VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 1929 Cruising Speed.

What would be a good crusing/highway speed for my 29? (Without over taxing the engine)
Thanks

I have a 1930 coach and can cruise along as 40 MPH. However, on the really really hot days I have to cut it back a bit.. 30-35ish. If I do not, I start spitting water out the top of the radiator and onto the windshield.

Depends on the condition of the engine. Mainly the rod and main bearing. The 1929 has a 3.82 gear ratio so if the engine is in good condition 40 to 50 MPH would not be unreasonable.
The 1930 and up has a 4.11 ratio so the engine runs a little faster in relation to the car speed.

On average, cruising speed for your '29 would be between 35 and 45 MPH.

And few owners drove that fast in 1929. 45 was considered really flying considering road conditions and speed limits at that time.
I will say though that my dad drove our 1931 at 50 MPH on the highway....this was in the late 1930's.

I routinely drove my first '31 Chevy at 50-55 mph on the Interstate. The only '31 I currently have running is a '31 Fire truck and it does 45 -50 mph on the flat. Weighs 5+K so doesn't do as well on the hills. Also has 5.428:1 rear axle ratio and 7.00-20 tires so not a speed demon.

Thanks one and all

I have a 29 and before I pulled the engine out for a rebuild after 80 years it would routinely do 50 easily. There is a fellow in our region who routinely pushes his 30 up to 60 mph. I tell him I don't think it will last long at those speeds but he assures me "its not hurting it". In the 29 one of the limiting factors is the oil pump. If you put a 30 or later oil pump in it that would be advisable. Also since the 29 did not have shock absorbers it will bounce you right off the road on a corner. Best to have all of your spring shackle bushings rebuilt so there is no slop. Chevrolet engineers said the 29 would do 65 miles an hour from the factory. Henry - not to be out done said his model A would do 66 mph

My '29 coach is an unrestored original showing a little over 20K miles on it. Unfortunately the odometer does not work anymore. However owing to the condition of the car (good to very good) I believe the actual milage to be not much over that. Generally I try and keep the highway MPH at around 50.
If I catch myself running at 55 (or better) which is real easy to do because "ol Tenn" runs so good. The car will start pushing water out the radiator over flow tube and between the threads of the radiator cap. Because I'm sure the radiator has a bunch of clogged tubes and the top tank can not empty as fast. Sometime in the history of the car the radiator core was replaced with a tube type while using the original Harrison top and bottom tanks. In the approx. 10 years that I have owned the car. The only things I have done to the motor is change the oil, gone throught the carb, filed the points and put new plugs in it. Granted I do not drive the car a lot. Sorry fellas I went to the 'Dark Side' and have a couple of "you-know-whats" to do most of my driving with. I feel that if "ol Tenn's" radiator was cleaned out. The car would effortlessly cruise at 65 MPH!

Just a note - Maximum crusing speed would be the top speed the car/engine would effortly cruise at. A 1929 Chevrolet would have to be "wide-open" to maintain an actual 65 MPH. My estimate it would throw a rod or burn-out a bearing after a few miles at a steady 65 MPH.
A lot of owners are afraid to drive their 1949's over 55 MPH.

OK, eat your heart out. My 31 will cruise at 65 MPH, although I keep it to 60. That's fast enough. Oh yah, by the way I have a high speed rear end so when I am doing 60, the engine is only doing 50 MPH.

It's great for interstate driving.