Newbie Intro & 1930 Model A Coupe Thoughts
 

Hi folks. I may be your newest member. I'm a BC Canada resident.

I tried to seek out a great web site and forum for Vintage Model A Fords. After cruising through the posts for the past few days, I am pretty sure I found the right place.

I have come to a point in my life where I am ready to throw some play money into an old car. I have always had a car fascination, but life events keep getting priority. Marriage, mortgage, kids, university, etc. On it goes. Well it's time.

I am looking for a fun car to drive. Not to show. Something I can share with my sons. They are 18 and 20. Sunday drives for ice cream with my wife, or my son with his girlfriend out for a cruise. Not necessarily long distance cruising, mainly around town. Not looking to win any trophies. Just fun times in a neat old car. I like meeting people and talking about cars, a common interests.

While searching through ads for used cars for sale, a 1930 Model A coup has caught my eye. It's been fully restored and looks great! A real head turner for sure. It seems priced right based on what I have learned so far about the car. It's about $14,800 US dollars.

My concerns are not about the reliability, parts availability or maintenance of the vehicle. I am experienced and pretty sure I can fix anything on the Model A comfortably.

I have some concerns more about drive-ability, comfort and safety.
I have never owned or ridden in a Modal A ford. I'm 6'1 and the seat has been moved back 4". I hear that helps a lot. The antique controls, manual brakes, no turn signals, finicky starting(?), raise questions.

The throttle appears to be a button on the floor. Does it work well? Is this a car you might go for a relaxing cruise in? I am doubtful. The rear brake lights seem small. Are they adequate? Is in town traffic, not a comfortable place to drive a Model A? I am thinking the open back country road is more in line with a Model A. I wonder if the Model A keeps you busy as a driver? Maybe that's all part of it's charm?

Maybe I am off base here. The model A is no big heavy cruiser. I am asking for your experience and feedback as owners. I am trying to come to realize what I want in an old car.

Today I went and looked at a 1953 Chrysler. My son and I had a ton of fun checking it out and driving it. It rode very smooth and floated it seemed. A big car, tons of big chrome and a heavy-weight. A 4 door with big sprung bench seats. Definitely felt like a comfortable cruiser. Lacking the charm of a Ford Model A I might think.

We plan to go look at the 1930 Model A on Saturday. I'm sure it'll show great. I bet its a really neat car. I am wondering if I buy it, what I may have after the honeymoon stage is over?

Thanks in advance for your responses. I hope I've not offended any loyal Model A owners. I want to research before I buy. Your comments are appreciated - Keith

Re: Newbie Intro & 1930 Model A Coupe Thoughts
 

Keith, First off, Welcome to the FordBarn.

Addressing a couple of your concerns. First, make sure the brakes are as good as you can get as this will dictate the max speed you will feel comfortable with. Myself, I have a Tudor and it was a simple matter of exchanging a 4" setback for the seat mount as I am 6'3".

As for maintenance and starting, the simplicity of the Model A is that even with minimum experience anyone can work on it. The Les Andrews books are a must for keeping the A in good shape.

If you plan on taking the kids out with the wife, unless you have the rumble seat, you will need a sedan, either a tudor or fordor, specially living in BC, there are not enough layers to take the kids out in winter in the rumble seat.

There are a lot still around and quite a few for sale, so find a club member close to you and take them along to evaluate the car before you go buying it.

My wooden nickles worth.

PS. You can also talk the kids into getting one too, why not save 3?

Re: Newbie Intro & 1930 Model A Coupe Thoughts
 

I think a Model A makes a good collector car that can be enjoyed by the whole family.

They are easy to work on and there is a ton of information available to the new owner.

With a little effort, they can be made to be very reliable.

Very good availability of replacement parts.

The tail light are small but there are Replacement LED units available that replace the existing bulbs and lenses that are very bright and really help. Third center mounted brake light kits are also available.

Very good replacement parts are available for the brakes and when properly repaired, the original mechanical brakes will be very good.

I would also suggest that you look at a 2 Door, (Tudor). the doors are longer than most of the other body styles that making getting into and out of the car a little more easy for a tall person. Also, it is very easy to move the front seats back to give you more leg room.

