Tom Sheenan of Agawam has owned his 1930 Model A
Roadster since 1969, but never restored it. He enjoys driving the car just the
way it is.
Reminder Publishing photo by Mike Lydick
AGAWAM — Nearly 5 million Model As rumbled off the Ford assembly line between October 1927 and March 1932. Only about half a million have survived.
Though prized by collectors today, Model As became so common by the 1950s that they weren’t considered valuable. So many were customized, turned into hot rods, raced as stock cars, or junked that they nearly disappeared.
But Model A clubs, like the Connecticut Valley Working A’s in Southwick, help ensure that the nearly 100-year-old cars will live on. Dedicated to helping club members restore and maintain their cars, the club is one of 270 local chapters of the national Model A Ford Club of America, and also is affiliated with the Model “A” Restorers Club.
Reminder Publishing photo by Mike Lydick
Members meet year-round every Wednesday evening in Southwick at a large garage owned Jack Moccio, who organized the club in 1997. The garage — with several bays, a complete set of tools and an automotive lift — allows members to make minor repairs, perform routine maintenance and exchange information about their classic American cars.
Weather permitting, during spring, summer and fall months members also enjoy taking their cars out for “runs” on Wednesday nights. They go to car shows, cruise nights, or just rides that almost always end up at a new and different ice cream shop.
David Drewniak, who lives in Agawam, has been a member of the club for 10 years and has served as its president since 2022.
“I try to keep all our members informed about upcoming runs, future plans and any other member-related news,” he said. “We’re not a large club — we have about 15 active members — but we’re enthusiastic about our cars.”
He said the club helps members keep their cars roadworthy: “That may mean helping rebuild or repair/replace parts as well as adjusting/correcting parts to original specifications. We also have enough shared experiences that most problems/issues can be analyzed and addressed to get the vehicles back up and running.”
Drewniak said he appreciates the club because he can find people, like himself, who enjoy the engineering of Model As.
“It’s a marvel of simplicity by today’s standards, yet I’m amazed at the technology achieved for that era. One of the most important things we do is enjoy our cars by driving them,” said Drewniak, who owns a 1931 Model A pickup truck.
His dark green-and-black truck took more than 40 years to restore.
“It underwent a full restoration,” said Drewniak. “The truck was what we call a ‘basket case’ when my dad helped me bring it home in pieces in 1969.”
He said his folks supported his efforts.
“They felt they could keep an eye on me and would know I was spending most of my free time in the garage. I restored the truck mechanically in two years, but didn’t do the bodywork. Higher education, marriage and family put the project on hold until 2013. I finally registered my truck in 2017 — and have been enjoying it ever since.”
Tom Sheehan, a member for more than a decade, said the club fosters a camaraderie among people devoted to the Depression-era Fords.
“It’s the people in the club who are important — the cars come second to the friendships formed because of our shared interest in Model As,” he said.
Sheenan, who also lives in Agawam, has owned his 1930 Model A Roadster since 1969, but never restored it. “This is not a show car — it’s what I call a driver. The car runs well and it’s drivable on the roads,” he said.
He added that the car’s maroon paint isn’t just faded, but probably also isn’t its original color.
“All Model As had black fenders — regardless of the body color. The fenders and body on mine are both the same color, so somebody repainted the car before I bought it,” he said.
Another issue with the car is that the fabric top is so badly torn that it’s always retracted into the well behind the seat.
“This Roadster is truly a fair-weather car. I don’t drive it in the rain, which is OK. I just love driving with the top down,” said Sheenan.
While most club members are older guys, both MAFCA and MARC have a youth coordinator who works to encourage younger people to take an interest in Model As so the hobby can continue with new generations of owners.
One young person who has eagerly followed Sheehan into Model A ownership is his grandson.
“He was bit by the Model A bug before he could even drive, because he was always hanging around with me,” Sheehan said. “Now, he’s involved in the club and owns not one, but three Model As.”
Sheehan said he feels “lucky” that he and grandson David Sheehan, who lives in Southwick, have a common interest: “He’s an excellent mechanic, too, so he works on my car as well as his own. I’m thrilled that we both love Model As.”
For more information about the club, contact Drewniak at 413-575-2442 or d.daviddrewniak@comcast.net.
