The Model A Ford Club of New South Wales is dedicated to the restoration and preservation of the Model A Ford, “Henry’s Lady”. It is a family club that allows people with the same interests to meet and enjoy their hobby together.
Model A National Meet hosted by our club in Goulburn 2022
A brief history of the Model A Ford
By the 1920’s the Model T was falling behind competitors in sales and was out modeled by the mid 20’s. This was not just the case in America but also world wide including Australia. The time was right for “The New Car“.
Henry Ford along with his son Edsel and Ford Motor Company engineers, in great secrecy, went about designing “The New Car“, the Model A Ford.
On the 2nd December, 1927, 10.5 million Americans attended the first day displays of “The New Car“. (1 in 10 Americans) By the end of the first week 25 million had viewed the Model A.
In Australia the Model A went on display 5 months later in all the capital cities on the 15th May 1928. Initial models on display were Phaeton, Roadster, Tudor Sedan, Business Coupe, Sports Coup and the AA Truck. More than 300,000 Australians visited the displays over the first 4 days (1 in 20 Australians).
Australian cars were manufactured in Canada and assembled in Australia from a period 1928 to 1930. Around 30,000 Model A Ford cars and trucks were imported into Australia.
Other Information, Facts and Interesting Notes:
Introduction and Success:
The Model A replaced the iconic Model T, which had been in production for 18 years. It was officially introduced on December 2, 1927, although production began earlier in October. Unlike the Model T, the Model A was available in various body styles, including coupes, roadsters, and sedans. Its attractive design, improved performance, and affordable price contributed to its success.
The Model A was a departure from the utilitarian design of the Model T. It featured a more streamlined and stylish appearance, with a graceful hood and curved fenders.
Available body styles included coupes, roadsters, sedans, phaetons, and even pickup trucks.
The car’s interior was more comfortable, with better seating and improved ergonomics.
Performance and Engine:
The Model A was powered by a 3.3-liter inline-four engine that produced around 40 horsepower. This was a significant improvement over the Model T’s 20-horsepower engine.
The engine featured a three-speed manual transmission and could reach speeds of up to 65 miles per hour (104 km/h).
Sales Milestones:
Ford introduced the Model A in December 1927, By February 1929, one million Model As had been sold, and by July of the same year, that number doubled to two million. By March 1930, three million Model As were sold in nine different body styles.
The Model A’s success was partly due to its affordability. It was priced at around $500 initially, making it accessible to a wide range of buyers.
Innovations:
The Model A was the first Ford car to feature a standard set of driver controls, including conventional clutch and brake pedals, throttle, and gear shift. It also introduced safety glass in the windshield, This was a significant improvement over the Model T’s plate glass.
End of Production: Model A production ended in March 1932, with a total of 4.8 million units produced across various body styles.
Despite its short production span (from 1927 to 1932), the Model A left a lasting impact. It bridged the gap between the Model T and the later Ford models.
In 1932, Ford replaced the Model A with the Ford V8, which featured an eight-cylinder engine.
