Go Back   The Ford Barn > General Discussion > Model A (1928-31)

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 04-02-2026, 08:54 AM   #1
P.S.
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Hazzard County
Posts: 2,165
Default How to get tour spouse unit to drive a Model A a LOT

Obviously, this is only pointed at comments made by a couple people here-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kap2xwnz25w

Tina drives her roadster ALL THE TIME now, whereas, she was kindof afraid to before.
P.S. is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-02-2026, 09:19 AM   #2
Steve_Mack_CT
Senior Member
 
Steve_Mack_CT's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Central CT
Posts: 379
Default Re: How to get tour spouse unit to drive a Model A a LOT

Mrs. Mack can shift a non-synchro transmission well and used to drive our 30 Standard Roadster regularly. She hasn't tried the 31 yet but I recently unearthed the accesory pedal extenders which at 5' 0" might be helpful. She can see over the hood easier than she can in "her" 40 Packard.
__________________
Steve
Current:
1931 Model A Deluxe Roadster
Steve_Mack_CT is offline   Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Old 04-02-2026, 12:58 PM   #3
BRENT in 10-uh-C
Senior Member
 
BRENT in 10-uh-C's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Eastern Tennessee
Posts: 12,241
Default Re: How to get tour spouse unit to drive a Model A a LOT

Quote:
Originally Posted by P.S. View Post
Obviously, this is only pointed at comments made by a couple people here-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kap2xwnz25w

Tina drives her roadster ALL THE TIME now, whereas, she was kindof afraid to before.
I totally get it. I had to put two electric starters on my cars just so Missie can drive by herself. Definitely think Miss T needs to be driving a T too!!








.
Attached Images
File Type: jpeg IMG_6440.jpeg (87.9 KB, 275 views)
File Type: jpg IMG_4638.jpg (106.4 KB, 276 views)
File Type: jpg IMG_1943.jpg (101.7 KB, 276 views)
__________________
.

BRENT in 10-uh-C
.
www.model-a-ford.com
...(...Finally Updated!! )

.
BRENT in 10-uh-C is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-02-2026, 02:30 PM   #4
alexiskai
Senior Member
 
alexiskai's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Mebane NC
Posts: 3,176
Default Re: How to get tour spouse unit to drive a Model A a LOT

My wife asked for the centrifugal advance, but otherwise she's better at driving stick (including double-clutch) than I am.
alexiskai is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-02-2026, 02:33 PM   #5
P.S.
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Hazzard County
Posts: 2,165
Default Re: How to get tour spouse unit to drive a Model A a LOT

Quote:
Originally Posted by BRENT in 10-uh-C View Post
Definitely think Miss T needs to be driving a T too!!
Very well done, Brent!!

Tina HAS driven a Model T. In fact, she took the class at the California Auto Museum and drove theirs too. She said she hated it. She loves driving her Model A roadster though, so I encourage her to do it.
P.S. is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-02-2026, 03:57 PM   #6
Synchro909
Senior Member
 
Synchro909's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 8,432
Default Re: How to get tour spouse unit to drive a Model A a LOT

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
My 1.5 metre tall (short) wife is a farm girl so driving the Model A is no problem for her but she does not like down shifting in traffic. That's why she likes driving the Phaeton with its synchro gearbox.BTW, being short does not limit how far she can push down the accelerator. She drives faster than I do but then, I am the one who has to keep the cars on the road.
__________________
When all is said and done, more is said than done. That's why we judge people on what they do, not what they say.
I sometimes wonder what happened to the people who asked me for directions.
If I am not in trouble, I've done something wrong.

Last edited by Synchro909; 04-02-2026 at 07:43 PM.
Synchro909 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-03-2026, 03:53 PM   #7
BRENT in 10-uh-C
Senior Member
 
BRENT in 10-uh-C's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Eastern Tennessee
Posts: 12,241
Default Re: How to get tour spouse unit to drive a Model A a LOT

Quote:
Originally Posted by alexiskai View Post
My wife asked for the centrifugal advance, but otherwise she's better at driving stick (including double-clutch) than I am.
Quote:
Originally Posted by P.S. View Post
Very well done, Brent!!

Tina HAS driven a Model T. In fact, she took the class at the California Auto Museum and drove theirs too. She said she hated it. She loves driving her Model A roadster though, so I encourage her to do it.
Well if she doesn't like driving one, then I totally understand. Nothing wrong with loving to drive a 'modern car'! Ironically, I let Colin's wife drive my 1909 around Greenfield Village and she did remarkably well driving and working the Model-T pedals, ...so I guess he should have said driving a stick while double-clutching, and driving a T using pedals for shifting.
__________________
.

