mod@tech

[Editor’s Note: Charles Steinman of Fairport, New York, wrote in with his recollections of his first car, a 1962 Austin-Healey Sprite.]

I had always been a car nut but didn’t have an opportunity to own one while in high school. That changed between my first and second years of college, when my parents relented and let me bring a car back to school. Given the fact that they had no money to contribute to the purchase, I was relegated to buying something based on whatever money I could save up over the summer. Luck – although I’m not sure I would call it that later – would have it that a guy around the corner was selling a 1962 Austin-Healey Sprite that met my two qualifications: It ran, some of the time; and I had the money to buy it.

Of course, you must have a decent sound system in your car and eight-tracks were all the rage then, so the first post-purchase project was the installation of a tape player. My father, although an incredibly handy guy, really didn’t know any more about cars than I did, but he figured we could put a few wires together. We followed the instructions and hooked it up. Unfortunately, we didn’t know that British cars of the time were positive ground and when I put a cartridge in the player, smoke came out of the defroster vents. It was the first step in a long learning process.

When the upstate New York weather turned cold, I found out that the heater didn’t work very well. Actually, it didn’t work at all. I brought the car home one weekend, and my dad and I tried to figure it out. It didn’t take long. Someone had removed the heater core and fan. A trip to the junk yard and a few hours of work sorted that out, although even after the installation was completed you could hardly notice if the heater was on or not. With our trusty Clymer manual at hand, we learned how to do oil changes, brakes, tune-ups, and even a complete engine overhaul when the main bearings finally gave out.

The Sprite’s last gasp was on a trip back from visiting my brother in Vermont. The wind got a hold of my top and ripped it in half. I was 350 miles away from home and had to drive it back in the rain with a towel and a pith helmet over my head, all while wiping the rain off the inside of the windshield. You’d be amazed at the looks you get on the New York State Thruway when you’re dressed like that. I sold the Sprite and replaced it with a considerably less troublesome Triumph TR-4A, with my dad helping me to keep that running, too.

Fast forward a few years and my father asked me to join him at an address not too far from his house. I assumed he wanted me to help him with his job, and when I arrived there was a stunning red 1971 MG B in the driveway. He asked me what I thought of it. I said it was really nice, but why was he asking? He looked at me like the idiot I was and said, “What makes you think that all those years I was helping you with your cars I didn’t want a sports car of my own? I couldn’t afford it then because I had to put you through college and law school. Now it’s my turn.”

He and my mother loved that car, and I later gave him my Porsche 914 for a more weather-resistant driving experience. It was followed by a host of others, most notably, his last car, a double-black 1967 Chevrolet El Camino with a 327 and a console-shift automatic. We went to many car shows together, he with his El Camino and me in one of a series of Porsches. Those were magical times for us. My dad has been gone for many years now, but every time I break out the tools he left me – to work on the latest project car – the memories come back to me, and I smile.

[If you’d like to share your own stories of automotive adventures, hijinks, and collecting for Reminiscing, email us at editorial@hemmings.com. The more pictures to help tell the stories, the better.]

While its Carrozzeria Zagato coachwork doesn’t share the sinewy curves of racing and roadgoing Maseratis of the 1950s and 1960s, the Biturbo-based Spyder ’90 has crisply concise lines with a modern-classic appeal all their own. This executive express was made even more stylish by trading the fixed steel roof of its 222SE counterpart for a folding cloth top, and it carried none of the “more expensive LeBaron” baggage of the contemporary Chrysler’s TC by Maserati.

Late-production examples like this 1990 Spyder ’90 enjoyed notable improvements over earlier models that included a larger 2.8-liter, 225-hp V-6 with water-cooled twin turbochargers, 15 x 7-inch alloy wheels, redesigned bumpers, and additional body-color trimmings. This Rosso Red over Grigio car is equipped with the optional ZF four-speed automatic transmission and slender, European-spec bumpers.

The seller notes:

The cabin features electrically controlled reclining sport bucket seats upholstered in gray leather with sueded side bolsters. Complimentary Alcantara extends to the dashboard, center console, and door panels. Burled Elm high gloss wood trim compliments the shift knob, parking brake handle, dash, and door panels. Amenities include a Maserati-branded 24 carat gold clock, automatic climate control, a Kenwood AM/FM/CD stereo, and power windows, mirrors, and door locks.

