How many miles have you traveled in a day?

[Curly]

I went 480 miles in a day once. It was painful and torturous. I loved every second of it. I even changed my oil at a gravel roadside turnout. I started the oil draining before I even made my lunch sandwich. Last summer I was returning from a two day drive and I found myself so tired I could not keep my eyes open. I pulled off the road and slept in my truck (feet out the open window) for three hours. Henry made five million Model A's and on a long trip you will talk to three million of them. I read in the Restorer about a couple who went almost 600 miles in a day. Whats the most miles you have done in a day?

[WMWS]

I did about 500 miles from Danville Va. to Coatesville Pa by way of Norfolk Va and the DelMarVa peninsula. Beautiful drive over the Bay Bridge Tunnel. No chase cars or other club members, just me.

[2manycars]

In 1979 I drove my tudor from central Connecticut to the Canadian border in Vermont, about 300 miles. I am sure I could not do that today.

[Curly]

No chase cars or other club members, just me.

Most of my road trips are the same way, alone with fingers crossed.

[JDupuis]

I do an annual pilgrimage of 300 miles round trip.
I meet up with my dad's side of the family. He's been gone for over 40 years. Jeff

[Jeff/Illinois]

When I was 19 I drove all of 45 miles one way to a parade, and back. Total 90 miles. Darn near killed me! Fun on one hand but then again no it really was not!

Fast forward to today, 40 plus years later. I would have a hard time re-enacting that. Back is sore. Legs don't work right anymore. Knees are shot. Can't wait to go again!!!! But that is my limit a Model A just beats you up too much.

[2manycars]

But that is my limit a Model A just beats you up too much.

Very true. Fighting the bias tires on back roads is tiring. Dealing with the modern traffic is stressful. I find myself driving the tudor less, and the newer antiques more.

[Jeff/Illinois]

Same here Bill. And the idiots on the roads around here.... just this week, two were killed and four ended up in serious condition about 12 miles from my house on a well traveled two lane road. The dip sh-- that caused the wreck, was speeding, weaving in and out passing everybody he could, and was passing going up a hill and hit a car head-on at the crest of a hill.

And I used to drive the Model A on that road a lot, last several years I do all I can to stay off of it. Speed limit is 55, very few drive under 70 on it many go faster than that. The Illinois State Police write plenty of tickets but nobody really cares it doesn't phase them. That road is always full of cars.

No, today's drivers, really take the fun out of driving there is no shortage of idiots who care nothing at all about anybody else's safety. Tailgating is bad too. I set my cruise on 58 MPH and see how much of a line of traffic I can get backed up behind me! Last week some jerk girl passed me on the shoulder of the road and flipped me off!! Throwing gravel everywhere she about lost it and went in the ditch. This was at 58 MPH!!! If she had I would have kept on going and not stopped. I just honked and waved!!

No Country for Old Men I mean Old Cars!!

[TOBKOB]

Last summer I drove 350 miles one day...It does get tiring but a good tired...

TOB

[DaWizard]

Whats the most miles you have done in a day?

1325mi from the Anaheim Stadium to Vega Texas on a Kawasaki ZN1300 touring bike. From 18:00 Friday night until 1630 Saturday afternoon.

[JDupuis]

Holy crap. How fast were you going?

[DaWizard]

Oh, it is not the speed that counts, I limit the stops to 15min or less. And to answer the question, normally around 70mph. But the real time saver is the stop time.

I did have one problem, at the crack of dawn, my eyes shut, no matter, they clamp closed, so I usually try to pull off the road and park in either a fast food, or liquor store parking lot and lay my head down on the handle bars, helmet and all, and take a power nap. At the time my power breakfast was 2 Hostess mini donuts and Sunny D. That used to last me til dinnertime.

Needless to say, I don't do that anymore. My last trip was on the HD and I did about 2,200mi in 5 days. THAT was a bone shaker and proved to me just how messed up my hand and wrist really are.

[Curly]

It does get tiring but a good tired...

TOB

well said.

[Tom Wesenberg]

When I carried my mom's ashes to the graveyard I travelled 260 miles at 45 the whole way. I enjoyed the drive a lot in my 28 Phaeton, but really do enjoy closed cars for the added comfort of not having the wind blowing around me all the time. Then on the way home I got caught in a heavy downpour with no side curtains.

In 1970 I drove my 1950 Studebaker home on leave, driving 1500 miles in 24 hours, stopping only long enough for gas.
That was a stupid stunt, and I'd never try it again.

[Big hammer]

From central Illinois to Fort Collins Co on a gold wing, near Denver stopped because my knee went out
1 1/2 later arrived and then laid down knee went back in place!
Onetime never left town and drove 300 miles :-(. But you where wanting model A story’s !
90 miles bringing my A home after the purchase of it :-) 30 mph because of a fresh overhaul and 5 hours later, stopped to show/ give rides to grandparents !

[JDupuis]

My right hip will act up anytime I ride a motorcycle. Hence no bike, anymore.
No problem with the atv.

[George Miller]

When we go back to Alpena Mich it is 1000 miles from our home here in NC. It takes us 18 hours to drive straight through. Been doing that drive for many years. To me it is better than to stop at some flea bag motel along the way.

The longest drive was when I was in the service and 18 years old. Went from Alpena Mich. to fort jackson SC non stop. Stopped for gas and a bite to eat. that was before the good inter state roads. Not sure how far or how long it took, but I remember through the night and going through the mountains. It was kind of scary for a flat lander.

[BNCHIEF]

George I am coming from Kansas to Mooresville the first of March going straight thru myself, I agree better than a motel.

