[gillettealvin]

Being a recovering hot rodder, I feel your pain. Any fresh involvement with an old car deals with a pretty steep learning curve. I’m 68 y.o and have been fooling with pre-40 cars for over 50 years. If I “allow it,” I’m still learning something new every day.

The main issue with your post is that it would probably “fit” better over on the “Banger” thread at the HAMB. That said, I’ll take a shot, but I can only lend my thoughts from my own learning curve. Of course you’ll do whatever you decide to “do,” regardless of whatever is posted in reply to your query.

The thing I don’t see often addressed in these discussions is that the Model A Ford is a very short step away from its predecessor, the T, and is still to be considered as a very antique car. The design of the skinny body, short wheelbase, spindly tires, high clearance stance, barn door windshield, (with its wind trap visor,) and similar wind trapping front fenders; all make it a truly bad candidate for any kind of sustained cruising speed on a modern freeway: 55 or more MPH. Yeah, there are guys driving them 55 and up for long periods, but most of them are younger and more adventurous than an old fart like myself.

Having “built” and driven three SBC powered A’s over the last twenty years, (a ’29 Sedan Delivery, a ’30 coupe, and a ’29 coupe,) and two “modified” A powered cars, (a ’29 Sport Coupe with a cam, a 97 downdraft carb, HC head, and header; and a ’29 Pickup with a similarly warmed over Model A “Diamond” motor,) my experience, over a few thousand miles driven, is that anything over the 45-50 MPH speeds that the o/g car was designed to maintain, is incredibly uncomfortable.

The reality of my hopped up Model A’s very rapidly dispelled any fantasies I harbored in my day dreams about them. The interiors are cramped and very Spartan. The wind noise at anything close to 60 MPH is quite noticeable; (forget comfortable conversation with a passenger or enjoyment of any kind of music/radio.) Then, there is the lightness of the body coupled with the side steering buggy sprung chassis which causes squirrelly handling at higher speeds. Bias ply tires lend to the unpredictability of the ride. Of course, many of these issues can be addressed with the seemingly unending barrage of 1-800 “parts suppliers;” (both “original” and “street rod,”) but most of these “solutions” will run a budget right up there close to the prices of a late model Corvette, or even an Early V-8 Ford. (Don’t ask how I know this!)

I’ve finally learned, (at my young and tender age,) that a Model A is most pleasant to drive on an old two lane without too much traffic, and with my girl tucked in beside me: enjoying the countryside and the slower pace. Again, this is just for me. Good luck with whatever you decide to do! (My 15¢.)