[KGBnut]

I have a daily driver that REALLY is a daily driver. I drive it several times a week without worrying about the weather, or time of day. Snow, heavy rain, 3:00 in the morning... I don't really care. My only limitation is that I will not take it on limited-access highways. 45mph...even 50mph and she is happy as could be. When everyone else is doing 55...65...or a hell of a lot faster, I don't want to be on that road.

My point of saying all this is simply say that, to me, my Model A is just one of my cars. I often forget that I am driving anything special. I like to think that I drive it the way people did 60 or more years ago... just basic transportation.

Still, I am well aware of its limitations.

My scariest day was a routine drive to my office. I ended up on an unexpected detour onto a road I had never previously driven in any car. The road started as a long gentle downhill grade, about 40mph. However the last third of the road got suddenly very steep with sharp curves. At the end of the road was a long, straight steep grade that gave me a clear view of the line of cars that the red light, and the heavy cross traffic on one of the busiest roads in the area.

Early on I realized this was going to be a challenge. Thankfully, I had started pumping my brakes early on, but still, I was feeling the brakes fade. My Coupe still has the original steel drums, and the shoes (which the previous owner installed in the 60s) appear to be asbestos. As I approached the bottom of the grade, I was making calculations in my head; Did I have enough brakes to avoid hitting the cars at the bottom? Was there room enough on either side to go around them? What is someone turned into the on-coming lane? I really thought I was going to end up in the middle of the cross traffic.

As I reluctantly started to reach for the emergency brake the light turned green and the cars ahead of me began to move. I got to the bottom, still pumping the brakes, just as the light turned yellow. I quickly punched it and safely made it through the intersection.

I eased to a stop on the side of the road. I shut her down and left her in gear telling myself that it was to let the brakes cool, but I knew deep down inside that I was really just trying to get my knees back.