ICE & SNOW, will it still GO?
 

This is for all you old-timers or should I say Model A Veterans. I'm wondering just how well a Model A will handle in the snow and Icy roads?

We only got 4" but it really blew around to stack to as much as 3' drifts in areas. The roads are just hard-packed snow/ice.

Whatcha think, shoud I try it as long as there's no salt....?!?:confused:

Re: ICE & SNOW, will it still GO?
 

Install chains and go! Try to stay off of bare roads and you will have the time of your life. Gar Williams

Re: ICE & SNOW, will it still GO?
 

Never driven an A in snow, being from Florida but Ive driven on ice in more modern cars. I think you might be playing with fire. If its just around town a few miles with no real hills maybe, but it just doesn't sound like a good idea if the roads are that icy. Just my opinion.

Re: ICE & SNOW, will it still GO?
 

Great pic, looks like a lot of fun.

Re: ICE & SNOW, will it still GO?
 

Keep an eye on the website http://www.365daysofa.com/

He's going to drive his A every single day for a year in NE Michigan. This weekend he drove 18 miles in a blizzard and you can watch video of his drive.

They did it when the cars were new. He's reported very good results.

Re: ICE & SNOW, will it still GO?
 

Snow is no problem.Those skinny tires don't offer much resistance to the snow as you drive through it,and the snow won't try to pack in front of them as you go.Now,ice,bad for anything.Without power steering you can;t whip the wheel fast enough to recover when you are spinning in circles.Most cars have to strike something anyway to stop spinning.I was deer hunting once and came out of the woods during a fast moving storm.The snow was up to the hubcaps.My friend was right behind me with his 48 Jeep,and he was shocked at how fast I was going all the way out.When I hit the plowed road there was a fresh bank on the edge and I figured I would plow right through it.I was wrong.I wound up sitting on top of it with my front wheels in midair.The old Jeep bulled it's way through and pulled me off.

Re: ICE & SNOW, will it still GO?
 

Im sure most "A" model owner's are mature drivers, just remember you are out numbered by "Dinaling's" out trying to drive on snow while trying to text msg, talk on their cell phone, and many with little driving exp. on the snow... On a country road your probley ok, but if it's near town i woulden't take the chance of some one putting a den't, or worse in my "A". jmho;).

Re: ICE & SNOW, will it still GO?
 

I wouldn't try it with a nice car.

There's lots of historical evidence that Fords will go in the snow.

Re: ICE & SNOW, will it still GO?
 

i did some donuts with the phaeton on saturday
aside from freezing my ass off it was fine
tk

Re: ICE & SNOW, will it still GO?
 

take some before and after pics please

Re: ICE & SNOW, will it still GO?
 

Growing up our family car was a 30 tudor that we went everywhere in. I recall a pretty heavy snow storm one day and we were supposed to go to some kind of family affair. My dad cut my mom's clothesline down and then proceeded to cut it some more tying big knots into the smaller sections and then tied them around the rear wheels and tires. All I know is that we got there and back.

Re: ICE & SNOW, will it still GO?
 

I've done the rope thing on a motorcycle.I tied one end to a spoke,then lace it round and round until I got back to my starting point.I have a neat set of chains for an A.Each wheel uses three.You space them out evenly on three places on the rim.The solid band part that fits over the rim,is made for the A.It conforms exactly to the A rim.It is hard on the paint,the instructions say to place the band over the rim and tap into place with a hammer.Then you hook up the short chain.

Swedish snow driving in a Speedster
 

Here is an original photo of the Swedish version of fun, in a Speedsters, in the snow:

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/g...snowSweden.jpg

Nice looking Speedster they're driving!

Fordially,
Brad in snowy Germany

Re: ICE & SNOW, will it still GO?
 

I thought about doing the same thing but they salt the roads very fast around here, with an exception for last night. Roads still are not salted. What would normally take me 45 minutes to get to work took 2 1/2 today, one way!

Re: ICE & SNOW, will it still GO?
 

When I was in high school we drove the '31 Tudor every day in the winter. it went well. It was kept outside. This was in '54-5,'55-6, '56-7. Around '56 got a set of knobby snows for the rear from a '40 Ford [and used aluminum spacers from JC Whitney]. A couple times put chains on over the knobbies. The car was then unstoppable. The average street was packed snow [not ice - no salt] and it stopped rather well. This in upstate NY near Buffalo.

