Reasonable top speed?

[jfrankhash]

On my 1930 ccpu 35 mph to 40 mph feels good. Haven't tried to push it beyond that, as very poor hearing would not let me catch warning sounds! I know that my 31 coupe (in 1960) would cruise all day at 55 mph.
Does the pickup have a lower gear ratiothat would cause slower top speeds? Or, should I just accept the 35-40 mph and enjoy the drive?
Thanks, John

[Jim Parker Toronto]

Drive line being the same, your pickup should do it! Gears in the rearend would make a difference, but what is wrong with 35 - 40?

[Jordan]

A normal model a should be able to do at least 50

[bogdonj]

on the 31 Tudor the engine was just done and has 300kms on it and I can feel the engine getting broke in. I can now get up to 45mph and can feel the power in each gear... I'm guessing it can take awhile to break in the engine and get the power range out of it? Was your engine just redone? My unrestored Roadster engine needs to be done sometime but that will max out around 45mph. Also make sure your brakes aren't grabbing..

[J Franklin]

A lot of trucks came with 4:11 gear sets.

[Louis]

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I don't think their are two "A" models the same, I think it depends on the care and workman- ship that went into the repairing of the car, And the wheels and tires have a lot to do with it, and the bal. of the eng.
The 31 coupe I have drives best at 38-42 MPH [smooth and fun to drive].
I have had it at 58 once and probley could have made it to 60 MPH , But it was not fun driving it that fast , To much noise and vib. for me, And the car is 80 years old,
Why push it so hard ?..Enjoy the drive.

[jkeesey]

48-52 is the standard I've noticed. I just repaired a 29 ccpu last week and it would max at 45, turns out the throttle arm was bent and only opening 3/4 the way.

[V4F]

A lot of trucks came with 4:11 gear sets.

count your ratio ....................

[jfrankhash]

Thanks for the quick responses. How do I "count my ratio"?

[juke joint johnny]

Check your comfortable speed against a friend in a modern car , sometimes the A speedo can be 5 or 6 mph slow.make sure you have the right speedo gear for ring & pinion ratio

John Cochran

[Karl]

I've had four and drove all of them at 30 mph round town and 55 mph on back roads. With absolutely no problems. I have no concerns regards brakes or steering at 55mph but have invested a lot of time in making sure both are set up properly. Maybe I'm just inpatient but I would be a little disappointed if max comfortable speed was 40 mph . A model T can do that as can my 1910 Hupmobile (well downhill and then almost LOL ) Karl

[Wick]

With the gps 45 is what my 30 ccpu likes,ive done 55mph with the orignal motor,swaped in a std.bore engine still 55mph top end.
Wick

[Mitch//pa]

I am comfortable at 45 ish. You can listen to the motor and find its sweet spot. Of course they can be pushed more but then rpms are a little more than my liking. I am sure the 65 mph ers will chime in

[Aerocraft]

To come up with the rear axle ratio, first remove the spark plugs and put the trans into 3rd gear. On level hard surface, mark one rear tire so that you can precisely push the car for one revolution of the tire. Mark the engine pulley so that you can determine exactly how many revolutions it turns as you push the car. Count the pully revolutions as you make the tire rotate once. If the pulley turns just over 4 turns, you have a 4.11, If it is just under 4 revolutions, you have a 3.78. The same logic applies to a 3.70 and 3.54. Gar Williams

[visionary]

My 29 ccpu is happy at 40 to 45. i have had it at 50 but i don't like to push the old boy to hard

[ericr]

I've asked this question before in the Model A News magazine. Roger Kaufman acknowledged that the contemporary advertising always said "55-65" but the ads didn't state that was an ideal cruising speed, just a top speed. I kinda disagree, certainly the ad implication was that the car can do that on a sustained basis, though most current owners I know of stock cars cruise at 45. Then too, most of us suspect the original cars drove smoother, quieter and perhaps even faster than our restorations....even on gas that was not as good a quality as today's gas.

[Kurt in NJ]

The reasonable top speed varies, I have driven perfectly painted restorations that I felt the reasonable top speed was under 35---i was scared driving on the road in any traffic

I have driven cars that look "junk" that were comfortable at 65

If I try to drive 45 it seems to creep up to showing 52, when driving 50 my Brothers modern car has to go 55 to go the same speed as me (stock rear,only engine mod--B cam), my highest indicated top speed--67

Properly operating shocks are very important to having a comfortable top speed in the 60s, without properly working shocks 45 is fast

[AlanD]

I like driving around 35 mph. Any higher than 40-45 and the engine sounds like its screaming, and I feel like I'm white-knuckling it. Besides it seems no one is paying attention to their own driving around here and at that speed I don't feel like I can defensively drive well enough.

Like is said above, I'd rather enjoy the ride and enjoy being in 1930, virtually.

[Brobrian]

This discussion always interests me. I think we all drive our"A"'s with a keen ear to their performance . That's just part of driving an 80-year-old machine that you maintain yourself. Can't just pull into a shop and say, "It's making a noise." So we are driving more cautiously, less close to the limits.
That said, before I put 3.52's in my 28 coupe, 40 was comfortable and 45 was max. ( my max, maybe not the car's). Now, with a 5.5 head and the higher rear end, 45 is a gentle cruise and 55 my max.
In my 31 pickup it's 40 and 45. I don't tour, or drive with anyone else. Just putt around on my own listening for misses or knocks and loving it. Guys who tour or have built up their cars focus more on max performance and, no doubt, love it.

[Bob Johnson]

Check out the results of a survey I did.

Bob

Link to survey