In 1994 there was a right front end collision. The car was sold to the insurance company. The insurance company sold it unrepaired. In 1996 the owner started the repairs then ended up selling it to a body shop owner. A new right front fender, hood, radiator, AC condenser, radiator cooling fans, intercoolers, tie rod and European spec bumpers were ordered and shipped directly from Italy. The car exterior was completely sanded in preparation for a very high-quality exterior paint application matching the original factory color. Additionally- a factory improved fuse box, upgraded hood insulation, oil pan protector plate, and Nardi wood steering wheel were installed.

There has been no paint chipping or required touchups since then. There are no scratches penetrating the paint showing the primer or the metal. All exterior stainless-steel trim still shows a deep shine.

This Spyder was entered in many car shows and won a Blue-Ribbon Award at the 2002 Detroit Concours show. This car is driven regularly, including over 400 miles in the past month. It is not a show car now- but not far off.

See more Maseratis for sale on Hemmings.com.

Date: 1977

Location: Baltimore, Maryland

Source: Jack E. Boucher, via Historic American Engineering Record / Library of Congress

What do you see here?

The easiest collector cars in the world to own are those you can get the most parts for. You can probably name a lot of them: the ’55-’57 Chevy, the early Mustang, the first-generation Camaro, the Triumph TR6, the MGB, and so on. As grows the hobby, so does that list (as do the criteria for being on it—which now includes complete reproduction steel bodies), but since the beginning, included the 1928-’31 Ford Model A.

The complete history of the Model A as a sensational new car – including its proven durability during the worst of conditions of the Great Depression and World War II, and its popularity as a simple and easily improved used car in the shortage-wracked postwar period – is too detailed to get into here, but suffice it to say that the historical popularity of the A translates to an extremely robust and complete aftermarket still supporting these cars on the eve of their centennial. Even in as-delivered form, the Ford Model A remains an eminently driveable car—married with some improvements developed when it was nearly new, it can traverse virtually any 21st century road with ease.

There are plenty of opportunities to do so, too. Two clubs serve the Model A hobby specifically: The Ford Model A Restorers Club (MARC) and the Model A Ford Club of America (MAFCA). They maintain technical libraries, advisors, and most importantly, communities of enthusiasts with whom to trade ideas, tribal knowledge, parts, and information. Both organizations are variously tolerant of modifications pioneered in the A’s earliest days as a used car, especially when the appearance is kept stock or made to resemble a period speedster or race car.

While the A started out relatively simple, buyers carried over their accessorization habits from the Model T. Note the running-board luggage rack on the car above and the Moto-Meter temperature gauges on both. Welled fenders were a factory contribution to this craze.Courtesy of the Hemmings archives

Many of those changes blend seamlessly into a road-ready car, ideal for participating in tours like those organized by MARC, MAFCA, and the local chapters thereof, plus multi-marque events run by other organizations. Moreover, unless you live in a really congested area, a touring-grade Model A makes a great fair-weather driver for any purpose —assuming your insurance provider and licensing authority agree.

Speedsters and more heavily modified cars will find themselves welcome at other sorts of events, including hill climbs and traditional hot rod gatherings like The Race of Gentlemen. Beware, though: Beyond a certain point, the more heavily modified the engine, the more temperamental it becomes and the shorter its lifespan.

The standard Ford closed body for all years of production was the two-door sedan (spelled Tudor by Ford, to complement its naming the four-door sedans Fordor). It also proved the most popular in original production, with 523,922 built in calendar-year 1929 alone (Ford didn’t track body-style production by model year) and 1,281,112 by the end of ’31 production in early 1932. Most in-demand today are the roadster and coupe bodies. The former is reproduced, and though repair panels are obtainable, no complete closed Model A body is. A late-1928 to 1931 Tudor makes perhaps the ideal Model A owner’s car for a variety of reasons, not least of which is the prospect of extra leg room in the front seats, attractive price point in the current market, and an all-steel body (compared with the wood-framed Fordors, built by outside suppliers). It’s on that specific model that we’ll focus here.

Engine and drivetrain

While it’s a flathead four-cylinder, and parts from the Model A engine have been made to work in the Model T block, there’s not much in common between the 177-cu.in. Model T engine and the 1928-’31 Model A engine, which displaced 200 cu.in. and made 40 hp at 2,200 rpm —twice the T’s 20 hp at 1,600 rpm. Famously, one reason the Model A is often seen wearing a quail radiator mascot is because its abrupt acceleration reminded operators of that bird bursting forth from the underbrush. The four-cylinder retained its reputation for quick starts right up through the V-8 era, when owners of “bangers” preferred to race from a standing or low-speed rolling start (the origin of the drag race) against V-8 owners. The V-8’s longer-legged nature was reflected in the popularity of the greyhound mascot on ’32-’34 Fords.

