Need "restorer" magazine information

R

Ron/IA

Well-known member
I mentioned in a reply to an earlier thread about lady drives, that our club was going to hold a ladies Model A driving course in July. From a recent meeting of the co-leaders, I have been given the task of gathering reading material for the course.

After doing some research I have found an article in "The Restore" that mentions other articles worth reading prior to taking the lady Model A driving course.

Here's were I hope you Fordbarner's with MAFCA and MARC memberships can help. My magazine collection for the two organizations does not go back far enough, and I would like to get a copy of the following articles:

1. "Let Me Teach You How to Drive the New Ford" by Hazel M. Fahnestock - The Restorer July/August 1967 issue
2. "Double Clutching" by Paul Moller - Model A News March/April 1983 issue

It would be great if they could be scanned and sent to me electronically, but I will recieve them in any form they can be sent. If I need to compensate for postage or a copying fee; that certainly can be worked out. Listed below are two emails that can be used to send said articles.

Also, if you know of other articles that would be worthy of reading prior to taking such a course, or if you have questions about my request; just reply to this thread. Thanks, - Ron/IA
rlheit@netins.net
ronheitmann@alliantenergy.com
 
Ron, I'll probably get "clobbered" for this, but here goes.... If you teach someone to drive a model A who has no clutch experience it would probably be best to learn the
clutch basics on another car. If your foot accidentally slips off the clutch, as mine
did, it can cost you a ton of money.......in my case 1800.00 bucks. I was no novice
with the clutch (over 50 years of shifting all kinds of vehicles). JMHO

Jack
 
David, probably nothing....but if you are going to teach someone to drive a model A
(who might not be a family member) it's best if they learn the basics on THEIR car and not on YOUR prized Model A. At some of these seminars, people learn to drive
model A's on OTHER PEOPLE'S CARS. JMHO----as I stated in my original post.

Jack
 
Jack & David - Good comments both, and it sounds like Jack had a bad experience and David thinks the Model A is a pretty tough car (I know I do). The way I look at it is these lady drivers have to learn some time (provided they really want to).

The MAFCA guideline states the student should drive the car they plan to drive most of the time. While it may be beneficial to the student to learn on a non-Model A clutch; there are not many vehicles today that use a clutch/manual transmission, and if they do are no where near what the experience of a Model A would be (IMHO). I have no fears of teaching a new Model A driver on my Model A. The clutch pedal in a Model A is wide and thick, it operates in a smooth manner (provided it is mechanically sound), and if the car should learch due to engaging too fast, the student is instructed to just push the pedal in when that happens and to start over again. I know I am making a long comment, but simply put a driver can't learn the oddities of a Model A without driving a Model A.

Now, can anyone help me with my request for reading material? Thanks - Ron/IA
 
Ron, I appreciate your comments, and agree that you need a Model A to learn on a model A, however you CAN learn a lot on a modern car with a clutch. Learning things like "friction point" can be transferred to a Model A. it is something you don't forget once learned and will save you some wear and tear on the A. My dad made me learn the friction point on an old clunker before he let me drive his new stick shift Mercury.

Jack, IMHO
 
Make sure that there are no obstructions in the "teaching" area as a vacent parking lot....an empty grass field...

Ron,

Send me your address and I will get these articles out to you today.

Pluck
 
Steve - Thank you for getting the articles for me. I have sent you and email with the address you can use.

Since we are on the subject of "Should you teach a new Model A driver on a Model A?", I will give so more thoughts on the matter.

Jack makes a valid point of "training" on a vehicle other than a Model A. However, the course guideline used by MAFCA have been very successful since the early 1980's. Many ladies have learned how to drive a Model A starting with just a Model A. In fact the guidelines don't even mention using anything but a Model A. Also, I have never seen suggestions that this guideline should be changed. One thing to keep in mind is a new learner/student to the Model A is going to be very receptive to instruction. First they have the willingness to want to drive the car, and second they will hang on your every word because it will be instruction they have never heard before. I fully agree that the student that has prior experience with a clutch/shift transmission will have an advantage over one who has not. But, I don't think the one who has not can't be taught by starting right away with a Model A.

Next, Steve makes a good point the "teaching" area should be without obstructions. It should also be level; that will give the student the "time" to start off in 1st gear and the "time" to get from one gear to the next. If it doesn't go quite right that first time, the car can easily be brought to a stop and the process started over again. When I first put my daughter (who by the way had never used an auto with a clutch prior) into my Model A, she made the comment she was afraid she might break it. I reminded her the car had been around since 1929, and that prior to me owning it, it probalby wasn't treated as nice those years ago as it was being treated today. Prior to that day she had ridden many miles watching me shift and drive it, and asked her as she slipped behind the wheel if she could ever remember the car breaking during all those miles. She settled in, and in no time at all was driving the Model A; then shortly after that was shifting into 2nd and 3rd. She stills needs more time behind the wheel, but her determination and reception to instruction is paying off in smiles (by both her and me).

Not all may be as confident to put a "first timer" behing the wheel, but I believe the Model A is more than capable of being up to the task, and the many ladies who have received their certificates from this course are proof that it can be done. - Ron/IA

PS. Does anyone have other suggestions for lady Model A driving course reading material?
 
My first car was a 1931 Model A Sport Coupe. It was also the first stick shift I ever drove. It survived and so did I.:D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top