Daily Driver For Over A Year

[armchair67]

I joined here in August of 2014, just as I was buying a 1931 Tudor for daily use. I sold my Cadillac CTS-V to buy it, and a lot of people though that I was a little crazy for replacing it with an 83 year old car with the intention of using as my main transportation. I didn't even drive my Cadillac in the winter-instead replacing it for those months with an old, rear engine VW Beetle. That Beetle stayed parked this past winter though, to stick with my plan of making the A a true daily driver.

The first month was very trying. The previous owner had the car since 1949,and about a dozen years ago did a full restoration. That restoration, as it turns out, was good for taking the car to parades or shows once or twice a year, not for actual use. I sorted out a number of issues, in large part thanks to the very great folks on this website. I also joined my local Model A club, and I cannot say enough about how inviting, fun and enthusiastic this group is. I have gained a whole new set of friends. My son, Rhyse, who is five now, and I attend as many tours and events as we can, and I look forward to trying to become more active in "giving back" to the club and the Model A hobby in general. By driving the car I hope that it is doing something in exposing the hobby.

I live in Chicago, and the A has not even had a garage. Yet even at fifteen below zero, she has fired up without an issue. Through deep snow (Chicago has had some real winters the past two years!), rain, heat, cold, etc, thic car has proven itself. In one year of driving, 12,000 miles or so, it has not left me stranded one time. I had but one mechanical failure, a blown head gasket, but it still got me home and to work the next day. I replaced it thanks to Antique Engine Rebuilders in nearby Skokie keeping those along with most other Model A parts in stock. I also replaced the radiator which kept clogging up early on, and rebuilt the front suspension as it had some pretty nasty shimmies when I got the car and worsened with time. Outside of normal servicing, there have been no other problems.

I am planning to not drive it this winter, as I do not want to ruin it by driving it for years in Chicago's salted streets. I am going to park the car once the weather turns nasty and rebuild the brakes, which have never been right, and trans, which has always been noisy and pops out of second gear. My original plan was to drive the car for one year and sell it, so I could have the experience of driving a pre war car every day for a year. But I like the car-and the people-so much that that plan has been nixed.

I wrote this because I know that a lot of people get nervous about driving these old cars, or buying them at all for fear of constant wrenching. I have always thought the Model A was a charming car, and good looking, but I never expected it to perform so well at just being a car that one can actually use in this day and age. But it has, and it has also made me a better, more patient and alert driver.

[Rex_A_Lott]

Great to hear! Thanks for sharing, and I like your plan to keep it off the salt.
Congratulations.

[CountrySquire55]

Sounds like you are really enjoying the Model A hobby! I sure do, too. I normally drive my 31 Town Sedan about 5,000 miles a year and take a couple of long distance tours with folks from my Model A club. I won't drive it, though, when there is salt on the road but, other than that, I like to drive it all year. Best of luck with your Model A!

[ronn]

Why not sell it and try out a different body style?

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Fun thing you're doin', Armchair,
As you've found out, it's NOT SCARY! Even in your HARSH weather.
Years ago, it was the NORM. Chief, Momma & I sufficed, MANY years in an all BLACK '29 Tudor & travelled EVERYWHERE & I don't remember ever being stranded.
I admire your GRIT, as my Brother In Law spent 2 years at DeVry Technical Institute & told us about the FIERCE weather there.
There's lots of guys here to share help when you need it & don't overlook The Dog, Buster T, he knows a lots of STUFF!
Bill W.

[Tom Wesenberg]

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Model A's are very dependable and fun. Next you'll want to add even more fun to your life, so you'll buy one or two more, then maybe even a Studebaker.

Before long you might even be playing with trains.

[Nathan_1929]

The way I see it, in 1932 people drove Model A's every day. Why can't it still be done?

I was having this same conversation with a bunch of vintage motorcycle guys and one guy interrupted me to say that he drives his Model A all the time.. a whopping 500 miles last year alone.

