Joe Lappin Jr passed away this week at 91.
Most don’t know him as he was more regional/local.
How was a hero. Out of nowhere at age 80, Joe decided he wanted to own and drive a Model T for the first time! And he did!
He found a restoration in progress in an estate, bought it and proceeded to have the restoration done-his way.
It was a 27 Fordor and the mechanicals were flawless and show quality. I winced when he decided to finish it Kelly Green over black running gear. I winced when he called Elizabeth and told her his first driver ever was something like a brocade in an Essex and could she cut him a complete set of that very material for his 4Door.
He finished the car his way and it was unique but also grand. He’d go around at car gatherings and tape empty balloons to windshields but mark them with a Sharpy “air bag”
He would just show up at my shop, “can I borrow a spark plug? “ and never stayed for coffee, later I’d find he had broken a porcelain. One day he showed up with his crank handle. What? His answer, yours if you want it, got tired of shin bashing, has a starter, don’t need it, took it off...it’s yours! Called me one time, said he had a flat, could I stop over? I went over 2 days later, car was up on all fours! How’d you get that done Joe? They are demounts and I wonder who else had a whirly gig? Joe answer, did it myself, tire irons! Get any pinch? Nah!!!!
There are 100 Joe stories, always fun.
He hung in with his T for as long as he could. He had fun...and before he was 80 he never even had the urge.
It can be done! RIP Joe
A eulogy
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Topic author - Posts: 543
- Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 12:32 pm
- First Name: George
- Last Name: Mills
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1915 Roadster, 1919 Hack, 1925 Fordor
- Location: Cherry Hill NJ/Anona Largo FL
- MTFCA Number: 29497
- MTFCI Number: 10032
- Board Member Since: 1999
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- Posts: 1563
- Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:46 am
- First Name: Dennis
- Last Name: Seth
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1922 Coupe 1927 Touring
- Location: Jefferson Ohio
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- Posts: 582
- Joined: Sun Mar 24, 2019 8:22 pm
- First Name: John
- Last Name: Michaelree
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1926 Touring 1927 Tudor
- Location: st louis
- MTFCA Number: 50389
- Board Member Since: 2010
Re: A eulogy
Follow your dreams, it's not just for twenty year olds. Hope I can make it to 80 AND remember that. Through your post, Joe Lappin Jr is still inspiring. My condolences.
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- Posts: 1069
- Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 12:18 pm
- First Name: John
- Last Name: Warren
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 14 Roadster, 25 Pickup , 26 Canadian Touring , and a 24-28 TA race car
- Location: Henderson, Nevada
Re: A eulogy
Joe sounds like a great guy, sad to loose a brother. Condolences. jw
24-28 TA race car, 26 Canadian touring, 25 Roadster pickup, 14 Roadster, and 11AB Maxwell runabout
Keep it simple and keep a good junk pile if you want to invent something
Keep it simple and keep a good junk pile if you want to invent something