Daily driver

[Tom maxwell]

I'm looking for the definition of a " daily driver".
Maybe we can get an interesting story line on what some people do with their A's on a daily basis.
I put about 15 k on my work car a year and I've read stories of people putting 20 k on their A' s in a year.
Who is the most northern daily driver?
I assume no snow drivers because I get no traction in snow without weight or strap chains. But I only try it after the plows and before the salt.
I'm sure the sun birds can rack up the miles but give me the reasons to put 100 k on a car other than to prove you can do it.
Also with all stock gears, what is a good highway speed.
I have a lot of catch up to play.
Tom

[ctvpa]

I used mine as a daily driver for over 8 years. I lived in the Berkshire Hills of western Mass. Don't believe what you hear, they do great in the snow. Now stopping in the snow is a different issue. Mine had shotglasses on the dash rail with birthday candles for a defroster. I never needed chains, except to pull others out of the snow. I was commuting 30 miles per day most of the time, and 104 miles per day for 6-8 months. It was a trick to get it started on sub zero days. My parents got the garage. They used to sell electric dipsticks that would keep your oil warm, and I would put 2- 60 watt droplights under the hood, and cover the hood with big horse blankets. On really cold nights I would drain the coolant, and get it good and warm on the stove. I would hand crank the engine several times to get warm oil up into the engine, then pray.

[Onlybackroads]

Very inspiring ctvpa, thanks for the story! I'm working towards getting my coupe to be a daily driver, still got quite a few kinks to work out but I've heard many stories of how you need a bunch of bells and whistles and air conditioners and alternators and xm radios to drive every day, and I've heard many stories of how people have driven nothing but stock or mostly stock Model A's for 30 years straight as daily drivers. Now which ones would you rather listen to? I think I know which stories I like better

[dumb person]

i wanted to drive mine to work every day but it is a bit big & thirsty for that. i used to be able to shoot a rifle in any direction & not hit anyone, now it looks like how i imagine downtown japan to look, cannot park a model A anywhere. 50MPH seems to be kinder to the engine than 60MPH. Why do it? Because i like the car.

[ctvpa]

[QUOTE= I've heard many stories of how people have driven nothing but stock or mostly stock Model A's for 30 years straight as daily drivers. Now which ones would you rather listen to? I think I know which stories I like better [/QUOTE]

It's quite nice really. You can think, ponder and enjoy life.
I will put in my plug for Flathead Teds brakes http://flatheadted.com/. I can lock up all four wheels. That's a nice thing. Directionals are nice also. I also converted from the one brake light to two. But other than that, stock.
Keep in mind the heater works best in June, the open 40 air conditioning works best in January. As long as you don't live in L.A. or commute on a 6 lane highways. Try it, you'll like it.

[SeaSlugs]

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Originally Posted by ctvpa

It's quite nice really. You can think, ponder and enjoy life.
I will put in my plug for Flathead Teds brakes http://flatheadted.com/. I can lock up all four wheels. That's a nice thing. Directionals are nice also. I also converted from the one brake light to two. But other than that, stock.
Keep in mind the heater works best in June, the open 40 air conditioning works best in January. As long as you don't live in L.A. or commute on a 6 lane highways. Try it, you'll like it.

oh you got that 240 AC also? yea mines intermittent in the summer too...

id love to daily drive my truck once i get it together for at least a month. Just for the experience. Ive driven many a miles in a modern with a non working radio and leaky exhaust - amazing how much entertainment your own mind can be haha

[Skibb]

Originally Posted by ctvpa

I used mine as a daily driver for over 8 years. I lived in the Berkshire Hills of western Mass. Don't believe what you hear, they do great in the snow. Now stopping in the snow is a different issue. Mine had shotglasses on the dash rail with birthday candles for a defroster. I never needed chains, except to pull others out of the snow. I was commuting 30 miles per day most of the time, and 104 miles per day for 6-8 months. It was a trick to get it started on sub zero days. My parents got the garage. They used to sell electric dipsticks that would keep your oil warm, and I would put 2- 60 watt droplights under the hood, and cover the hood with big horse blankets. On really cold nights I would drain the coolant, and get it good and warm on the stove. I would hand crank the engine several times to get warm oil up into the engine, then pray.

