Things I should Know-long trip planned

[tubman]

I remember one day that we were out on our boat on the Mississippi river between Minneapolis and St. Paul. There is a park right on the river on the east side. The road down to the park is long and steep. I saw the old cars milling around in the park, so I pulled in closer to take a look. It was one of the local Model "A" clubs there for a picnic. They were just leaving, and curiously a lot of them were backing up the hill in reverse. I found out later that unless you had an almost full tank of gas (or an auxiliary fuel pump) the gravity feed fuel system would starve out going up the hill unless they went backwards.

[TomC750]

Originally Posted by Lawrie

Don,t sell the 221 engine short, they are a great engine, m 34 3w with stock engine and trans,6v etc, 3.34 rear end stock brakes .
did a 5600 klm trip in it last year, some temps around 35 C, no drama, drove a couple days in the pouring rain ,never missed a beat, would sit on 60 mph all day

Lawrie

Not the same use as some have posted, but the221 in my 1937 1/2 ton stake body was a performer. I probably did not put that many miles on the factory rebuilt, but I ran it hard, up steep grades with heavy loads winding the heck out of it for several years. If it was a Chev the babbit would have been pounded out of it for sure. It was one good truck. Not one problem.

[ford38v8]

As for memorable trips and what to take with you, here's my own story.
Traveling from San Francisco to Omaha for the V8 Club Central National Meet, my wife and I took a side trip down near the Oklahoma border. We always took back roads, this time Highway 50 took us into Kansas, and we broke an axle getting airborn over railroad tracks. Out came the best tool I had taken with me, my V8 Club Roster. Looking at the map and comparing to the Roster, I found that we were just 35 miles south of Wichita, where a good friend made his home. I called, he answered, and put me in touch with a local who could help, and I thanked him profusely. The help I got was amazing. That man towed me two miles to his home, took his Model A out of it's garage, and pointed me to a refrigerator in that garage filled with beer. If you are familiar with the hot hot summers in those parts, you'll know how grateful I was to see that refrigerator open! He then showed me his bone yard out back, from which I found an axle set to replace mine. I had the tools to do the job, we were on the road again in 37 hours, and we've never left home without that Roster again. Yes, I won the Hard Luck Trophy at the V8 Club Meet!

[RGC1]

Originally Posted by Lawrie

I would not be too concerned about the ratio, before we used our 33 for towing the caravan, it had the stock 33 engine and 4.11 rear, it would hum along all day at 55 mph.
It has toured all over Australia like that, including Tasmania and West Australia, so they are not that bad
Lawrie

Really that is good to know for sure, I do need to check and see what the car has currently.
Thx

[RGC1]

Originally Posted by glennpm

Just thinking of a few more items I carry with me. Two long lenghts of wire, red & black with aligator clips for testing or temporaily bypassing, Roll of 16 GA wire, wire strippers, splices terminal ends and a crimping tool. I also carry a good air compressor, not a cheap one, something that will fill your tire fairly quickly. I also carry a tire plug kit, razor blades and good pliers to pull screws and nails out of tires. If you now run tubes, get rid of them. You can seal the wire nipples inside the rims and give yourself the option of a roadside repair.
LED flashlight, Scissors jack and block of wood to put on the ground for the jack, complete tool set, fuses, duct tape, CS tie wire and a bunch of zip ties, can of starter fluid ...

Those all sound like good items to add to the list, I plan on buying new tires and was going to get some pointers there, but that is a pretty good idea never thought of that. Thanks !!!

[RGC1]

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Originally Posted by tubman

I remember one day that we were out on our boat on the Mississippi river between Minneapolis and St. Paul. There is a park right on the river on the east side. The road down to the park is long and steep. I saw the old cars milling around in the park, so I pulled in closer to take a look. It was one of the local Model "A" clubs there for a picnic. They were just leaving, and curiously a lot of them were backing up the hill in reverse. I found out later that unless you had an almost full tank of gas (or an auxiliary fuel pump) the gravity feed fuel system would starve out going up the hill unless they went backwards.

Haha that is good something a person wouldn’t think of without going through it. Thanks for the story it’s a good one

[RGC1]

Originally Posted by TomC750

Not the same use as some have posted, but the221 in my 1937 1/2 ton stake body was a performer. I probably did not put that many miles on the factory rebuilt, but I ran it hard, up steep grades with heavy loads winding the heck out of it for several years. If it was a Chev the babbit would have been pounded out of it for sure. It was one good truck. Not one problem.

Haha ya I think the Babbitt is plenty tough for sure and considering how well used the motor oil use to get. If I was not planning such a long trip I would pop it back in and keep running it. Thanks for the story

[RGC1]

Originally Posted by ford38v8

As for memorable trips and what to take with you, here's my own story.
Traveling from San Francisco to Omaha for the V8 Club Central National Meet, my wife and I took a side trip down near the Oklahoma border. We always took back roads, this time Highway 50 took us into Kansas, and we broke an axle getting airborn over railroad tracks. Out came the best tool I had taken with me, my V8 Club Roster. Looking at the map and comparing to the Roster, I found that we were just 35 miles south of Wichita, where a good friend made his home. I called, he answered, and put me in touch with a local who could help, and I thanked him profusely. The help I got was amazing. That man towed me two miles to his home, took his Model A out of it's garage, and pointed me to a refrigerator in that garage filled with beer. If you are familiar with the hot hot summers in those parts, you'll know how grateful I was to see that refrigerator open! He then showed me his bone yard out back, from which I found an axle set to replace mine. I had the tools to do the job, we were on the road again in 37 hours, and we've never left home without that Roster again. Yes, I won the Hard Luck Trophy at the V8 Club Meet!

