A Love for Antique Cars

By Oreta Wright

Sun Columnist

Will Head has always had a love of antique cars and restoration of them. He has a 1941 Dodge truck, a 1926 T Model Ford and a 1978 Trans Am.

The truck has a modern motor and transmission. In restoring an automobile, the old stock of the period is used. If not, newer materials are used.

The Model T has a 20 HP motor, the same year motor as the frame. It has the original radiator. Everything on the car is original. The car has wood spoke wheels. There is a crank to start it. The crank can kick back and injure you. The choke is a lever outside the car, near the crank. It also has a throttle instead of a gas pedal. With it is a lever to adjust the spark according to the speed. The T Model was begun in 1908 and continued to 1928.

The Trans Am is a 1978 that he bought new in Atlanta. He is the only owner. He was working for his dad and at the age of 17 he purchased the Trans Am. The car has a 400 cubic inch V8 motor with a four barrel carburetor, automatic transmission T Tops, all power and modern. The exterior is chesterfield brown with camel tan interior.

Will has collected three vehicles, his great grandmother’s Victrola, his grandfather’s 1926 “visible gas pump” from his farm and a crank telephone. The globe of the gas pump lights up at night. He had to replace the globe but the rest is original.

He said he collects and restores cars, he does not sell them. All the vehicles pass inspections. The Model T meets the standards of the time built. It must be registered under the 1926 license. These cars are entered in shows in Linden and Atlanta. The T Model has been used in several weddings.

The truck will run at a regular rate of speed. However the T Model runs around 20-25 MPH and is seldom run on a main highway because it could be dangerous due to the slow speed.

Other collectables are an old oil tank, hand turned. There is an oil bottle. There were no disposable oil cans. Oil was run into the quart bottle and put in the car. He ordered the bottle from a catalog. He has a jack for the 1926 T Model. There is a gas gage used for a T or A Model Ford.

Will was graduated from Atlanta High School. He attended TSTI in Waco, majoring in electronic s. He operates “Will’s Remodeling” along with his son, Michael. He has run this business since finishing school. His father instilled the value of working. His father had him working, scraping paint by the age of nine.

He and his wife, Cindy, have four children. I am also fond of old cars. Will showed me the motor of the T Model and cranked the car to start. It has a distinctive sound when running. So is the horn. He has found the truck and Model T through word and by seeing them on the road.

The Trans Am is in perfect condition. He has always had a garage to keep it. It is a wonderful collection.