Ford Model A
The
Model A was the designation of two cars made by
Ford Motor Company, one in 1903 and one beginning in 1927.
The original Model A, also called the "Fordmobile", was the first car produced by Ford, beginning production in 1903. Dr. Ernst Pfenning of
Chicago, Illinois became the first owner of a Model A on
July 23,
1903. 1,750 cars were made from 1903 to 1905.
The car came as a two-seater
runabout or four-seater
tonneau model with an option to add a top. The horizontal-mounted
flat-2, situated at the amidships of the car, produced 8 hp (6 kW). A 3-speed planetary transmission was fitted, a Ford signature later seen on the
Ford Model T. The car weighed 1,240 lb (562 kg) and could reach a top speed of 45 mph (72 km/h). It had a 72 in (1.8 m) wheelbase and sold for a base price of US$750. Options included a rear seat for $100, a rubber roof for $30 or a leather roof for $50.
The company had spent almost its entire $28,000 initial investment funds with only $223.65 left in its bank account when the first Model A was sold. The success of this car model generated a profit for the Ford Motor Company,
Henry Ford's first successful business.
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GAZ-A photographed outside the GAZ plant in 1951. |
The second
Model A was the second major success for Ford, after 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. The Model A was available in four standard colors, but not black. The successor to the Model A was the
Ford Model B which introduced V8 power.
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) 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.
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.
The company
GAZ, which started as a cooperation between Ford and the Soviet Union, made a licensed version of the Model A.
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.
