HAZEL RAE

CAR ENTHUSIAST P

Story by CANDEE HARRIS / Photography by JOHN RIDDLE

Hazel Rae has been featured in Southern Weddings Magazine and has been crowned “Best of Show” at an Altamaha Classic Cruisers car show.

Acar enthusiast since a young age, Alan Jones fi rst got the bug around age 11 while helping his Uncle Jack with restoration on a 1930 Ford Model A Roadster, a sassy convertible with a rumble seat. The simple task of cleaning the brake drums and other mechanical parts of the brakes hooked him, and he dreamed of someday owning an antique car himself.

But as a teenager in the late sixties, Alan’s head turned and he fell hard for the sleek Corve e Stingray. He bought his fi rst one, a 1973 model, after graduating from the University of Florida and returning

EVERYONE NOTICES WHEN ALAN JONES RIDES BY IN HIS FULLY RESTORED CLASSIC

Alan Jones acts as the chau eur for friends and family in his fully restored four-door 1930 Ford Model A Deluxe for weddings and special occasions.

to Jesup with his wife Lynn to work in his family’s business, Jones Drug Company. Over the next two-anda-half decades, four more Ve es followed. They included a pre-owned 1982 that was originally owned by

his late father-in-law, a new 1990 in burgundy that he custom-ordered and later learned was one of only fi ve built to the same specs, a 1998 that was all black, and his current one, a 2003 Millennium Yellow Z06.

But we all know fi rst loves never really die. With that being said, about 15 years ago, Alan decided to go in search of his own Model A and found a Tudor, a 1929 2-door model, with a plan to restore it completely. He reached out to a well-known restorer of Model A’s, Benny Bohannon, in Maysville, Georgia, about taking on the project. However, while in the process of the restoration, it became apparent that it would be quite expensive. Benny suggested to Alan that he might want to consider looking further to see if there was another Model A he would be interested in that would not need the degree of restoration that the Tudor required. Alan began perusing Hemmings Motor News, an auto trading

A WORLD OF FAST CARS AND BIG TRUCKS, HAZEL RAE’S

LAID-BACK RIDE JUST MAKES PEOPLE HAPPY.

TOP LEFT: A cross is displayed prominently on the passenger side as a symbol of the man’s faith who restored the car.

magazine that features classic cars. And he found just what he was looking for – a completely restored 1930 Ford Model A Deluxe four-door that was already completely restored. He sent an inquiry to the magazine, according to their policy, and they reached out to the owner in Peachtree City, Georgia. Coincidentally, while in Atlanta a week later, Alan got a call from the car’s owner, Phil Meyers. Alan arranged to see the car the next day and knew he’d found the one he wanted. Before he left, he paid Mr. Meyers and returned to pick up the car a few days later at the end of December 2019.

As a Deluxe Model, Alan's car has several features that would not be available on more basic Model A's. Her back seat provides arm rests for guests; she sports a dome light over the back seat and features a suitcase trunk mounted on the back. Standard features include a windshield that rolls out at the bo om to provide "air conditioning" and side window air vents. However, one of her most intriguing features is the location and design of the gas tank. It sits within the dashboard of the car and has a leveling instrument that indicates the amount of gas present. When Hazel Rae is ready to rest after a drive, she must remain cranked until all of the gas drains from her tank because the gas fl ows by gravity. The gas tank is above the carburetor, so the fuel must fl ow downhill. When the gas is turned off at the tank inside the car, the remaining gas left in the line must be used, or it will run out on the ground.

Part of the fascination with this particular car was the documentation that came along with her. Among the accessories that Mr. Meyers provided to Alan were a notebook binder containing receipts and other detailed documentation for every single step of Mr. Meyers' restoration project on the car, most of which he did himself except for the painting and engine restoration, which was done by Benny Bohannon. There was also a journal in which he had handwri en every service and repair that had been completed, including dates, mileage, and what had been done. Alan continues this documentation process, enjoying the sheer fun of doing it.

Mr. Meyers also shared with Alan stories and magazine articles about the Model A’s life and adventures, among them the fact that he had aff ectionately named her Hazel Rae and called her his girlfriend. Since he purchased her in 1996, they had participated in numerous classic car shows, including one in Talladega where Hazel Rae, along with the other participants, had the honor of driving on the iconic race track. He also drove her from Faye eville, Georgia, to Mobile, Alabama, as well as many other places the same as he would a newer car, just not quite as fast as her top speed is about 55 miles per hour. She was also featured in the March 2014 issue of Southern Weddings Magazine.

Since Alan acquired her, Hazel Rae has continued her reign as a classic diva. She’s proudly served as a newlywed getaway car for two of Lex and Joy Kenerly’s children and their spouses and has been crowned Best of Show winner at an Altamaha Classic Cruisers show.

Alan and Lynn have truly enjoyed having Hazel Rae in the family, and they always get smiles and waves from other folks on the road. In a world of fast cars and big trucks, Hazel Rae’s laid-back ride just makes people happy. |WM

CAR ENTHUSIAST P

HAZEL RAE HAS SEVERAL FEATURES THAT WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE ON MORE BASIC MODEL A’S.