Woo hoo 65mph

[christian]

I know this isn't much of a post, but I just took my newly driver restored fordor s/w on the highway and was able to maintain 65mph, GPS confirmed woo hoo, now that's fast......

[V4F]

good for you !! mine will do that also . amazing

[H. L. Chauvin]

Christian,

Great news!

As compared to an original stock engine and/or different add-ons, what particular engine components are under the hood?

[al's28/33]

the faster you go, the harder to stop

[Roadster Rich]

Why!!!!

[Duffy1]

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Was that as fast as it would ? How many RPM`S? Do you have OD? Fellow in our club said he has had his up to 80 mph . Has all the goodies except over head valves .

[christian]

It's a standard motor, last on the road in 1954. Unknown if its ever been rebuilt. Everything is stock except for a 5.5 snyders head and 1935 16" wheels.

I don't plan on crushing at the speed for an extended period of time, just wanted to see what it could do.

[Purdy Swoft]

Unless you are running big tires on the rear, (700-750---16) , thats pretty fast. Smaller diameter wheels tend to have a gearing down effect.

[Mitch//pa]

mazel tov

[christian]

Originally Posted by Purdy Swoft

Unless you are running big tires on the rear, (700-750---16) , thats pretty fast. Smaller diameter wheels tend to have a gearing down effect.

I figured that was the case, but the tires are just 6.00-16. Do you think if I went with the original 19s I may be able to get a little more out of it?

[Purdy Swoft]

Maybe, I'm sure that the Snyder head helps some. Speedometer could be off.

[christian]

Originally Posted by Purdy Swoft

Maybe, I'm sure that the Snyder head helps some. Speedometer could be off.

Speedo doesn't work, using GPS

[Pat Martone]

That is a great accomplishment.
Perhaps this is my inherent sarcasm surfacing, but when non-Model A people ask me how fast my Model A will go, I sometimes reply with a statement that the proper question might be: "How fast can it stop".
For me, I feel that speeds much higher than 50-55 mph are kind of scary, given the Model A suspension system and brakes. I have excellent tires, steering, suspension, and braking, but I still don't like traveling at speeds above 50-55 mph, especially with all of the distracted drivers out there. Others may have better Model A's than me and/or more courage.

[kp]

I been wantin a 31 4 door Slant window ,my coupe is really hard to get in and out of .Bout 55 is all I ever go mine up to ,by original speedometer,I think the 16 inch wheels make 'em drive better,I want to change my 19 to 16.

[christian]

Originally Posted by kp

I been wantin a 31 4 door Slant window ,my coupe is really hard to get in and out of .Bout 55 is all I ever go mine up to ,by original speedometer,I think the 16 inch wheels make 'em drive better,I want to change my 19 to 16.

Being 6'1" I appreciate my fordor very much....

[steve s]

Originally Posted by Purdy Swoft

Unless you are running big tires on the rear, (700-750---16) , thats pretty fast. Smaller diameter wheels tend to have a gearing down effect.

Originally Posted by christian

I figured that was the case, but the tires are just 6.00-16. Do you think if I went with the original 19s I may be able to get a little more out of it?

I too am wondering/concerned about what rpm's you were turning. 16" tires are close to running a 4.11 rear end. Didn't it sound like it was really wound up tight? I wonder if maybe you've got a high speed rear end and don't know it.

I think that putting on 19" wheels would be get you "a little more" in a few senses of the word: Larger diameter and less rolling resistance should buy a bit more speed, but the decreased stability will definitely get you closer to the true 65 mph Model A experience!

Steve

[Jim.Morris2831]

