Biggest scare in a Model A

[bdtutton]

Just wondering what kind of close calls people have had that were unique to a Model A or similar old car. Something that may not have been an issue if they were driving a new car.

Here is my story....On Friday I braved a rain storm to drive down from Michigan to visit a friend that lived on the East side of South Bend, Indiana. I have a mostly stock 1930 Tudor with a vacuum wiper. The afternoon drive in the rain was challenging, but I did OK. I stayed longer than planned and stopped to pick up food to take home along the super busy Grape Road. (This road is many lanes wide and always busy...especially on Friday night.) When I waled out of the restaurant it was after dark and raining really hard. I looked at the radar and realized it was only going to rain a lot harder for the next few hours.

Here is the scary part....When I jumped into the very cold car my cloths were wet and I was carrying a big bag of steaming hot food. Just as I got up to speed on the main road all the windows fogged up at once. I could not see anything in any direction and the reflections were 10 times worse than anything I had ever experienced in the car. I tried wiping the inside of the windshield but it did not help. I was traveling 35 mph in heavy rain and traffic and could not see....I was panicked and thought I was going to die.

I decided to just roll the window down and try sticking my head out in the pouring rain to see the road. The good news is that after about 10 seconds the air rushing in from the outside cleared the windows and I could see again....my face was wet and my heart was beating fast, but I had not crashed. I spent the rest of my trip rolling the window up and down, but it helped me see. I told my wife and she just looked at me and said....why don't you just drive a modern car??

So...why do we drive these old cars?

[mhsprecher]

We drive them because we love them.

There are situations to avoid. I avoid rain and night time driving. I have good lights and reflectors, but it still makes me nervous. I would be very wary driving country roads at night that you don't know. I also avoid interstate and like highways.

I drove 4 hours back from Hershey in my Model A. It was a great trip. I got home not long after dark, but it was big roads that were well lighted after dark.

[Mike Peters]

Yes, we drive them because we love them. 2X. We also avoid dangerous situations like then one you describe. Just have fun with your car and accept it for what it is and don't ask for more than it can give you, and leave your Model A home on those dark and stormy nights.

[Steve Plucker]

1981...going North on Highway 97 into Bend, OR in my newly restored 1929 Standard Coupe after driving it to California thus heading back to Walla Walla, WA...

I had the steering ball replaced on the steering pitman (along with the other three on the steering arms) during restoration...Ball came loose and I had no steering going into Bend...

There I was in the middle of the road and no steering...pushed it into a gas station (which was right there Thank God) and called someone in Bend and they came down and they gave me another pitman arm so I could get back to Walla Walla, WA...I still would like to know just who that person was that helped me.

I put out a formal complaint of the person and advertisement who "fixed" the steering arms and pitman arm in the first place to MARC and MAFCA and they pulled the add from Model A News and The Restorer. (At the time...I guess this was a new way to fix these parts).


1984...North of Bakersfield, CA on Highway 99 going South...

It was so scary I almost soiled my britches...

Long story short...Stay off freeways with fast cars and trucks barriling down on your butt.

Yes, we drive them because we love them...But be safe when doing so...after all...they are 90 plus years old.

Pluck

[NZ28ModelA]

I've been caught out a couple of times with not enough braking distance..

No accidents, but I have to remind myself that you just can't be as close to the car in front as you can with a modern car!!

[SAJ]

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I had been doing 55mph through many miles of twisty mountainous bends on the way to the Art Deco festival in Napier.
Arriving in Napier, I pulled up to go round a roundabout when suddenly the car started wobbling uncontrollably. As I went to steer round the roundabout, instead of my steering input taking us round the curve, the steering wheel itself moved in and out of the column! I forced the wheel back down and slowed to walking pace and managed to get to our hotel. From there the car was towed back to Auckland on a flat deck.
What had happened was the 7 tooth box bottom thrust bearing had lost all its rollers into the grease space. How they could escape from between the races is a mystery, since there were no warning symptoms of anything coming loose. But previously, every now and then on tight low speed parking maneuvers I felt a clonk, which I thought was a loose fitting key on the steering wheel and insufficient bite on the associated taper. I had fixed this, but maybe there was more to the clonks than just this.
Before the trip I had the car at an alignment garage, where everything was found perfect on the laser machine.
See photos attached. The rollers can be seen laying free in the grease along with serious wear particles.
SAJ in NZ

[jquinlan]

Quite a few years ago when our kids were little and we lived in Michigan I agreed to use our Tudor in my cousin's evening wedding. The wedding was 30 miles from us on the other side of Detroit. After attaching a “just married” sign and some ribbons to a new trunk I recently mounted on the back of my tudor I felt it needed more ribbons. My wife told me we were late and there wasn't enough time to go to the store to get more. But I felt very compelled to add more so told her it I would hurry.

