Davidson Realty, Inc.

The Story of “Tin Lizzie”

February 9, 2012

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Posted by in Agent Feature, Staff

IMG_3988You might come to visit Davidson Realty’s office in St. Augustine and get to see “Tin Lizzie”.  No, that is not one of our agent’s nicknames, it just happens to be a 1930 Model A Coupe with a rumble seat that has been lovingly restored by Bob Lay, husband and business partner to one of our Top Producers, Dottie Lay.

In speaking with Bob about his “Lizzie”, it was evident the passion that he has had about working on these vintage cars for years.  “I had a Model A Ford Coupe Convertible many, many years ago as a younger man and enjoyed working on it.”  That was why he decided to look for his latest Model A, which he found in a warehouse in Ocala, Florida.  “It was a solid car, but in somewhat rough condition and needed a lot of work to make it in show condition.”  Bob has done that work in his World Golf Village home’s garage.  First he did a total body disassembly; it was primed, painted and put all back together again by an auto painter.  He pulled the rear-end, and transmission out and put new seals in it, re-wired the headlights, taillights and the instrument panel.  Next on his list is a whole new interior for Lizzie, which should be done within the next ten days.

IMG_3984When I asked Bob why he called his Model A “Lizzie”, he explained that back in the late 1920’s, everyone had a horse & buggy, and the farmers would say they were going out to the stable and hook up Lizzie to the wagon.  So, when Henry Ford came out with his new form of transportation, it became referred to as the “Tin Lizzie”.

Right now you might pass Bob and Dottie out on a Sunday drive around St. Augustine in Lizzie, but his objective is to take her to car shows with the earliest one being the “Spring Turkey Run” in Daytona, FL March 30th through April 1st of this year where he hopes to take a prize in the “Vintage Horseless Carriage” category.

In the true fashion of Irving Kaufman’s song “Henry’s Made a Lady Out of Lizzie”, our very own Bob has made his own lady out of Lizzie and we are all vying for the first ride in the rumble seat!  So if you pass Bob and Dottie out and about in Lizzie, make sure you wave or stop by Davidson Realty’s office and ask to meet Lizzie.

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