T a Good "Starter" Car?

[Dodge]

You can't go wrong with a Model T its a very unique experience easy to maintain and
in my opinion very easy to drive. Do join a local Model T Club go to meetings and
go as a ride along and start getting the feeling for the cars now before you make your
decision to buy. You don't have to own a car to join. When the time does come the
local club members are a great resource to help you find and buy a car.

I have T's and A's the A is like driving a Modern car for me. Most of the A people that
knock Model T's have never owned or driven one.

Do you have any good rural roads around you for driving? That makes the experience
a lot more enjoyable also.

I always like a little T and A.......

 

[redmodelt]

Don't kid yourself, Model T's are NOT simple cars. While they don't seem to be complicated, they are more commutated than one might think.
While some can and do go faster, these cars are happy around 34-40 MPH till you go up or down a hill. You got to remember, even with aftermarket outside brakes, there are still only 2 wheels stopping the car on a very small patch where the rubber meets the road.
Model T's are great fun, but you got to look at where you live and what kind of traffic you have to deal with, before you decide.
This can be said for any old car; you need to think about your mechanical skill set, there are not garages around every corner that can work on them but there are a good number of sites like this one or The Model T Ford Club or America and several on Facebook.
If your heart is set on a Model T, go for it. But go in with your eyes open and do a little learning about the car beforehand. LOL I am on speed-dial for a couple of people that need help often.
If there is a Model T club close by, maybe go to one of their meetings and introduce yourself, tell them you are thinking about getting one and see if someone can give you an introduction to the wacky world of Model T's.

 

[400A]

I have both Model "A"s and Model "T"s. I'd suggest the "A" as a better first antique car than the "T". Just my opinion.

 

[Geokop]

Sorry I haven't replied earlier. I'm in the middle of a 1940s-era 4-way traffic signal complete restoration that has consumed my thoughts and time for the past several days. Thank you, Dodge, redmodelt, and 400A for your comments.
As far as roads go, there are plenty of either 25-35 MPH residential or 45 MPH max 2-lane back roads around here. And there are the winding roads that run through Youngstown's Mill Creek Park, the second-largest municipally-owned park in the nation, right behind N.Y. City.'s Central Park.
A Model A seems so much more of a substantial car than a T, with more complicated engineering that, with a few exceptions, basic hand tools and armature shade tree knowledge won't be enough to tackle. An "A" is more intimidating to me than a "T".
Regrettably, the nearest Model T club is about an hour away near Akron, so there's no spontaneously stopping by. We do have the Mahoning Valley Olde Car Club which, I'd like to think, has a few "T" owner members.
One BIG thing the Model T has going for it is, IMHO, the vast availability of replacement parts. I grew up in a GM family (dad worked for Fisher Body), so it would be nice to have an old GM car from the Model T era, but how common are 1925 Chevy, for example, parts? (Dad gave me his blessing to "jump ship" to a Ford if that would be my final choice as opposed to a Corvair, since we're talking about an antique, LOL.)
I've watched many YouTube videos over the past few months dealing with a T's general care & feeding, and more intense work like adjusting transmission bands, re-packing or replacing wheel bearings, replacing head gaskets, adjusting the "timer", etc.. Mitch Taylor, Solar City Garage, Strong's Garage, One Who Collects, Jerod Helt, and Tinker with a T all have informative and interesting "how-to" videos. (And I'll also watch for fun Paul Shinn working on his Model As.) And ya know what? None of these guys are Supermen with magical tools. Sure, they sometimes use a few specialized hand tools, which I could buy. Much of the work is a logical extension of rebuilding bicycles. I watch these guys work and think to myself "I could do this!"

 

[mhsprecher]

Model A parts are just as available as T parts. You seem to have your mind made up, but I suggest riding in both and talking to owners of both before you buy anything.