Fingertip Facts to Get You on the Road

By Ray Hinnant

There are a few questions that pop up over and over about general maintenance of a Model A in order to keep it in tip-top shape and ready for the road. Questions about gas, oil, tire pressure, spark plugs, water, and other basic questions are addressed below.

Use these basic facts as a quick reference to keep your Model A in shape for taking it on the road to run errors around town or take it a nice tour.

Question	Answer
What is the ratio antifreeze to water?	Add a gallon of antifreeze to the water to fill the cooling system.
What is the best way to take care of the battery?	Safety: Remove jewelry, wear goggles and disconnect ground cable. Maintenance: Clean cable connections with solution of 2 tablespoons of baking soda and 1 pint water. Tighten connections. Check fluid level. If low, use distilled water. Don't overfill.
What type of gas should be used?	Just use regular, unleaded gas in your car.
What type of oil should be used?	Use 30wt high detergent oil with either a zinc additive or racing oil to your car for maximum benefits. Then, change it every 300-500 miles.
What is the best way to keep the windows clear when it is raining?	Apply Rain-X to exterior windows and water will slide off more easily. No Rain-X? Cut a potato in half and rub it over your windows . . . it's almost as good as Rain-X.
How should the spark plugs be maintained?	Clean a glazed spark plug with a stiff wire brush. Check to see that the insulator is not cracked and that you do not see burnt, smokey deposits, known as tracking, on it. If you see tracking or a cracked insulator, replace it with a new one.
What is the recommended tire pressure?	Fill your tires with 32 - 35 lbs of air.
How can extra water be carried on tour?	Place plastic antifreeze bottles between the spare tire on the back and the body of the car. They stayed in place all the way home from Colorado Springs and allowed me to put a spare gas can on the running board.
What is a quick fix for extra rear light?	Mount a Model A rear taillight on top of the spare tire when traveling so that there is one extra rear light.