After the wedding reception a horrendous storm pounded us and I was faced with a trip home over terrible roads (southfield expressway) while my wife followed closely in our van with the kids. I had never driven in such rain with the Model A before and water was even coming up through the floorboards. It was difficult to see with the heavy rain and the dark night.

We made it home ok but the next morning when I went out to the garage I was shocked when I saw the Model A. The trunk was hanging off the edge of the luggage rack as the bolts had vibrated loose. The ribbons were all tightly wrapped around the bumpers where it looked like they were tied from the trunk to the car. They were the only thing holding that trunk to the luggage rack. I got chills down my spine at that moment thinking what might have been if those ribbons weren't holding the trunk and it had fallen off in front of the van with my family on that dark rainy night. I was compelled to put those extra ribbons on for a reason. May have been some angels looking after us that night.

[Bob Bidonde]

The worst of my scary experiences both involved being cutoff by modern cars. In both cases my Coupe, having mechanical brakes, came to a screeching stop inches away from those cars.


On a road with some sharp turns that I have driven many times in my Coupe, I almost rolled my Victoria. I assumed that the Victoria would hold the road like the Coupe. Big mistake! The heavier Victoria was close to going around the bend on two wheels.

[WHN]

Rear tire blow out.

Fingers crossed! My only serious problem in 60 years.

These cars are antiques. There are real reasons why our everyday cars have evolved over the last 90 years. The Ford Tri-Motor is a great looking plane, but would you feel safe in it during a thunder storm at 3,000 feet, at night.

Our 29 Sport Coupe has not been out in the rain for at least 50 years. Enjoy.

[rosenkranswa]

Never really had a moment in one of the Model A's or T's, but a couple months ago in my '42 Jeep I was coming home from an event. We had left a little early because we could see rain clouds to the south, and WeatherBug showed it coming toward us. Got most of the way home when it opened up. The wartime Jeeps had hand-operated wipers like the T's, which are virtually useless anyway. I had the summer top on which has no side coverage at all. Couldn't see through the windshield, rain whipping in the sides, everything inside including me is soaked, so I pull in under a bridge to wait it out but couldn't pull all the way off the 4-lane road. Fortunately there wasn't a lot of traffic, but several cars apparently saw me at the last moment and I could see them swerve. I'm not anxious to do that again.

[KGBnut]

I have a daily driver that REALLY is a daily driver. I drive it several times a week without worrying about the weather, or time of day. Snow, heavy rain, 3:00 in the morning... I don't really care. My only limitation is that I will not take it on limited-access highways. 45mph...even 50mph and she is happy as could be. When everyone else is doing 55...65...or a hell of a lot faster, I don't want to be on that road.

My point of saying all this is simply say that, to me, my Model A is just one of my cars. I often forget that I am driving anything special. I like to think that I drive it the way people did 60 or more years ago... just basic transportation.

Still, I am well aware of its limitations.

My scariest day was a routine drive to my office. I ended up on an unexpected detour onto a road I had never previously driven in any car. The road started as a long gentle downhill grade, about 40mph. However the last third of the road got suddenly very steep with sharp curves. At the end of the road was a long, straight steep grade that gave me a clear view of the line of cars that the red light, and the heavy cross traffic on one of the busiest roads in the area.

Early on I realized this was going to be a challenge. Thankfully, I had started pumping my brakes early on, but still, I was feeling the brakes fade. My Coupe still has the original steel drums, and the shoes (which the previous owner installed in the 60s) appear to be asbestos. As I approached the bottom of the grade, I was making calculations in my head; Did I have enough brakes to avoid hitting the cars at the bottom? Was there room enough on either side to go around them? What is someone turned into the on-coming lane? I really thought I was going to end up in the middle of the cross traffic.

