Wednesday, July 13, 2005
1931 Ford Model A
Shows/events • Weekly Cruise Nights
BY BRIAN BEAULIEU
Journal Staff Writer
The restoration of Jim Brenek's Model A Ford Tudor wasn't progressing.
He bought the car in 1968 for $350 -- "a little high, but I had to have
it," he says. He worked on it in his spare time for three years.
"Then, like a lot of things, it took second priority, then third priority,
then all the work ceased." Until 2000, when his father, Karl, made him
an offer: he would take care of the finances if Jim would handle the labor.
"I want to ride in it before I die," his father said. So Brenek
put the Model A back on the front burner and completed the frame-off restoration
that took two more years. His father, who lives near Brenek in Warwick, got
his ride, and then some.
The four-cylinder engine was rebuilt in New Hampshire, but Brenek did everything
else, including the paint job and the upholstery. "It was a kit, I didn't
do any sewing," he says.
Brenek says the Model A appeals to him because it's easy to work on, and
parts are readily available. And, like his father says, everyone had a Model
A back in the day. But not all of the new parts are perfect fits, and Brenek,
a tool maker, says his profession comes in handy.
This was his first restoration, and it came out well enough that he's well
into his second Model A, a 1931 roadster that he says is about 40 percent
complete. Sometime in the future, he'll have a matching set.
ENGINE/TRANSMISSION: Four cylinder, 40 hp; three-speed manual.
COLOR: Black/Apple green.
MILEAGE: 1,000 on restoration.
PLATE: MODL-A.
CAN BE SEEN: Tuesdays at Oakland Beach; Warwick Mall on Wednesdays.
CONDITION: Restored to original.
If you have a classic car you wish to be considered
for this feature, please e-mail bbeaulie@projo.com with
details.
Shows/events • Weekly Cruise
Nights
A couple of changes are on the cruise night schedule this week as the Crescent
Park carousel Saturday night cruise in the Riverside section of East Providence
takes the week off. It will return next week for the rest of the season, except
for Aug. 13.
The new cruise at Appetites Restaurant on Tiogue Avenue in Coventry has been
changed from Thursday nights to Mondays.
The Mustang Club of New England will hold a roundup for all cars in the Ford
family, including Lincolns, Mercurys and anything powered by Ford, including
Shelbys and Sunbeam Alpine Tigers. It will be Sunday at Rodman Ford, across
from Gillette Stadium in Foxboro. The Mustang Club is planning a similar show
in Warwick this fall.
Hot rods and motorcycles will be on display at the annual show at Ocean State
Harley Davidson in Warwick on Saturday. On Sunday, White's of Westport will
hold a car show from 4-7 with a sock hop afterward.
Cruise nights that are not held weekly are listed by
date just below.
JULY
Saturday, July 16 -- Motorcycles and Hot Rods, Ocean State Harley Davidson,
5 Albany Rd., Warwick, exit 15 off Route 95, 10-5.
Saturday, July 16 -- Market Place Plaza, 1160 Stafford Rd., Tiverton, 4-dusk.
Sunday, July 17 -- Green Room, 145 Clifford St., Providence, 1964 and older
cars only, 8-on.
Sunday, July 17 -- White's of Westport, 66 State Rd., Westport, 4-7.
Sunday, July 17 -- Mustangs and Fords, Rodman Ford, Route 1, Foxboro, across
from Gillette Stadium, 9-4. Rain date July 24.
Sunday, July 17 -- Quinsigamond Community College, 670 West Boylston St.,
Worcester, 8-4. Rain date July 24.
Sunday, July 17 -- American Muscle Cars, Museum of Transportation, Newton
Street, Brookline, Mass., 10-3.
July 19 -- West Greenwich Plaza, 780 Victory Highway, West Greenwich, 6-dusk.
July 20 -- American Legion post, Route 79, south of Route 140, Berkley, Mass.,
5-dusk.
July 21 -- Regional High School, Route 106, South Easton, Mass., 6-9.
July 23 -- Hopkins Field, Route 6, Scituate, 8-3.
July 24 -- Hot Air Balloon Festival, URI athletic fields, Route 138, Kingston,
antiques, Corvettes (9-noon), British cars, motorcycles, 5:30 a.m.-dusk.
July 24 -- Hot Rods, Museum of Transportation, Newton Street, Brookline, Mass.,
10-3.
July 26 -- Brooks Pharmacy plaza, Washington Street, Canton, Mass., 5-dusk.
July 28 -- Inside Scoop, 1105 Scituate Ave., Cranston, 5:30-dusk.
July 29-31 -- Autos of the World, show, auction and swap meet, Goddard State
Park, 345 Ives Road, Warwick.
July 31 -- Cars, trucks, motorcycles, Livesey Park, Fairhaven, Mass., 8-3.
July 31 -- Triumph day, Museum of Transportation, Newton Street, Brookline,
Mass., 10-3.