Ditto, Ctvpa. For seven years as a kid I drove my A every day to school, errands, dates, shopping, church and all. Light bulb under the pan in the cold, hand cranked it to start and it worked every time perfect if you did just one little thing which was snake a wire so that it could pull the choke up. The other end of the wire would go through the radiator at which point the wire was made into a little ball. You'd set the levers, open the gas, make sure the car was NOT in gear, put your hand on the crank (thumb in) and pull the wire with the free hand. The engine would roar to life. Take the crank out careful like, run back, adjust levers. One other item was a piece of 9 x 7 inch cardboard that was snugged in front of the radiator at it's shell when it was really cold. No heater in mine just and an extra thick wool blanket for passengers. What fond memories of snow, cold and youth.

[Skibb]

Look for the wire for the choke in front of the radiator below. I left the wire in place year round.

[Hitchhiker]

I got my pickup on February 15, 2013. I drove it almost daily till the end of summer. That means driving to work and picking up my girlfriend in downtown Seattle. about 30-40 miles a day.

It was down for about a month with a blown head gasket and currently it's getting some engine mods. But hopefully I will be driving again soon.

I'll keep you guys informed of it's duties this year.

[CarlG]

Don't know if I qualify for the most northern, but it would be close. This past summer (and up till about 2 months ago) I drove my PU to work every day, and on several 200-300 mile trips.

[gwhite]

Originally Posted by ctvpa

the heater works best in June, the open 40 air conditioning works best in January.

Hahahaha! Love this!!

[Chuck Sea/Tac]

Originally Posted by Hitchhiker

I got my pickup on February 15, 2013. I drove it almost daily till the end of summer. That means driving to work and picking up my girlfriend in downtown Seattle. about 30-40 miles a day.

It was down for about a month with a blown head gasket and currently it's getting some engine mods. But hopefully I will be driving again soon.

I'll keep you guys informed of it's duties this year.

I hope you don't have To go east from 1st Ave. every time it go up those hills and hit every lite, I think" God , I'm glad I'm not in my A"

[jim1932]

Originally Posted by ctvpa

I used mine as a daily driver for over 8 years. I lived in the Berkshire Hills of western Mass. Don't believe what you hear, they do great in the snow. Now stopping in the snow is a different issue. Mine had shotglasses on the dash rail with birthday candles for a defroster. I never needed chains, except to pull others out of the snow. I was commuting 30 miles per day most of the time, and 104 miles per day for 6-8 months. It was a trick to get it started on sub zero days. My parents got the garage. They used to sell electric dipsticks that would keep your oil warm, and I would put 2- 60 watt droplights under the hood, and cover the hood with big horse blankets. On really cold nights I would drain the coolant, and get it good and warm on the stove. I would hand crank the engine several times to get warm oil up into the engine, then pray.

We are from the same area. My 32 was my Uncle's and came from Mill river.

There was a thread or blog on a young guy who used his A exclusively everyday for a year. Seems the roads were a lot worse in the 40's, people just knew how to drive in the snow and had the right tires (and/or chains). this crap they put on the road is deadly to metal though.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by ctvpa

It's quite nice really. You can think, ponder and enjoy life.
I will put in my plug for Flathead Teds brakes http://flatheadted.com/. I can lock up all four wheels. That's a nice thing. Directionals are nice also. I also converted from the one brake light to two. But other than that, stock.
Keep in mind the heater works best in June, the open 40 air conditioning works best in January. As long as you don't live in L.A. or commute on a 6 lane highways. Try it, you'll like it.

While I have nothing against Ted's brakes, I too can lock up all four wheels on any car that we restore the brakes on, ....yet I don't use Ted's brakes. Therefore, there must be something else that allows you to lock up all four wheels. That's a nice thing!!

[H. L. Chauvin]

FWIW, Just one (1) Daily Driver actual experience:

A. As a teenager & later, I used my unrestored, well used, & extremely well abused Model A 1930 Coupe as a Daily Driver with complete confidence for years.

B. In seeing all the multiple problems reported herein on this Forum, questions kindly answered, and things constantly getting repaired; in thinking back, like with gold at the end of a rainbow, one may look forward to either having a Model A Daily Driver or trying to use their Model A's as often as possible because:

1. Many of the minor unrestored, malfunctioning, & broken minor items can finally be feasibly repaired or replaced a little at a time, as time goes on.