Forgive me for sounding like rain on a picnic with this one. We're all different, we all have our comfort zones, there's no speed limit for Model As as long as we're obeying posted limits on the road we're driving down. So here it is, I must say that I feel very uncomfortable in my A when I exceed 45mph so I stay under 45 and have never wanted an overdrive, downdraft carburetor set up, and high speed related. This is a '31 Deluxe Tudor with a high compression head (great for getting up hills), good brakes, rebuilt steering box, seat belts, and new tires. Like all A's it has a high center of gravity, easily sprung doors, soft roof, non-ABS brakes, non-existant airbags, skinny tires, rigid steering column, and no crumple zones just to name a few serious limitations designed by age. When I go around a stop sign or stop light corner at 10 miles or less per hour I lean into it and hope the car stays upright. I'm appropriately defensive and watchful when I drive, but not paranoid. I think that if you're driving an A at high speed and you can absolutely guarantee the absence of stupid drivers, animals dead or alive, holes, bumps, and guarantee high speed on a straight road with no chance of an accident or other snafu then you might be safe. I guess I don't understand the need for speedily driving in cars that were not designed to go fast and were not designed for safety except for the windshield safety glass to prevent a "glass necklass." I love driving moderately, taking in the scenery, and enjoying peace of mind. If I need to get somewhere fast I drive my Murano or take a plane.

[Purdy Swoft]

I think that 19 inch wheels would let it run faster. My 31 tudor with a completely stock professional rebuilt engine with side bowl zenith carb will run 65 mph. My old 31 coupe would run 65 mph with a stock overhauled by me engine with a Tillotson model X carburetor. Both of these cars have 19 inch wheels and are both 3.78 gear ratio with stock 4.22 compression heads. With 19 inch wheels and your snyder head, I think you will pick up a few mor mph. If 5.50 x 19 tires were used on the rear it would probably change the final drive to somewhere near 3.54 and would gain a few more mph and have an rpm lowering effect.

[Chuck Sea/Tac]

I think if you look at a tire catalog, or site, you'll find that the 19" and 16" diameters are very much the same. Some even larger. Depends on the size ect.

[Purdy Swoft]

Originally Posted by Chuck Sea/Tac

I think if you look at a tire catalog, or site, you'll find that the 19" and 16" diameters are very much the same. Some even larger. Depends on the size ect.

I'm looking at a Coker catalog right now!! I see Firestone 600X16 tires listed at an outside diameter of 21.91 inches tall. The commonly used 4.75X19 Firestone lists an outside diameter of 29.80 inches tall. Actually there is quite a bit of difference , nearly eight inches or about four inches in ride height over the 600X16 inch tires. Taller tires will just run faster if you've got the horses to kick it. The Firestone 550x19 is listed at 31.25 inches tall. I had a set of the 5.50 X 19 Firestones on the back of my old august 1930 briggs town sedan. The speedometer didn't work but it would hallazz once you got it going.

[COOTER]

Correction:
Firestone 600X16 tires listed at an outside diameter of 27.91 inches tall.

[oliverguy]

45 to 50 seems about right for my car. It will run all day like that. We have shut in our club that likes to drive fast. He also likes to fix engines

[Robert Putnam]

I guess a lot of people like to know what their car will do.. I'm no different, Got 60 MPH out of my Town Sedan. The motor was moaning and I was a little freaked out.... actually pretty scared. The other day I came around a rather sharp turn a little faster than I might have liked. That also was a little more than unnerving ! Bottom line I would say that at speeds approaching 50 MPH or over the Model A is a veritable death trap. Anything out of the norm would send it bouncing into the buckwheat, where I'm sure with out any hesitation, it would fold up like an egg shell. Having driven my A at speeds previously mentioned, I feel rather stupid for doing so. My advice to anyone who might like to attempt it in the future... Don't do it. Don't temp fate. Now the other day I drove my A along the shore road at between 35 and 40 MPH and had the most pleasant drive. A beautiful sunny day, the sun shining off the water... why would you want to go any faster.. relax enjoy life. " It's not a race "

[Kevin in NJ]

As usual lots of wrong ideas.
Some history and some facts.

The Model A was designed to run 60 MPH. Ford advertised the car will run that fast and people ran them that fast, yes even on the crappy roads of the day.

Proper restored to factory tolerances, not to be confused with Judging Standard Correct, the Model A will comfortably run speeds in the 60+ range. Yes, even for extended periods of time.

How do I know this. Quite frankly we have always run our A's that fast. Even not knowing what we know today about the the engine balance, that is running with not so fully balanced engines and not having the better tools to make the brakes work even better. We have always been fairly careful on parts selections and attention to details when mechanically building the car.

Now do we always run 60, heck no. I can tell you that at 45 to 50 MPH speed limits on the local roads the A is extremely confident to drive. You can out drive the under powered 50's cars. The car is also EXTREMELY reliable. With minimal service such as proper oiling and greasing the car just goes.

