First Model A Road Trip

Today I took my first “big” trip in the Model A. The only trip I’ve ever had in it before was once around the block.

Christopher Robin is a 1930 Cabriolet, in rough shape (well, very rough, but we've seen rougher), dark green and black with a rumble seat.

Here's the story of Christopher Robin, our Model A: John and his dad restored two Model As when he was in high school. One went to John, one to John's sister Laura, and they actually drove them to school and all over town. John's was eventually wrecked (not John driving, gotta get that in there), and Laura's went to Canada with hers, which she named Christopher Robin, then back to the States. This is Laura's - she eventually gave it to John for some reason or other. It didn't run for maybe 25 years, and one day, Steven pointed out that we had a car in the garage that was pretty cool and it could be made to run. So, John and his son got Christopher Robin running again.

John wanted to go with the Model A club (an excellent Model A Club meets in Georgetown, and another terrific group in Austin. John is somehow more involved with the Georgetown, Texas group) in the Model A today to lunch and then to the horse race track at Manor Downs.

We had 45 minutes or an hour’s drive to the Texas Roadhouse Grill. There was a great deal of noise and rattling. John stopped once to get gasoline, which he buys just a gallon or two at a time and pumps into the tank, which is right in front of the windshield. He said the tank had a leak that he thought he fixed, but it leaked a tiny bit into the car where the gas gauge is (in front of, and between driver and passenger), and I was assigned the job of dabbing at it with a paper towel. He said that he’d just have to fill the tank halfway only to keep the level below the leak.

After an excellent meal at the café, everyone caravanned to Manor Downs, yet a longer drive. I got some pictures. We watched horse races, didn’t bet much, and then had a very long drive home. The Model A goes about 45 MPH maximum, and John stays off the freeways as much as possible.

It was fun, and John was really pleased to get to take the A to an actual club outing. Check out his buddies' Model As - many of them are showroom gorgeous, plus they've modified them in various ways to make them more comfortable.