Just another Burkhard visit

I called Burkhard to see if there was anything new with the Model T. Not really, he said, I’ve painted the chassis. Well, I said, since I have to go to our chacra anyway to pick up my mechanical sheep (he has real sheep; I require a four-stroke engine mounted on wheels with a blade spinning really fast to keep grass trimmed), that might be interesting to see.

As I pulled in, I didn’t actually notice this at first: another Model A chassis.

Model A chassis, Uruguay

But as we walked around the garage, I definitely noticed this:

Unresotred Model As, Uruguay

two more unrestored 1929 Model A’s (I had to ask), purchased at auction for $400 each. The better chassis will remain here; the other will go to someone else into this stuff. Burkhard’s end result will be a pickup truck, hybrid of genuine original Model A and Model T pieces. Seems wife had issues with excessive wrecks populating the back yard. Hey, it’s a guy thing; get over it!

Model A's, Uruguay

Meanwhile, in the garage he built between two containers, Burkhard’s restored A is joined by a four door Sedan, which he stores for a friend whose mother drove it – in Montevideo – until 15 years ago. Yes, let that sink in. The black vehicle is all original.

Boggles the mind.

Model T chassis, Uruguay

Meanwhile, here’s the T chassis – upside-down and lovingly painted. It’s very light, and surprisingly flimsy.


I got curious: the Model A versions ranged from about  (USD) $400 – 1,400 in 1929, or ~$5,840 – 20,400 in 2018 dollars. That seems reasonable.

On the other hand, $400 in 2018 would have been worth $27.40 in 1929. I’d say that’s rather a screaming bargain either way.

 

 

 

5 thoughts on “Just another Burkhard visit

  1. Oh this is a fabulous post. Very satisfying! Please convey my admiration to Burkhard. Also got to hand it to Ford. Back then, planned obsolescence wasn’t a thing. It came soon enough though.

    1. Thanks Savyra – I really appreciate the feedback! In putting this together I ran across, but can’t find now, a list of the countries where Ford produced this car, including Russia. Imagine the logistics of running an international manufacturing operation in the 1920s…. I still marvel at how, when living in Germany in 1984, I was able to rendezvous with my best friend from prep school, who lived in New York, at the Louvre – no internet, cell phones, text messages: but I have a pre-Photoshop photo (I’m on the left). .

  2. 3 cheers for the red, white, and blue…jacket.

    Your friend looks a little like Dieter from SNL’s late ’80’s period.

    Does Burkhard find these cars at the Remate auctions? I wonder what the supply of American cars from the 1960’s & 1970’s is at these auctions?

    I was thinking about your friend’s mom still driving her Model A up until fifteen years ago. I can see that here. The variety of motorized and non-motorized vehicles on the streets of MVD are amazing and pretty interesting if you pay attention and are in to that sort of thing.

    1. I liked that jacket – never thought about the colors! I’ll have to ask again about the auction. The story was a bit convoluted; something about an asado and he couldn’t make it to the auction so somebody else bought them…. Apparently these cars were part of the Bouza collection, but obviously never restored. Something about 100 cars auctioned at some point in the past, and only one bid for USD 20,000 for the lot…. I’m not deliberately being vague: conversations with Burkhard remind me of something my father used to say: “He jumped on his horse and rode off in all directions.”

      Antique American cars are quite rare. Here’s one of the few I’ve seen. Oh, and then the 1960 Ford Falcon with a Mercedes diesel engine. I agree vehicles here are fascinating – I’ve done many posts about them.

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