By MICHAEL STRAND

Salina Journal

"Don't scratch the truck," someone said, as the pallbearers loaded Zane Krahl's casket into the back of the bright yellow, 1931 Ford Model A -- a truck with a bed short enough that the casket extended about a foot past the open tailgate.

With a tie-down holding the casket in place, the truck, followed by nearly two dozen other antique cars -- mostly Model A's -- wove through Salina on Wednesday afternoon from St. Mary Queen of the Universe Church to Mount Calvary Cemetery.

"My mom always said Dad would go to the cemetery in that truck," said Zane's daughter, Becky Krahl.

Zane Krahl died Saturday at the age of 77.

Becky said that her father and the early line of Fords had a long history. His first car back in high school was a Model A, which he later sold for $25 -- and regretted, Becky said.

For three decades, Zane Krahl ran Zane's Antique Cars & Parts out of his Salina home, a catalog and mail-order business specializing in helping people across the nation find parts for their Model A's.

Zane Krahl and his wife, Frances, traveled the country in the Model A truck, Becky said, even taking it to Mount Rushmore; for the couple's 50th anniversary a few years ago, they went to a Model A owners convention in Kansas City.

"He told us they didn't want anything for their anniversary, just to go to that convention," she said.

Zane Krahl belonged to several car clubs devoted specifically to Model A's, or to antique cars in general, Becky said, and he made no distinction between fellow enthusiasts, friends and parts customers.

"They weren't just customers, they were also his friends," she said, standing to the side of the long, double row of antique cars parked at the cemetery.

While some of those antique cars and their owners were from Salina, close to a dozen were longtime friends from the Wichita area or other places around Kansas.

"I bought parts from him, and we were in the clubs together," said Bob More of Junction City, who said he had known Zane Krahl since the 1970s. More drove his '51 Chevy in Wednesday's funeral procession.

More said Zane Krahl had an impressive knowledge of the Model A.

"When I get to heaven, and need to know something about a Model A, he'll be there," More said.

Zane's wife, Frances Krahl, said Zane would have loved the procession. Her bright yellow jacket was deliberately picked out to match the truck, she said with a laugh, and the yellow roses were also part of the color-coordinated package taking its cues from the truck.

"He really loved Model A's, and we wanted to do this for him," Frances Krahl said, adding that his gravestone includes an etching of a Model A.

"He would have liked it," More said. "One last ride in his Model A."

n Reporter Mike Strand can be reached at 822-1418 or by e-mail at mstrand@salina.com.

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