Model A as a Daily Driver

[marc hildebrant]

Brent....with regard to people 80 years ago asking about driving their Model A every day : It was NEW then! Not 80 year old metal and highly worn parts.

The fact that I can drive my Model A every day is a testament to the excellent design and quality material of the Model A....but...it still is an old car with some risk of reliabilty.

Marc

[Russ B]

In high school, I only had Model A's and I drove them every day without regard for weather. But I remember it being hard to keep the windshield from fogging up in the winter. ...and the wipers were not great either.

[glenn in camino]

Up here in the Northern Ca. foothills I drive my Model As as often as I can, year around, as long as weather permits. I don't take them out in the snow.

[dumb person]

i would if mine got more than 5MPG and went over 40... i really would like to use it daily i really would.

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by dumb person

i would if mine got more than 5MPG and went over 40... i really would like to use it daily i really would.

Mine gets a low 17 MPG (was better before corn gas) and will travel to, and stop from 60.

[Hondamate]

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Originally Posted by Jordan

In the DFW area, We get them from Gary Bernard. He's a Model A're who owns a transmission shop near the stockyards in Fort Worth. He owns AAAA Transmissions on 28th street.

Thanks for the reply. Sorry for the hi jack

[dumb person]

Originally Posted by Mike V. Florida

Mine gets a low 17 MPG (was better before corn gas) and will travel to, and stop from 60.

i know right? So i read fordbarn every night to learn more

[James Rogers]

Originally Posted by modelAtony

James. Got 31 tudor average about 1100 miles per month. have fun modelAtony lafayette,la

Tony, how close are you to Kenner, LA?

[mmindling]

Hi, my dad and I began my Model A project in 1961, when I was 14 years old. It was intended to be my car (1928 Tudor *A457909). We worked on the car together and rebuilt it twice after joining MARC and seeing how it should be done. Took my drivers test at 16 at Elston Avenue DMV in Chicago - passed the first time and the test guy was thrilled with the car.
My high school friends thought it was pretty cool, but then anyone who had a car suddenly had friends.

Drove the 28 through the rest of high school and kept it through college, although with little use then. Went from the North Side of Chicago to Saugatuck Michigan (190 miles each way, lot of city driving) twice with no problems. The engine had been soundly rebuilt by a machine shop on Cicero Avenue in Chicago, and held up very well to long distance driving.

Eventually, ended up selling the A to buy a 67 Mustang fastback. Often regret selling that car and wonder what happened with it. However, I learned to be a perpetual Model A fan and now have *A11739* in retirement. Just as much fun as in 1961.

Regards,

[Ron Lowe]

Dad worked for the Post Office all his life. When he started delivering mail all they you had was Model A's. Now that's what you call daily driving, rain, snow, and very cold. He said he never had a problem and never thought about not having a heater. That same mail car is in a local museum today.

[ScottNW/Ohio]

Originally Posted by BRENT in 10-uh-C

This may be a TOTALLY insane thought but, ....do you suppose people some 80 years ago had this same question whether they could use a Model A Ford as their daily driver? Do you think they would have been reliable enough? What do you suppose would have been the maximum distance they would have dared drive it to work? Do you suppose anyone ever considered driving 20-25 miles each way to work?

You know I am saying this tongue-in-cheek but it does beg the question why should this not be feasible? Generally speaking, I think we would all agree that we can go anywhere in a Model A that we can in a modern vehicle ....except maybe not as fast. In many instances that could be a good thing!!

Maybe 80 years ago, on "horsebarn.com" they asked the same question about keeping a horse and buggy for a "daily driver" ???

[lance leblanc]

It was'nt to long ago that the reliablity due to over heating in traffic, the price of fuel and a few to many speeding tickets that I made the decision that a certain 1969 Bowtie was know longer considered a daily driver. Maybe a few regretes for selling it. However my current "A" project I am comfident will cure any daily driver withdrawals that I'm having. (point is how many 40 yr old cars do you see being used as daily drivers)

[Chris in WNC]

my daily driver right now is Alice's 58 Chebby truck. if someone persuaded us to sell it, I'd drive the 31 Coupe every day without fear. helps to live in a rural area outside a smaller city. might get old if we were stuck in Atlanta or Dallas.
I make an effort to drive the A somewhere at least twice a week, they don't like being parked inactive.....