In its stock form with a heavy flywheel, the Model A engine remains a roadable unit, though it’s hard for most owners of driven cars to resist internal improvements when rebuild time comes along. Upgrades to the oiling system are popular, as are counterweighted Model B crankshafts (which permit a lightened flywheel and installation of a later clutch). Replacement of the poured bearings with modern-type inserts are frequently discussed, but probably overkill on anything but an engine regularly driven hard.

Top-end modifications, including additional carburetors (both stock-style updraft and later-style downdraft), high-compression (this is relative —stock used a 4.22:1 ratio) cylinder heads, high-performance camshafts, and free-flowing exhaust manifolds all exist and are of varying utility depending on the owner’s intended use of a Model A. Some more compression (Ford itself offered a Police head, though aftermarket heads usually boasted a superior chamber design and more compression yet—anything in excess of 6.5:1 is not advised with poured bearings), a distributor incorporating centrifugal advance (stock units are driver-adjusted from the steering wheel—not a situation favored by every modern driver), a Model B-grind camshaft, a downdraft two-barrel carburetor (Stromberg types being a good compromise between period tech, flexibility, and present-day parts availability), and a cast-iron exhaust manifold will give a healthy enough boost to any engine that you may wish to look into some of the brake upgrades discussed below.

Some A owners have gone even further than modifying the factory engine, yet without straying all the way into V-8 territory. More than one Model A has received, complete, the 50-hp four-cylinder engine originally found in a 1932-’34 Ford Model B. Aside from an external fuel pump, the Model B block looks very much like the Model A, yet it hosts oiling improvements and a counterbalanced crankshaft. Opinions diverge on whether the earliest 1932s had the balanced crank, but the real split in desirability seems to stem from Ford’s switch from sweated-on to cast-in counterweights, the latter of which aid immensely in rebuilding.

The Model B engine was originally packaged with a heavily revised transmission. The original Model A unit was scaled down from the big Lincoln transmission in use in the late 1920s — complete with multi-plate clutch. That clutch was soon replaced with a conventional disc unit, but the heavy flywheel and unsynchronized gears remained. When synchromesh was introduced to the marketplace, however, the consumer wouldn’t long stand for the necessity of double-clutching, and lighter flywheels had the added benefit of letting an engine gain rpm faster—though to the detriment of shifting unsynchronized transmissions.

For 1932, the Model B transmission was essentially that of the V-8 car, but in a gear case designed to work with the four-cylinder. In fact, gearsets from Ford passenger cars up through 1948 will fit in the Model B case, though it’s tight. Because the Model A bellhousing also mounts its pedals, many B-powered A’s will have been modified to accommodate the Model A oil pan, bellhousing, and transmission. Alternately, a variety of schemes have been worked up to use Model A pedals with later transmissions, including swaps intended for the Borg-Warner T-5 five-speed, the Ford SROD four-speed, and the 1932-’39 Ford V-8 three-speed.

Transmission choice complicates the rest of the driveline, as Ford cars built through 1948 had their driveshaft enclosed in a suspension member called the torque tube. The Model A axle, though theoretically not as strong as the V-8 units of 1933-’48, will mate with the later Ford transmission without modification to either. Adapters to fit the SROD and certain models of T-5 to the torque tube have been offered, and some enthusiasts choose to switch to an open driveline. That latter option is complicated, however, because the radius rods alone were not designed to deal with the braking and acceleration forces of the rear axle.

The Model A came with a standard gearing of 3.78:1 while V-8-era Ford axles were typically 4.11:1, so swaps to later rear axles are possible but rarely performed unless seeking added strength during a V-8 swap.

Body and chassis

The Model A frame changed very little in over four years of production. Early on (over the first half of 1928), the braking system changed to separate the service brakes from the parking/ emergency brake, which left evidence not only in frame changes but in modifications to the splash aprons and the wheels. When a taller radiator on the 1930 models appeared, that required some changes as well, but in 96 years, necessity has resulted in the invention of ways to make things work together. In other words, don’t despair if you find evidence your 1929 was rebuilt sometime with a 1931 frame —as long as it was done right, it should be fine.

