A's in the snow

Mike1291

Mike1291

Senior Member
Took my Coupe out for a jolt around the yard in the snow for the first time today. Some people say that these cars went everywhere in the snow and I wonder how now since all mine did was slide around. I have to admit that my inner child liked that part though :D

Would you ever be daring enough to take you A out in the snow?
 

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In '53 or so in Colorado Springs, my Dad would tow me (5 yo) around the neighborhood on a snowy day on a sled with the coupe I have now. Great fun, but he'd get arrested today!
 
once it looks likely that there will be some snowfall, the city starts throwing salt and other nasties onto the street. So, no ploughing through snow with my A, not even for ten days or so after it. I like my A as uncorroded as it is right now...


I would love to though...
 
TomInCologne said:
once it looks likely that there will be some snowfall, the city starts throwing salt and other nasties onto the street. So, no ploughing through snow with my A, not even for ten days or so after it. I like my A as uncorroded as it is right now...


I would love to though...
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Minnesota is HORRIBLE for this! Before a snow even starts they'll be out applying salt brine to the roads. Then during and after the snow they'll spread salt, lots of salt!. It destroys our cars and all ends up in our lakes and rivers. Studded tires are banned here because "they destroy the roads". Almost nobody born in the last 45 years know how to drive on snow and ice.
 
Mike1291 said:
Some people say that these cars went everywhere in the snow and I wonder how now since all mine did was slide around.
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A lot depends on the tires, that's why we had "summer tires" and "winter tires" AKA "grips".
 
Tires and lugging in second gear, that’s what I found out 55 years ago when my A was a daily driver. One early Sunday morning before anyone was on the streets and about 8 inches of fresh snow, went to the grocery store , we needed eggs milk bread, going up a hill beside the house lugging in second with no wheel spinning ! to much gas and the tires would spin. Salt didn’t rust my A it was stored in a metal building with a gravel floor which steam cleaned the oil and grease causing rust ! The rust has since been killed and now protected by epoxy paint .
 
There are many, many people here who have never seen snow. I have and I can't work out why some people pay exorbitant prices to go to the winter snow fields into weather WORSE than at home.
That said, we used to have loads of fun sliding a car with bald tyres around a paddock full of damp cape weed (very slippery). I taught both of my kids how to control a sliding car in that paddock and it saved our son's life. I expect "playing" in the snow like that serves another purpose too.
 
I lived in Minnesota for seven years, and the winter salt was no joke. Rust perforations were commonplace but one day I saw something my mind couldn’t process. I thought it was a Ford F-150 Stepside with a flag pinned to the side, vigorously flapping as the truck sailed along. I got closer and realized the entire right side of the bed had rusted through along the floor but was still attached at the front, merrily waving and snapping as we passed the giant 3M campus east of St. Paul.
Another time when the temperature had been hovering near 0 F (-18 C) for several days I drove towards an intersection and the traffic light turned red. I touched the brakes and it didn’t slow down at all. Pumping the pedal made no difference. I sailed halfway through the intersection in a complete panic. I believe the exhaust of cars waiting for the traffic light had condensed and frozen on the ground, leaving a hydrocarbon slick. It was treacherous because it was absolutely invisible.
 
I drove a customers car ('30 roadster) in the snow many years ago as an early winter storm surprised us and necessitated delivering the car immediately. I recall the car not being very good in the snow at all with lot's of slipping and sliding. Our newer front drive cars with ABS are far better for winter driving.
 
Back in the day... (note the windshield defroster)
 

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I pity you guys in the rust belt. In CA they put sand on the roads.


Here are a couple tire chain ads. I hope the group is kind to the OP when they fill in the blank on the ad.........
 

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My A's in snow!!
 

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"Almost nobody born in the last 45 years know how to drive on snow and ice."

May I modify this statement to read: "Almost nobody born in the last 45 years know how to drive." The younger they are, the worse drivers they are. Isn't Driver's ED taught in school anymore??? Obviously not around HERE! Another close call today in traffic, caused by a teenage bimbo looking down and texting while she was driving. Jeez...The dumbing down of America continues.
Marshall, Grinch of the Month
 
The BF Goodrich tires are better than the Firestones in the snow. reduce air pressure a bit. The car will never be great in the snow. Sure is good at running through a creekbed though.
 
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I see tire chains mentioned above. A full set of tire chains for a Model-T is 3. Who knows if dealers sold chains for the As.
 
Chuck Dempsey said:
Back in the day... (note the windshield defroster)
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Back in the day....we called them frost shields. Later they were made of plastic, they were also used on side windows
Some people used a small fan to keep air moving across the windshield preventing frost build up.
 
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