[WMWS]

My wife and I have done 1100 miles to Florida non stop for years. It usually takes us about 17 hours. But at our age now we stop but I don't much like the motels either. On a bike I have done 1050 miles non stop. Sore butt.

[Jeff/Illinois]

Like Bill stated, and I agreed, the traffic is horrible people are down right ignorant. Not as much fun to drive the old cars as it was 20-30 years ago. Most people I see today have no respect for any one else, they are too 'into' themselves and speeding like hell to get to who knows where.

Throw a Model A Ford in the mix and I'm afraid that the odds really stack up against us. It's just getting way too dangerous anymore. Got me to re-thinking a lot about driving very far in an antique car today.

[Curly]

I wonder if that rudeness towards vintage vehicles is a regional thing. I sure hope all of the lower 48 is not that way. In Alaska we find people to be VERY polite towards us. People don't even follow on my bumper, they hold way back. 30,000 miles over the last several years and only one rude driver crowding me. Speaks pretty well for Alaska drivers.

[2manycars]

When I carried my mom's ashes to the graveyard I travelled 260 miles at 45 the whole way. I enjoyed the drive a lot in my 28 Phaeton, but really do enjoy closed cars for the added comfort of not having the wind blowing around me all the time. Then on the way home I got caught in a heavy downpour with no side curtains..

About 15 years ago we drove from here to Boston for a New England Model A Meet. I drove my tudor and my girlfriend drove her roadster pickup. It rained most of the way, hard at times, and she had no side curtians, no wind wings, and a hand operated wiper. We are both too old for that crap anymore.

[DaWizard]

Well, at least she had you there to warm her up after the trip. Did you ever think about swapping cars for a few miles, just so she could feel dry and warm?

[Sunnybrook Farm]

About 360 miles from Lexington Va to Myrtle Beach SC in an unrestored 29 fordor, it was a long day.

[Tom Wesenberg]

To not push it and to arrive relaxed, I wouldn't care to try for more than about 250 to 275 miles per day in a Model A.

Wisconsin has a lot of nice smooth paved roads with little traffic, which makes it ideal for antique cars.
At least the middle and western part of Wisconsin is that way. I know it's way to crowded along the eastern side.

[Jeff/Illinois]

Bill, after owning both a Tudor and a Roadster, I have to admit that the Tudor is by far the best all around Model A Ford to own. I know now why they outsold all the other body styles!! You can be pretty comfy in a Tudor on a cold and rainy day, unlike a Roadster! Plus you don't have all that wind and noise, the Tudor is more solid, and safer to take kids along with you vs. a rumble seat.

[JtownJoe]

I drove my 30 Tudor around 200 miles a day several times but the front seats springs are pretty weak and it feels like I'm sitting on those playground spring rides all day, kinda wears you out.. I'd like to ride in a Tudor with good seats to compare the comfort.

[Curly]

I think being physically fit with strong abdominal strength allows one to enjoy the miles in a Model A more. Even with a high level of fitness 300 miles is all I can do comfortably. I’ve been reading some old Restorer magazines recently and yesterday I found a story in one of the 1997 magazines about a gentalman who did an 800 (almost) miles in a day. He even had time to fix a flat tire.

[bettlesr]

A couple of years ago I drove my Model A from Florham Park, NJ to Ashburn, Va, 260 miles each way. Did the trip down on Friday, went to a Car/Air show in Leesburg on Saturday and drove home on Sunday. Only stopped for fuel and a "pit stop".

[Curly]

It doesn’t get any better than that.

[Jeff/Illinois]

We had a spry old guy went to our church. Was 106 years old still lived at home by himself, drove himself around, no eye glasses no hearing aid no cane,,, you would have sworn he was in his late 60's early 70's. Amazing guy.

Anyway he graduated from a local college in 1929 (high school 1925!) and right away got a job with Goodyear tire and rubber. One day another guy from church, Tony, drove his '29 Tudor to church. Walking out, Glenn saw it and right away said 'That is a '29 Ford'. Tony said he was correct, and Glenn said 'I drove one of those, brand new, a Company car, from Chicago to Florida in the summer of '29. I had THIRTEEN flat tires down there and back.'

Can you imagine!! I would guess the first set were maybe Firestones but the replacement tires had to be Goodyears unless they were just patching tubes, I never thought to ask him!!

[Curly]

It’s stories like that one that make these old cars so damn interesting!

[Chevmn56]

Well the most i have traveled varies we did a 300 mile road trip from Salt lake City to Priest lake Idaho via Yellowstone and glacier National Parks and various other places including an old Ghost town (way cool) an all this was done in 7 days on a HD Softail....my arse has never been the same lol. the longest in a modern vehicle (2002 F350 Powerstroke) was about 1300 miles in 1.5-2 days it was all kind of a blur....we left SLC about 10am and reached Flagstaff AZ about dinner time, stopped and ate and hit the road, as soon as we where on the road we received one of those phone calls that no parent should ever get, our daughter was in a accident and critically injured, we turned around and hauled A$$ back it was all a blur and i dont remember a thing.......she passed after we arrived.....

K now dont razz me to much but i think the longest trip in the model A for now has been 5 miles LOL but ill change that this summer, hes getting all spiffed up and ready to go!!!!!!!

[JDupuis]

Sorry to hear about your loss. Life is short.

[Curly]

Close to 10,000 (CLE to Singapore). Flight (33hrs) so just over a day ;)

1. Not a Model A
2. It took Charles “Lucky Lindy” Lindberg 33 1/2 hours to fly from NY to Paris in 1927 and he didn’t even get a full nights sleep before he left.