My 1929 Ford Model A has been in my family for decades. Here’s how I take care of it

I test a lot of products for CNN Underscored, but very few of them are designed with a 1929 Ford Model A in mind. My family’s Model A has been around for as long as I can remember — and long before that. It’s been in my family since the 1960s, and my dad drove it to high school every day. Decades later, I did the exact same thing.

Needless to say, it’s a pretty special car to us, and while it’s coming up on being 100 years old, we still drive it regularly. It doesn’t sit untouched in a garage or only come out for car shows. I learned to drive it when I was a teenager, took it to school and still get behind its wheel today.

But driving a car built in 1929 is, unsurprisingly, a little different from driving a modern one. There’s no air conditioning, no screen telling you when something is wrong and definitely no roadside assistance button. Plus, when a car has been in your family for more than 60 years, you tend to be a little more careful about keeping it clean and protected.

Over the years, I’ve found a handful of car products that make owning and driving our Model A easier. From the cleaning products I use to keep it looking its best to a couple of items that make driving without air conditioning more bearable, these are the products I use with our nearly 100-year-old car that go beyond road trip essentials.

Keeping a nearly century-old car clean

When you own a 1929 car (and actually drive it), every speck of dust and every fingerprint seems to matter, even when the car itself is far from perfect. Our Model A has plenty of signs of its nearly 100 years on the road. Ford originally built it in black, but in the 1950s, it was repainted Chevrolet-mail-truck green. That paint job is now about 70 years old, and it shows. I’ve long dreamed of having the car repainted, but until then, keeping it clean is one of the easiest ways I can take care of a car that can’t simply be replaced.

Chemical Guys Total Interior Cleaner & Protectant

Despite the name, I don't actually use this cleaner on the Model A's interior. Instead, I use it exclusively on the car's glass, such as the windows and headlights. It's a simple way to clean away the dust, fingerprints and grime that accumulate when we take the car out, and it leaves the glass looking noticeably better without turning every cleanup into a full detailing job.

Usanooks Microfiber Cleaning Cloths, 12-Pack

Microfiber cloths are another essential for me, but I don’t use them interchangeably. I’ve developed a system that helps me avoid wiping a particularly dirty cloth across a cleaner part of the car. I use these reusable cloths for the dirtier jobs, such as those areas that need more than a quick touch-up, and having a dozen means I can grab a fresh cloth when one gets dirty instead of spreading grime around the car.

Homexcel Microfiber Cleaning Cloths in Multicolor, 12-Pack

Once the car is clean, I switch to a different set of microfiber cloths for the finishing touches. I reserve these colorful Homexcel cloths for fully drying and touching-up the car after a wash. Keeping them visually separate from the gray cloths I use for dirtier jobs means I always know which ones are clean enough for that final pass. They're inexpensive, soft and something I use almost every time I clean the Model A.

Protecting a car that can’t be replaced

Technically, you could buy another 1929 Ford Model A. But I can’t buy another one that’s been in my family since the 1960s. Another Model A wouldn’t carry the special memories we’ve shared in this ride, so maintaining ours is so important to me.

Of course, I still want to actually use and enjoy the car. I’m not interested in keeping it permanently hidden away because I’m afraid something might happen to it. That said, when I’m not driving it, I want to do what I can to prevent dings and scratches.

Riakrum Waterproof Car Cover

A car cover is a pretty simple product, but it gives me some extra peace of mind when the Model A is parked. I use this one to help shield the car from dust and the elements. It doesn’t take much effort to put on, and it seems like a pretty easy step towards keeping a car that’s already made it nearly 100 years in good condition.

Driving without modern climate control

There are a lot of things I love about driving a car from 1929. The lack of air conditioning isn’t one of them. On a nice day, driving the Model A with the windows open is fantastic. On a 90-degree summer afternoon, it’s a different story.

The car has no climate control of any kind. If it’s hot outside, it’s going to be hot in the car, so I’ve had to find creative ways to make summer drives a little more comfortable.

TXZ Cooling Neck Wrap

I never thought I'd be recommending a cooling neck wrap as a car accessory, but I like that I can wear this around my neck while I'm driving without having to constantly hold or adjust it. On especially hot days, having something cool directly against my neck makes driving the Model A noticeably more comfortable. Is it as good as air conditioning? Obviously not. However, since installing modern climate control isn’t an option, I’ll take it.

Frogg Toggs Chilly Pad Cooling Towel

I also bring along this cooling towel in the car when it's particularly hot outside. You wet it, wring it out and use it whenever you need some relief from the heat. I like that I can reuse it throughout the day, whether I'm driving or we're stopped somewhere. When your car's air conditioning system is essentially an open window, a cooling towel can make a real difference.

Preparing for the unexpected

Driving an old car teaches you to be pretty self-sufficient. There are no warning messages to tell you exactly what’s wrong with it and no computer monitoring the car’s workings. You listen to the engine, pay attention to how the car feels and sometimes, accept that things aren’t going to go exactly as planned. That’s part of owning an old car, but it also means I don’t like heading out unprepared.

Everlit Survival Roadside Guardian Emergency Kit

An emergency kit isn't going to fix every problem you might encounter in a nearly 100-year-old car (or even a new one), but I'd still rather have one with me than not. I like that this kit keeps a range of emergency supplies together in one place, so if something goes wrong, I'm equipped to handle basic car problems and medical accidents. Hopefully, I won't ever need most of what's inside, but when I'm driving the Model A, it gives me some peace of mind.

AstroAI L7 Portable Air Compressor

I’d rather handle a low-pressure tire myself than have to find a gas station or call someone for help, so I keep this portable tire inflator with me. This one is smaller than the one in my emergency kit and doubles as a portable charger. In fact, the AstroAI L7 fits in the palm of my hand, which is particularly helpful in a car that wasn't designed with modern accessories in mind.

Bottom line

Our Model A will turn 100 years old in 2029, which is honestly pretty incredible to think about. It’s already been in my family for more than 60 years, and I hope to keep it going for another 100.

That’s why I don’t want the car to spend the rest of its life sitting untouched in a garage. I want to keep driving it and making new memories with it, even if doing so requires a little more preparation than driving a modern car.

None of these products magically make a 1929 Model A feel like a new car, and that’s definitely not the point. They just make it a little easier to keep the car clean, protect it when it’s parked, stay more comfortable on hot days and feel better prepared when I’m out on the road. After nearly a century, I’d say the Model A has earned that extra care.

FAQs

What is it like to drive a 1929 Ford Model A?

Driving a 1929 Ford Model A is much more hands-on than driving a modern car. There’s no air conditioning or modern technology, so you have to pay attention to how the car sounds and feels. In my opionion, that’s part of what makes driving it so special.

How do you keep a classic car in good condition?

I regularly clean and protect our Model A, keep it covered when it’s parked and pay close attention to how it’s running. Since we still drive the car, I carry an emergency kit and portable tire inflator so we’re better prepared if something goes wrong.

Can you still drive a 1929 Ford Model A regularly?

Yes. Our Model A is nearly 100 years old, and I still drive it regularly. It requires more care and preparation than a modern car, but I’d rather continue enjoying it than leaving it untouched like it’s in a museum.

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For this article, CNN Underscored travel products editor Kyle Olsen drew on years of experience driving and helping care for his family’s 1929 Ford Model A. The car has been in his family since the 1960s, and just as his dad drove it to high school decades earlier, Olsen did the same as a teenager. He still regularly drives and cares for the nearly century-old car today.

Some information for this report was gathered via edition.cnn.com.