5 million Model A Fords built, but few remain

Ford Motor Company produced approximately 5 million Model A vehicles between 1927 and 1931.

The car served as the successor to the Model T, introducing several new features to the American market during that four-year production window.

Dennis Stone, president of the Old Dominion Model A Ford Club of Greater Richmond, noted that the cars were the cheapest on the market at the time.

Stone described the driving experience as bare bones, pointing out that most vehicles lacked radios, air conditioning, and power brakes.

The Model A did include an electric start, which replaced the manual crank used in earlier models.

Henry Nelson, the club’s secretary, listed the standard equipment for these cars.

The vehicles featured brakes on all four wheels, shock absorbers, and a dipstick to check oil levels without getting under the car.

Nelson also noted that the cars had internal gauges that allowed drivers to monitor their speed.

The Old Dominion Model A Ford Club of Greater Richmond maintains these classic engines to keep them running nearly a century later.

Stone said he enjoys seeing the smiles on the faces of people who visit the club.

He recalled a woman hanging out a window and waving at the group.

Stew Wolfe, the club’s vice president, said the cars generate a lot of excitement for people of all ages. Wolfe noted that the cars often elicit ecstatic reactions from children, especially when the drivers use the ahooga horn.