New Model A owner

[VFRhugh]

Wow, air pressure is a big deal!! Went from 29# to 36.5# in the front and 30 to 35 in the rear. About 80% improvement . There is a little wear in the king pin spendle though

[Mike Crehan]

Yes it is. I learned this when racing very low powered 1920s cars and once I moved to aero engined stuff with solid rear ends it became even more critical. For road and / or in the wet your pressures now sound a little high but you have established a benchmark variation between front and rears so now you can try letting them all down a bit but maintain the % variation and then readjust to get it just right. I have loads of notes for all my cars on what worked where and when.

[Mitch//pa]

welcome to the club and enjoy your new / old car..

[Synchro909]

VFR, I think it is worth remembering that we tend to ask waaay more of these cars than they were ever meant to do, particularly the speeds at which we drive them. When these cars were new, they shared the road with horses and were more than adequate for those speeds. Today is a different world run at a different pace.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Originally Posted by Synchro909

VFR, I think it is worth remembering that we tend to ask waaay more of these cars than they were ever meant to do, particularly the speeds at which we drive them. When these cars were new, they shared the road with horses and were more than adequate for those speeds. Today is a different world run at a different pace.

RIGHT ON, Synchro,
My new 48 Volt scooter runs 19 MPH, as fast as we used to drive on OLD country roads!
Bill W.

[armchair67]

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Welcome. I've had my 31 Tudor for a little under a year. It's been my everyday driver. I've learned a lot that's for sure. My expectations were low as I knew I was going from a modern, 400hp Cadillac to a very not modern, 40hp ford. The first time I drove it I took it up to thirty five miles an hour and that seemed entirely too fast lol. Now that I have had the car I've gone through the front suspension, finding that the previous owner, who restored the car about a dozen years ago, did many things improperly. Using cheap parts or leaving old parts that should have been replaced, installing items but not adjusting them properly. I've redone that, and my car handles and steers infinitely better now. But yeah, as said above, if you try and compare it to anything even remotely modern, you'll be disappointed. Enjoy it for what it is. These are really good cars!

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by armchair67

Welcome. I've had my 31 Tudor for a little under a year. It's been my everyday driver. I've learned a lot that's for sure. My expectations were low as I knew I was going from a modern, 400hp Cadillac to a very not modern, 40hp ford. The first time I drove it I took it up to thirty five miles an hour and that seemed entirely too fast lol. Now that I have had the car I've gone through the front suspension, finding that the previous owner, who restored the car about a dozen years ago, did many things improperly. Using cheap parts or leaving old parts that should have been replaced, installing items but not adjusting them properly. I've redone that, and my car handles and steers infinitely better now. But yeah, as said above, if you try and compare it to anything even remotely modern, you'll be disappointed. Enjoy it for what it is. These are really good cars!

Hear hear!

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Originally Posted by armchair67

Welcome. I've had my 31 Tudor for a little under a year. It's been my everyday driver. I've learned a lot that's for sure. My expectations were low as I knew I was going from a modern, 400hp Cadillac to a very not modern, 40hp ford. The first time I drove it I took it up to thirty five miles an hour and that seemed entirely too fast lol. Now that I have had the car I've gone through the front suspension, finding that the previous owner, who restored the car about a dozen years ago, did many things improperly. Using cheap parts or leaving old parts that should have been replaced, installing items but not adjusting them properly. I've redone that, and my car handles and steers infinitely better now. But yeah, as said above, if you try and compare it to anything even remotely modern, you'll be disappointed. Enjoy it for what it is. These are really good cars!

A dear friend of Chiefs' did a lot of research & carefully restored a BLACK Town Car. Chief said it looked even BETTER than a NEW one & operated properly. The owner was disappointed that it DIDN'T go HMMMMMMN, & sold it shortly
Bill W.

[burner31]

Been a die-hard Chevy man for the past 45 years, always wanted a Model A.
Finally got one in Dec. 2014, I've seen them, but never work on one let alone rode in one or even touched one for that matter.
Wish I would have gotten one 40 years ago.
Now I have the best of both worlds.

Welcome to the wonderful world of Model A's.
have fun and drive safe

[marc hildebrant]

burner31,

Welcome to Model A's. In the 1970's I raced a Model A with my 1933 Chevrolet....

I won the race.

Marc

[Jacksonlll]

If you are going around a corner at 45MPH, you are driving too fast. The old little car just has a two point body mount system. If you think your tudor rolls, you should turn a sharp corner in a heavy town sedan.
I think at that speed and on a tight curve, your ass end is starting to come around making you think it is the front wheels. That is not a sports car. If you are in a hurry, you are in the wrong car.
As far as pulling the engine to check it out: that's busy work to a running engine. It might be fun busy work, not sure many people would do that to a running engine. You would learn a ton if you did it.

[CarlG]

I must be learning TONS! Just getting ready to pull mine for the third time in 18 months! Hopefully the last!

[Willie Krash]

Welcome Hugh, life in the slow lane is quite fun. Good people here. Go slow on all things. These cars have personality and like your first girlfriend get to know her. I see people make mods and fixing what ain't broke all the time. Hey what can you do at 3 1/2 MPH in first gear?
Have fun 'cause owning a Model A the fun starts, and the cussin too.

[VFRhugh]

Hey I get it. Go slow & enjoy the ride. I admit it has taken a little seat time to adjust. I'm still happy with the modifications I've done. Also grateful for this resource. It was used in the decision process often.
Thanks again for all the replies,
Hugh

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by VFRhugh

Hey I get it. Go slow & enjoy the ride. I admit it has taken a little seat time to adjust. I'm still happy with the modifications I've done. Also grateful for this resource. It was used in the decision process often.
Thanks again for all the replies,
Hugh

That's the important thing, but as I said before, resist the temptation to just modify things just because. There was a guy on Facebook that bought an A, sent out the engine for a 5 grand rebuild, paid his money and was told the engine internals were in great shape when received. Five grand wasted? You be the judge.