The Ford Barn - View Single Post - My new 1930 2-dr sedan

atch · 09-22-2025, 12:52 PM

Drove the A to church again yesterday. I've driven 704 miles in the 51 days since I bought it. The folks at church have seen it enough times that the "new" has worn off for them. They aren't awed by it anymore and occasionally one will comment "you drove the A today, huh" but that's about all. They have seen my 1948 Ford panel truck and my Harley Davidson so many times they don't even comment anymore.

I'm getting better at downshifting from 3rd to 2nd. I've discovered that if I go from 3-low to 2-high (Mitchell overdrive) that it downshifts a lot better with much less grinding of teeth. I mean that I shift the OD down into low and then shift the trans down from 3rd to 2nd. Realistically, though, I usually try to just come to a stop and go to 1st whenever possible/practical. That way there isn't any transmission downshifting while moving.

I ran it out of gas last week. Very long story that I won't bore you all with. But it held 10.409 gallons from bone dry to full right up to near the top. At least I know exactly how much it will hold now. I had been told that a 1930 holds 11 gallons but mine sure doesn't. Before winter sets in I'll run a couple of tanks of non-ethanol gas through it and leave non-ethanol in it for the winder storage. Unfortunately I have to go quite a way out of my way to get Non-E. I'm going to put a quart of gas in an empty oil bottle; put that inside a zip-lock baggie; put that in another zip-lock baggie; and keep it in the car. There is a front and rear trunk so it won't have to be inside the car. I might even do that twice. That will get me a few miles should I run out again. When I ran out I was on my way to the gas station and ran out about 1/4 mile from it. If I had already crested the hill I was on I could have coasted on in to the station.

b-t-w; I bought my first old vehicle 52 years ago and the one saying that I guarantee holds true is that "sooner or later every old car will embarrass you."

No matter how many new parts your car has or how many systems have been overhauled/rebuilt something else will fail or otherwise go wrong eventually.

09-22-2025, 12:52 PM	#3
atch Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Columbia, Missouri, USA Posts: 258	Re: My new 1930 2-dr sedan Drove the A to church again yesterday. I've driven 704 miles in the 51 days since I bought it. The folks at church have seen it enough times that the "new" has worn off for them. They aren't awed by it anymore and occasionally one will comment "you drove the A today, huh" but that's about all. They have seen my 1948 Ford panel truck and my Harley Davidson so many times they don't even comment anymore. I'm getting better at downshifting from 3rd to 2nd. I've discovered that if I go from 3-low to 2-high (Mitchell overdrive) that it downshifts a lot better with much less grinding of teeth. I mean that I shift the OD down into low and then shift the trans down from 3rd to 2nd. Realistically, though, I usually try to just come to a stop and go to 1st whenever possible/practical. That way there isn't any transmission downshifting while moving. I ran it out of gas last week. Very long story that I won't bore you all with. But it held 10.409 gallons from bone dry to full right up to near the top. At least I know exactly how much it will hold now. I had been told that a 1930 holds 11 gallons but mine sure doesn't. Before winter sets in I'll run a couple of tanks of non-ethanol gas through it and leave non-ethanol in it for the winder storage. Unfortunately I have to go quite a way out of my way to get Non-E. I'm going to put a quart of gas in an empty oil bottle; put that inside a zip-lock baggie; put that in another zip-lock baggie; and keep it in the car. There is a front and rear trunk so it won't have to be inside the car. I might even do that twice. That will get me a few miles should I run out again. When I ran out I was on my way to the gas station and ran out about 1/4 mile from it. If I had already crested the hill I was on I could have coasted on in to the station. b-t-w; I bought my first old vehicle 52 years ago and the one saying that I guarantee holds true is that "sooner or later every old car will embarrass you." No matter how many new parts your car has or how many systems have been overhauled/rebuilt something else will fail or otherwise go wrong eventually. __________________ atch (Mike Atchley) Columbia, Missouri <>< Last edited by atch; 09-22-2025 at 01:27 PM.