Top Speed

[James77]

What's the top speed on a Model A?

[RHD]

On a standard Model 'A' with no refinements I would consider 65mph to be about tops. I know some would disagree. They weren’t made for speed. I would never push my old girl that fast. She would complain bitterly.

[azmodela]

80 mph!

I've had mine that fast in the past, but it depends on the configuration. Your question is extremely vague, fill us in on some of the details of your car. Overdrive, original, restored, engine mods, transmission, rear end ration? The list goes on.

[James77]

Originally Posted by azmodela

80 mph!

I've had mine that fast in the past, but it depends on the configuration. Your question is extremely vague, fill us in on some of the details of your car. Overdrive, original, restored, engine mods, transmission, rear end ration? The list goes on.

Oh I don't have one yet, just researching!

[John Duden]

My truck hits 38.2MPH with the wind down the hill on a dry day!!!

[700rpm]

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We don't buy them for speed...

[James77]

Originally Posted by 700rpm

We don't buy them for speed...

LOL..... I know.....just wondering!

[quickchange]

165 --168 mph if memory serves me right, By a young man at Bonniville this year.
My coupe has clocked 91 mph, My vicky which is stock 100 kph. Won a few drinks with it when asked how fast will it go, answer bet you a beer it will clock 100
Has a metric speedo from a Gazz in it. The way the wind has been blowing here last few days at 120 kph it depends which way you are going ?

[James77]

What about one that's stock?

[Purdy Swoft]

I agree with RHD Les Pearson, However, many won't be timed correctly and if the spark lever is not propetly used most will not run 65 mph. I have read that Henry personally tested a 30 tudor ( not the fastes model A) on a special track at the Ford school and it ran 72 miles per hour with the wind and 68 mph against the wind. I have had my speedster up to 75 mph uphill and it was still picking up speed when I let off the throttle. We ocaisonally have touched our roadster up to seventy mph and it will run faster but both the speedster and the roadster are equiped with 5.9 heads, dual updraft B carbs, Winfield super street 3/4 race cams and other mods. We mostly cruise our model A's at 50-52 mph. The mods just help driveability and hill climbing. Extra power doesn't hurt and helps sometimes to get out of the way if needed. We have no problem cruising our completely stock 31 tudor at 50 mph and have touched it up to 60 mph at times when passing slow moving vehicles. The april 30 AA truck that I had with the 6.6 low rear gears would be screaming at 35 mph, I installed the unplated
model B cam, a higher compression head, model B carb and manifold with a straight through fiberglass muffler and the AA would then run just over 50 mph but would really be screaming and wouldn't be good to run that fast with the low gears. Just some of my experience with some of our model A's.

[BCCHOPIT]

Head + B cam +.312 spacers under valve spring + a little porting + 94 carb + Header =71 mph on GPS no over drive YET!!!!!!
It is very happy @ 65
I am building a B engine and I hope to get in the 100mph club

[2935ford]

My engine has had nothing done to it, with the exception of paint, another head in the 70's as the original was left out in the cold and cracked, since 1958 and since then just regular maintenance. I have no idea what has been done to it before that. When it finaly gives out and I tear it down, I'll have a better idea.

It has a noticable tick and a pretty good rear pan oil leak but she fires right up, idles well but would have a tough time going faster than 40mph and she doesn't like hills!

[Kurt in NJ]

My car with a"B" cam would do an indicated 67 when it was fresh, was driven over 1000 miles in the 62-65 range and was comfortable at that speed, stock 3:78 rear, no overdrive, and got 23 mpg average for that leg of the trip at that speed, now25 years later, after 1rod failure and a 12 gram different replacement rod 64 is about all it will show now ---when my car shows 50, my brothers modern car shows 57 when he is following me, i have never checked the calibration of the speedo, but the odometer is dead on. ---this car is quite "stock" and got a blue ribbon in the mid 80s national meet and still is a pleasure to drive.

[Peter J]

I have been told that their were a number of axle ratios supplied for different parts of the country (stamped on the housing?) which would play a huge part in the top speed. By the way, where is this stamp?

[John Duden]

Originally Posted by 700rpm

We don't buy them for speed...

who says

[Peter J]

John,
I should have said it was free info. and worth exacially what I paid for it.
Pete

[400A-64]

My car was going about 650 mph with me behind the wheel!!! Of course The car was in the tail section of a 747 at 30,000 ft and I was going zoom zoom like a little kid!
The flight was from Sydney to San Francisco on the last leg of the "Around the World Tour"
Bruce Davis [email protected]

[Fred K-OR]

Depends on the guy behind the wheel and how the car is rebuilt.

[SSsssteamer]

In 1968 when we bought our stock 1929 Tudor, it had only 58,000 origial miles on the engine and it was still running fresh. It could always maintain 70 mph on the freeway with very little speed left over to use. It was all fine until I burned out a rod bearing in 1975 and the car has never been the same sice. Nowadays, with any engine I have tried, about 64 mph is about all it wants to go without wringing its neck. I have never left the throttle open on any engine to see how fast it will go. I will take it up to where the engine starts to feel tight and then back off to the comfort zone where it likes it best. With most of our model A's, at 45 to 55 mph they seem to smile the best.

[Kevin in NJ]

See the link to my page on general comments.

Link to General Comments on the A

Keep in mind a car rebuilt to factory specs has no problem running over 60 MPH. They are a dream to drive at 45.

Some that have a top speed of 45 are a nightmare to drive that fast.