Technically, I have yet to put a single mile on the street in a Model A, but I have 15 years of driving old, beat up, vintage machines.. and in due time, I plan on ditching all my 4-wheeled vehicles except the A.

[Curly]

My Model A truck is my daily driver. My modern truck has only been used a couple times since April. I didn't expect to use my Model A so much but I just prefer to drive it so it happened. It’s more fun and it gets me everywhere I need to go. Living in Alaska I plan to park it during the winter but in a less intense climate I would be fine with it as my only car. When I saw the story on youtube about the guy who drove a Model A for a year as his daily driver it seemed quite ambitious of him. Now I am doing it and I realize its not so odd at all.
We have a friend up here in Alaska who went on vacation down to the lower 48 this summer in his model A and put over 15000 miles on it if I recall. It’s his only car. He uses it for everything. There are still people using them for what they were built for.

[mshmodela]

I love to drive my Model A... A car with a steering wheel where you can fit your hands inside the wheel --not just a finger or two which... I'll take any day of the week over power steering with a coffee cup saucer plate size wheel.

[Slotblog]

Biggest issue in daily-driving my Model A daily is time... it takes twice as long to get anywhere compared to a modern car in Atlanta.

Plus the high percentage of... well... idiot drivers on our roads. You can do everything right and they'll still run you over... I don't ride motorcycles here any more for pretty much the same reason.

Congrats on doing that BTW. Hope you had a heater during the winter...

[bobpo1]

My wife and I spent the last weekend in the heart of the Ohio Amish Country and the back road drives were spectacular. And as for the speed of the Model A, it still runs the pants off those Amish Buggies. LOL

[Gerald1961]

Hello Armchair67,
I am happy to hear about your plan using your Model A as a daily driver! Since our lady (155C) recovered from recent "babbitus fragmentus", my wife and I love to use again our car whereever it is possible ( except rain, salt, travel to work :-) ). It is really turning out as very reliable and comfortable drive, compared to my normal car, which is a Audi A6 station wagon ( perhaps emitting more NOX than our lady ;-)). Even in cold winter days the autolite heater makes it comfortable to my wife!
I wish you many happy miles without trouble and keep the community updated!

Regards
Gerald

[Hoogah]

Love to read stories like this! Got some photos of your travels to share?

[armchair67]

Sorry for the delay in getting back to your responses, all, it got very busy at work! I appreciate the support. I am going to go through the brakes and trans on my car this winter, but do plan on using it as often as possible but not in the salt. If I had restored this car, the frame and suspension bits, etc, would have all been powder coated and other modern materials to help keep the rust at bay. But since I bought it restored, I had no control over that, so I just do my best to keep it washed and clean. Last winter was a real serious winter here in Chicago, and my car had no garage or cover of any kind, so to have it not only make it through, but to do it well, was truly impressive. A lot of people could not believe that it actually made it through the snow, or started after sitting out overnight in temperatures that were well, well below zero. But they had winters in 1931, I am pretty sure, so again, why not? I drive my A because I truly enjoy it and really, in the traffic we have here, it's not even underpowered. It does take a bit longer to get to farther away places, but it's not really that bad. I grew up on air cooled VWs, so the heat in this works wonderfully in comparison, although these days my VWs all have gas heaters and my A is going to get a hot water heater soon.

Some of you on the Barn have been very helpful with questions I had when I first got the car, and the local club is just filled with the best people, of all ages. My five year old comes along to a lot of the events and everyone is super welcoming.

Someone mentioned selling my A. Well that is the funny thing about old cars-as crazy as it sounds, but while they may be slower and less safe and on and on, than new cars, many of them have a personality, which makes it easy to become attached. I had not expected this to happen-as I said originally, my plan started out to sell my Cadillac CTS-V and replace with with a Model A for one year, and then sell the A and get something else. That has since changed, since not only do I really enjoy the car, but also the people I have met because of this machine. So maybe I will, in a year or two, ADD a Fordor. Who knows. I would love an Airflow too, so we will see, but right now I am looking forward to getting the brakes and transmission right on my car and piling some real miles on er.