As I reluctantly started to reach for the emergency brake the light turned green and the cars ahead of me began to move. I got to the bottom, still pumping the brakes, just as the light turned yellow. I quickly punched it and safely made it through the intersection.

I eased to a stop on the side of the road. I shut her down and left her in gear telling myself that it was to let the brakes cool, but I knew deep down inside that I was really just trying to get my knees back.

[ryanheacox]

Scariest moment I've had was this past June coming home at night I hit a deer. I had just switched from LED bulbs back to the 50/32s and hadn't readjusted the height of the beam so it was low... if I had adjusted the lights I probably would have had enough time to slow down and go around the deer but as it sat I took one out at 25MPH. No damage to the car other than some fur on the bumper but you can rest assured that the second I got home those lights got adusted...


Second most scary moment was following a friend in a Phaeton up to a show in the rain. He apparently didn't see a red light and by the time he did, decided to slam his brakes. Well, we watched the car swing sideways and skid into the intersection... Fortunately the driver pulling out saw what was happening and gave plenty of room and the Phaeton didn't catch and roll. The drive home was much slower.

[Tacoma Bob]

1971. I had street rodded my 30 ccpu with a small block chevy V-8. Thought I was cool with a late 40s flathead truck rear end with open drive shaft. On the freeway at 60 mpg the shifter kept popping out of third. By the 4th time I looked in the side view mirror the left rear slick was coming out of the fender. The axle had snapped clean. I was fortunate enough to get to the side of the road. A State Patrolman and good Samaritan stopped to help. We jacked the car up and the the wheel/tire fell in my arms.

[vern hodgson]

Driving my stock rescued Tudor in 1970, my kids in the back seat and on a nice long stretch of highway 9 I observed a model A wheel pass me, before I could re-act my son said, dad did you see that? Well i never thought one could lose a wheel from the rear of the car and not notice it. The wheel? Buried itself in the grill of the only other car on the road, bounced over the top and was never found. The guy, an Arkansas hillbilly was nice and we agreed to tow the car to my house where we spent several days repairing it. A week later his former employer came and got the car, seems he stole the car and ran off with the guys wife and kids. He could not be charged with theft however as the wife said she had permission to use the car. Funny tho, I have trouble recalling people’s names but recall his after fifty years.

[barnstuf]

It was late September 1950 and my wife and I were out for a Sunday pleasure ride in my 1929 station wagon equipped with oversize wheels and big tires for driving on the sandy beaches of Cape Cod. I pulled into a beach front parking lot which was defined by cement posts on three sides, and as it was off season for tourists the parking lot was almost empty. I put on the brakes as I approached the end of the parking area. Pedal went to the floor with zero resistance. My emergency brake was ineffective It was too late to swerve so I picked the two cement posts with the largest gap between them and we through the gap, dropping straight down about 15 feet onto the sandy beach. The motor was still running so we drove on the beach a bit and suddenly the engine stopped. I opened the hood and immediately saw the condenser had melted. I had struck a piece of driftwood on the beach as we landed and it had been pushed up and dislodged the lower radiator hose. The radiator had emptied in a flash, and the heat of the engine had melted the condenser. The station wagon did not have engine side pans which could have prevented the disaster. I was in the tidal plane and high tide would be a few feet deep in the area we were stranded in. Fortunately I hitch hiked 4 miles home, called my sister at her home and she came over and drove me back to the beach with water and condenser. With a new condenser and a good drink of water the station wagon started right up and by driving down the beach about a mile we were able to exit the beach and drive home.

I sold the station wagon in 1958 when the Cape Cod Seashore (National Park) banned beach driving. It is now a restored collector car owned by a friend in Vermont. The cause of the brake failure was the clevis pin at the base of the brake pedal was missing, either fell off or broke off. In almost 80 years of highway driving Model A's, around 300,000 miles, have never had a highway safety problem.

