Your biggest Model-A mistake of the year?

[BillCNC]

Hey All,

What was your biggest mistake or stupid thing you did to your model A this year?

Mine, I filled up the gas tank from a 5 gallon gas can in my front yard, and left the cap on the running board. I live on a corner and when I made the turn, it slipped off and landed in the middle of the street. I didn't notice until after I got home. Yes, I knew where the cap had to fall off the running board while making my first turn.

I found it top-side down after it had been run over a few times. Do they make replacement polished covers?

Regards
Bill

[arnhemmer]

Syders carries them.

[arnhemmer]

That's Snyders

[Patrick L.]

Selling it !

[katy]

Not driving my A enough.

[Y-Blockhead]

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Originally Posted by Patrick L.

Selling it !

Ooohh!! That's a big one... I couldn't do that!!

[Patrick L.]

Originally Posted by Y-Blockhead

Ooohh!! That's a big one... I couldn't do that!!

I really didn't want to, but, don't have room for it now.

But it did go back to the family [grandson ] we bought it from back in '75.

[JayJay]

Originally Posted by BillCNC

Hey All,

What was your biggest mistake or stupid thing you did to your model A this year?

Mine, I filled up the gas tank from a 5 gallon gas can in my front yard, and left the cap on the running board. I live on a corner and when I made the turn, it slipped off and landed in the middle of the street. I didn't notice until after I got home. Yes, I knew where the cap had to fall off the running board while making my first turn.

I found it top-side down after it had been run over a few times. Do they make replacement polished covers?

Regards
Bill

I made that mistake this year (and mine was only on the ground for a couple of minutes, but managed to get run over and looks very similar to yours). But my biggest mistake was, I believe, removing the intake/exhaust manifold assembly, which was not leaking, and finding it so badly warped that it would not reinstall without leaking. I ended up replacing the exhaust manifold rather than decking the assembly - time wasted with the engine out of service. Don't get me started on FedEx delivery times.

JayJay

[GeneBob]

Canceling my Burtz engine order.

[alexiskai]

I wish I hadn't put the Winfield head on the coupe. I bought the phaeton later in the year, and now I need to go through the hassle of swapping the head over to that one. But of course at the time I didn't know I was going to do that, so does it count as a mistake?

[WHN]

Originally Posted by JayJay

I made that mistake this year (and mine was only on the ground for a couple of minutes, but managed to get run over and looks very similar to yours). But my biggest mistake was, I believe, removing the intake/exhaust manifold assembly, which was not leaking, and finding it so badly warped that it would not reinstall without leaking. I ended up replacing the exhaust manifold rather than decking the assembly - time wasted with the engine out of service. Don't get me started on FedEx delivery times.

JayJay

My standard advice is, “If it’s not broken don’t try to fix it”. Model A’s don’t always need to be worked on. One in good shape can go years/many miles without a major problem.

Oil, coolant, spark plugs, tires, they like to be maintained not operated on.

😊

[JayJay]

Originally Posted by WHN

My standard advice is, “If it’s not broken don’t try to fix it”. Model A’s don’t always need to be worked on. One in good shape can go years/many miles without a major problem.

Oil, coolant, spark plugs, tires, they like to be maintained not operated on.

😊

I agree. OTOH, standard engineer credo is "if it ain't broke, fix it until it is." And I'm an engineer...

This one was more complex than simply dinking around. The engine had locked up, and I thought it was due to an overheating episode. So I was stripping the engine down to pull it. Turns out the starter Bendix drive had jammed in and that was keeping it from turning over. After I removed the starter it turned over freely. New Bendix drive, all is well. It was when I fired it up after reassembly that I discovered the manifold problem. If I'd taken the starter out (and discovered the jamming issue) before removing the manifolds I'd be golden.

JayJay

[ronn]

as a side- after looking at that cap- reminded me of the time I was cruising to NY with a brand new grill in the back of my f150. stood it upright and strapped it in real good!


well, wasnt good enough. the top lifted off like a kite and was gone on the expressway!
spun around at the next exit to retrieve it, only to find an 18 wheeler had run right over it in those couple a minutes and flattened it like a pancake!
wife wasnt any too pleased........... lol


cant fix my stupid..........

[Stingray70]

The dumbest thing I have done on the A was while changing my front spring. Jacked the car up, removed the lug nuts, and realized the car wasn't quite high enough to get the wheels off. Without thinking, I gave the jack a quick pump and as the car lifted, the right wheel fell off face first. Crushed the hub cap. Grr

[nkaminar]

The re occuring mistake I have made this year was forgetting to turn the gas on and having the engine start to stall out. I manage to turn it back on before the engine quits altogether.

Not tightening the fuel line fitting completely at the engine side of the sediment bowl and having gas fumes in the car.

Oh, and the big fuel leak inside the car when trying to tighten the inside fitting to a stripped out sediment bowl. It took about 3 weeks for the gas fumes to completely dissipate. I almost forgot about that one. I think it was the biggest. I kept a fan on the carpet for a week.

[ronn]

nk- sounds like you like the smell of gas.............


I remember that lovely smell when I used to pump in the 70s.

[gdmn852]

Hello I did the gas cap affair also, but if you ask my wife, it was buying the car!!! But she’s no fun.

[JD 1931]

I did the same when fueling but never found it, had to buy a new repro...

[CarlG]

I've done the gas cap thing twice just recently (old age is creeping up on me). First time, I found in on the running board, but only after I had ordered a new one. Second time, I caught it before I left the parking lot.

[Big hammer]

The years not over YET, oh forgot to grease the muffler bearing when I greased the chassis!

To keep from losing my gas cap I put it in my pocket, when you set down you’ll know where it is instantly!