[HoarseWhisperer]

Originally Posted by Nathan_1929

The way I see it, in 1932 people drove Model A's every day. Why can't it still be done?

More than likely, people in 1932 were not thinking of preserving these vehicles for 80+ years. That and they didn't have salted roads to contend with.

If you interested in preserving these vintage cars today, it's necessary to avoid the salt.

[armchair67]

Here are a couple. I will put a few more up and see if I can upload the video of a winter drive from my facebook to the Barn, since the phone I used to record it originally was damaged.

[2935ford]

Originally Posted by Nathan_1929

The way I see it, in 1932 people drove Model A's every day. Why can't it still be done?

I was having this same conversation with a bunch of vintage motorcycle guys and one guy interrupted me to say that he drives his Model A all the time.. a whopping 500 miles last year alone.

Technically, I have yet to put a single mile on the street in a Model A, but I have 15 years of driving old, beat up, vintage machines.. and in due time, I plan on ditching all my 4-wheeled vehicles except the A.

Main reason......you'd be the only A on the road! The playing field is totally different now.

[Pills]

I plan on running our Model A this winter. Is it necessary/desirable to partially cover the radiator to increase the coolant temperature as the car does not have a thermostat?

[700rpm]

Originally Posted by HoarseWhisperer

More than likely, people in 1932 were not thinking of preserving these vehicles for 80+ years. That and they didn't have salted roads to contend with.

If you interested in preserving these vintage cars today, it's necessary to avoid the salt.

I don't understand why people put up with salt. There are ecologically sound alternatives. I would think people would make damage claims against their state and local highway departments for what salt does to their cars.

[SeaSlugs]

Originally Posted by 700rpm

I don't understand why people put up with salt. There are ecologically sound alternatives. I would think people would make damage claims against their state and local highway departments for what salt does to their cars.

because people in this day and age can barely drive when its dry and 70* out...cant just put cinders or dirt on the ice and snow. or if your in Illinois, the lumps in the roads ought to be enough traction...

[700rpm]

Originally Posted by SeaSlugs

because people in this day and age can barely drive when its dry and 70* out...cant just put cinders or dirt on the ice and snow. or if your in Illinois, the lumps in the roads ought to be enough traction...

Boy, ain't that the truth! The first fall rains in Oregon result in a multitude of accidents. I like to think they are mostly late-comer citizens and that us natives know how to drive in the rain, but that may be wishful thinking.

I don't drive my A in those first few rain days, and am getting to where I don't like to drive it at all in the rain at any time. Not because of the water on the air, but because of the nuts on the road.

[DougVieyra]

PILLS , Post # 18 "I plan on running our Model A this winter. Is it necessary/desirable to partially cover the radiator to increase the coolant temperature as the car does not have a thermostat?"
____________________________________________

Not really. It depends on a host of factors. Outside temperature. How long the drive. Individual engine characteristics. Anti-freeze in radiator. Do you warm up in a garage. Etc., Etc., Etc.

If you think there is a need, there is a 'Radiator Bra' available that will wrap the Radiator shell, with a roll down 'blanket' to cover as much of the radiator as you want. Or you might want to find and install a Globe Winter-Front, an accessory offered for most all cars, including Model A, during the 1930's.

I drive both my Model A's each and every winter - have for over 50 years - and have never covered my radiators. BUT - I live where our Winter's cold temperatures reach 45 degree lows. But if I lived in Truckee, CAlif - driving during their Winter's 20 degree temperature, I think I would 're-think' my need to go driving in my Model A - or ANY car !

- Doug Vieyra, Eureka, CAlif

[Tom Wesenberg]

If you do cover the radiator, don't cover just the top or bottom, but make a full cover with a hole centered on the fan blade. If you cover the top or bottom, then the fan blades enter high and low pressure zones twice each revolution, and that adds to the stress on the blades.