[ctvpa]

I drove mine as a daily driver all through high school, college, etc for 10 years from 1975. Summer and winter in New England.
The main concern now is the lack of respect, and the loss of common courtesy. I have people speed past me on the left to hit the breaks to make a right turn, when there is no other car behind me, and I come so close to nailing them. Remember if you rear end another car you are found to be at fault 99% time. Law does not take into consideration that you are in an antique.
On my way to work every day I pass the most dangerous place on earth, a Dunkin Doughnut shop. Every morning you have to deal with people who are too lazy to make their own coffee, in a huge rush, trying to drive while adding cream sugar, light a cigarette, talk on the phone, text their facebook friends some insignificant trash, all while they pull out in front of you, without even looking, in total disrespect to all others on the road only to prove their narcissistic life.
I prefer to keep my ford for a special drive, even just around the block to decompress from work (the best time is about at 2 in the a.m.), or a ride to the store, and allow it to be a reward to me, from me and for me.

[ctvpa]

I drove mine as a daily driver all through high school, college, etc for 10 years from 1975. Summer and winter in New England.
The main concern now is the lack of respect, and the loss of common courtesy. I have people speed past me on the left to hit the breaks to make a right turn, when there is no other car behind me, and I come so close to nailing them. Remember if you rear end another car you are found to be at fault 99% time. Law does not take into consideration that you are in an antique.
On my way to work every day I pass the most dangerous place on earth, a Dunkin Doughnut. Every moring you have to deal with people who are too lazy to make their own coffee, on a rush, trying to drive while adding cream sugar, talk on the phone, text their facebook friends some insignificant trash, all while they pull out in front of you in total disrespect olny to prove their narcissistic life.
I prefer to keep my ford for a special drive, even just around the block to decompress from work, or a ride to the store, and allow it to be a reward to me, from me and for me.

[Skeezixx]

I have to admit that I prefer my "modern" car as a daily driver but the Model A has it beat hands down for transporting groceries:

[msmaron]

Just turned on 7350 miles this year.. can you say DAILY DRIVER!!!! Yes of course you can use it...isnt that the fun of the car....to me at least it is!

[blgitn]

Well, I drove my 30 Coupe exclusively for years in Cleveland before I joined the Seabees. Best point: retard the timing long enough and you could light a smoke through the heater door. Worst point: The high-beams behind you when you have the windshield closed all the way. Now all my old Fords are open cars, and I'm older, so I take the Hudson when it's crappy out.

[M2M]

There are guys who use Model Ts as daily drivers...a Model A having twice the hp and twice the stopping power most definitely could be used as a daily.

I think though driving an antique car safely takes a lot more skill and concentration than a modern car, so a Model A for a daily driver is not for everyone.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Originally Posted by blgitn

Well, I drove my 30 Coupe exclusively for years in Cleveland before I joined the Seabees. Best point: retard the timing long enough and you could light a smoke through the heater door. Worst point: The high-beams behind you when you have the windshield closed all the way. Now all my old Fords are open cars, and I'm older, so I take the Hudson when it's crappy out.

blgitin,
In my coupe, at night, it took time to get used to light reflections coming from EVERY direction! It's like a house of MIRRORS!! But at night, parked at the 99 cent store lot, I can see all the cute chicks coming & going from every direction!! Yes, I'm a dirty ooooold man, but the chicks don't know, 'cause I don't even have to turn my head to admire them! Seems chicks are cuter now than when I was in school!!
Seems that here, folks go out of their way to give me room & consideration, I accidentally cut a guy off once, and he just SMILED & WAVED! Once, a cop said he should write me up for havin' too much FUN! Bill W.