[CHuDWah]

Originally Posted by Tacoma Bob

1971. I had street rodded my 30 ccpu with a small block chevy V-8. Thought I was cool with a late 40s flathead truck rear end with open drive shaft. On the freeway at 60 mpg the shifter kept popping out of third. By the 4th time I looked in the side view mirror the left rear slick was coming out of the fender. The axle had snapped clean. I was fortunate enough to get to the side of the road. A State Patrolman and good Samaritan stopped to help. We jacked the car up and the the wheel/tire fell in my arms.

I had pretty much the same experience about the same time in my stock 30 CCPU. Doing about 35 on a city street, I felt the rear end jerking side to side - looked in the side mirror and the right rear tire was coming off. Got her off the road before it came off completely. Axle had snapped - after 40 years of use and probably abuse, guess it just gave up.

Another time, same truck, same road, same speed, a car stopped short in front of me. I hit the brakes hard but saw I wasn't going to stop in time. I yanked the hand brake as hard as I could and locked her up - that stopped us real quick.

I think the truck and that road just didn't like each other.

[rfitzpatrick]

WOW!! Sure wish I could un-read this Post. Serious stuff

[GPierce]

The entrance to Zion National Park has an unlit, 1.1 mile tunnel. My headlights failed just as I entered it this past Wednesday in my A. I was driving slow so I lost sight of the car ahead of me. The A behind me had the original lights so he didn’t light the roadway in front of me. Built in the early 30’s it is so narrow they stop on coming traffic when a camper is waiting to enter. It is not a straight line thru it so you don’t see the “light at the end of the tunnel” until you are all most to the end.

[ryanheacox]

Just remembered another. Was driving home from chauffeuring a wedding and decided to turn on the dash light to check my speed. Turned it on and immediately lost all lights and engine... then I remembered the intermittent short in the dash light. Managed to coast into town under the street lights and replace the fuse. Very thankful nobody else was behind me.

[History]

We just went through that tunnel in Zion, I bet you were nervous, I would have been.


Model A stranded on the beach,,,,,, with the tide coming in?????

I've been wondering how the brakes will feel on the hiway. I can slide the tires on gravel without a huge amount of pressure but I'm mashing the pedal pretty hard. Ive never driven another A so I have no idea what the shape the brakes are really in as far as the entire system. I don't see anything dangerous but after reading some these near misses. I'm fortunate enough that the Blue Ridge Parkway is like a quarter of a mile away from my shop, the negative is unfortunately in winter there's not much traffic if you have an accident or break down. I don't like to be held up on the hiway by slow traffic so I don't won't to hold people up either.

[Pete]

...

[GPierce]

Originally Posted by History

We just went through that tunnel in Zion, I bet you were nervous, I would have been.

.

We were more than nervous. My wife was watching the right side and telling me I was too close and I was trying to see the center line. Somewhat scared defines it.

[al's28/33]

We love them and if we take care of them they will give us many hours of fun and enjoyment. I have had numerous instances when people see me coming and still wait till the very last minute to pull out in front of me or bicyclists that think sharing the road means I need to drive at 8 MPH while they can ride tandem across two lanes of traffic. AHOOOOGA!!!! and everyone clears a path.
JUST BE SAFE and don't put yourself in a bad situation. No dark and rainy nights.

[RUNNERBUN]

I lost my left front wheel while doing 45mph. I survived the wild ride, unhurt but badly shaken. My wife often asks me now (have you checked your nuts lately)

[Apperloo]

Originally Posted by ryanheacox

Scariest moment I've had was this past June coming home at night I hit a deer. I had just switched from LED bulbs back to the 50/32s and hadn't readjusted the height of the beam so it was low... if I had adjusted the lights I probably would have had enough time to slow down and go around the deer but as it sat I took one out at 25MPH. No damage to the car other than some fur on the bumper but you can rest assured that the second I got home those lights got adusted...

Why did you go back from led I ask?

[Dodge]

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I’ve had two in 53 yrs. of driving them. One was in my Model T Speedster driving down a two lane highway at about 45 miles an hour. On my right a girl in a Mustang pulled out of a driveway and way half way across the road when she saw me and stopped in the road.
Luckily she had pulled out her driveway far enough and it was wide enough I went right
behind her kind of cross ways into a field on their property. She even left the car in the road when she came over to check on me.