AUGUST
Aug. 5 -- Mattapoisett wharf, Mattapoisett, Mass., 5-9.
Aug. 6 -- Ford show, Tasca Ford, Route 37 at Pontiac Avenue, Cranston, 9-3.
Aug. 6 -- Ford Falcon show, Quality Inn, Route 83, Vernon, Conn., 8-3.
Aug. 7 -- Charlestown Seafood Festival, Ninigret Park, off Route 1, 11-3.
Aug. 7 -- Cumberland Festival, Diamond Hill State Park, Route 114, Cumberland,
9-3.
Aug. 7 -- Corvette show, Marina Park, Salt Pond Road, off Route 1, South Kingstown,
8:30-3.
Aug. 7 -- UMass. campus, Dartmouth, Mass., 8-3.
Aug. 7 -- Mazda Miata day, Museum of Transportation, Newton Street, Brookline,
Mass., 10-3.
Aug. 12 -- St. Mary's Church, Dartmouth Street, Dartmouth, Mass., 5-9.
Aug. 19 -- Shawmut Diner, Hathaway Road, Exit 3 off Route 140, New Bedford,
5-9.
Aug. 20 -- R.I. Air National Guard show, Schoolhouse Road, Coventry, 10-3.
Aug. 21 -- Medway VFW, 126 Holliston Rd., Medway, Mass. 8-3.
Aug. 21 -- MG/Rover day, Museum of Transportation, Newton Street, Brookline,
Mass., 10-3.
Aug. 27, 28 -- Military vehicle show, Quonset Air Museum, North Kingstown,
10-4.
Aug. 28 -- Show and flea market, Somerset Middle School, 1141 Brayton Ave.,
Somerset, 10-5.
Aug. 28 -- Plainfield School, Route 14A, Plainfield, Conn., 8-4.
Aug. 28 -- Vintage Ford day, includes Lincolns and Mercurys, pre-1970, Museum
of Transportation, Newton Street, Brookline, Mass., 10-3.
WEEKLY CRUISE NIGHTS
Sundays
Sam's Club, Route 6, Seekonk, 5-dusk.
Big River Inn, 809 Nooseneck Hill Rd., Route 3, West Greenwich, 5-8.
Mondays
Burger King-Krispy Kreme lot, Sockanosset Road and Pontiac Avenue, Cranston, 6-9.
Seekonk Speedway, Route 6, Seekonk, 6-dusk.
Middle of Nowhere diner, 223 Nooseneck Hill Rd., Route 3, Exeter, cars and motorcycles, 5-8:30.
Appetites Restaurant, 473 Tiogue Ave., Coventry, 5-8.
Towne Pizza, Plum Corner, off Route 105, Rochester, Mass., 5-9.
Motorcycles, Chan's Restaurant, 267 Main St., Woonsocket, 5:30-8:30.
Tuesdays
A&W, Route 44, Smithfield, 6-9.
Oakland Beach, Warwick, 5-9.
Jukebox Diner, Route 6, Somerset, 5-9.
Slater Park, Pawtucket, 5-9.
Patriot's Bar and Grille, Routes 140 and 126, Bellingham, Mass., 6-9.
Motorcycles, Suzy Q's Place, 208 Plainfield Pike, Scituate, 5-9.
Wednesdays
Warwick Mall, food court entrance, Route 2, Warwick, 6-9.
Denny's, Exit 7 off Route 95, Coventry, 6-9.
Main Street, Woonsocket, 5:30-8:30.
Club Raymond, 1084 Charles St., North Providence, 5-9.
Downtown Attleboro, 5-8:30.
Florentina restaurant, Route 140, Franklin, Mass., 6-9.
Mohegan Sun, roof of Riverview garage, Uncasville, Conn., 6-9. Begins tonight.
Thursdays
Scrambler's diner, off Route 122, Woonsocket, 5-9.
Star Drive-In, exit 10 off Route 140, Taunton, 5-9.
TGI Fridays, Routes 117 and 2, Warwick, 5-dusk. .
Appetites Restaurant, 473 Tiogue Ave., Coventry, 5-8.
Paddy's Bayside, 159 Atlantic Ave. Misquamicut Beach, Westerly, 5:30-dusk.
Fridays
McDonald's, Stop & Shop plaza, Route 122, Cumberland, 6-9.
Firestone tire store, Post Road, Route 1, Warwick, 6-9.
Gazebo at the Village Green, Route 116, North Scituate, 5-dusk. British cars and others.
Milk Bottle restaurant, Route 138, Raynham, 5:30-7:30.
Saturdays
Cliquot cruise, Route 109, Millis, Mass. 6-9.
To list an event, e-mail information to Bbeaulie [at] projo.com, phone (401) 277-7179, fax (401) 277-8175 or write to Brian Beaulieu, Journal Features Department, 75 Fountain St., Providence, RI 02902.