BRENT in 10-uh-C
.
www.model-a-ford.com
...(...Finally Updated!! )

.
BRENT in 10-uh-C is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-03-2026, 05:34 PM   #8
frank mcdaniels
Senior Member
 
frank mcdaniels's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: moorhead minnesota
Posts: 172
Default Re: How to get tour spouse unit to drive a Model A a LOT

So Paul your wife doesn’t mind being referred to as “tour spouse unit” ?
frank mcdaniels is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-04-2026, 08:45 AM   #9
P.S.
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Hazzard County
Posts: 2,165
Default Re: How to get tour spouse unit to drive a Model A a LOT

"Tour" was a mis-spelling of "your". I couldn't edit the title, or I would have fixed it. Now, being referred to as my "spouse unit", she embraced that very early on. My career as an electrical engineer, working in electronics, I tend to be somewhat robotic in nature, which she finds very attractive, apparently. Blame it on the mild autism, perhaps, but when we first got married and I referred to her as my new spouse unit, she absolutely loved it and it stuck.
P.S. is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-05-2026, 11:13 AM   #10
atch
Senior Member
 
atch's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Columbia, Missouri, USA
Posts: 254
Default Re: How to get tour spouse unit to drive a Model A a LOT

Some of you folks are extremely lucky. I'd love for Sherry to drive our Model A. It ain't happenin' though. When she was in high school a fella tried to teach her to drive his 4-sp something-or-other. After a while she gave up and has never tried to drive anything with a clutch again. Note: we're in our 70's now.

Her father was a "car guy" and at one time many many years ago he had a big-block 4-sp Charger (the family car) that her mother had to drive. Apparently she stumbled through getting it upshifted but no matter how far she had slow down she never downshifted; she just lugged the motor until it got back up to speed.

Drive on ladies.
__________________
atch (Mike Atchley)
Columbia, Missouri
<><
atch is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-05-2026, 06:23 PM   #11
Synchro909
Senior Member
 
Synchro909's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 8,432
Default Re: How to get tour spouse unit to drive a Model A a LOT

Quote:
Originally Posted by atch View Post
Apparently she stumbled through getting it upshifted but no matter how far she had slow down she never downshifted; she just lugged the motor until it got back up to speed.

Drive on ladies.
My wife will either "lug the motor" as you guys say or take a corner on two wheels! I'm still undecided on which I dislike more.
__________________
When all is said and done, more is said than done. That's why we judge people on what they do, not what they say.
I sometimes wonder what happened to the people who asked me for directions.
If I am not in trouble, I've done something wrong.
Synchro909 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-06-2026, 09:28 AM   #12
marty in Ohio
Senior Member
 
marty in Ohio's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Elyria, Ohio
Posts: 821
Default Re: How to get tour spouse unit to drive a Model A a LOT

What a timely post. Yesterday my 18 year old granddaughter asked me to teach her to drive a "stick shift." The only one we have in the family is the Model A that I've been driving for 33 years. So, on Wednesday we are going to have a lesson in a '30 Town Sedan. Wish us luck.
Marty
marty in Ohio is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-06-2026, 11:41 AM   #13
P.S.
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Hazzard County
Posts: 2,165
Default Re: How to get tour spouse unit to drive a Model A a LOT

Quote:
Originally Posted by marty in Ohio View Post
What a timely post. Yesterday my 18 year old granddaughter asked me to teach her to drive a "stick shift." The only one we have in the family is the Model A that I've been driving for 33 years. So, on Wednesday we are going to have a lesson in a '30 Town Sedan. Wish us luck.
Marty
You, sir, are an inspiration! Thank you for doing that for your granddaughter!
__________________
2024-2026 MAFCA Technical Director
P.S. is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-06-2026, 12:03 PM   #14
Trapdoor2
Senior Member
 
Trapdoor2's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2025
Location: The Beach, South Carolina
Posts: 195
Default Re: How to get tour spouse unit to drive a Model A a LOT

When we first got married ('87), Miz Diane was willing to make the attempt at stick shift. She was a quick learner and happily rowed around our neighborhood in SMTN (Suthern Middle Tennessee). She was a little nervous in traffic but otherwise did well until...

We got stopped in traffic on a short-but-steep rise...with a car right behind her. She thought about it for 2 sec., stepped on the Ebrake, put it in neutral, said "nope!", and got out. We did the traffic-stop switcheroo and she never tried again.

She likes the Coupe and will happily ride around in it in the neighborhood. She's very sensitive to smells/odors and too much of anything strong (fuel, perfume, solvents, etc.) will trigger a migraine. I fixed the leaky carb, she'll be more likely to go with me now...but it will never be "often".
__________________
'31 Ford Deluxe Coupe "The Green Hornet"
Trapdoor2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-06-2026, 01:05 PM   #15
Y-Blockhead
Senior Member
 
Y-Blockhead's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Redondo Beach, CA
Posts: 7,288
Default Re: How to get tour spouse unit to drive a Model A a LOT

Quote:
Originally Posted by marty in Ohio View Post
What a timely post. Yesterday my 18 year old granddaughter asked me to teach her to drive a "stick shift." The only one we have in the family is the Model A that I've been driving for 33 years. So, on Wednesday we are going to have a lesson in a '30 Town Sedan. Wish us luck.
Marty
I actually find it easier to (to a point) to teach people to drive a stick shift in a Model A, with the heavy flywheel and an over abundance of low end torque. They usually have issues with downshifting at first tho.

I have taught a lot of ladies in our club to drive their inherited Model "A"s.
Y-Blockhead is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 12:06 PM.