Roadster wind wings - what are they good for?

[David in San Antonio]

The Wretched Roadster’s driver’s side wind wing started sliding out of its brackets while I was driving. I managed to grab it before it flew off into oblivion, and removed it altogether. I’ve driven several times since, including up to 60 mph and the lack of a wind wing doesn’t seem to make any difference! Which raises the question: What are they meant to do?
I presume Ol’ Henry and Young Edsel wouldn’t include a non-functional part.
Maybe they need to be positioned at a certain angle (the wings, not the father and son)?

[WHN]

Jewelry!

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by David in San Antonio

The Wretched Roadster’s driver’s side wind wing started sliding out of its brackets while I was driving. I managed to grab it before it flew off into oblivion, and removed it altogether. I’ve driven several times since, including up to 60 mph and the lack of a wind wing doesn’t seem to make any difference! Which raises the question: What are they meant to do?
I presume Ol’ Henry and Young Edsel wouldn’t include a non-functional part.
Maybe they need to be positioned at a certain angle (the wings, not the father and son)?

Honestly, they actually do serve a valid purpose and aren't really jewelry. The issue is the Vintique reproduction brackets and clamps that most people use are made incorrectly. So is the rubber. The bigger problem right now is the correctly made rubber is out of production, so you will need to cast your own rubber pieces if you need them now.

To see what the correct rubber pieces look like, click here. The correct clamps are out of production too, but here is what they look like.

I have made a fixture that I can hold the reproduction brackets in to machine them where they function as the original did. If the rubber ever comes back into production, you can modify your repros to work properly. They even work better if you can use the proper shaped clamps in conjunction with the correctly shaped rubber pads.

[David in San Antonio]

Brent, I hear what you’re saying. So when the wind wings are working, what do they do? What’s the benefit?

[jeepguy1948]

I tried mine without them and my wife assures me that they make a big difference. Personally, I don’t like the look of them and would remove them if it was totally up to me (it’s not), however I might eventually get tired of getting beat up by the wind.

[Keith True]

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For me they have always kept the rain out while driving.I bought new side curtains for my 28 open cab,my 30 standard roadster,my 30 open cab,and a 31 deluxe roadster.I never even fitted them to the cars.I have a mid 28 phaeton,and took them out of the curtain tray to check them out and clean them.They had been stored there for about 30 years with wax paper between them.I put them back with new paper. With the wind wings I can sail right down the road in the rain and just maybe get a damp arm.They keep out the hornets and bees too.They ARE in the way to get in,or ou,big time.My 28 phaeton is the worst.I can't even imagine wiggling around the wind wings if the car had sidemounts.

[Marshall V. Daut]

Try directing them at different angles. Depending upon where you sit (deep back on the seat or farther forward), the benefit of the windwings can vary. I've had open cars with and without windwings. I prefer with. If you have a woman in your life with hair longer than a hound dog's and want to keep her in your life, you'd BETTER have windwings on your open car!
Marshall

[alexiskai]

Originally Posted by Keith True

For me they have always kept the rain out while driving.I bought new side curtains for my 28 open cab,my 30 standard roadster,my 30 open cab,and a 31 deluxe roadster.I never even fitted them to the cars.I have a mid 28 phaeton,and took them out of the curtain tray to check them out and clean them.They had been stored there for about 30 years with wax paper between them.I put them back with new paper. With the wind wings I can sail right down the road in the rain and just maybe get a damp arm.They keep out the hornets and bees too.They ARE in the way to get in,or ou,big time.My 28 phaeton is the worst.I can't even imagine wiggling around the wind wings if the car had sidemounts.

Keith, just to clarify your statement, you're saying that even on a 4-dr open car (with the top up of course) the windwings keep rain out sufficiently that side curtains aren't needed?

[ronn]

I agree with jewelry. they do look good but are a headache. Had one destroyed while towing. Bought another and it sits on the shelf.........

wont put them back on but new owner can have them.

[Keith True]

I doubt they would help the passengers in a phaeton.I've only owned 2 seater open cars up until 3 years ago when I bought this 28.I have to avoid driving any A in the rain anyway.Not because I don't want them getting wet,but because I have something going on with my shoulder muscles.I have to have my arm up on the windowsill while driving.I can't keep my arms to my sides while driving an A.My arms don't hang straight down,they angle away from my body and if I flatten them against my sides,(like sitting in a closed A)it hurts.Any A with the windows up is very uncomfortable,and sometimes impossible to drive.

[Y-Blockhead]

Originally Posted by BRENT in 10-uh-C

The issue is the Vintique reproduction brackets and clamps that most people use are made incorrectly. So is the rubber.

Is that a big surprise to anyone that has used any Vintique product?

[David in San Antonio]

Ok, I’ll try various angles. One thing: the rear view mirror is useless if the wind wing is even close to parallel with it.
I did try adjusting the wind wings so they are parallel with the doors, sort of like floating side windows. I don’t even remember what effect it had on airflow but it made getting in and out laughably difficult.

[Phil Brown]

Hmm.... Dads roadster had them and when angled correctly they kept the wind buffeting down (and looked nice)
Opps pic doesn't show them

[Synchro909]

I have wind wings on my Phaeton and wonder why anybody would doubt their benefit. Yes, I have had problems with the glass wanting to fall onto the road but that is easily fixed by replacing it with acrylic material which is mush lighter and the clamps grip it better. NO trouble since doing that.
Another benefit is on those hot days when you need some extra ventilation. I turn them so that they scoop air in from outside and direct it inside.
It is one of my wife and mine funniest memories of driving a Model A when we drove through a swarm of bees on day with the wings scooping them in. That was the most action I have ever seen in a car!!!

[Gene F]

Originally Posted by Phil Brown

Hmm.... Dads roadster had them and when angled correctly they kept the wind buffeting down (and looked nice)
Opps pic doesn't show them

Nice photo. I drove my A to my wedding in 1995.

[David in San Antonio]

Thanks for the tip! I didn’t realize the wind wings could rotate around far enough to scoop in air. This is worth trying as daytime temperatures regularly top 100 F (38C) here in Texas. Tilting out the windshield doesn’t seem to do much, unlike on closed cars which channel the air down towards the floor. Also, I’m not opposed to making changes (like plastic for the wind wings) to make driving more practical. Buffeting is a mixed blessing; it’s exhausting but accelerates evaporative cooling.
I keep a big spray bottle of water on the parcel shelf and soak my neck and shirt front. Within a minute or so they’re dry from the hot air blast. I learned to not spray my face as the droplets clinging to my glasses obscured my vision.
I’ve toyed with the idea of rigging up a “cold shirt” with water recirculating through an insulated cooler filled with ice. I haven’t gone that far off the deep end. Yet.
And to give the designers their due, The Wretched Roadster runs in the summer with no overheating, and ran fine last winter when the temperature hit 17 F (-8 C).

[Phil Brown]

Originally Posted by Gene F

Nice photo. I drove my A to my wedding in 1995.

Thanks, that was 1987 for us. Dad replaced the roadster with a 31 Vickie but I still have her

[lrf]

Phil Brown, that is a GREAT wedding picture!

[Dr Foot]

I have them on all three of my cars and they help keep light rain out and help keep my wife's hair in place!!! I use trim cement on the rubber pads, and have never had one loosen.

[Planojc]

Another reason for the wind wings back in the day was for folks who smoked. It would keep ashes out of your face.