Seriously Drive NJ to Gettysburg?

[jg61hawk]

I have my A for 3 years almost. Put 1800 miles on it and have worked out the bugs of taking a stored old A back to life. I will attend the MARC Club in Gettysburg this summer and I am thinking I want to drive there from Central NJ.. The trip is 240 miles one way and will need the car to move along at at least 45 MPH for some long periods of time.

I think in 1929 these cars were intended as local transportation and never intended to travel long distances at "high speeds." My question is: Am I correct, should I drive and can these engines handle 50 MPH for 6 hours?

I have a 61 Studebaker also, with a 289 V8, and drive that to every show all up and down the East Coast. I'm not afraid to drive an old car, but why ruin it? The poured bearing in Model A's are vastly different from what I know. Tell me your thoughts. Thanks.

[WTSHNN]

Stay off the interstate and you (and your A) will be more than happy.

240 miles isn't bad and at 45-50 mph is perfect.

Drive it and have fun.

-Tim

[Kevin in NJ]

The car was designed to run 60 MPH. Go look at the Ford ads from the day. Read about how the cars were driven in the day. They were running 50+ MPH on roads that were not much of a road all day long.

My brothers stock 31 coupe drove out to Wisconsin running 60 to 65 MPH and got over 20 MPG. If your car does not feel right over 45 then there is something wrong with your car.

[J Franklin]

Easy peasy for a model A, just don't let the traffic push you. 45-50 is fine even tho the ads said they could do 60s they also could sell you a new engine for $25. with 1 day turnaround.Your goal is to get there safely and back home.

[Mitch//pa]

You can draft behind my trailer, and break the fuel mileage record..

Im sure there are others going from your area that you can convoy with..

[wmws]

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I drove mine to French Lick Indiana for the MARK meet out there. 750 miles one way. I went on back roads, took my time and had no trouble. 240 miles will be an easy one day drive. Have a ball.

[robert shreveport]

Jg61hawk, do you have an idea what gear ratio your coupe is? If it feels ok around where you live at 45-50 go for it. Just watch your water level and oil level. My old A got almost 20 mpg on my biggest trip.

[robert shreveport]

Like J Franklin said don't let the traffic push you. That's hard to do I know, but still great advice.

[RUNNERBUN]

Click on my username and view my public profile page. You will find the answer there.

[TerryO]

I drove my A from North GA to Lexington KY a few years ago to a national meet (300 miles one way) and back and had no problems at 50 mph.

[SteveB31]

I have driven them coast to coast several times on the Great Race. many 500 mile days in a row. Only broke the car twice and that car has done the coast to coast great race 7 times since!!! Get er out and drive it. Start with short trips, then longer, then longer...... you will have a great time and make many new friends on the way!!!

Steve @ Bert's

[Royce P]

I drove a 1930 Fordor to high school. After graduation I drove the car from St Paul Minnesota to Dallas Texas in two days. We cruised at 55 - 60 MPH. We had a spare engine on the floor in the back seat.

If your Model A runs good I would not hesitate to drive it at 55 - 60 MPH the whole way.

Originally Posted by jg61hawk

I have my A for 3 years almost. Put 1800 miles on it and have worked out the bugs of taking a stored old A back to life. I will attend the MARC Club in Gettysburg this summer and I am thinking I want to drive there from Central NJ.. The trip is 240 miles one way and will need the car to move along at at least 45 MPH for some long periods of time.

I think in 1929 these cars were intended as local transportation and never intended to travel long distances at "high speeds." My question is: Am I correct, should I drive and can these engines handle 50 MPH for 6 hours?

I have a 61 Studebaker also, with a 289 V8, and drive that to every show all up and down the East Coast. I'm not afraid to drive an old car, but why ruin it? The poured bearing in Model A's are vastly different from what I know. Tell me your thoughts. Thanks.

[frankfalcone]

Last year on my drive to Hershey the state trooper recommended I get off his road.Told me to take route 322 ,you can go 50 miles per hour there everybody on the turnpike is doing 80 . Next exit I left his road 322 took me the same time and was more scenic.

[Tom Wesenberg]

I drove my 28 Phaeton 250 miles and stayed off interstate highways. I drove 42 to 45 the whole way and got 22 MPG. I don't like to push any engine.

When I drove my 1999 Olds 88 the 750 miles to Scottsbluff last Friday, I drove 55 to 60 the entire trip, and got 33 to 34 MPG.

In 1970 I drove my 1950 Studebaker from El Paso to MPLS, 1500 miles in 24 hours. Drove non stop except to fill with gas, and I would never try that stunt again.

Drive the scenic roads and enjoy the drive.

[CarlG]

Our club plans at least one tour each summer that is 1,000+ miles. Always have lots of takers. I think we have a dozen or more already committed for this summer's tour.

[Ed Saniewski]

Three of us drove from NJ to Oshkosh Wisconsin for the National meet a few years ago and that was 1300+ miles each way. You can do it. Just plan the trip on local highways and you will be fine. Most times that is a shorter route than taking an interstate highway and you can stop any time. I will be going down with a group from our club. Mabey we can meet up along the way.

[emf]

Last summer my wife and I drove to Watkins Glen, NY, a distance of almost 200 miles in just under 5 hours. That included stopping for lunch and some sight seeing. Google says it should take 4 hours. I'd say that was keeping up with traffic... We stayed off major highways and had a ball... Go for it.

Frank

[Model A Nick]

Looking to do this drive as well in my 30, Ill take the back roads and enjoy the ride

[eagle]

If I'm in a hurry I'lol push 50 but usually run about 45 or so. Listen to your A mine tells me that 60 for very long would wreck it. My engine is very good but I want it to stay that way. I don't drive my modern car all out either, my pickup has 240,000 on it and I still consider it almost new. The distance won't affect the A, as long as you drive it reasonably and safely.

[jhowes]

I don't drive anything more than 5 hours in a day. Therefore if you go 45 MPH you will go 225 miles, if you go 55 MPH you will travel 275 miles. It's not worth the 50 extra miles to go that fast in a Model A in my opinion. Take it easy, enjoy the scenery, and keep the stress off of the car. Jack