Angus keeps Model A purring

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 09/06/2022 (1346 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Jack Angus’ 1929 Ford Model A was a serendipitous find.

Angus walks his dog each day, and while out exploring Brandon he spotted the car’s roof sitting in a carport. He waited a couple of months hoping to run into the former owner and learn more about the hidden treasure.

“I’m always looking for cars. I always like cars and working on them. I could see the car roof and I knew it was something special there, so I stopped and talked to him one day,” Angus said with a grin. “He showed me [the Model A] and during the discussion, I ended up buying the car from him.”

Angus and his wife had been avid campers for many years, he said, but gave up the hobby during COVID-19. They sold their RV and truck. He spotted the Model A soon after — the timing was written in the stars, and he was able to purchase the coupe.

Angus has carefully maintained trucks over the years, he said, but the Model A marks his first foray into working with an antique.

Angus had been eyeing the coupe for a couple of months before he got behind the wheel in the fall of 2021.

“I always liked Model As. They were always a favourite little car of mine,” Angus said.

“When I saw it was the little five-window coupe, I knew that was a car I wanted.”

The Model A was in prime condition when he brought it home, and it required minimum maintenance to get it on the road.

Angus has polished the crimson red paint, painted the wheels and replaced the tires.

Locating rubber for the car takes time, he added, as the only place he could find offering something that worked was an antique dealer out of Edmonton.

He had to get tires shipped out to Brandon before he could get the Model A on the road.

When he first got the Model A out of the garage and onto the streets of Brandon, it was running “a little rougher,” Angus said, and he has worked to get the car driving smoothly.

Each time he takes it out, he develops new ways to get it purring like a kitten.

The car is to spec using all original Model A parts.

The authentic water-cooled L-head inline-four engine with a displacement of 201 cubic inches (3.3 l) provides around 40 horsepower and a top speed of around 70 km/h.

He has replaced the spark plugs and caps to ensure the engine runs smoothly, as well.

Overall, the coupe has proven to be a simple car to run and maintain.

“They’re [the engine] easy to fix, but they have their own little quirks about them,” Angus said. “I’m still learning about it. I’m still having a few troubles with it, the ignition is not quite right on it, it backfires once in a while, but that’s all right. That’s part of it.”

The coupe boasts a rumble seat that can be set up in the back when needed for additional seating. The trunk of the car can be removed to use as the back of the seat using hinges that attach to the sides of the car. A cushion serves as a seat for the passenger’s comfort.

A Flying Quail hood ornament sits at the front of the Model A. Angus described it as an aftermarket for the Model A. The bird was selected as a mascot for the vehicle to represent the car’s firecracker speed at the time of its initial release.

Angus tried to get out on the road last fall, but a tire blew on the day the Model A was set to get safetied.

Once the new tires arrived, he was able to get it approved to take out on the road in the spring and has been getting out as much as possible.

Angus has always had a passion for cars and appreciates connecting with others who share a love for vintage, classic and unique vehicles.

The Model A made its first show appearance at the Cruise Night in Downtown Brandon on June 2. Angus enjoyed getting out and showing his find to fellow automotive lovers.

He attends the cruises as much as possible because as an “old parts guy,” he has been working with cars his entire life. He knows many members of the car communities and appreciates having the chance to connect with others over their different rides.

He plans on attending the car show in his hometown of Wawanesa later this summer, along with participating in Super Run at the end of July.

Angus will be keeping the Model A to spec, for now, he said. In the future, he might add a two-speed transmission to get the car going a little faster.

While he may do some updates, he has no desire to “hotrod it.” Any changes he does undertake will be taken over the winter while the Model A is in hibernation.

» ckemp@brandonsun.com

» Twitter: @The_ChelseaKemp