That is a good story I am going to do that for sure with the v8 roster I think that could be a game changer. I’ve have always licked how the car community will come out to help another car enthusiast . I know I have over the years . So a good jump ??……or the axles pretty weak……..I have seen broken axles mentioned a few times . Thanks for sharing

[ford38v8]

Originally Posted by RGC1

That is a good story I am going to do that for sure with the v8 roster I think that could be a game changer. I’ve have always licked how the car community will come out to help another car enthusiast . I know I have over the years . So a good jump ??……or the axles pretty weak……..I have seen broken axles mentioned a few times . Thanks for sharing

Actually, the jump was just the last straw in breaking the axle. The fracture showed that it had been cracked for some time, which happens from insufficient torque on the axle nut.

[GB SISSON]

Originally Posted by Flathead Fever

My dad was in the Model A Club and he always carried a spare distributor, generator and water pump.

When I was a little kid, during the winter months, the club took a trip to Death Velley CA. Something happened to one of the cars on the way there, so they got out the club owners roster book and called a member. We drove out to the guy's house, and he had the part to fix the car. I was too young to remember what it was that had broken, but a couple hour delay and the club was back on the road again. The next year's Death Valley trip they left me at my grandparents so I wouldn't freeze in a rumble seat. There's a steep road that descends into the upper end of Death Valley. On the way there, in the dark, a burro ran out in front of one on the Model A's and it shoved the radiator back into the fan. That was the last year the Model A Club went to Death Valley, or any other faraway places.

I can't believe you went down the Panamint Springs road in the dark in Model As. Drove it towing a heavy trailer once. Never again in anything.

[Ol' Ron]

Too bad your using the 34 engine, the 38/38 would have been a better choice, The fuel pumpn geniatir, and starter will be hard to replace on the road. good luck
Gramps

[RGC1]

Originally Posted by Ol' Ron

Too bad your using the 34 engine, the 38/38 would have been a better choice, The fuel pumpn geniatir, and starter will be hard to replace on the road. good luck
Gramps

I am actually using the 40 engine now , I picked up one all rebuilt and ready to drop in so I will do that now to speed up the project , …..having said that I didn’t know there was much difference making the 34 fuel pump , starter harder to change on the 34.
Thanks

[RGC1]

Originally Posted by ford38v8

Actually, the jump was just the last straw in breaking the axle. The fracture showed that it had been cracked for some time, which happens from insufficient torque on the axle nut.

Ah ok , well I will have mine apart and I will inspect closely and make sure my torques are proper on reassembly . Thanks !!

[Mart]

I just watched a video (Bruce in Aus) where he used a JB Weld two part putty to plug a leaking freeze plug. Some of that might be useful in case of radiator or fuel tank problems.
He used Steelstik but I see there is a waterweld and a tankweld too.
Mart.

[mrtexas]

Originally Posted by tubman

If you did things right, you'll be fine. When these cars were new, folks thought nothing of taking off and going on long trips. Any bad reputation they now have is due to the fact that for the last 60 years, the have been abused and neglected with the accompanying results. Most of them soldiered on anyway.

Grandpa, grandma, 3 kids drove from SW Montana to Butte, Nebraska in a 31 Chevy two door. Made it there and back on gravel roads! 880 miles in 1931 one way.

[SoCalCoupe]

Originally Posted by RGC1

Hi
I have a 34 fordor deluxe
Just redoing some of the car now and rebuilding the factory 21 stud flathead.
I want to take a long trip in the car in August,September from Alberta ,Canada to Oregon coast area then to San Francisco then back home.
The car will be pretty much stock, to include motor, tranny,brakes and diff.
I am planning to install 3.54 gears or 3.25 gears in the rear.
I plan on taking spare parts, just not sure what that list might include.

Thanks for starting this thread, great resource! There's a Good Guys show in Scottsdale, AZ, over the mountains from me in San Diego,CA . Been thinking about making the trip in my stock '41 flathead. Sounds doable, just be cautious. However, several thousand foot mountain climbs are creeping me out. Maybe I'll take some test outings.

[RGC1]

Originally Posted by mrtexas

Grandpa, grandma, 3 kids drove from SW Montana to Butte, Nebraska in a 31 Chevy two door. Made it there and back on gravel roads! 880 miles in 1931 one way.

That would have been a trip , I couldn’t imagine what the roads would have been like and that journey. No cell phones and no v8 roster , would have been just the way it was done. Very cool story

[RGC1]

Originally Posted by SoCalCoupe

Thanks for starting this thread, great resource! There's a Good Guys show in Scottsdale, AZ, over the mountains from me in San Diego,CA . Been thinking about making the trip in my stock '41 flathead. Sounds doable, just be cautious. However, several thousand foot mountain climbs are creeping me out. Maybe I'll take some test outings.

Thanks for joining in , these guys have had some great ideas and lots of inspirational stories , helps a lot, if you do your journey keep us posted would love to read about it .

[RGC1]

Originally Posted by Mart

I just watched a video (Bruce in Aus) where he used a JB Weld two part putty to plug a leaking freeze plug. Some of that might be useful in case of radiator or fuel tank problems.
He used Steelstik but I see there is a waterweld and a tankweld too.
Mart.

I think that is a great idea to take some along , we use it in the shop all the time has come in handy several times, think it would be good to have a long for sure…..Thanks !!

[ford38v8]

You want stories about old car trips, if my father in law were still with us, he could tell of the trip he and his young family took, all worldly belongings strapped to the fenders of a Model A Ford, from the Oklahoma Dustbowl to California. He was true to Steinbeck’s classic Grapes of Wrath, all but the politics.