A Car Nearly as Old as Duke
A Car Nearly as Old as Duke
Bill Bass inherited a nearly century-old Model A from his father and is reigniting his love for the Ford in his dad’s honor
Not long after James B. Duke designated a gift in 1924 that transformed Trinity College into Duke University, a Model A painted the color Bonnie Gray and nicknamed “Cranky” was built.
One of about 5 million classic Ford cars built between 1928 and 1931, this particular version lived its entire life in North Carolina. It was found in the 1970s on a rural farm and had suffered a dent in its front bumper but remained mostly unscathed mechanically.
A Car Nearly as Old as Duke
Bill Bass, a Performance Improvement Coach at Duke University Hospital, took his Model A nicknamed “Cranky” to visit the Duke Chapel earlier this year. The car was built in 1929. Photos by Travis Stanley.
Bill Bass’ father, Ashley Bass, and grandfather, William Bass, bought the car in 1977 for about $4,000 – more than 10 times its original sale price in 1929 – and spent about the same figure renovating it to its original glory.
Bill Bass, now a Performance Improvement Coach at Duke University Hospital, was about 5 years old at the time.
“I kind of grew up with this car,” Bass said. “This is my brother, if you will. Not having a sibling, I kind of fought for attention with the car.”
For years, Bass watched as the vehicle went to car shows and won awards. The car moved away to Charlotte as he continued living in the Raleigh area, but when Bass got married in 1998, he thought it might be cool to use the car in his wedding.
And that’s when the love affair with Cranky truly began. Ashley Bass signed the Model A over to Bill Bass in 2001, and the Ford became more than a hobby.
Owning a nearly 100-year-old car requires specialized knowledge, Bass has learned. It’s a stick-shift without power steering. There are no anti-lock brakes, and going over 55 mph is a treacherous endeavor. The oil must be changed every 500 miles.
“The biggest thing is you drive very defensively,” Bass said. “You're always looking for what the other driver’s about to do. Because they see me and they're like, ‘Oh, wow!’ And when you see something that makes you say, ‘Oh, wow,’ you usually turn towards it.”
Want to know what it's like to ride in a car that's nearly a century old? Tell us why you want a ride in Bill Bass' Ford Model A down Duke’s Chapel Drive by filling out this form. A winner will be contacted for a special ride-along on Oct. 14 or 15 (weather permitting).
Once, he saw a van following him near his home in Apex and thought he was being tailed by the FBI. It turned out to be a fellow Model A owner who wanted to invite him to be a part of the Model A Restorers Club.
During an outing with the local TarWheel A’s earlier in 2024 in the small community of Pittsboro, he parked Cranky next to a brick wall with some fellow Model A’s. Through a little editing magic that removed a Tesla and added some sepia tones, the photo he took looks like it could have been snapped in the 1920s.
Remembering the past has helped keep Bass close to his father, who died last year.
“Sort of as a memorial to him,” Bass said. “It’s kind of like stepping back into his shoes, trying to fill the void that he left.”
Like the Model A, it’s a lasting tribute.
Bill Bass took his Model A "Cranky" on an outing with the local TarWheel A's earlier this year to Pittsboro, where some sepia tones made the photos look out of the 1920s. Photos courtesy of Bill Bass.
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