On coldest days we put cardboard over lower half of the radiator, tied with string to the headlight bar for security. This helped the manifold heater to warm the car [used a tin can to bridge from heater to firewall]. On the coldest nights - maybe 0 or a bit less, we put a trouble light under the hood with a 60 Watt bulb to help keep the recycled 40wt oil from going totally solid!

The Model A definitely runs fine in the winter! Of course, back then, salt was not an issue. It would be a huge issue today.

Regards,

Dyson

Re: ICE & SNOW, will it still GO?
 

When I do "IT", I am going to try a video of "IT". We have gotten a great snow, about 4" but it got pretty cold, 6+ and windy so we got some pretty good drifts. Most of the side roads (I live out in the country) are not salted. I will first try it around the back yard and the pond (mostly for pictures).

I'll let you all know and thanks for the input, it's great.....

Re: ICE & SNOW, will it still GO?
 

When I was eighteen years old, I drove my Dad's 1930 Model A to work. We had 16" tires on it with knobbies. I would make a track into work as I was the first to get there in the morning. One morning I went to turn into the parking lot and was going to fast, I missed the drive, got stopped, was backing up and backed into the ditch. I put the car in first gear, gave it some gas with the hand throttle, let out the clutch, got out of the car and pushed myself out of the ditch. I left the window down so when I got on the running board I could reach in and steer the car straight down the road, got in and backed up till I could turn into the driveway. We used to put alcohol, it was cheap, .15 cents a quart in the radiator. If the temperature got above 32 degrees it would boil out. I also had a Mercury hot water heater installed in it. Kept the chill off. That was 45 years ago. Thought I would share. Merry Christmas

Re: ICE & SNOW, will it still GO?
 

bobpo ......................
In the old days, the Model "A" & "T" had a good reputation for going in snow. This was, probably, on a country road, with no other traffic. The skinny tires were supposed to be the reason.
MIKE :)

Re: ICE & SNOW, will it still GO?
 

My first Model A experience was 58 years ago while in high school. I had a '31 Tudor of which I was very proud.
Ole Betsy would travel through the snow like she was born for it. I never worried about getting through the snow no matter how deep it got. The only bad thing about Winter travel in Betsy was the absence of a heater. It got mighty cold in that old Tudor.

Re: ICE & SNOW, will it still GO?
 

I have a friend that grew up in north east Wisconsin, he showed me photos of a 29 Tudor that had the rear seat removed, a small pot-bellied stove with the pipe stuck out the side, and the front seats would face the rear. They would take the "A" out on the lakes and go ice fishing -- just pull the car over a couple of holes and fish in comfort, being from Wisconsin I am sure there was beer involved. He claimed they never got stuck. I think the family still has the Model A, I will try to get him to give me some photos to post. My father always told me "if you put your Model A away for the winter you are missing a lot of fun." E LaBrash

Re: ICE & SNOW, will it still GO?
 

Model A's are great in snow, drove one to work years ago. The problem is frost on the windshield and salt on the roads. The salt will eat up your car. once it gets in all the seams, it is there until it rust its way out

Re: ICE & SNOW, will it still GO?
 

Roadstere,

I would love to see photos of that "Ice Fish'n Model A.....LOL

Re: ICE & SNOW, will it still GO?
 

Well here is the coupe ready last winter to go touring.....note the trailer in matching colors.

Dennis L Oberer
Green Bay WI

Re: ICE & SNOW, will it still GO?
 

Hey, Dennis,

What do you use for a hitch on that thing?

Steve

Re: ICE & SNOW, will it still GO?
 

Email me for photos and an explanation. It is a commercial hitch that I only had to modify the gusset plates on; and NO extra holes in the original bumper brackets.

Which is good because they are spring steel and I have nothing that will drill a hole in them anyway. I think Ford punched the holes originally at the factory.

The trailer is one of those you can get at Harbor Frieight or Menards or Farm and Fleet stores and the pod is an old Sears roof pod that I bolted down to the trailer with reinforcements.

Of course I changed the tail light bulbs to 6 volt on the trailer.

I did have to redrill two holes in the hitch cross section ...it is one of those square tube within a square tube designs and the original multiple hole spacings did not have same locations after I fitted it to the A bumper brackets.