There are lots of Model A Ford clubs around and most are very family orientated.

I have a Tudor that I have more than 10,000 miles of touring with. I did the restoration myself and it has proved to be very reliable.

Before you purchase a Model A, try some on for size. You may find a 1930-31 better for you as they have a little more leg room in the front than a 1928-29 model.

Anyway, look up the closest Model A Club and you may find a lot of help and information. There are a lot of good cars out there for sale.

Let us know how you proceed.

My opinion,

Chris W.

Re: Newbie Intro & 1930 Model A Coupe Thoughts
 

If you've never even ridden in a Model A, I would sure suggest you try to find a local
club first, and have someone let you go for a ride, so you can see just what the Model A experience is all about. Remember, these cars are over 85 years old, so lots of differences compared to a 1950's car. Everything is mechanical, so these cars are pretty simple to drive, but do demand your attention.....but that is part of the charm!
For $14,000, the car should be in excellent mechanical condition.....meaning brakes, ebgine transmission, and other components are in great operating condition. Many restored Model A's look nice cosmetically, but have only a superficial restoration overall. He should have lots of before & after pictures, plus an extensive list of work performed. Really good advice is to have another experienced Model A owner accompany you when you look at the car. Good luck & let us know how you make out!

Re: Newbie Intro & 1930 Model A Coupe Thoughts
 

I am with the others on choosing a sedan, especially if you want to involve the whole family. I have a town sedan and it is great. I also have a roadster that I love, but for comfort and space, the sedans are better. I think the 31 slant windows may be the best of the sedans, as they have less wood and probably more structural integrity.

Re: Newbie Intro & 1930 Model A Coupe Thoughts
 

I agree that you should seek out some local Model A owners. Sit in a few cars, maybe take a ride. We tend to love the inquiries and would be glad to help you out. At least that way you would get a feel for what you are in for.

I'm 5'11" and have no trouble in a Coupe. If they have moved the seat back 4" all the better. However, as others have said, a Coupe can only fit two inside...three if they are really good friends and a bit skinny.

I use mine as a daily driver. I find it perfectly fine for driving around town, even in pretty heavy traffic. You get used to the manual controls very quickly; spark, GAV, throttle button, etc. After a while I completely forget that I am driving anything different and I just drive.

I have upgraded a few things for safety reasons, brighter LED taillight (I still only have one), Bratton's headlight reflectors for night driving, seat belts... Other than that she is pretty much stock.

If you enjoy the mechanical tinkering, I can think of no better vehicle.

One last thing, in today's market (at least in the U.S.), $14,800 is a bit steep unless the car is mechanically nearly perfect and the body and interior are REALLY good. At least that is my opinion.

Good luck,

Ken

Re: Newbie Intro & 1930 Model A Coupe Thoughts
 

I say go for it. There are tens of thousands of us driving Model A Fords! We all started out, I'm sure, with some small amount of trepidation... but we are mostly happy drivers of our cars in various states of restoration. Some drive them a little, some more than that and some drive them daily. As previously stated, they are easy to maintain if you have any mechanical skills. Parts are generally available. Help is quite easy to get, online (Ford Barn etc.), local clubs and International Clubs. I drive mine several thousand miles a year and will do a 100 mile trip without much hesitancy. Coupes are a good choice as they look good proportion-wise. Just don't expect more from an 85+ year old car than they have... no radio, A/C, Power Windows, Automatic transmission etc. You can feel confident in driving them 45-50 miles per hour all day long.

Re: Newbie Intro & 1930 Model A Coupe Thoughts
 

Do yourself a favor and spend sometime at www.modelabasics.com. An excellent site with lots of How To's. If you want to fully enjoy your car make yourself as educated as you can about it.

Re: Newbie Intro & 1930 Model A Coupe Thoughts
 

Welcome Keith,

One thing to remember about these cars, they are modern day ferraris. They are not going to do 0-100 or stop on a dime like modern cars. That being said,when the car is set up correctly she does just fine. In city traffic I am just as fast as a million dollar Ferrari-they can't go any faster than me.