If a frame is out of whack, the simple, ladder design is easily straightened and repaired. Aftermarket frames, frame rails, and crossmembers exist, but they are aimed almost exclusively at the street rod part of the hobby— one exception being reproductions of the oft-mangled front frame horns. Stock or lightly period-modified cars usually stick with Ford pieces. Frame-up restorations aren’t as common for Model A’s as they once were, but should you find yourself with a car apart for some reason and are contemplating the aforementioned conversion to a V-8 transmission, drop-in crossmembers replicating modified 1932 Ford parts exist to accommodate both transmission and pedal mounts.

Modifications to the Model A braking system are hotly debated. The original four-wheel mechanical-drum system was a vast improvement over the Model T’s transmission brake acting only on the rear wheels, but even Ford saw fit to improve the system a few times before converting to hydraulic brakes for the 1939 model year—perhaps most notably in a switch from stamped-steel to cast-iron drums in the course of Model A production. From a performance standpoint, hydraulic drum brakes of the 1939-’48 Ford Lockheed design (or the 1936-’49 Chevrolet Houk design, for that matter) offer no improvement over properly adjusted mechanical drums of equivalent size and acting on an equivalent contact patch.

Mechanical brakes are, however, far fiddlier to adjust than hydraulic systems and the modern hobbyist often doesn’t take much joy in that task. Luckily, neither did the 1940s DIYer, so the engineering of putting ’40-’48 Ford brakes on a 1928-’31 Ford was worked out long ago. Better yet, because those brakes are widespread in the traditional hot-rodding scene and the V-8 restoration scene, all the parts from backing plates and drums to wheel cylinders and shoes are available brand new.

On the flip side, if you’re evaluating a car that someone put “juice” brakes on years ago and it has been sitting, watch out. Mechanical brakes don’t go bad from lack of use, but hydraulics do!

If you’re looking for extra braking ability, aftermarket kits for fitting reproduction 1940s Lincoln self-energizing hydraulic brakes are available, as are modern linings and “floaters” for improving the friction and shoe contact in the stock mechanical system.

The braking system on a Model A has consequences where wheels and tires are concerned. The very early 1928 cars had brake drums and wheels unique to themselves. Thereafter, and through 1935, Ford mechanical brake drums had supports for the wire wheels incorporated into the face. Ford hydraulic brake drums from 1940-’48 had the same 5 on 5.5-inch bolt pattern, but lacked wheel supports. Add-on supports are advisable when running 1928-’35 wires on later hydraulic drums. Likewise, later Ford steel wheels don’t seat properly on the early drums.

Because of the commonality in bolt patterns, images in the ’30s and ’40s frequently show otherwise-stock A’s running around on 18-, 17-, and especially 16-inch wire-spoke wheels from later Fords. Even when the Model A was brand new, aftermarket wheels were a common accessory and popular for their ability to provide oversized tires with a greater cushioning effect.

Suspension

Often derided as “buggy sprung,” the transverse-leaf Ford suspension was simply a different approach from most of the industry, which preferred parallel leaves by that point. Because the basic system was used by Ford from 1909 to 1948, it became very refined. Because 1909-’48 parts underpinned most of American motorsport through the late 1950s, a lot of thinkers after Ford’s engineering staff have also worked on improving it.

As a road car, the well-maintained, in-spec Model A is fine unchanged. Roads today are generally much better than those of the early 1930s, so even a stock A can run up near its potential top speeds a lot of the time. The inclusion of a wheelbase of over 3.5 inches more than the Model T, plus hydraulic shock absorbers on all four wheels, meant that the A feels a lot more stable at higher speeds than its immediate predecessor. Still, there are sympathetic improvements to be made here based on later practice.

The Houdaille lever-action shock absorbers, if in good shape, should give fine service. Often, however, previous owners of even ostensibly “stock” driver-quality cars have discarded worn-out lever shocks for tube shocks. Ford itself made that change part way through 1947, and it’s a functional system that actually dates back to the 1930s on some non-Ford cars like Nash and Chrysler products, so “airplane shocks” are period tech that improve, rather than compromise handling if otherwise properly matched to the chassis.

