My new 1930 2-dr sedan

[atch]

I'll be sourcing/installing engine pans and oil filter along with 90° adapter. The pans probably very soon. The oil filter setup probably over the winter.

Off to lunch with the MMMARC (Mid Missouri Model A Restorers Club) members in a few minutes.

[Fullraceflathead]

Where do you guys have your club meetings and get togethers I'm in Chillicothe Missouri.

[atch]

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.

[Y-Blockhead]

Originally Posted by atch

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.

Atch, good to see you are enjoying your Model A. Just a suggestion, when downshifting, put the Mitchell in neutral, then downshift, then re-engage the Mitchell. Use the Mitchell's synchros. No grinding, no double clutching.

[atch]

Originally Posted by Y-Blockhead

Atch, good to see you are enjoying your Model A. Just a suggestion, when downshifting, put the Mitchell in neutral, then downshift, then re-engage the Mitchell. Use the Mitchell's synchros. No grinding, no double clutching.

Wowzer. I'll try that next time I drive it. THANKS!

I plan to drive it about a hundred miles next Tuesday to an annual lunch gathering of four friends (veterans) who meet every Veterans Day at the same Mexican restaurant in Jefferson City, MO. We've been doing this since 2012. There were five of us but Ed has gone on. The rest of us aren't spring chickens anymore so who knows how long this will last. One year Tom and I rode together in his Model A sedan. Several times I've gone in Clarence, my 1948 Ford panel truck. This year Tom is going to ride with me.

As this is the Ford Barn, let me say that I have the drivable Model A, a Model A project, and Clarence. I've had the panel truck since February of 1973. The Model A's are more recent. Nearly all of Bob's old cars have been fords and nearly all of them have been 28/29 Model A's. Two of his Model A's have been his for over 50 years. A sedan and a pu have been runners for most of those 50 years. This year he competed a 28/29 panel truck that he first bought about 40 years ago. Bill is now out of the old car "business" but he used to have a really nice '36 Ford sedan. Tom has two Model A's and a Model T that are drivers. The Model T has been on the road for at least 30 years and one of the model A's probably 20. His other Model A is a running, driving, non-restored car that has always been a driver. He also has enough Model A bodies to put together several more. I'm not even sure I can count all of the old fords that the late Ed had. His two drivers were a '32 5-window and an English Ford Prefect. He also had storage buildings full of old car projects, mostly Fords.

So this is fairly appropriate for the 'Barn.

After next Tuesday I plan to quit driving the "A" for the winter. Or at least until I change oil and lube it completely. And install engine pans and oil filter. I'm still up in the air about an air filter. I live on a gravel road so it concerns me. However, in 1930 when this car was built most roads were gravel. Last night at our monthly Model A club meeting we discussed using or not using air filters. Hey, I'm the president so we can talk about anything I want. Of the 15-20 folks that were there some said do it and some said don't. I've read on here several conversations about it and the consensus here also appears to be split down the middle.

Note that I am president this year because I'm one of the newest (6-7 years membership) and youngest (74) members. Most of the guys are old enough and tired enough that they don't want to be the pres again.

Thanks again for the tip about putting the Mitchell in neutral when downshifting.

[atch]

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Last Saturday; 9/27/25.

My model A in a row of Model A's at a car show in Jefferson City, Missouri.

[katy]

Looking Good!!

[atch]

Thanks katy. Has it started turning cold in Alberta yet? I have an internet acquaintance in Grimshaw. I see that Red Deer isn't as far north. Before I get much older I'd like to get up there to visit him.

[katy]

Originally Posted by atch

Has it started turning cold in Alberta yet?

Weather has cooled down a bit, no frost yet, but getting close, November is when we'll see "winter".

https://weather.gc.ca/en/location/in...2.269,-113.810

[NRP]

Looks great! Good luck with it.

[atch]

Next "idiot" story:

As you can see from my post above, I drove the A to a car show Saturday. Ran beautifully. Got home and parked it in the garage. Sunday I got in it to go to church, started it, put it in reverse, it started to move and pow; after about 3 feet it just quit moving. Motor was still running but it wouldn't go anywhere. I turned the engine off and pushed it back into the garage. Having no time to fool with it M, T, W I finally got a minute yesterday. Eventually the thought occurred to me: "the trans gearshift isn't in neutral, but what about the Mitchell OD shifter?" I started it, moved the Mitchell lever, and viola! took right off. So I drove it to my Model A meeting last evening. Again it ran beautifully.

I'm pretty sure that I'll have more idiot experiences to share as time goes on. But I'm learning.

I seldom enter car shows anymore. I had enough of that when I was younger. But I have several friends who belong to the car club that put this show on (again, see above). Coincidentally they also happen to be members of my Model A club. As they are trying to get older cars into their show they didn't charge admission for pre-war cars and encouraged the Model A folks to bring their A's. There were some REALLY nice trailer queens there that won the trophies but that's ok by me. My car is a really nice driver quality car but not a show winner by any means. I don't even keep it all that clean. When I do go to car shows it's to visit with friends and make more friends. As the other A owners were wiping down their cars and making sure that there wasn't a speck of dust on them and that every little detail was in place I was socializing and enjoying myself. I have several long-time good friends that I met at car shows. I met my wife of the last 21 years at a car show. That's a long story that someday I'll relate herein. b-t-w; I'm not criticizing trophy hounds; I just don't happen to be one of them.

