How do you handle "A Adventures"
- Thread starter Brobrian
- Start date
C26Pinelake
BANNED
If the wife won't go then maybe the girl friend will!
Maybe you should show this quote to your wife and remember many a truth was said in jest !
Wayne
wensum
Senior Member
Last weekend during extreme weather, we joined our mid winter rally which requires competitors to have their roof down.
After surviving slips, wash-outs, deep potholes, fallen trees, flooding and buildings with their roofs torn off, our 1928 Lancia Lambda collapsed its front suspension (wife driving) in the middle of a Kauri Forest with no cell phone coverage and in fact also suffering from a power outage.
She hitched a ride to a nearby house that had a land line and contacted the AA (we have AAPlus) and after being towed through a flooded area, 2 hours later, just as it was getting dark a rescue vehicle got through.
It delivered us to our destination and took our car to secure storage, but a week later, the main highway is still closed and with luck our car should be delivered sometime next week. Many of the other competitors stopped to offer assistance, but with the brake drum resting against the upright there was no way it could be moved except on the back of a truck.
All challenging stuff and the making of future tall stories!
Keith
After surviving slips, wash-outs, deep potholes, fallen trees, flooding and buildings with their roofs torn off, our 1928 Lancia Lambda collapsed its front suspension (wife driving) in the middle of a Kauri Forest with no cell phone coverage and in fact also suffering from a power outage.
She hitched a ride to a nearby house that had a land line and contacted the AA (we have AAPlus) and after being towed through a flooded area, 2 hours later, just as it was getting dark a rescue vehicle got through.
It delivered us to our destination and took our car to secure storage, but a week later, the main highway is still closed and with luck our car should be delivered sometime next week. Many of the other competitors stopped to offer assistance, but with the brake drum resting against the upright there was no way it could be moved except on the back of a truck.
All challenging stuff and the making of future tall stories!
Keith
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Synchro909
Well-known member
Hey Hoogah, maybe our paths have crossed - I'm in Vic too. Having trouble uploading pics because the files are too big. I'll work on it.
Synchro909
Well-known member
Christoph
Well-known member
My wife is the best. 
She knows, if the "A" breakes down, (in common)
it is about 10 minutes of tinkering to be back on the road .
If your modern car breaks down - your lost....
Besides we do have ADAC Plus membership .
(You see - the companies are different worldwide,
but it has to be a "Plus-membership".)
As we all know that adventure starts, where the Plus-membership
stops, we went to Austria 2 weeks ago
1500 miles of fun
Life is good
She knows, if the "A" breakes down, (in common)
it is about 10 minutes of tinkering to be back on the road .
If your modern car breaks down - your lost....
Besides we do have ADAC Plus membership .
(You see - the companies are different worldwide,
but it has to be a "Plus-membership".)
As we all know that adventure starts, where the Plus-membership
stops, we went to Austria 2 weeks ago
1500 miles of fun
Life is good
Attachments
mshmodela
Well-known member
Nice, my Daughter came to your neck of the woods, well Sydney this past Wednesday...
wensum
Senior Member
That's a truly impressive journey for a Model A!
I'm aware of the issues of corrugations and dust let alone wayward animals, heat and flies!
Congratulations
Keith
I'm aware of the issues of corrugations and dust let alone wayward animals, heat and flies!
Congratulations
Keith
tbirdtbird
BANNED
those are some awesome travel pix!!!!!
Synchro909
Well-known member
We have our National meet every second year. The next will be 2016. Why don't some of you guys start planning? It is proposed that the next one is shared between Alice Springs and Darwin which will give a fantastic sample of outback Oz.
Synchro909
Well-known member
Christoph,
I made the tow bar by cutting up one from a modern car and welding things where I wanted them. It attaches with 3 bolts each side as shown in the second picture. All bolts are high tensile for obvious reasons and I replaced all the bolts forward of the tow bar that I could also with high tensile. Also check that the rivets are sound. Mine were but I planned on replacing them if needed. Hope that helps.
I made the tow bar by cutting up one from a modern car and welding things where I wanted them. It attaches with 3 bolts each side as shown in the second picture. All bolts are high tensile for obvious reasons and I replaced all the bolts forward of the tow bar that I could also with high tensile. Also check that the rivets are sound. Mine were but I planned on replacing them if needed. Hope that helps.
Attachments
Purdy Swoft
Well-known member
After removing, overhauling and replacing the engine in the coupe, several years ago , I drove it around enough to break in the engine. Deb and I decided to take the coupe for about a 100 mile round trip for a short visit with her brother that had recently got a 30 model A tudor. Everything was good untill we were a few miles from home on our way back. I noticed a few sputters but hoped that we could make it home. We noticed the ammeter needle acting wildly and then it went all the way to discharge. We began to smell smoke. Deb asked in a frantic voice, WHATS WRONG!!!!!!!. I replied, Hell, I don't know. I cut the switch and looked for a place to pull off the road. I jumped out quickly and raised the hood. Smoke was obviously coming from the firewall. When the engine had been reinstalled, I had forgotten to tighten the push rod pedal to the starter switch. The switch pedal had fallen off and was contacting the battery cable connection on the starter switch. The switch pedal had gotten so hot that it had mostly burned the rubber grommet where the pedal rod goes through the firewal completely up. When I got the pedal reconnected, the battery was too weak to turn the engine. I had the hand crank under the seat and that saved the day. I keep my stuff in purdy good tune and it cranked right up with the hand crank. By that time I had an audience of a bunch of kids across the street. They seemed to get a big kick out of seeing me hand crank the model A so we were all happy and proceeded on our way home without further incident.