[Ray in La Mesa]

700rpm, we have the same problem in San Diego,the accident rate triples at the hint of rain so I don't drive in it at all as there are too many people aiming at you!

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by Ray in La Mesa

700rpm, we have the same problem in San Diego,the accident rate triples at the hint of rain so I don't drive in it at all as there are too many people aiming at you!

When I was stationed in El Paso I used to drive to Cloudcroft, NM to go camping on weekends. Highway 54 was a straight road through the desert, and if it happened to rain it wasn't unusual to see a couple cars laying upside down over that short stretch of road.

[Osage Orange]

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First rain after a dry period just mixes with the oil and exhaust residue on the road surface to make it extremely slick. Most people don't take that into consideration, thinking they know how to drive in the rain.

My first car was a 29 A Special Coupe. Drove it for a couple of years in college back in the late 60s. It was my daily driver - to and from school, to work and wherever else I needed/wanted to go. Loved cranking it to start it in the college parking lot. Got a lot of attention from the young ladies, who at first thought I was weird, then wanted to go for a ride. Got it stuck in the mud trying to cross a creek at the family farm one day. Pulled the spare wheel (without tire) off the back, changed it out with the left rear, threw a sythe handle through the spokes of the other rear wheel, tied a rope around the left rim and cranked the car in reverse slowly up the muddy creek bank. Yeah, Model A's can do anything!

[klawockvet]

Last summer I was "employed" as the veterinarian on a 60 day horse ride that followed the original Pony Express Trail. The route is on dirt roads for at least 95% of the way. At the last minute, I decided to take my 28 Roadster. With no more preparation than an oil change and lube I put it in the trailer and headed for St. Joseph. Since my primary responsibility was the horses I took a trailer along for any emergency. The car performed without a hitch, traveling over 2000 miles. While many people go long distances on paved roads this was certainly different as it was mostly on dirt roads, some of them as poor as when my grandparents came west in 1910 in the Model T. These cars are far more dependable than many people realize and are actually more comfortable on dirt roads than some of the more modern cars. We went through mud, hail, dust, cold and heat without a hitch. I cruised for hours at 55 on dirt roads and even hit 60+ on a few paved sections. I can't encourage others enough to get out and really drive their rugged dependable cars.

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by 700rpm

I don't understand why people put up with salt. There are ecologically sound alternatives. I would think people would make damage claims against their state and local highway departments for what salt does to their cars.

But maybe not economical alternatives.

[henry's 31]

I truly envy your dedication to our beloved Model A. It was made for that type of weather and even after more than 80 years it can go the distance with some very basic maintenance. May you continue to enjoy your adventure. You are a great example to all of us.

Henry's 31

[Larry Jenkins]

Originally Posted by Tom Wesenberg

Model A's are very dependable and fun. Next you'll want to add even more fun to your life, so you'll buy one or two more, then maybe even a Studebaker.

Before long you might even be playing with trains.

Tom..

When I was a kid, they called 'em "Studebertible Convertibakers."

Larry

[Larry Jenkins]

Originally Posted by Larry Jenkins

Tom..

When I was a kid, they called 'em "Studebertible Convertibakers."

Larry

I even saw two that had been cut in half and joined together as two fronts.

Coming or going?

Larry

[CarlG]

Originally Posted by klawockvet

... I decided to take my 28 Roadster... Since my primary responsibility was the horses I took a trailer along for any emergency. The car performed without a hitch...

So, ... you took a trailer, and you had no hitch . . .

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by Larry Jenkins

I even saw two that had been cut in half and joined together as two fronts.

Coming or going?

Larry

I remember seeing that in the newspaper when I was about 10 years old. I always wondered what ever happened to that car? It would make a nice exhibit for a museum, like the Gilmore in Hickory Corners, MI, or the Nation Studebaker Museum in South Bend, Indiana.