By Seth Putnam

When 30-year-old classic car fan Jonathan Klinger told friends of his grand idea to drive the 1930 Model A that he found and restored, they thought he was downright crazy. But starting in October 2010, the Michigan native did just that…for a full year.

My Ford caught up with Klinger after successfully completing the challenge to look back at his journey.

My Ford: Where did your love of classic cars begin?

As far back as I can remember, I’ve always been interested in anything mechanical; especially if it had a gas-powered engine.

I grew up in a Ford family and have always been around them. On the farm, it was always Ford pickups. Between passenger cars, pickups and semis—my Grandpa figures he’s had about 60 Ford vehicles in his life. Now, I’ve got this 1919 Ford Model A pickup that I did a full restoration on. I also have a ’41 Ford Super Deluxe two-door sedan, but that’s a project.

MF: What inspired you to take on this challenge?

Most people wouldn’t think of hopping in an 81-year-old car and taking it on a 100-mile trip, let alone driving it every day. They think cars like this are unreliable. They think you can’t work on them. And because a lot of TV shows focus on the high-end auctions, which are good entertainment, they think you have to be a millionaire to have an old car. I purchased the Model A for $11,000 off of Craigslist.

I talked about the idea of driving it for a while, and basically, people were calling my bluff. Then one day my CEO [Klinger runs PR for Hagerty Insurance, a Michigan-based classic car insurer] said, “Why don’t you just do it?”

MF: Why a Model A over a classic speedster?

The Model A was a simple yet reliable car for its time. There were 5 million made between 1928 and 1931, so there are a lot left, and they’re very affordable. Because of that, there are companies who re-manufacture parts for them. If you’re in a pinch, any part you might need is only an overnight shipment away.

It’s also old enough that most people would find it a hardship to drive every day. If I had a ’55 Thunderbird, I’d just be driving a fun, old car. They go interstate speeds; they have power steering, power brakes, air conditioning, heating.

MF: This challenge sounds doable, but not always pleasant.

Just before I started this, I was driving in my Explorer down the interstate: cruise control set at 75 mph, climate control set at 72 degrees, listening to satellite radio. All of a sudden, it dawned on me: “What did I get myself into? Life’s about to change.”

MF: How did it do last February, when all that snow dumped on the Midwest?

It was an exercise in not outdriving the capabilities of the vehicle you’re in, but it handled great. The Model A has plenty of road clearance, for what the roads were back then. And it’s got really skinny tires, which is an advantage. They concentrate the weight more and slice through the snow better.

MF: What sort of adventures did the car create for you along those journeys?

I was driving in Ohio through Amish country, and all of a sudden I came to this four-way stop, right around lunchtime. There were four really old buildings on each corner, and one of them had a worn-out “bar” sign, and on the scrolling marquee it said, “Now serving breakfast.”

It was a total dive bar in an old house. I walk in, and it’s the owner behind the bar—no one else inside. He took my order, and he cooked it. I had a burger, fries and a soda, and it was one of the best burgers I’ve had in a very long time. The world is a different place at 50 miles an hour.

MF: You took the Model A on a few out-of-state road trips; to auto shows, and took back roads most of the way. What experiences stick out most from those trips?

Most people take road trips with the “are-we-there-yet” syndrome. On the interstate, it’s all the same. The only thing you have to look forward is the final destination.

When you’re on the back roads, it’s not the same. The landscape is interesting. You come upon towns you’ve never heard of. You eat at mom-and-pop restaurants. You make friends. It’s about the journey itself.

MF: It almost conjures up a more abstract lesson about life and travel.

Exactly. It’s okay to take life in the slow lane once in a while.

Jonathan Klinger’s Model A Adventure, By the Numbers:

40: Horsepower available in the Model A

16,000: Total miles driven in Klinger’s Model A over the course of a year

6: Total number of states Klinger drove through in his Model A

50: Klinger’s typical cruising speed in the Model A

19: Best miles-per-gallon fuel efficiency the car could achieve