The second one was in my 1919 Cadillac. I was driving down a 4 lane road near our house
and was coming up to a traffic controlled intersection. There was a car in the left lane about
A car length ahead of me when a soccer Mom in her mini van came up behind him and
swerved over in to my lane just barely having enough room, you guessed it the light started
To turn Yellow, instead of going thru it she slammed on her brakes to stop.
I stopped that 4800 lb. car with rear wheel brakes about two inches off her rear end.
I was pretty pissed so I got out and took her keys out of the ignition and thru them over the fence and into the tennis court of the school there. Then I proceeded to ream her a new one.
I drove off and left her hunting for her keys.
I didn’t do much for old car public relations that day, but I felt better.

[ryanheacox]

Originally Posted by Apperloo

Why did you go back from led I ask?

They just didn't cut it in my opinion. Bright but unfocused and even with a dedicated ground I would get flickering and occasionally a light would cutout completely. Never had that problem with incandescents. With the new Brattons reflectors, the 50/32 bulbs put out plenty of light in my opinion.


Also, while nothing scary happened, I recently drove 70 miles home in the dark rain and fog with those 50/32s and original electric wiper going all the way. It was a stressful drive but with properly functioning equipment I don't feel it was dangerous.

[CHuDWah]

Originally Posted by GPierce

We were more than nervous. My wife was watching the right side and telling me I was too close and I was trying to see the center line. Somewhat scared defines it.

I had a similar experience going through the Smokies at night, albeit in a more modern ride. Ran into fog so thick I couldn't see the end of the hood - no place to pull over and couldn't see it if there was. So I had to hold the door open to drive by the center line...SLOWLY! To top it all off, I hadn't had my license very long and was inexperienced - at least there were no other fools out.

That Zion tunnel can be scary but it's worth it - the place is beautiful.

[woofa.express]

At the national rally. Driving back to our rented house I was close to being collected from behind. Next day I purchased a large quality reflective sticker for the rear tail gate and rear mudgards. When I got home I purchased a pulsating red light like cyclests use. Even so I endevour not to drive at night.

[Swingle]

Was headed south on I-41, close to the EAA grounds in Oshkosh WI, in my '29 Tudor. Felt a very little, slightly sideway jiggle, that came from the back of the Model A, and wondered what that was. Next thing I saw was a newly powder-coated Model A Rim and Tire passing me on the left.

Sounds stupid, but I remember thinking "Where did that come from?".

All this time, I was running on 3 wheels. Realizing that the tire free-wheeling down the road was mine, I slammed on the brakes, and headed for the shoulder. At the sudden reduction of forward motion, the rear end dropped to the ground as the car just managed to barely clear the fog line.

Meanwhile, I was watching my tire bounce south-ward down the divided highway, drifting left as it went. Each bounce was a little bigger than the bounce before. It finally edged into the center median/ditch, and picked up even higher bounces as it came out of the center ditch in the median. My big fear was that it would take a car out, or even worse, a person or persons.

I walked over a mile down the road, and found my tire on the shoulder on the north-bound side of traffic. Walked it back to my Tudor, and quickly realized that a Model A jack is designed to lift a car with a flat tire, not lift a car that is missing the wheel. The jack was too tall. I ended up putting the jack under the axle where it would fit, by the banjo, jack it up high enough so i could put my toolbox under backing plate, so I could reposition the jack actually get the rim back on the car.

Now I am missing 5 lug nuts. Original plan was to borrow one from each of the other wheels and limp to a parts store. A Good Samaritan was nice enough to stop, ask if I needed anything, and ran to the store to get some for me.

When I got back on the road, I got off the freeway, and took the highway the rest of the way home in Menomonee Falls. Do not think I took the car above 35 mph for the remaining 70 mile road home.

[bdtutton]

There are a lot of scary stories in this thread. There seem to be some common things that have some reasonable solutions to prevent them from happening to others....

1. Wheels coming off....check your nuts boys...well I guess girls too.
2. Driving in the rain at night.....This is dangerous..even in a modern car.
3. Brake failures....Check your brakes often...
4. Night driving....I upgraded to 6v LED lights...almost as good as my modern car.
5. Not being seen by other drivers....I drive with my bright 6v LED headlights on during the day and I have LED tail lights and a third brake light in my back window. My LED tail lights are brighter than the tail lights on my modern car.
6. Highway driving...stay off the highways...