2. The constant use of gas insures that the gas tanks are flushed very often with new gas; hence, one experiences no fuel related problems such as a clogged shut off valve or plugged up dirty carburetor; the glass sediment bowl alone does a great job with a constantly flushed gas tank once the tank is properly cleaned.

3. With the inside of the distributer getting heated up every day or very often by engine heat, in very humid or coastal areas, far less moisture can built-up within; hence, points, condenser, & internal distributer wire connections seldom get corroded whereby the flow of electricity is stopped for long periods like they sometimes do when an engine compartment is left unattended & when condensation sometimes sets in.

4. Also, in very humid or coastal areas, all electrical wire & light connections everywhere else stay cleaner with less condensation & corrosion build-up with daily drivers or Model A's used often. Old radios don't last long when unplugged either & old Model A owners don't last long when they stop dreaming of a better future.

5. Tire pressure is checked often & slow leaks are attended to & repaired whereby one does not have to inflate tires often. Dragging starters causing difficult start-ups are repaired to avoid cranking by hand or push starts.

6. Oil is changed regularly; hence having a secure feeling of always having fresh detergent oil -- I learned at an early age in the 1950's from much older & very responsible professional vintage mechanics that "non-detergent" oil in an engine was as helpful to any vehicle engine with its sludge build-up as excess salt was helpful to a person with high blood pressure. Today "non-detergent" oil may be thought of as recommending a strict bacon fat diet to an individual with high chloresterol.

7. Anything squeaking such as doors, hoods, window regulators usually get oiled to avoid the embarrassment of their sounding like your vehicle is junk & not worth much.

8. Any slight overheating means that one has learned to first flush out one's cooling system & later if required, pour "Spic & Span", "Joy Liquid" or something similar in the radiator to flush out excess grease from the water pump rather than look all over elsewhere for other causes of overheating. Radiators can become flushed out with more constant use just like that of gas tanks.

9. General overall maintenance is strictly adhered to because either missing work with a Daily Driver, or being towed back home very often appears embarrassing while one is clinging to some old, outdated unreliable vehicle.

10. With constant daily driving, or Model A's used often, intermittent failures can be monitored & quickly repaired.

11. While constantly gaining confidence, once a Model A is attended to often, & becomes a daily driver or is driven often, one begins to feel confident that one has a vehicle that does not need (5) wheelbarrows full of spare parts just to visit his brother 25 miles away.

12. Again, FWIW, agree or not agree, just one (1) actual experience as opposed to something read elsewhere & later written about.

Hope this helps to have more faith in Model A's.

[V4F]

I drive mine everyday . when I lived in the high desert (5000') , I drove it in snow & ice ... no salt there . I just grooved some rear tires & no problems . kept in drive way even at below 0* . always started with no help . had as much as 8" of new snow on it in the mornings . they are a great daily driver .............

[Bill Goddard]

Haggerty's says I can't use my A as a daily driver. What companys are you guys using?

Bill G

[H. L. Chauvin]

When I used my $25.00 Model A daily driver in the 1950's & 1960's, I drove with no insurance because it was not required & many never had car insurance back then.

One would be amazed to see a report on how many do not have car insurance in some States today -- dropped right after car purchase or after acquiring new license plates -- uninsured motorists insurance is definitely not offered by car insurance companies like additional toppings on one's pizza -- it is considered by knowledgeable insurance agents as one of the major ingredients of the pizza.

Grundy allows unlimited mileage, but does not allow major use as what may be considered a Daily Driver -- like driving to work each day -- or daily errands to the store.

Some Model A owners purchase regular car insurance as opposed to antique vehicle insurance.

[Brother Hesekiel]

Originally Posted by Bill Goddard

Haggerty's says I can't use my A as a daily driver. What companys are you guys using?

Bill G

Bill,
no company allows you to use your classic car as a daily driver. Jay Leno, for example, illegally uses one of his classic cars every day as a daily driver, another one every day, that is. But if you don't tell your insurance company, we won't do that either. We ain't snitches, you know, and as far as I know the NSA is not yet monitoring classic car use.

I use J.C. Taylor and it's as good or as bad as any other company.

[Purdy Swoft]

Though I use Grundy at this time, I believe if you use State Farm, They will insure your model A. The cost will be higher and they don't offer agreed value. In other words, If you get involved in an accident, the model A will be depreciated like any other used car. Insurance companies that offer agreed value for antique collector cars pay full agreed value, in the event that the car is a total loss.