[Marco Tahtaras]

Originally Posted by Logan

I dont understand the neglect to admit the model a breaks down. It is a reliable car, but shit happens.

That goes for your modern (or even NEW) car but a person with moderate skills can keep a Model A on the road. Not so easy (but doable for some) to deal with failed electronics in our modern cars.

... or if i can just throw on my spare instead of figuring out the short in a distributor on the side of the road, then im going to put in my spare.

I don't let anybody else work on my distributors so I can honestly say I will never have a short to ground in my lifetime. However, those that run electronic conversions SHOULD carry a spare or parts to convert it back.

Originally Posted by ivoryjohn

There is a list of suggested spares to carry on a cruise that list about 80 items total. My pal adds to that list when he goes cruising jumper cables.

80 items? Wow! It seems it would be easier and cheaper to take someone along that can fill in for those mechanical skills lacking by the owner! As far as jumper cables, there is only one set of circumstances that would ever require them. Some engines always shut down and come to rest with the points closed. If you park the car at night (or for most of a day) and forget to turn off the ignition the battery can become drained enough that it won't even produce a spark while hand cranking or pushing the car. In most cases you can hustle some cables from someone. That scenario can possibly take out your coil however.

Originally Posted by BRENT in 10-uh-C

There is no need for a spare carburetor. Properly rebuild the one on the car and then make any repair to that one if something should happen while driving.

That is making it even more difficult than need be. Yes, properly rebuilt is nice but NOT necessary. The carb will work the same when you return home as it did those times preceding the trip. While it's conceivable that someone could lose a loose carb jet I've never heard of it happening. Other than that the carb won't simply "break". The only thing that can go wrong is an obstruction but that carb was designed to deal with that in less time than changing it. In Toronto we were headed out on the tour in the Roadster. I pulled out of the hotel parking lot onto the main road. The engine started sputtering with no power so I pulled the choke out some to force more fuel in. It clearly made a difference but I couldn't get it to clear out. I pulled off the road and removed the lower half of the carb with a 9/16" wrench. I removed some mosquito wings, slapped it back together, and we were on our way.