I've put over 900 miles on it in a little over two months. I really need to do some lubrication maintenance before I drive it again.

One of the friends referenced above (in both car clubs) has put over 11,000 miles on his Model A pickup in 4 years. I don't know if I'll be able to keep up with him, but I'll try.

[atch]

As of yesterday I'm up to 1,288 miles since I bought it in early August. I'll be putting around 50 miles on it this evening when I drive it to my Model A club meeting.

[atch]

I didn't drive the A between 11/20/25 and 1/6/26 but put 36 miles on it Tuesday (1/6). So far it's getting 14.281 miles/gallon. Does that sound about right in your experience?

[David in San Antonio]

Ah, the old air filter debate. If your car has the engine pans the air filter is less critical. The crux of the debate about the air filter is whether/how much it restricts the airflow. If the airflow is restricted, the carb will run rich. There is a workaround, to balance the carburetor, which involves drilling. If interested, others here can provide details.
I tried using a nice big paper element air filter but the kit mounted the filter below the carb. Every stray drop of fuel made its way into the paper. I pictured a conflagration and removed it.

[nkaminar]

The filters that filter out rocks will not restrict air flow to the point where the Model A stock carburetor will run rich. Any other filter needs the modification to the carburetor. In the stock carburetor the float chamber is open to the atmosphere. In the modified carburetor the float chamber is open to a point in the carburetor after the filter but before the venturi.

My heavy 30 Fordor gets 20 mpg on back roads at 50 mph. But only 16 mpg at 65 on the highway. (I have overdrive.) Windage is the major factor for mpg for a Model A. A high compression head will help with mpg.

[atch]

Yesterday I began my first oil change and lube job.

1. It was nice to see that my car has a magnetic oil drain plug.

2. The grease fittings are partly "modern" zerk fittings and partly the original cone shaped fittings. I have borrowed a friend's grease gun for the original fittings and am using one of my grease guns for zerk fittings.

3. At some time in the (near???) future I plan to change out the originals for zerks. I haven't gotten far enough to see if the originals are press in or screw in but initially it appears to be some of each. That's not right is it? Maybe my eyes are just getting old.

4. In the transmission I can feel the lube with my finger but it's not all the way up to "running out." How full should it be? Should I add more until it litteraly overflows?

[31deluxe]

Reading the original post reminded me of an article in the AACA magazine.
We all have to go sometime but those of us with antique or collectible cars should take some steps NOW!
A few I remember from the article:


Document - Fuel shutoffs - Electrical cutoffs--- Location of keys- Special starting instructions-location of title or registration for transfer. Anyone special who should have first choice.
I will try to find the article to add to this.

[atch]

Originally Posted by 31deluxe

...Document - Fuel shutoffs - Electrical cutoffs--- Location of keys- Special starting instructions-location of title or registration for transfer. Anyone special who should have first choice.
I will try to find the article to add to this.

Thanks for the tip.

Firstly: when I got the title I had it TOD (Transfer On Death) to my daughter. She knows when I die it's hers. In Missouri TOD automatically transfers ownershikp to the recipient by only showing the title with that notation and a death certificate with no other hoops to jump through. I assume that most states have the same or something similar.

Secondly: I have a 3-ring binder with every titbit and scrap of information I've collected regarding the car. That includes what all the controls do and where to set them when driving. Also where the electrical shut-off and both (yes, both) fuel valves are. Also, as a back-up, she knows several of my car club buddies who have Model A's that she can ask if there's something I missed. I see that there are some things I'll be adding to make it more complete.

[atch]

Next question: I have some 80W 90 lube left over from the last time I rebuilt a 3rd member.

Can (or should) I use this in my Model A transmission and/or 3rd member? This would be to top off, not replace.

Note: yes, I've watched Paul Shinn's video on this very topic (thank you @P.S.). I'm not asking for anyone to refute his advice. I'm leaving in two days for a weekend trip that will probably accumulate 800 - 900 miles. The transmission is a half inch or so lower than overflowing. I'm just wondering if I should use what I've got to top it off and replace it when I get back home or leave it alone. There's really no opportunity to replace the lube before I leave.

Note that I'll be checking the rear end lube tomorrow so same question there if it's low.

Another note: I thought that putting @ and then a username sent a notice to said user; like most other message boards do. I guess that's my mistake. I hope you see this Paul.

[1930artdeco]

Here are my thoughts:
1) The zerks should all be the same. That being said a lot has happened in the last 100 years. I like screw in so that they don't pop off when trying to push grease into a cavity.

2) If you have oil up to the threads in the tranny you will be fine. As far as the 80/90 wt. it will work in the tranny as a top off. It may thin the 600wt. out a little but if you need to you can add some STP to thicken it back up. JUST A LITTLE as that stuff is really thick.

3) Good luck on the road trip and have fun. Are you going to the National in Oregon in June? IF so we are having a Ford Barn meetup for Pizza, there is a thread here about it.

Mike