The Ford Barn - View Single Post - What did you do today, that was Model A related ?

German guy · 09-08-2024, 05:35 AM

End of Summer festivals in Germany and lots of classic car events. Yesterday was sunny and about 82F so I drove my 1930 Tudor, 'Henry', about 125 km through the wine growing region (Suedliche Weinstrasse Pfalz) and down to the French border city of Wissembourg. Hundreds of classic cars on the road but I only met one other Model A....and it had been butchered and equipped with a 350 Chevy engine and fat tires. Pedestrians and bikers were cheering and giving thumbs up to the cars. ADAC (the German version of AAA), TuV/HU (the German national vehicle inspection and certification folks) experts were on hand at places to give the official answers to modification questions (it is a lot stricter here than in the USA). Lots of parts suppliers and dealers had stands set up as well. Pre-WW2 racing BMWs, Porsches, Bentleys, Bugattis were everywhere and blew past me every few minutes along the winding Weinstrasse (wine street). No ride would be complete without repairs...in my case the passenger side window seal (the rubber squeegy blade attached to an aluminum panel) dropped down behind the door panel and started rattling. I lived with the rattle until I got home. I pulled over for a break and chatted with a guy driving a vintage Maseratti. He loved his car but was not quite as happy about having paid 700 Euro for a rubber cooling system hose and having to wait three months to get it. Of all the classic cars I have owned Henry is the least fun to drive...but the most fun to own. Park him between a Ferrari SF90 and a Bugatti Chiron and most people will be looking him. They may be smearing the windows and paint of the Chiron and SF90 trying to look inside but they tend to stand a polite distance from the Model A and more people take their pictures in front of 'Henry' than the far more exotic and expensive cars. A great car to own...not quite as great to drive.

09-08-2024, 05:35 AM	#57
German guy Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2023 Location: German/French border Posts: 163	Re: What did you do today, that was Model A related ? End of Summer festivals in Germany and lots of classic car events. Yesterday was sunny and about 82F so I drove my 1930 Tudor, 'Henry', about 125 km through the wine growing region (Suedliche Weinstrasse Pfalz) and down to the French border city of Wissembourg. Hundreds of classic cars on the road but I only met one other Model A....and it had been butchered and equipped with a 350 Chevy engine and fat tires. Pedestrians and bikers were cheering and giving thumbs up to the cars. ADAC (the German version of AAA), TuV/HU (the German national vehicle inspection and certification folks) experts were on hand at places to give the official answers to modification questions (it is a lot stricter here than in the USA). Lots of parts suppliers and dealers had stands set up as well. Pre-WW2 racing BMWs, Porsches, Bentleys, Bugattis were everywhere and blew past me every few minutes along the winding Weinstrasse (wine street). No ride would be complete without repairs...in my case the passenger side window seal (the rubber squeegy blade attached to an aluminum panel) dropped down behind the door panel and started rattling. I lived with the rattle until I got home. I pulled over for a break and chatted with a guy driving a vintage Maseratti. He loved his car but was not quite as happy about having paid 700 Euro for a rubber cooling system hose and having to wait three months to get it. Of all the classic cars I have owned Henry is the least fun to drive...but the most fun to own. Park him between a Ferrari SF90 and a Bugatti Chiron and most people will be looking him. They may be smearing the windows and paint of the Chiron and SF90 trying to look inside but they tend to stand a polite distance from the Model A and more people take their pictures in front of 'Henry' than the far more exotic and expensive cars. A great car to own...not quite as great to drive.