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Old 12-06-2018, 11:03 AM   #1
onthehunt
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Default Do you drive your A in the snow or stormy weather?

I've always enjoyed driving older cars in snow or storms...It makes it a little more adventurous.

Took the '29 out after the last accumulation of snow and had a blast. We're in a semi-rural area and its a perfect car to run over to the shop to get some things done after work. Little salt on the roads but it will wash off.

Aside from some drafts around the pedals its not too cold either.

I'd drive it in the rain too but the wipers aren't working yet
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Old 12-06-2018, 11:22 AM   #2
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Default Re: Do you drive your A in the snow or stormy weather?

Yes.............I've driven over Stevens Pass coming back from an event in Leavenworth. A's do great in the snow. Doing donuts in the skiing parking lot at the top was the most fun.
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Old 12-06-2018, 11:25 AM   #3
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Default Re: Do you drive your A in the snow or stormy weather?

The roadster doesn't like the cold.....
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Old 12-06-2018, 11:32 AM   #4
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Default Re: Do you drive your A in the snow or stormy weather?

In my experience the wipers don't work even if they do work. Rain X is your friend
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Old 12-06-2018, 11:33 AM   #5
onthehunt
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Default Re: Do you drive your A in the snow or stormy weather?

Dad drove his grandfather's '50 Chevy well into the 1980's before "upgraded" to a '54. One of my earliest memories was piling into the car and wrapping up in quilts to drive over to visit family. That year the ice was so bad the car was frozen to the curb.

My wife has a minivan with heated seats and DVD players that sits in a warm garage. We try to show the kids that all these comforts are just "extras" and not essentials...

Speaking of extras, does anyone still run a manifold heater (with or without a fan?) or a hot water heater?
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Old 12-06-2018, 11:59 AM   #6
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Default Re: Do you drive your A in the snow or stormy weather?

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Doing donuts in the skiing parking lot at the top was the most fun.



living precariously Foxfire!
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Old 12-06-2018, 12:17 PM   #7
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Default Re: Do you drive your A in the snow or stormy weather?

We drive our Model A Fords in all weather, and year round. Rain storms, snow, and flooded streets, it has seen it all. It is a must that the wife has her hot air manifold heater working. We have had our '29 Tudor for 50 years now and we only have two payments left to make.
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Old 12-06-2018, 02:45 PM   #8
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Default Re: Do you drive your A in the snow or stormy weather?

I'm trying to get my clutch and trans in here before Christmas so I can drive around in the snow with my wreath hanging off the front!
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Old 12-06-2018, 03:01 PM   #9
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Default Re: Do you drive your A in the snow or stormy weather?

Our early '29 Tudor was confy in the winter, but or Roadster is brutal forget it!
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Old 12-06-2018, 03:02 PM   #10
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Default Re: Do you drive your A in the snow or stormy weather?

Picture speaks for itself
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Old 12-06-2018, 03:10 PM   #11
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Default Re: Do you drive your A in the snow or stormy weather?

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Originally Posted by whirnot View Post
The roadster doesn't like the cold.....
Is it the roadster, or the roadster driver??
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Old 12-06-2018, 03:18 PM   #12
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Default Re: Do you drive your A in the snow or stormy weather?

When I had my roadster back in the 60's I drove it in the snow as it was the only thing that would go without chains! Long before everything was front wheel drive and good gripper tires.
It would go right along even in deep snow! But you are correct, very drafty and I had no heater in it; feet froze even over the muffler!
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Old 12-06-2018, 04:21 PM   #13
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Default Re: Do you drive your A in the snow or stormy weather?

We don't get snow but the drafts you guys are talking about are VERY uncomfortable during the warmer months. Heat directly off the exhaust comes in around the pedals and straight up the driver's leg. Lousy design! As for driving in the rain, a couple of years ago while travelling in company with 4 other Model As, we drove about 300 miles in teeming rain and more miles as it eased. No wipers - just Rain-X.
Every time there is heavy rain, the news outlets show idiots driving into water and getting stranded. The 'ol Model A would sail right through without a second's hesitation. How deep would the water have to be to stop a Model A? I think it would have to be a couple of feet.
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Old 12-06-2018, 04:39 PM   #14
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Default Re: Do you drive your A in the snow or stormy weather?

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We don't get snow but the drafts you guys are talking about are VERY uncomfortable during the warmer months. Heat directly off the exhaust comes in around the pedals and straight up the driver's leg. Lousy design! As for driving in the rain, a couple of years ago while travelling in company with 4 other Model As, we drove about 300 miles in teeming rain and more miles as it eased. No wipers - just Rain-X.
Every time there is heavy rain, the news outlets show idiots driving into water and getting stranded. The 'ol Model A would sail right through without a second's hesitation. How deep would the water have to be to stop a Model A? I think it would have to be a couple of feet.
Up to just below the carb I would guess. And keep the fan out of the water! A ignitions are not water resistant!
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Old 12-06-2018, 04:53 PM   #15
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Default Re: Do you drive your A in the snow or stormy weather?

Newly built AV8 build hit the road here in Wisconsin in the snow and freezing temps! Neighbors thought me to be crazy! My buddy Al just crouched down behind the windshield to get out of the wind! Car is fender less so it means lots to clean up but good fun.
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Old 12-06-2018, 04:55 PM   #16
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Default Re: Do you drive your A in the snow or stormy weather?

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Up to just below the carb I would guess. And keep the fan out of the water! A ignitions are not water resistant!
That's what I thought too. In water up to the bottom of the carb, the ignition is still well and truely dry. I suspect that with the sheetmetal trays fitted and the car moving, it would keep going in water even deeper.
We can't use the type of air cleaner you guy do so I bring a tube from the carb, between the choke/GAV rod and the steerring column, then up to an air filter mounted on the radiator stays. Now how deep can I go???? Top of the oil filler? Maybe an extension on that too?
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Old 12-06-2018, 05:09 PM   #17
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Default Re: Do you drive your A in the snow or stormy weather?

I would go for a spin in the snow - if I didn't live in NYC.
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Old 12-06-2018, 05:19 PM   #18
George Miller
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Default Re: Do you drive your A in the snow or stormy weather?

After living in the north and driving in the salt there is no way I would drive one of my old cars in the salt. It will get in seams and place that you will not be able to wash it out. But it will come out when it rust its way out. Back in the 50ts the cars would rust out in 4to 6 years. I think the new ones do much better.
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Old 12-06-2018, 06:17 PM   #19
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Default Re: Do you drive your A in the snow or stormy weather?

When I had my first Model, in 1964, used to drive it up to
the local mountains here in S. California, after a recent snowfall.
I was able to find a set of light duty truck chains that fit it well,
and it would go right through quite a bit of snow. Those tall skinnny
tires work really well.
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Old 12-06-2018, 06:27 PM   #20
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Default Re: Do you drive your A in the snow or stormy weather?

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After living in the north and driving in the salt there is no way I would drive one of my old cars in the salt. It will get in seams and place that you will not be able to wash it out. But it will come out when it rust its way out. Back in the 50ts the cars would rust out in 4to 6 years. I think the new ones do much better.
"4 to 6 years"? You must have lived in a dry climate! In southern Minnesota some cars, especially mid to late '50's Chrysler products, would have holes rusted through on the rocker panels and headlight eyebrows after one year! Oftentimes left side rocker panels were worse than the right side due to salt spray blasting the left side from oncoming traffic (mostly 2 lane roads).

Last edited by 40 Deluxe; 12-06-2018 at 08:04 PM.
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