How do you use your Model A?

nkaminar

nkaminar

Well-known member
In the 1960’s my only car was a 1930 coupe. I drove it to and from high school, on dates, and later to and from college. When I first got married it was still just an old car that I drove as my main and only form of transportation.

Fast forward to 2026. In the back of my mind I still want to drive my current Fordor as my main means of transportation but I have given this some serious second thoughts. I have decided to save my Model A for special occasions and not drive it to the market for groceries or to the hardware store for supplies.

How do you feel about this? How do you use your Model A?
 
Very early Sunday mornings with no one around to spoil the occasion before the mad house opens.
 
I am like jb-ob ..... I go out early before the idiots and their teslas wake up ...... right now I am working on the house so my "A" is surrounded by lumber and tarps and paint cans.
 
Back in the 60s when I was a kid, my parents used the 28 for a 2nd car. About the only time it wasn't driven was in snow. Nowadays I hop in it to run errands and go to shows. I'd love to drive it more but I don't trust everyone around me on the road.
 
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I don't go to shows, I'll drive it anywhere, like any other car...once I'm convinced it is safe to do so. The shackles are worn and possibly everything else in the front end too. I'm working on all that.

Once I have it as safe/sorted as it gets for OE...yah, I'll avoid peak traffic...but my goal is to be able to drive it wherever I want.
 
Occasional use on backroads. Typically during the daylight hours. Seems like I used to drive them more frequently, but the kids texting on their phones and not paying attention cause me to think twice.
 
Depends where each of us lives. Tacoma/Seattle are dangerous nowadays. So many drivers display a sense of entitlement when on the road. I'm heading for Pendleton for the MAFCA meet. This will be my last long tour. Even giving up the local car cruise in's and shows. Goin for ice cream from now on.
 
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I use my A to store my money, radial tires, synchronized transmission, overdrive, oil and gas ! Drive when ever where ever , Sunday mornings ? watch out for that honorary old woman that’s driving 10 mph under the limit and then you try passing her and you both are doing 15 mph over , finally got my rear bumper a head of her front bumper and slid in front of her , she then slow back down to 45 mph
 
Back when I was still working (on Pt. Loma in San Diego, in the 2010s), I'd make it a point to drive my Model A once a month into work - pretty much a 20 mile scenic drive along the coast in San Diego; it took me an hour, but the experience (and reactions from people who saw me driving by) was well worth it.

Fast-forward to now-retired me. I use it mainly when doing short errands that aren't time-sensitive (e.g. trips to the local grocery or hardware store).
It's still fun to see the reactions from people who see me driving by, or striking up conversations with the curious folks who stop by when they see it in the parking lot and are bold enough to start asking about it.


I try to avoid driving it on weekends, or during busy times: ever since COVID, there are lots of people who seem to have lost their minds on the road - it's a lot more dangerous out there now.
 
i use mine for senior's visits.
during the summer, on Tuesdays and Thursdays the club puts on a mini car show at senior's residences (10-12 cars max), most of those folks don't get out much, gives them a change to see and chat about the cars. at the beginning of the year those places will arrange with the club a date. the club does over 30 senior's visits per summer.
i will do the ones that are easy access or close to me as I'm like you folks i don't want to fight the traffic trying to get to the other side of town.
no car shows for me either, not my thing.
i am a builder, tinkerer, fixer volunteer on other cars.
 
I would like to share some perspective. I'm a musician too, and years ago bought a very expensive "dream" guitar which was incredible to play. Because it was so "special" I had a tendency to keep it in its case under the bed. Finally, after much angst, I decided to sell it as it didn't get used much. As I was driving away from the new owner's house, I realized what regret I had! Luckily, I was able to find another and purchase that and it gets played all the time.
My Model A is similar, I didn't buy it to stick it in a garage and have it only be taken out to go to shows. The fun of owning a Model A is driving it, no matter how long or short a distance! I think of the people taking these cars over rutted dirt roads out in the country in the 30's, 40's 50's and so on. These cars were built to be driven so in my opinion a trip to the hardware store on Saturday morning or a hop to the grocery store or to get an ice cream is the perfect opportunity to drive my Model A.
Last thing I want is when I'm dead and gone for someone to open up the garage and find my Model A hardly ever driven. As they say, life is about the journey....so drive em!
 
Your driving time in your A depends a lot on where you live. In the SF Bay Area, we can drive our cars year-round and we do. Once a month we have a club tour to somewhere.
Lots of civilian traffic out there, so we drive defensively. Wife loves beeping the horn and waving to people along the way. It's still enjoyable and fun!
 
I don’t take mine out as often as I should mostly cause I’m working full-time. Still, I do love seeing it every time I step out for a beer from the garage refrigerator.
 

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While I was still working, I drove mine to work every day. Now that I'm retired, I drive it occasionally, to club meetings, and on the several tours with our club in the summer. Plans for this summer include a couple of trips raging from 500 to 1,000 miles over several days.
 
sconnors said:
I would like to share some perspective. I'm a musician too, and years ago bought a very expensive "dream" guitar which was incredible to play. Because it was so "special" I had a tendency to keep it in its case under the bed. Finally, after much angst, I decided to sell it as it didn't get used much. As I was driving away from the new owner's house, I realized what regret I had! Luckily, I was able to find another and purchase that and it gets played all the time.
My Model A is similar, I didn't buy it to stick it in a garage and have it only be taken out to go to shows. The fun of owning a Model A is driving it, no matter how long or short a distance! I think of the people taking these cars over rutted dirt roads out in the country in the 30's, 40's 50's and so on. These cars were built to be driven so in my opinion a trip to the hardware store on Saturday morning or a hop to the grocery store or to get an ice cream is the perfect opportunity to drive my Model A.
Last thing I want is when I'm dead and gone for someone to open up the garage and find my Model A hardly ever driven. As they say, life is about the journey....so drive em!
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THIS THIS THIS!
i bought my car because i want to drive it as much as possible.
i was advised, however, to not make it into a daily driver. still want it daily quality though.
i put some safety features on it, and when i get everything all buttoned up, i plan on driving it at least once a week if the weather is nice.
i'll be bringing it to war reenactments, tours, and idk where ever i see antique cars frequently going.
 
It’s great for bales of hay,and I especially like getting bags of cement— 6-8 bags no problem and just pull up to the mixing pan and pull it out some and cut the top off — no lifting
 

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