Ford Model A (1927)
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- See also Ford Model A (1903)
| Ford Model A | |
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| Manufacturer | Ford Motor Company |
| Production | 1927–1931 4,849,340 made |
| Predecessor | Ford Model T |
| Successor | Ford Model B |
| Class | Passenger Cars, Light Commerical, SUV |
| Body style(s) | A – Chassis Convertible Sedan (A-400) |
| Platform | A Chassis |
| Engine(s) | 3.3 L Straight-4 |
| Wheelbase | 104 in (2642 mm) |
| Length | 165 in (4191 mm) |
| Width | 67 in (1702 mm) |
| Curb weight | 2265 lb (1027 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 10 US gallons (37.9 L/8.3 imp gal)/11 US gallons (41.6 L/9.2 imp gal) |
| Related | Ford Model AF Ford Model AA |
| Designer | Henry Ford and Edsel Ford |
The Ford Model A was the second huge success for the Ford Motor Company, after its predecessor, the Model T. First produced on October 20, 1927, but not sold until December 2, it replaced the venerable Model T, which had been produced for 18 years. This new Model A (a previous model had used the Model A name back in 1903) was designated as a 1927 model and was available in four standard colors, but not black. There has also been ongoing speculation for many years that the Ford Model A was based on the 1925 Peugeot 201 automobile as the two automobiles bear a striking resemblance.
The successor to the Model A was the Model B which featured an updated 4-cylinder engine, and by the Model 18 which introduced Ford's new V8 engine.
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[edit] Features
Prices for the Model A ranged from US$385 for a roadster to $1400 for the top-of-the-line Town Car. The engine was an L-head 4-cylinder with a displacement of 3.3 L. This engine gave the car 40 horsepower (30 kW). Typical fuel consumption was between 25 and 30 mpg (U.S.) (8 to 12 kilometres per litre or 12-8 L/100 km)[citation needed] using a Zenith one-barrel carburetor, with a top speed of around 65 mph (104 km/h). It had a 103.5 in (2629 mm) wheelbase with a gear ratio of 3.77:1. The transmission was a 3-speed sliding gear unit with a 1-speed reverse. The Model A had 4-wheel mechanical drum brakes.
The Model A came in a wide variety of styles: Coupe (Standard and Deluxe), Business Coupe, Sport Coupe, Roadster Coupe (Standard and Deluxe[[2]] ), Convertible Cabriolet, Convertible Sedan, Phaeton (Standard and Deluxe), Tudor (Standard and Deluxe [[3]]), Town Car, Fordor (2-window) (Standard and Deluxe), Fordor (3-window) (Standard and Deluxe), Victoria, Station Wagon, Taxicab, Truck, and Commercial.
The vehicle was the first Ford to use the then standard set of driver controls, with conventional brake and clutch pedals, throttle and gearshift; previous Ford models used controls that often perplexed the inexperienced driver. The Model A's fuel tank was located just behind the engine and elevated above the carburetor so the fuel flow did not require a fuel pump.In cooler climates the owners of a Ford Model A could purchase a cast iron unit to place over the exhaust manifold to bring heat from the warm radiator and manifold into the passenger side of the cab through the fire wall. A small door could be opened or closed to adjust the amount of hot air entering the cab. In the summer, some people would take the cast iron adaptor off the manifold to keep the cab cooler. The windshield would also hinge out from the bottom to allow air to flow into the cab for cooling. Also this was the first car to have safety glass in the windshield.
When production ended in March, 1932, there were 4,849,340 Model A's made in all styles. It was replaced by an updated model called the Ford Model B and by the new V-8.
The U.S.S.R. company GAZ, which started as a cooperation between Ford and the Soviet Union, made a licensed version of the Model A.
In addition to the United States, Ford made the Model A in plants in Canada, France, Germany and the United Kingdom.
[edit] Film and media
The Ford Model A. was well represented in media of the era since it was one of the most common cars. In modern times, it has reappeared, most notably in the remake of the film King Kong as taxi cabs and police cars. Students asked to build models of cars from the 1920s and 1930s will also find that models of these cars are still available from hobby shops in the 2000s, as stock cars or modified hot rods.
The most famous single Model A is Ala Kart, a customized 1929 roadster pickup built by George Barris which won two straight "America's Most Beautiful Roadster" awards at the Oakland Roadster Show before making numerous film and television appearances.
A 1928 Model A was driven by Hector Quevedo from his home town of Punta Arenas, Chile to Ford Motor Company headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan. Quevedo was joined by his son Hugo. The journey lasted over two years, from October 1992 to December 1994, and covered nearly 22,000 miles (35,000 km). The car required minimal service including a flat tire and transmission work in Nicaragua. The car is now housed in the Henry Ford Museum.[1]
The game Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven includes a 1928 Model A Ford under the name Bolt Model B.
In The New Three Stooges episode, The Noisy Silent Movie, a Model A can be seen in one of the movie clips.
[edit] Gallery
 1928 Ford Model A Business Coupe |
 1929 Ford Model A Roadster Rumbleseat Street Rod |
 1929 Model A Tudor. |
 MO 1929. |
 1930 Sports Coupe, The Ramblin' Wreck leads the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets onto Grant Field. |
 1930 Ford A Tudor Sedan |
 1930 Ford A Tudor Sedan |
 1931 Ford Model A Deluxe Coupe |
 1931 Ford Model A Deluxe Tudor Sedan |
 Front view of a Shay reproduction of a Ford 1931 Model A Roadster. Las Cruces, New Mexico (February 2005). |
 Lineup of Ford Model A's. |
 GAZ-A photographed outside the GAZ plant in 1951. |
 Ford Model A at Brooklands Museum, Weybridge (April 2004) |
[edit] References
- ^ Cardinale, Anthony. Chileans on a Roll in Vintage Car Trek Detroit-Bound Model A Ford Arrives Here After 21,700 Miles. Buffalo News. Buffalo, N.Y.: November 30, 1994 pg. A.1.
[edit] External links
- Model A Ford Club of America - [4]
- Model A Restorers Club - [5]
- Ford Model AA Truck Club - [6]
- Ford Model A at the Open Directory Project
- Follow Henry As We Tour The Long Beach Assembly Plant circa 1930
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![[1]](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Coupe.jpg#filelinks){kind=link}
![[2]](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:1931_Ford_Model_A_Deluxe_Coupe.jpg){kind=link}
![[3]](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:1931_Model_A_Ford_Deluxe_Tudor.jpg){kind=link}