I am sure there are several that I am missing....

[Chris in WNC]

A bright Sunday morning in 2008, enroute from Florida to the MARC/MAFCA meet in Dallas in our unrestored '31 Tudor.
Rolling through Shreveport LA on I-20, one of those stretches where the old US highway joins the interstate for a while.
Three lanes of traffic, I'm in the center lane at about 55MPH.
Suddenly about 50-75 yards ahead I spot a long 6"x6" timber laying across my lane. Looked like the ones truckers carry under their flatbed trailers.
Vehicles in both other lanes made changing lanes impossible.
In the few seconds before impact, a few of the unpleasant possibilities flashed through my mind, but all I could do was take my foot off the gas and grip the steering wheel tighter.
My two right wheels went over it "blump-blump", but it felt like the timber was only about 3/4" tall and I experienced no loss of control.
First opportunity to get off the road was at the Texas welcome center a few miles later, where I checked out the wheels and tires for any problems and there were none.
Was very glad I had just put on a new set of Goodyear tires for the trip.

[Ray in La Mesa]

1963, new to me '30 fordor. Backing down a long, straight hill, my brakes wouldn't hold it. Ended up swerving into a pine tree at 30 mph, seat brackets broke & I ended up the back seat. Wrapped the rear spare around the tree & left the hubcap embedded in the bark. Set the seat up & pulled away from the tree and inspected the damage, whole rear panel pushed in & rear doors hanging askew-- I cried, my first car! This started my adventure in Model A restoration & still at it.

[Jeff/Illinois]

Interesting thread

I'm more scared now to even leave town! Been getting gun shy about driving the Model A on the local 55 MPH highways. There are way too many people anymore, too distracted. Even driving a modern car isn't getting to be much fun anymore. The fun factor is decreasing especially for antique cars.

My most recent experience. Last fall I was driving the Roadster here IN TOWN (we live in a small farming community) I was on a stretch of road posted at 30 MPH with double yellow lines on a curve and a slight hill. I slowed down to turn left and had been signalling a turn for 200 feet and at the last moment I caught a glimpse of some idiot passing me on the left, going like a bat out of hell. I swerved back to the right and he narrowly missed me by inches. He was bookin' man that guy was flying. I'd guess easily 65-70. All I saw was a set of Iowa license plates disappearing down the road and his middle finger waving at me out of his driver's side window. My fault ?? Dip-wad. That would have been the end of the Roadster and probably me too.

Forget driving at nite or in the rain I haven't done that since 1972.And it wasn't a good thing back then.

Another close call just yesterday, again here in town. 40 MPH limit double yellow lines heading out of town in another direction. 2 lane highway. Large hill looming ahead. In my F-150, I was stopped to turn left against oncoming traffic. Another newer Ford pickup was behind me and two cars behind him, all stopped. I hear this commotion just in time to see some 18 year old something girl flying I mean FLYING around us on the shoulder heading in the same direction we were, rocks and stuff going every which way, she smashed into the curb just ahead of me and turned the stupid car sideways in the road. The oncoming traffic was swerving to get out of her way. When she got stopped her eyes were as big as Morgan silver dollars staring out of her window and (hang on are you ready, you will be shocked) her cell phone grasped tightly in her right hand in front of her face. Evidently she was bookin' down the road texting and came up on us and was trying to keep from rear ending the line of cars.

It's only a matter of time one of us on here is going to get it.

[ryanheacox]

Originally Posted by Jeff/Illinois

It's only a matter of time one of us on here is going to get it.

Sadly, I'm sure you're right... defensive driving can only get you so far


Had a very close call on the way back from Rochester two weeks ago. On I-90 eastbound in the right lane going 70 and some guy comes flying up on my tail in a Honda Odyssey. I figured we were getting rear ended but he swings into the breakdown lane and just keeps booking it, probably 90-95. I then watch him swerve back across the road into the left lane and keep swerving around everybody and the road was busy... I was sure we were going to pass him wrapped around some other poor car but it never happened.

