of what it looks like today... ;-)