5 Million Model A Fords Built, Fewer Than a Fraction Remain

The Model A replaced the Model T as Ford Motor Company’s next major vehicle, but only about a fraction of the cars produced between 1927 and 1931 are still on the road today. Dennis Stone, president of the Old Dominion Model A Ford Club of Greater Richmond, said the club works to keep the engines running nearly a century after their introduction.

Ford produced roughly 5 million of the vehicles during that four-year production window. Henry Nelson, the club’s secretary, pointed to a newspaper advertisement from December 1927 that announced the arrival of the new model. He noted the cars were a step up from the previous generation, though they lacked modern amenities like radios, air conditioning, or power brakes.

Stone described the vehicles as bare bones, noting they were among the cheapest cars on the market at the time. However, the Model A included specific innovations that set it apart from its predecessor. Nelson said the cars came standard with an electric start instead of a hand crank, a feature that changed how drivers operated the vehicles.

Nelson listed several other mechanical improvements. He said the cars had brakes on all four wheels and shock absorbers. The vehicles also included a dipstick that allowed drivers to check oil levels without getting under the car. Interior gauges let drivers see their speed, a detail Nelson said was part of the car’s design.

Stew Wolfe, the club’s vice president, said the cars still draw attention from people of all ages. He noted that the group receives many smiles per mile. Wolfe said the excitement increases when the drivers use the ahooga horn, a sound that particularly delights children.

Stone said the club sees a positive reaction from people who stop to look at the cars. He recalled one woman hanging out the window of her vehicle to wave at the group. He said seeing that kind of reaction is a great part of the hobby.

The Old Dominion Model A Ford Club of Greater Richmond continues to maintain the classic vehicles. The group aims to keep the iconic cars in working order for future generations, preserving the specific mechanical features that defined the 1927 to 1931 production run.