[burner31]

Before I got my turn signals installed...
I put my hand out to signal a left turn at a stop sign, the car on the other side waved at me and came thru the stop sign and damn near center punched my car, but he was all smiles and waved again.
Put my turn signals on that week-end.

[ericr]

this is a very frightening thread but valuable to us Model "A" owners. Driving in an urban area even in a modern car is stressful, with the advent of SUVs and dark windows in passenger cars that you can't see through or around; and these blinding blue-white lights on some new cars; and millennial drivers in general


Incidentally, my father, who was a young man in the Model "A" era, once said that in heavy rains back then, drivers often just pulled over and waited it out...but that was a different, calmer era, of course.

[kooljunkguy]

I've had 2 experiences that weren't scary for me, but rather my neighbors! Haha

Once, I was starting my grandparents Tudor after doing a little maintenance and BAM! it backfired in my driveway, all my neighbors came out and made sure I was ok! Sounded like a gun shot.

Another time, (with the same Tudor) I was coming around my neighborhood when I heard the sound of metal parts pinging on the road. I thought it was suspicious but I was only about 500ft from my house so I thought I'd just pull up to my house then walk and go check what fell. As I swung around my cult de sac to pull up to my house, BAM! the drivers rear wheel fell off... and once again all my neighbors came out to make sure I was ok.. it was the lug nuts that fell off...
At least I'm glad to know that I have good neighbors!

[Russ/40]

My scariest experience was my first Model A drive. I was shopping for an A and was sent on my way down a long and steep driveway by the owner. It scared the sxxt out of me as i came to the roadway and almost rolled the car. I remember it ran strong with a B motor. For whatever reason the owner felt no obligation to caution me.

[ryanheacox]

Originally Posted by ericr

this is a very frightening thread but valuable to us Model "A" owners. Driving in an urban area even in a modern car is stressful, with the advent of SUVs and dark windows in passenger cars that you can't see through or around;

I often think about that driving my girlfriends Equinox, such poor visibility... The massive A pillars mean you'll probably be okay in a crash but they also mean you won't see the crash coming.

[Clem Clement]

Me and 6 ladies were going to sewing bee and...

[Mad Mac]

My wife and I were driving home at night in our 29 RPU with the top off, when we were hit from behind by a drunk driver. He was 5 times above the legal booze limit and was doing about 120 km/hr. The impact pushed us off the road, into a fence and rolled us almost completely over. Amazingly, those fragile-looking w/screen stanchions did not buckle and allowed us to crawl out shaken but unharmed. We were also surprised that the full petrol tank did not leak when we were upside down.

Lesson #1: Always allow for the idiot/criminal factor.
Lesson#2: Even though the single rear tail-light is completely legal, it is too dim for modern night driving, so we now have very bright LED tail-lights.

[Osage Orange]

When I bought my first car, a '29 A coupe, I didn't check anything on it before driving it 30 minutes home in rush hour city traffic. Well, first the front brakes weren't working, then I lost a clevis pin on the left rear, so the first stop sign I came to, I locked up the right rear tire and sent billows of tire smoke into the air as I screeched diagonally through the intersection, barely missing oncoming traffic. When I finally got to my neighborhood, the last half block was on a pretty steep hill downward, then the driveway also went downward. I got the car stopped and parked just in time. The emergency brake handle clevis also came out, so as I rubbed the front tires along a brick curb next to our house, the car finally came to a stop. I put it into reverse, grabbed two concrete blocks to put in front of it and learned quickly how to install brake clevises, how to adjust mechanical brakes and how to change and adjust brake shoes. I had icewater in my veins back then. Nothing fazed me. Nowadays, after 17 years of being a newspaper reporter and seeing dozens of horrible crashes, even screeching tires rattles me.

[Synchro909]

In 1996, about 200 metres after I entered the Homer Tunnel in New Zealand, the lights went dark. The A behind me was fitted with original style 6v globes in their lights, meaning you had to strike a match to see if they were going. I only had a little light shining past me onto the walls of the tunnel and my own shadow to guide me. The next kilometre or so was slow and I was nervous someone travelling faster would rear end the two of us.
For thse who don't know what the Homer Tunnel is, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homer_Tunnel