As soon as you start mixing in worn parts and not paying attention to details now you get cars that have issues. Quite frankly there are a lot of local cars that the owners will tell you are 45 MPH cars that I would NOT consider safe over 30 MPH.
It is quite interesting to watch a person used to an improperly restored car drive a car that is tight. We have caused more than one person to have a different view of what a Model A can do with a simple test drive.

There is no tempting fate, there are only lots of excuses.
There are safe properly mechanically restored cars and there are cars with issues that are not as safe.

All the correct information to properly mechanically restore your car back to the safe 60 MPH factory car is available for FREE on the internet. It only takes some money, some time and the true interest in properly restoring your car to factory using known facts and factory prints.

Ahhh
But what could I know about all this?

[Jim.Morris2831]

Kevin I take a little respectful issue with your jump from Ford designed the A to run at 60 and so therefore it's safe to do so. Ford adverstised around a lot of selling points and 55-60 mph was a sexy selling point for 1928-1931. I think that it's short-sighted to cite Ford's advertising about speed from an era when safety was absolutely NOT a consideration and extrapolate that to today to mean the A is safe to drive at high speed. If you wreck in a Model A at any speed, even 20mph, you stand serious injury that you would likely not experience in a modern car that has air bags, crumple zones, collapsable steering wheel, padded dash, doors that will stay closed when impact happens, head rests, etc. Wreck in an A and you have your face on the steering wheel and metal dash or worse. We're not talking about whether the A can run at 60+ because many can, not talking about whether it can be braked at and steered from 60 because barring an emergency many can, we're talking about whether the car is safe at those high speeds given the unexpected and quite simply they're not. Seat belts in an A are a must and about the only safety device that can be installed, but wreck at high speed and I think that even with seat belts you're likely dead meat and a very quick goner. Be safe, not sorry, especially if you have passengers.

[Chris in CT]

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Hi Christian,
You seem like a nice guy, the type of person we'd like to see around for a long time. I had my own '29 roadster up to 70 mph when I was stress-testing a prototype for the Burlington crankshaft (std rear end - the engine sounded like a turbine!). I think that if I'd hit a twig in the road I would have lost control of the car. It felt very unstable and and unsafe at that speed. I swore to myself that if I didn't kill myself, or my wife didn't accomplish that for me, I'd never do it again. The fact that a model A will go 65 or 70 does not mean that therefore I should do it. The car works best at 45 to 50 mph, and I feel that it is safe, and that I have control over it at those speeds. Happy Motoring!

[Kurt in NJ]

In the latest Model A news there is an article about a drive from Los Angeles to Phoenix-- 892 miles, and that they averaged 62.2 mph in one direction, and 60.01 in the other ---and to average that speed through the desert and mountains they must have driven faster ---this was done with a 3 year old car with 64000 miles on it, given what the roads at the time were the car must have been doing 65+ as much as it could ---this is with a stock engine --no overdrive, no "touring engine" ,no insert bearings ---just a 3 year old car with 64000 miles that had been run hard all it's life to prove the quality of a brand of motor oil.

I have driven prize winning "restored" cars that I was scared to drive 35, and ratty taped in plastic roof blanket seat covered cars that were comfortable and confidant to drive at 65( 4 PROPERLY working shocks make the car a joy to drive)---although the roof flapped a lot at 65

[frank mcdaniels]

My 84 year old father that introduced me to model As many many years ago, always claimed the true test of a properly tuned model A was if it would start out in high gear from a dead stop. Not how fast it would go. Frank

[Rock Hornbuckle]

Originally Posted by christian

I know this isn't much of a post, but I just took my newly driver restored fordor s/w on the highway and was able to maintain 65mph, GPS confirmed woo hoo, now that's fast......

Congrats on a well done restoration. You must've well tuned the engine and had supurb running gear, with tight steering and suspension. Thanks for sharing.

[christian]

Just to clarify, the point of my post was simply to happily report that my fordor is capable of 65mph, nothing else. I had no intention of this becoming an argument over how the A should or should not be driven....... Just excited to report that for a brief moment...... I attained the speed, that's all, just wanted to see what it could do.

[jkeesey]

Gotta love the negative Nancies. Good job Christian.