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 4,320,446 made |
| Predecessor | Ford Model T |
| Successor | Ford Model B |
| Body style | Coupe
Commercial |
| Engine | 201 in³ (3.3 L) Straight-4 |
| Transmission | 3 speed and reverse |
| Wheelbase | 104 in (2.64 m) |
| Length | 165 in (4.19 m) |
| Width | 67 in (1.70 m) |
| Curb weight | 2265 lb |
| Related | Ford Model AF |
The Model A was the second huge success for Ford, 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 1928 model and was available in four standard colors, but not black.
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.
Prices ranged from US$385 for a roadster to $570 for the top-of-the-line Fordor. The engine was an L-head 4-cylinder with a displacement of 201 in³ (3.3 L). Typical fuel consumption was between 20 and 30 mpg (US) (9 and 12 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 (2.6 m) wheelbase with a gear ratio of 3.77:1. The transmission was a 3-speed sliding gear unit with 1-speed reverse. The Model A had 4-wheel mechanical brakes.
The Model A came in a wide variety of styles: Coupe (Standard and Deluxe), Business Coupe, Sport Coupe, Roadster Coupe (Standard and Deluxe), Convertible Cabriolet, Convertible Sedan, Phaeton (Standard and Deluxe), Tudor (Standard and Deluxe), Town Car, Fordor (2-window) (Standard and Deluxe), Fordor (3-window) (Standard and Deluxe), Victoria, Station Wagon, Taxicab, Truck, and Commercial.
The Ford Model A (1927) is sometimes credited for being the first automobile to use the now standard set of driver controls, such as throttle pedals, brake pedals and gear shifter in their modern customary locations; previous Ford models used controls that would seem odd to a modern driver.
Final production ended on August 31, 1931, with 4,320,446 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.
As well as in the United States, Ford made the Model A in plants in Canada, France, Germany and the United Kingdom.
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[edit] Film and Media
The Ford Model A, was, of course, well represented in media of the era as 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. In Bonnie and Clyde film realised by Arthur Penn, Clyde Barrow (Warren Beatty) and Bonnie Parker (Faye Dunaway) drives a roadster model A.
[edit] Trivia
- A 1928 Model A was driven by Hector Quevedo from his home town of Punta Arenas, Chile to Ford Motor Company headquarters in Detroit. Quevedo was joined by his son Hugo. The journey lasted over two years, from October of 1992 to December of 1994, and covered nearly 22,000 miles. 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]
- One of the two mascots of Georgia Tech is the Ramblin' Wreck from Georgia Tech, a 1930 Ford Model A.
[edit] Gallery
 Lineup of Ford Model As |
 GAZ-A photographed outside the GAZ plant in 1951. |
 MO 1929 |
 Front view of a 1931 Model A Roadster. Las Cruces, New Mexico (February 2005). |
[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.: Nov 30, 1994. pg. A.1.
