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The following history of the Model A was provided by the
The Orange County Model A Ford
Club. They have one of the most active chapters in
California and are famous for their "Pancake Breakfast" which is
put on each each year in Hart Park.
THE MODEL A FORD: 1928-1931 This brief history of the Model A
Ford is intended for the general public who are not as aware of
Henry Ford nor the development of this automobile. There are a
number of excellent publications that provide full information
on the development and impact of the Model A Ford.
The history and story of Henry Ford and his impact on the
development of the automobile is a fascinating history in
itself. In 1908, Henry Ford initiated the design and production
of an automobile "for the people", that every family could own:
the Model T. This car had a production run for 19 years. The car
continually changed to meet the demands of the people, but
essentially remained the Model T.
By 1927, Ford sales were dropping severely. Competition from
other car companies such as Dodge Bros, Chevrolet, and others
were hurting the sale of the Model T. Edsel Ford, Henry's son,
knew what had to be done, but he had to convince the venerable
old man himself that the era of the Model T had come to an end.
Around- the time that the 15 millionth Model T was being
produced, in mid 1927, discussions and reality were setting in.
Henry Ford made the decision that "we've got to do it". That
meant design a new car. He also decided that this was a new
beginning. Since his first automobile in 1903 was a Model A and
subsequent models were B, C, etc, this new beginning would start
with "A" again. So was born the Model A Ford.
Without any plans for a new car, the Ford plants were closed,
and design for the new car began. This in itself was
unprecedented, for a company, especially one as large a Ford
Motor Company to completely shut down without any plans, then
completely redesign the factory, and start up again. Henry set a
number of ground rules, but the overall development of the
components were delegated to his associates. Edsel Ford was
responsible for the overall design. Every one of the 5,500 parts
were new. Official announcement of the new Ford came in May
1927. The announcement of the new car resulted in a drop in
overall car sales and Ford dealers had a rush of orders on a car
that had never been seen.
Many advances were made on this car and some of which were
unheard of for a car of this price range:
Safety glass windshield -Four wheel mechanical brakes -Four
shock absorbers -Electrically welded steel spoke wheels
Engine features included:
4 cylinder, L head, 200.5 cu. in. engine developing 40
horsepower at 2200 rpm. Fuel: Updraft, single barrel carburetor
with gravity fed fuel lines. Cooling: thermo-syphon with
centrifugal impeller and 2-blade airplane type fan. Electrical:
6 volt positive ground, coil and distributor ignition system
with electric L starter and generator.
The introduction of the new car on December 2, 1927 in New York
City, drew over 10 million people to view it. The car exceeded
all expectations especially with its price being nearly that of
the low priced Model T, ranging from $375 for the Roadster to
$570 for the Fordor Sedan. Ford sales skyrocketed and once again
became leader in the automotive world.
The Model A continued to undergo numerous modifications to
improve it. The transition from 1929 to 1930 brought about
redesign of the body style with a newer streamlined look. A new
rustless steel (stainless) was incorporated for much of the
outer bright work, such as the radiator shell, and the head,
cowl and taillights. A smaller wheel and tire, from the 21 inch
to 19 inch. Once again in 1931, design changes that eliminated
the outside sun visor on the Fordor sedan and also introduced
several new body styles to boost sales.
Overall, there were over 4,800,000 Model A Fords produced. It is
believed that over one million of these cars are still in
existence.
Today, you have a great opportunity to view of what may be the
largest annual gathering of Model A Fords in California. Around
you are representatives of all of the years and many of the body
styles that were available. Virtually all of these fine cars
drove here from all over the southwestern United States and
represent many Model A Ford clubs. Feel free to ask questions,
as there are many owners around you. Restoration of the
wonderful old cars is a very rewarding hobby.
The Orange County Model A Ford Club welcomes you to enjoy the
day. If you are interested in becoming more involved with the
Model A Ford, come to one our meetings or call one of our club
members. You need only the interest and ownership is not
required to become a member.
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