1928 Model A with open bumpers

[Gary in MN]

Just a picture no info. Gary

 

[Mike Peters]

This one could be one of the first 200 Model A's that rolled off the assembly line in 1927 with open ended bumpers.
Look at the headlights. What are the 2-3" circles in the center of the fluted lenses? I can't explain that.

 

[Big hammer]

The headlights are perfectly aimed the circle is the bulb !

 

[Mike Peters]

OK. Thanks

 

[AYooperA]

I have read the very early ones had ford script at the 12 o’clock position on the fluted lenses.

 

[frank55a]

This picture of the bumper puzzles me. I saved the picture and enlarged it to study it further, specifically the arc at both ends of the bumper do not seem that pronounced when compared to the Ford engineering drawing of the bumper and other open ended bumpers. The first 2 images are the drawings then a straight on picture about at the same angle as the above picture and a few other open ended bumper pictures. The last 2 pictures are of Model A engine #1, the 1st of these does not show the front bumper that well but does the rear which had the same arc on the bumper ends.

 

[Gary Karr]

I do see an arch in the ends of the open-ended front bumper in the picture that Gary initially posted. The engineering releases that Frank posted of the open end front bumpers definitely show the pronounced arch at the ends, similar to the closed end front bumper on my mid-27 Coupe. If they were obsoleted on 9 November 1927, they could have been used into late November, using up existing stock at the Rouge Plant. A290, a Phaeton built on Friday, 5 Nov 1927 has the open end front and rear bumpers as does A354, a Sport Coupe, built on Monday, Nov 7, 1927. A 1519, a Roadster, was built on December 6, 1927, has a closed front bumper and open rear bumpers, similar to what are on the Edison Phaeton.

 

[al's28/33]

I can see the arch in the first picture also. Look closely it's there. Too bad Edison's car has those skinny little tires, they just don't do it justice.


Gary, do you have photos to post of the three Early Birds you mentioned ?

 

[lrf]

Didn't the E-28 Model A use the round center bumper medallion "FORD Made In U.S.A.", a remnant of the Model T? The first picture shows a round medallion but the picture isn't very clear on the lettering. What you think Gary?

 

[Gary Karr]

Yes, the center bumper medallions on early 28's had the round Ford script and "Made in U.S.A." medallions from the beginning of production to April 1928. Interesting is that the earliest ones had a black painted background vs. Harding Blue and came with a flat steel strap for the backing plate, not the "U" shaped backing. That was a Model T carryover. Also, engineering releases show that the face was indeed chrome plated, not nickel.