Update by Tom Suddard to the
Ford Model A project car
Jul 16, 2013
I took a drive down the beach this morning, and almost got stuck!
The A ran out of gas, but luckily it was just idling in my yard at the time.
<i>I'm a 19-year-old kid named Tom, and my great-grandfather sold this very car new at his Ford dealership in 1929. Now I'm using it as my daily driver.</i>
With the Model A running better, I’ve been getting more and more confident going places in it. My usual routine involves 300 or so miles of driving each week, and I’m slowly ramping up to that in the A.
All this driving is causing me to run into more and more people. I’m not talking about car accidents (thankfully), but conversations. I’d guess about 50% of the people I stop near strike up conversations with me. Here’s what they ask:
The Model A seems to break down all the social barriers that usually make gas stations and stop lights such quiet places. I’m not sure this new (more social) experience is for everybody, but I don’t see how a little more conversation could make the world worse.
Speaking of gas stations, I forgot to visit one before my trip last night. The A left me stranded, but luckily it was idling in my yard at the time. I filled it up with the gas can from the lawnmower and kept on going. I should probably fix the gas gauge at some point….
As far as maintenance, today was fairly easy. I advanced the timing slightly this morning, but otherwise the A has been as easy to deal with as a new Camry.
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