" THE FENTIMAN CAR PROJECT "

One of the more interesting projects undertaken by the Stampede City Club in recent years has been the recently completed re-assembly of the "Fentiman Car", a 1930 Model 50-B Sport Coupe in which Louise and Henry Fentiman did some of their courting some two generations ago. 

During more intervening years than Louise likes to remember the Fentiman's were active members of the Model "A" hobby inclusive of  their membership in the Stampede City Club, and culminating prior to Henry's untimely death in 1993 with his being considered the Club's foremost technical expert of the era.  (Of note is that the annually presented MAFCA NW Regional award for technical writing is known as the "Fentiman Award") 

With time, and in addition to a multitude of spare parts, Henry and Louise acquired a 1930 Tudor which gradually became their prime driver while to a greater and greater degree their beloved Sport Coupe pouted in the corner until Henry decided the time had finally come to restore it.  Its total disassembly including the removal of the paint had just been completed prior to Henry's death.  Subsequently, in conjunction with Louise's move to a new home, she was therefore faced with the decision of what to do with what had now become an even greater mound of Model "A"parts resident in the garage. 

Enter Harry Wigle.  Harry, a respected member of the Crossfield community north of Calgary, a multi-year member of the Club, and a friend of the Fentiman's, offered the use of part of one of his farm buildings as a storage location for Louise's collection of parts.  A contingent of Club Members then undertook the task of moving them all - - - including of course, the various components of the Sport Coupe.  

It was one of those random comments that triggered the Fentiman project.  On one occasion Louise was heard to say that, "It was too bad it was the Tudor she was driving when it was the Sport Coupe that contained most of the memories".  Enter Paul Chudek.  Paul & Kathy Chudek, long term and respected members of the Stampede City Club had served the Club in a multitude of ways, inclusive at the time of Paul being the Club's Director responsible for technical projects.  On the premise that it would not only be a worthwhile project but that it could serve as a good technical learning experience for some of the newer members of the Club, Paul proposed that the Club undertake, not the restoration of the Fentiman car, but its re-assembly.  When Harry Wigle volunteered the use of his premises and equipment the foundation for what was to become an interesting six year project was established. 

Paul acted as the project coordinator and the liaison with the Club throughout the course of the project while Harry acted as its prime technical driver, assembly coordinator, and supplier of both parts and expertise.  A multitude of Club members sporadically contributed their time to the project beginning with the task of determining which parts from the pile belonged to the Sport Coupe and which did not.  The author recalls one of these early sessions in which items were moved from the storage building to the assembly location through a corral containing snow drifts some of which were more than 3 feet deep. 

One of the great challenges of the project was the ongoing need to decide whether any specific component could be simply re-assembled or whether it should be either restored or replaced.  The net result was that although a significant number of components were simply cleaned, painted and reassembled, many, if not the majority such as the motor (re-built utilizing a replacement block contributed by Harry) the upholstery and top (supplied by Louise from LeBaron Bonney) and the tires (new Firestones) were replaced or restored. 

The body components were particularly challenging in that not only did the rust that had accumulated since the paint was removed have to be dealt with but some of the rusty areas simply disappeared during the cleaning process.  Then delays were incurred when the  Bodyman / Painter working on the project encountered personal problems as well as when various "Snowbird" members of the project team kept disappearing to warmer climes each winter. 

In the spring of 2001 however, the Fentiman Project finally reached its conclusion and without Louise's knowledge the car was readied for presentation at the Club's regular June meeting.  Harry trailered the car to the Clubhouse, Paul provided a bit of background dialogue, Louise was presented with the keys, and all of the members in attendance re-convened on the driveway to relish in the accomplishment.