Another time when we took our 31 tudor on its maiden voyage up town to show it off to a friend that had a similiar car under restoration. All was good untill I got ready to leave. The starter would just motor but would not throw the bendix gear in contact with the flywheel. I had made the mistake of putting light oil on the helix of the starter drive when I had installed the starter. It was winter and the oil wouldn't allow the bendix to engage with the flywheel. The engine was a fresh rebuild and was still pretty tight. I was getting a bit nervious but was able to hand crank the engine. After that incident, I will never oil a starter bendix again, not even WD 40. As a matter of fact, I clean every starter bendix helix with lacquer thinner before installation. Deb never hesitates to go with me in the model A's . She can drive them and shift the gears as good as anybody that I have ever seen and can do minor repairs herself if I'm not there.
Another time when we took our 31 tudor on its maiden voyage up town to show it off to a friend that had a similiar car under restoration. All was good untill I got ready to leave. The starter would just motor but would not throw the bendix gear in contact with the flywheel. I had made the mistake of putting light oil on the helix of the starter drive when I had installed the starter. It was winter and the oil wouldn't allow the bendix to engage with the flywheel. The engine was a fresh rebuild and was still pretty tight. I was getting a bit nervious but was able to hand crank the engine. After that incident, I will never oil a starter bendix again, not even WD 40. As a matter of fact, I clean every starter bendix helix with lacquer thinner before installation. Deb never hesitates to go with me in the model A's . She can drive them and shift the gears as good as anybody that I have ever seen and can do minor repairs herself if I'm not there.
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My wife and kids are great about it. We haven't too many but a few. When we start out
in one of the old cars we always call it going on an adventure. My wife always brings
a book with her just in case. She reads while I fix the car.
One of my favorites was in my Model T when the speedometer gear came loose of the
wood wheel. It was making a clanking sound rattling around.
We got out and inspected and figured we would just pull the wheel and take of the gear
and fix it when we got home. I reached under the back seat and remembered I had
put the jack in our other Model T for a tour and hadn't put it back.
We looked around and found a piece of log that was an inch taller than the under side
of the axle. I had my wife get in the car and myself and our two daughters pushed back
on the car with the log at an angle under the axle, when the car was up on the log
my wife pulled on the hand brake and the wheel was off the ground.
I pulled the wheel took off the offending gear put the wheel back on and we were on our way after pushing the car off the log.....
My kids also like to tell the story claiming I was trying to kill them with my Fathers
1912 Touring, the top straps broke that go from the front of the top down to the radiator and the top folded down on top of them going up a hill. They caught the top
and had to wait as I had a good run going up the hill and didn't want to stop until
we go to the top...
in one of the old cars we always call it going on an adventure. My wife always brings
a book with her just in case. She reads while I fix the car.
One of my favorites was in my Model T when the speedometer gear came loose of the
wood wheel. It was making a clanking sound rattling around.
We got out and inspected and figured we would just pull the wheel and take of the gear
and fix it when we got home. I reached under the back seat and remembered I had
put the jack in our other Model T for a tour and hadn't put it back.
We looked around and found a piece of log that was an inch taller than the under side
of the axle. I had my wife get in the car and myself and our two daughters pushed back
on the car with the log at an angle under the axle, when the car was up on the log
my wife pulled on the hand brake and the wheel was off the ground.
I pulled the wheel took off the offending gear put the wheel back on and we were on our way after pushing the car off the log.....
My kids also like to tell the story claiming I was trying to kill them with my Fathers
1912 Touring, the top straps broke that go from the front of the top down to the radiator and the top folded down on top of them going up a hill. They caught the top
and had to wait as I had a good run going up the hill and didn't want to stop until
we go to the top...
DougVieyra
Well-known member
My wife looks at my Model A, as my 'mistress'. Many other men have other types of mistresses. The advantage my wife has over many women, is that she not only knows WHO my "mistress" is, BUT my wife controls the CHECK BOOK, so she is quite right in understanding that SHE is in full control of my illicit relationship; And has the reasonable knowledge that with all my time and love in my Model A, I do not have the energy, interest, nor money - to support a FEMALE 'mistress'.
So my wife is a 'Happy Camper' - And she has an AAA Extended Miles membership card ! Another tactic that works well to help 'The Misses' 'buy into' your old car afflictions, is to let HER pick the body style, and let HER pick the paint color of the car. Once she is 'embedded' into the relationship, she (rightly, I think) can more comfortably think of herself as a 'partner' in the project - not an adversary !