I agree with the others, go check the local club in BC located in Vancouver and ask to sit in, ride and drive their cars. Pre-1930 fordoor sedans are all wood bodies clad in steel. But that gives them the most room. There are up grades for safety and convenience as well.

As for controls they get mastered in about 20 minutes of driving. Enjoy the search as these are great cars to drive around in and tinker on. Either in the garage or the side of the road which something happens.

Mike

Re: Newbie Intro & 1930 Model A Coupe Thoughts
 

And when that '53 Chrysler breaks down (as ALL machines eventually do), where are you going to find the parts, advice and support network to repair it? All of these are readily available for Model A's, 24/7/365. This is a big consideration when buying an antique car.
You are, of course, preaching to the choir on this website. No one is going to say: "Go for the Chrysler instead of the Model A!" :) I have driven a couple of my Model A's cross country from Arizona to Iowa many times on the interstates, and even from California to New York and then on to Germany (via a ship). When rebuilt/restored properly, Model A's are an excellent tour vehicle, more than up to snuff for city driving. Now, if you were asking about a Model T, you'd get an entirely different answer!
One suggestion: before committing to buying that rather expensive 1930 Coupe (a fairly common body style, albeit quite popular), for Heaven's sake, take a knowledgeable Model A guy with you to point out potential red flags. In this day and age of the internet and multiple antique car auctions on TV, people think their cars ought to be worth as much as the ones they see on TV going for big bucks. "Restored" to one person is just the beginning level for others. Do NOT trust what a seller says if he calls his car restored. A flashy paint job and a new interior do not a restored car make. There are many areas that an experienced Model A guy will spot as incorrectly restored or even missing, shock absorbers falling into that category of very expensive items restorers often ignore = $1000+. Unless this coupe is really, REALLY nice with properly rebuilt mechanical components, $14,500 is pushing the envelope for a 1930 Coupe. EVERYTHING had better be darned right, including the paint color selection. You will not regret having a local Model A expert look the car over and especially DRIVE it. At $14,500, this car is not going to get away from you while you inspect it and mull over its purchase. In this case until you get some expertise in Model A's under your belt, don't trust your own judgment. There are just too many things that can be wrong with a Model A's restoration that YOU will end up correcting ($$$$$$$$$$$$$$$).
Marshall
Marshall

Re: Newbie Intro & 1930 Model A Coupe Thoughts
 

As I type this, I'm at the local Starbucks, looking out the window at all the people stopping and pointing at my Model A outside the window. These are wonderful cars to hop in and drive around your community. You'll be smiling on the drive there and home, and you will meet so many people at the gas station, restaurants, stores, etc all wanting to know about your new toy.

In my opinion, they are one of the best toys to have because you can go almost anywhere with one, and it's a conversation starter, unlike that ferrari that 1930artdeco mentioned. You'll have people in nice cars joking with you to see if you want to trade at stop lights.

Now with all that, they are very drivable. I agree. Use it around town for ice cream and family memories, but as you get more comfortable with it, don't be afraid to get it out on long journeys. It's really something to experience the dourability of these old machines.

I also think the Model A puts you in touch, literally, with how the internal combustion engine works. realizing the distributor needs advance at higher RPM for more power is learned by the left lever behind the steering wheel. Realizing that cruise control is as old as the Model T is tought by the throttle lever on the right of the steering wheel. Learning how to time an engine by poking a pin in the front cover tells you that these aren't mystical beasts. It's just metal and gears, but well thought out. Learning how to adjust mechanical brakes makes you appreciate what goes into the daily drivers that we driver. Learning your car's squeaks and groans will tell you when something needs attention. They are a lot of fun.

You will discover with the Model A Ford, you are part of a national, if not international family. The other old cars do not have the same type of camaraderie as Henry's Lady.

Dive right in. You'll love it. If you hate it, you can usually sell it again an not be out like as if you bought a boat! ;)

But I encourage you to go for it, and meet up with all those other enthusiasts, and get your family involved as well.

Below is a photo from 4 years ago when A's from all around the country drove a week in the rain and spent the day at the Biltmore Estate in Ashville NC. All of them would say a Model A is quite driveable.

https://scontent.cdninstagram.com/t5...14400768_n.jpg