Going further, without entirely departing from period practice, the Model A steering gear’s somewhat crude design was improved upon by 1937. Ford didn’t produce an easily interchangeable steering box until 1948 —though certain Nash and Hudson boxes from the ’30s were workable swaps as well. Today, aftermarket suppliers offer F-100 pickup-style steering that bolts right into an unmodified Model A and even contains provisions for the headlamp, horn, spark, and throttle controls. Like the synchronized three-speed from a V-8 Ford, the swap to a later steering box is said to turn a nice-driving little car into a great-driving one without sacrificing the essential experience of operating a vintage machine.

Interior

The standard, five-passenger interior for all four years of production was covered in cloth rather than leatherette like the open cars. Shades varied from year to year, and carpets were replaced with rubber flooring sometime late in 1928. The oval-speedometer instrument panel of 1928-’29 was replaced for 1930-’31 by one with a round speedo. Accessory gauges —and panels to mount them like the dramatic Aristocrat panel made by Dunn Manufacturing Company in Clarinda, Iowa, which added spots for two additional instruments —have been popular additions since new and a set of refinished vintage pieces add utility to the simple Model A cockpit. Since the demise of famed supplier LeBaron Bonney, the Cartouche brand (owned by Mac’s and thus by Eckler’s) has seemingly become the go-to supplier for Model A interiors, though smaller operations like Classtique Upholstery in Lindstrom, Minnesota, haven’t gone anywhere either.

In conclusion

The Model A walked the line perfectly as a new car: inexpensive but not austere; simple but not grimly utilitarian. Those virtues make it a great car to own today. It’s capable, easily worked on, easily obtained, and above all—fun.

The Tudor sedan is perhaps the most essential of all Model A’s. Their initial popularity means they’re easy to find today and their comparatively sensible nature when compared to the glamorous roadsters, phaetons, and coupes mean that they’re not suffering from an overheated market due to competition from hot rodders.

If you’ve ever contemplated owning a pre-World War II car, it’s hard to recommend anything more highly than a Ford Model A Tudor.

How much do Ford Model A parts cost?

Hood: $550

Plain front fender: $525

Welled front fender: $675

1930 running boards and splash aprons: $430/pr

Rear fenders: $800/pr

Cylinder head (new, 5.5:1 compression): $359

Generator-look 6V, pos.-ground alternator: $328

Hydraulic brake conversion kit: $3,560

Lincoln self-energizing brakes w/o drums (front): $425

Lincoln self-energizing brakes w/o drums (rear): $575

Lincoln brake drums: $160 (ea)

F-100 steering box conversion: $1,095

Adapter for Ford V-8 transmission: $679

1932-style transmission crossmember: $599

Wheel spacers for hydraulic drums: $75/set of 4

Reproduction 19- or 21-inch wire wheel: $625 (ea)

Firestone 4.50-21 tire: $245

Firestone 4.75-19 tire: $249

Cast-iron exhaust header: $395

Single downdraft intake manifold: $225

What should I pay for a Ford Model A?

1928: Low-$9,500; Average-$13,500; High-$22,500

1929: Low-$9,975; Average-$13,650; High-$21,000

1930: Low-$9,500; Average-$13,000; High-$20,500

1930 De Luxe: Low-$9,975; Average-$13,650; High-$21,525

1931: Low-$9,000; Average-$12,500; High-$20,000

1931 De Luxe: Low-$9,450; Average-$13,125; High-$21,000

Who sells Ford Model A parts?

Bratton’s Antique Auto Parts • 800-255-1929 • brattons.com

Brookville Roadster • 937-833-4605 • brookvilleroadster.com

Classtique Upholstery • 800-208-9032 • classtiqueupholstery.com

Cling’s Aftermarket Products, Inc. • 480-777-1202 • clingsaftermarket.com

C.W. Moss • 800-322-1932 • cwmoss.com Early

Ford Store of California • 909-305-1955 • earlyfordstore.com

Gaslight Auto • 800-242-6491 • gaslightauto.com

Hot Rod Works • 208-455-7971 • hotrodworks.com

Mac’s Antique Auto Parts • 800-284-3906 • macsautoparts.com

Mike’s “A” Fordable • 888-879-6453 • mikes-afordable.com

Rootlieb, Inc. • 209-632-2203 • rootlieb.com

Snyder’s Antique Auto Parts • 888-262-5712 • snydersantiqueauto.com

Tam’s Model A Parts • 800-272-7871 • modelaparts.com

Vern Tardel’s Traditional Ford Hot Rod Shop • sales@verntardel.com • verntardel.com