700 miles in a tired Model A

nkaminar

nkaminar

Well-known member
This is an entertaining video about a new to Model A owner who won a tired Model A on eBay by accident. He had no previous experience with Model A's but had some mechanical knowledge. He decided to drive the car 700 miles home. This is about his trip and some of the hardships along the way. It is sort of funny but gives some insight on what to do if you buy a Model A.

https://youtu.be/uW-WtwdC1uY
 
This is just wonderful. Lets get together and make a list of things that should be done before he starts his trip. Here are my suggestions:
1. It has to be safe! Adjust the brakes
2. Check all lights and horn. DO NOT Drive at night. It isn't worth it, you could be rear ended.
3. Repack the front wheel bearings.
4. Change the oil (30 wt.) in the engine, transmission and rear-end.
5. Grease the car completely. See lubrication chart in repair manual.
6. Change the points and condenser and have a spare condenser with you.
7. Flush the radiator and put in water and Prestone Anti-Rust supplement.
8. Use Rainex on the windshield. The wipers were poor when they were new!
9. The carburetor should be either rebuilt or replaced. This will give you a spare for the future.
10. Clean out the filter glass bowl.
11. Check the front end for any shimmy.
12. Re-torque cylinder head nuts to 55 ft-lbs.
13. Look over any wiring that could give you a problem. Add a fuse on top of the starter to protect the car.

What else can you suggest? I wish I had this opportunity, what a find. Ed
 
Good times. I wondered how he knew so much about the particulars until he mentioned Paul Shinn at the end. I read Paul died last year, sadly.
 
I wish there was a condensed, 10 minute version of this video.

BTW, Paul is alive and well. He posts on the other forum occasionally. I saw a post by him about 2 weeks ago.
 
Amazing to see it made it despite all of the issues he ran into. I watch his channel all of the time and he has some good content of some antique stuff he picks up. Was glad to see a Model A make the list.

Here's the auction link to eBay of the car he bought. Seems a little steep to me for what he got... I picked up my '31 Coupe on there for about the same in much, much better condition.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/334337759315?nma=true&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true
 
Interesting...I drove mine home, 175 miles without a companion vehicle. Uneventful except the toe in was set at 3 inches, ruined two new tires.
 
Badpuppy said:
Good times. I wondered how he knew so much about the particulars until he mentioned Paul Shinn at the end. I read Paul died last year, sadly.
Click to expand...

Last year Paul had a "Near Death Experience", (my words), but he's alive and well. He posted a video yesterday about lubing a speedometer on his YouTube channel.
 
My first Model hadn't run for 10 years. The head water jacket was cracked and the rear pan crank gasket was shot. Installed new battery, patched the head with JB weld, bought 10 quarts of oil and started for home 40 miles away. Car ran great and the county got their gravel road oiled. After a couple of years we decided that groceries and shoes for the kids was more important and sold the car. Have hated myself for that ever since.
 
I skipped forward through most of the traveling parts where he was not talking. This saves some time in the viewing.
 
First Rule; Gas & spark, it has to run.

The one item that should have fallen off was that carburetor restrictor (air cleaner).
 
I've been too busy to actually watch all of this. Don't tell me how it ends! lol Imagine my surprise when I played the video Saturday morning and thought, "That car sure looks familiar......" If the tank has peeling paint it might be the car....Then I saw the Knoxville Nationals Parade ribbons! This was my relatives car up till 2012ish. I would follow along in my '47 Chevy with him and his brother's old cars to little town parades. Not sure when he sold it to the guy that sold it on ebay? He's passed away. This car was my first experience with the Model A! I rode in it when I was in my teens (in the 80's). It's the car I believe inspired me to buy my '28 Sport Coupe last year. I had no idea it was for sale or I would have tried to buy it. However, I had the urge to buy a Model T, which I did yesterday. It's bittersweet, but real neat to see it on the 'Big Screen'!
 
Pleased to hear I was wrong. Reports of his death were greatly exaggerated, apparently.

That's the problem with speed of information - misinformation travels faster. "Do your research."
 
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