Owning a model T vs model A

[Gary loves Fords]

the correct answer is: You need at least one of each. Two different drives, both wonderful.
I have seven t's and five model a's been driving both for 50yrs.

amen brother

 

[Flathead Fever]

I've never owned a Model T, I worked on the neighbor's for him. The first time I rode in a '26 roadster that belonged to a friend of my dad's we were coming down a steep hill at Model T top speed. There was a traffic light at the bottom of the hill. About a 1/4-mile away that light turned yellow, and the driver looked over at me and says, "were already past the point of no return, then it turned red as we were about 1/8 mile away as watched the cars start crossing the intersection. We sailed right on through that red light. I got the impression from the owner that was just part of excitement of driving a Model T. Years later I got to drive a neighbors' 1913 roadster in a parade, they are really fun to start and drive. You really get a feel of driving an antique car. On the way home I had to drive (crawl) up another steep hill. Another neighbor came flying by honking his horn in his Model A. As if flew by all I could think of was how in its day the Model A instantly made the Model T obsolete. They are equally neat for different reasons. A Model A roadster with a rumble seat is pretty neat, just getting to take people for rides in a rumble seat so they can see what it was like. But so is taking them for a ride in a Model T because of how different the controls are. They are small cars, the roadsters were made for people that didn't way much over 150 lbs. Ask somebody if she can sit in their Model T and Model A's and see what feels right for her. I'm sure they will be happy to take her for a ride. She really needs to go for in each before she decides.

There is not much maintenance for either of them, fluid levels and grease zerks. If you have a cylinder misfire in a Model T you can literally lift out a coil box one at a time while its running and see which cylinders are affected. The one that does not affect it is the bad cylinder. Then you can swap it with another coil to see if it's the coil that's bad. There are no wires to them they sit on contacts. Neatest thing ever for diagnosing which cylinders are not firing. If you get a Model T for her, you probably want one with a starter.

 

[Model A Ron]

I've never owned a Model T, I worked on the neighbor's for him. The first time I rode in a '26 roadster that belonged to a friend of my dad's we were coming down a steep hill at Model T top speed. There was a traffic light at the bottom of the hill. About a 1/4-mile away that light turned yellow, and the driver looked over at me and says, "were already past the point of no return, then it turned red as we were about 1/8 mile away as watched the cars start crossing the intersection. We sailed right on through that red light. I got the impression from the owner that was just part of excitement of driving a Model T.

You must have been in a poor running T that did not have rear brakes. I have a 15 touring with a Warford overdrive and rear disk brakes and I drive with my Model A buddies all the time. I know the T is limited in speed but at 45 many Model A guys are running slower than me.

 

[the cooch]

I was “around” back when this thread was started, but building V8 cars at the time. I have since gotten a Model A and a Model T and like both more than the hotrods! I can’t help choose between one and the other but I can say for sure that I like the open car wayyyyy more than the closed car. I am letting go of my closed cab pickup in favor of a touring car so I can take four or five people out instead of just two. I have a whopping 4 mile commute so I drive one or the other almost daily when it’s warm and don’t have a preference other than the open top. I’d think living somewhere that accesses slow roads would be a big factor in choosing. The A is way faster, but traffic here is insane these days, so I drive both very slow. Folks seem to like passing and waving at twenty mph but hate to be stuck behind going about the speed limit or even a little over. I guess the A stops better, but all that shifting gets annoying sometimes, knowing that that the T is actually simpler once used to it. Dang, I’m no help, I’m just glad no one’s making me choose!

 

[Model A Ron]

I like my 29 Model A Phaeton but I find myself driving my 1915 Model T Touring more. The A is a more capable car but once you add rear brakes, and a high compression head the T is good for 35 to 40. If you add a Warford overdrive you can add 10 mph or more to that but lets face it 40 in any model T is pushing the abilities of the car. Regardless the T in my opinion is much more fun to drive and I seem to get much more attention and draw more people when driving one of my T's......people are shocked when I hand crank it and it starts on the first pull.

 

[petehoovie]

I like my 29 Model A Phaeton but I find myself driving my 1915 Model T Touring more. The A is a more capable car but once you add rear brakes, and a high compression head the T is good for 35 to 40. If you add a Warford overdrive you can add 10 mph or more to that but lets face it 40 in any model T is pushing the abilities of the car. Regardless the T in my opinion is much more fun to drive and I seem to get much more attention and draw more people when driving one of my T's......people are shocked when I hand crank it and it starts on the first pull.

 

[Model A Ron]

I have a 1909 Model T (first production year) and a 1927 Model T (last production year) and a 1930 Model A deluxe phaeton. Also 6 more collector cars. The 1927 Model T is the least expensive one in my collection, but by far the most fun to drive

Why is the 27 your top choice for a T? I do like the 26/27 but to me they look more like an A with a T engine and transmission.....not bashing them at all its just I had an A so I got a 15 Touring and then a 24 Coupe. On the Coupe moved the seat back 5 inches by removing the package shelf and moving the gas tank back.... at 6'3'' my 24 now has more room than most modern cars and I love that but I still find the 15 touring a thrill with the top down. In Carolina the Touring is my summer T and the Coupe is my winter T.

 

[junkbrick]

I am one of the lucky ones who has a wife that enjoys building and riding in all of our cars. We have a 29 roadster, 36 pickup and a 40 Tudor so the "family" has a car to ride in. We went out for a ride a few weeks ago and came across a few "T's"...may have a new "old" addition to the fleet soon

 

[29spcoupe]

I have a 29 Special Coupe and a brass Model T with an aftermarket runabout body. The A is faster and more comfortable and being closed it is a 3 season car. The T is by far, more fun to drive. John

 

[Model A Ron]

The T is by far, more fun to drive. John

Could not agree more on this fact. It took me minutes to drive my T for the first time but several months until it became second nature.....after that it was a no brainer on what was more fun to drive. The Model A is wonderful but to me it's the first modern Ford making it the grandfather of cars. The T is the Great Grand Daddy

Maybe its just me but I find the A can overheat on a very hot day (95 to 100f) but I have never had a T overheat and both of my T's have no water pump.....go figure that one out lol