AND as relates to 'troubles along the road' - we need to keep our own misfortunes in perspective. On Sat. July 19, Fred K-OR posted a link to a new 'old car' club website - www.geaaonline.org . That website has a link to "Old Auto Songs", from 1904 (My Merry Oldsmobile - to 1940, broken down into two age brackets. If you were to listen to the songs of the early days of the automobile - you hear a mix of joy and, more frequently, sorrow - about owning / driving an automobile. In my own record collection (1898 - 1940 ) one of my favorites is Bobby North's terrific hit of 1904 "He Had to Get Under - Get Out and Get Under" (His Little Automobile). And then there is the 1907 hit by Billy Murray, "I think I ought not Auto Anymore"; and Ada Jones 1909 "(Troubles) Out in an Automobile" - well, the list of people with automobile problems goes on and on - even in the earliest of times.
We are fortunate to be able to join these people in experiencing both the joys and sorrows of owning and driving a piece of American history !
So my wife is a 'Happy Camper' - And she has an AAA Extended Miles membership card ! Another tactic that works well to help 'The Misses' 'buy into' your old car afflictions, is to let HER pick the body style, and let HER pick the paint color of the car. Once she is 'embedded' into the relationship, she (rightly, I think) can more comfortably think of herself as a 'partner' in the project - not an adversary !
AND as relates to 'troubles along the road' - we need to keep our own misfortunes in perspective. On Sat. July 19, Fred K-OR posted a link to a new 'old car' club website - www.geaaonline.org . That website has a link to "Old Auto Songs", from 1904 (My Merry Oldsmobile - to 1940, broken down into two age brackets. If you were to listen to the songs of the early days of the automobile - you hear a mix of joy and, more frequently, sorrow - about owning / driving an automobile. In my own record collection (1898 - 1940 ) one of my favorites is Bobby North's terrific hit of 1904 "He Had to Get Under - Get Out and Get Under" (His Little Automobile). And then there is the 1907 hit by Billy Murray, "I think I ought not Auto Anymore"; and Ada Jones 1909 "(Troubles) Out in an Automobile" - well, the list of people with automobile problems goes on and on - even in the earliest of times.
We are fortunate to be able to join these people in experiencing both the joys and sorrows of owning and driving a piece of American history !
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al's28/33
Well-known member
Great stories so far. I shorted out my "A" going out for ice cream with the Mrs. one evening wanting to show her that the headlights worked. Since then I've had the wiring harness replaced and hard-wired the headlights without those original plastic connectors. Then I had pop-out switch issues and several grounding problems.
Now she always asks if we'll make it back..........but she hasn't said no for a ride!
Now she always asks if we'll make it back..........but she hasn't said no for a ride!
Ed in Maine
Well-known member
Now that I am older (72) I am a bit more conservative. But in 1978, the (50th anniversary of the Model A) I had just installed a newly rebuilt Model A engine in my 1930 Town Sedan and with the wife and kids set off for Detroit to the National Meet from Iowa. It was a 500 mile drive. I spent one day driving around town to get as many break in miles as possible on the engine before we left town. I can't imagine doing this today, what an adventure! There were so many Model A's in Detroit that weekend it was like driving in 1930! I even got to take my car through the Ford Rogue Plant on the tour where my car was assembled in 1930. I have to admit I had a tear in my eye as the Ford employees cheered us going through the plant. Also got to take a picture of my car in front of Greenfield Village. By all means take your cars on these adventures when you are younger. They are great memories. By the way, we had no issues with the car. Ed
Brobrian
Senior Member
My Grand Dad was an "Okie", though technically from SW Kansas. He came out to CA once along the Highway 50 and I-80 in and A. He had a number of "adventures" that were retold to me when I was young and growing up in northern Nevada. My dad still marks the spot outside Elko where Grand Dad left the car and the family and walked back to town for gas. I'd love to change the way our family has "adventures" from mishaps and break-downs to trips and explorations. It will take some work, however.
Our A's are really mostly "my cars." My wife doesn't want to drive them herself, though she likes short rides in them. They are used almost exclusively in town, as we are surrounded by freeways, deserts and mountains. I can see that, if I'm going to get us on the road in our A's, I'll have to get the coupe up to spec as some of you are so keen about. It really is the more comfortable car, and can easily cruise at 55. Maybe then I can get her up in the sierras where I'd really like to be.
Thanks for the stories. I hope you have more.
Our A's are really mostly "my cars." My wife doesn't want to drive them herself, though she likes short rides in them. They are used almost exclusively in town, as we are surrounded by freeways, deserts and mountains. I can see that, if I'm going to get us on the road in our A's, I'll have to get the coupe up to spec as some of you are so keen about. It really is the more comfortable car, and can easily cruise at 55. Maybe then I can get her up in the sierras where I'd really like to be.
Thanks for the stories. I hope you have more.