The Liz Dole 3rd light is an A tail light with all red LED bulbs mounted on a quick mount on the top of the accessory trunk.

I used a quick mount of 2 holes and wing nuts so that if for any reason I take off the accessory trunk; I flip the trunk rack up and the 3rd light mounts to that so I still have that safety feature.

I have NO desire to be rear ended because some knucklehead is not paying attention and texting or yakking on their cell phone. SO I have LED lights on the A tail lights as well. And they ARE bright.

Dennis L Oberer
Green Bay WI

.

Re: ICE & SNOW, will it still GO?
 

Yes, it will go in ICE & Snow:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4WwEpGnVqY

Re: ICE & SNOW, will it still GO?
 

That was great, thank you.

Re: ICE & SNOW, will it still GO?
 

I'm new here and am ready to make my second posting of the night! I used to own the Model A pictured here but sold it to a friend a couple of years ago. It was designed to go in the snow! I have a small site posted about it.

North Dakota Mail Wagon

Re: ICE & SNOW, will it still GO?
 

Oldman Freeman,you have one cool tudor.I bet that A is a blast to drive.Thanks for sharing.

Re: ICE & SNOW, will it still GO?
 

My dad worked for the Post Office. When he started the job delivering mail all they had were Model A's. He said they did very well in the snow. Have fun Ron:)

Re: ICE & SNOW, will it still GO?
 

If that was in the days of the wood-bodied mail trucks, I'll bet they went very well indeed, with PLENTY of weight over the rear wheels from the Mail body...

Re: ICE & SNOW, will it still GO?
 

I can tell you an A model goes in the snow. In 1967, I had a 1960 Plymouth Valiant. It came a snow here in NC , about 8" deep. Me and a couple of friends were out riding around in the Valiant when we spotted a 28 or 29 2door A model. We tried to keep up with him and soon realized it was useless. We slid and spun and did the best we could and he just went along like the road was dry and pretty soon he was gone. We never had a chance.

Re: ICE & SNOW, will it still GO?
 

Never drove mine in the winter BUT I SURE DO LOVE THE LOOKS OF YOUR ROADSTER!

Re: ICE & SNOW, will it still GO?
 

Driving A's since 1950. With the old knobbies with no center ridge, not bad in snow, no good on ice. The present Firestones, no good. With chains on, OK until you try 8 or 9" of snow, then will just churn on a hill and go nowhere. Dirt roads provide more traction than paved; on ice, anything is worthless. If you hit a bumper height drift you'll need lots of momentum. As teenagers, we would take several cars out and try all the unplowed back roads and hills as a challenge, most always with tire chains on.

Re: ICE & SNOW, will it still GO?
 

:DI just drove my town sedan around Milwaukee carrying the Brewmaster from Miller/ Coors beer on a Saturday night. We went to 4 different bars and announced the launching of a new beer called Batch 19. It is a prohibition beer from the 1930's.:)
I trailered it up and was scared to death pulling my trailer. After getting the car out and in the Model A my fear went away and the car ran great in the ice and snow. It was a night I will never forget so keep an eye out for Batch 19 coming in 2011 it is a really good beer and the Model A runs great in the snow,
Ken:D

Re: ICE & SNOW, will it still GO?
 

Went out for a drive with my 31 tudor today in the snow and had a ball. Roads are packed snow, I had to dig HER out of 18".

Re: ICE & SNOW, will it still GO?
 

I'm glad to hear that so many A's went well in the snow. My sons couldn't resist trying my speedster in the snow 3 or 4 years ago and it was rather helpless with 4.75/5.00 X 19 Firestones.


http://www.olympic-speedsters.com/im...y/100_0279.jpg


http://www.olympic-speedsters.com/im...y/000_0048.jpg

Re: ICE & SNOW, will it still GO?
 

Winter is about the only time I take mine out.

Re: ICE & SNOW, will it still GO?
 

I'm glad to hear that so many A's went well in the snow. My sons couldn't resist trying my speedster in the snow 3 or 4 years ago, and it was rather helpless with 4.75/5.00 X 19 Firestones.


http://www.olympic-speedsters.com/im...y/000_0048.jpg



http://www.olympic-speedsters.com/im...y/100_0279.jpg

Re: ICE & SNOW, will it still GO?
 

Mine drives great in the snow.

http://www.palmaceae.tzo.com:8080/ph.../IMG_3301a.jpg