Any unique features on your "A" as built by Ford?

SHEC

SHEC

Senior Member
Model A Fords came in a variety of colors and models - question is: Does your car have any unique or unusual additions or deletions of equipment as built by Ford?

I have included a picture of our 1930 Deluxe Coupe, built in San Francisco CA (SFA), sold new on Oct. 11, 1930 in Oakland CA. Dad bought the Ford from the original widowed owner, she did not special order the Coupe. Please note the picture taken in 1958 when Dad bought it - there are NO Cowl Lights. The wire harness is there, but they never installed the lamps at the plant.

On the Pink slip title noted as " Coupe Deluxe". Mohair- correct, correct number of upholstery pleats, mahogany wood grain - correct, dome light - correct. The tank is pinstriped - correct, and it has the Butler Satin finish Deluxe hardware along with the rear window curtain. Optional spare, no rumble seat always has been a trunk model. Also, the bumper guards are plain - not painted and the front center guard was never in place from new.

Curious to see other cars that have a unique history - I know there are a ton of stories! I look forward to your pictures and stories.

Thanks -

SHEC - :cool:
 

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Do you have single bulb headlights which would be for a cowl light configuration? Is the cowl light harness run from the main harness butt connector to the cowl area and stored? If you have single bulb headlights and no cowl lights the 7 o'clock light switch location has no function. The cowl light deletion is very interesting.
 
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Yes sir - correct single lamp headlights. Harness is in place, linked properly from the main harness, with all clamps and insulation in place.

Very interesting indeed -

Thanks
 
I have a 30 Standard Roadster that has a couple of things it is not supposed to.It was a 30,000 mile car when I bought it,and when you open up things like the brakes and such you can see it.It has an original rumble seat,which it is not supposed to,and it was painted a color it was not supposed to have.Some fine-point guys have crawled all over this car,with the idea of buying it for a correct restoration.They all agreed the rumble was factory,not dealer installed.Apparently there are some little details that would have been different if the dealer installed it.It was also originally painted Dawn Grey.Those guys pointed that out to me,I knew that it was originally that color,but didn't know it was not available for that car,or at that time,something was just not correct.
 
Intermittent wipers were not all that uncommon, and I have seen several comments on the forum about self-dimming headlights and anti-lock brakes.
 
I have seen seats like this in NZ on early sedans, an old guy I worked with told me they were called ' wild oat sewing machines '
 
When I found my Town Sedan 155-B which was manufactured in the Pacific North West Factory if did not have cowl lights and had 30-31 headlights. The car was made very late in 1929. Bill Lancaster, who was really into the 29 Town Sedan, had done extensive research at the time I got the car and said the factory in Washington had run out of cowl lights so they put a little piece of metal over the hole and leaded it in, which was exactly what was done on mine. The wiring was in place. The other thing we discovered when cleaning some of the old paint off was the car was originally painted a 30-31 combination. It got me to thinking the headlights were probably installed when it was new too, because the car was not molested all the original interior etc. was there. So no one really made any changes on the car.
 
My 29 Deluxe Delivery has what is left of the package tray. So far it is the only original package tray I have seen, although I am sure there are more. Likely added at the dealership not at the factory. Rod
 
You guys are coming up with some great stuff. It only proves that our Fords are indeed unique, sometimes in very individual ways based on stock of parts and or time of production.

I like the special "down under" seating - looks like they beat Nash to the punch!

Please keep it up as we all learn more and more.

Be well -

SHEC :cool:
 
foxfire42 -

I was informed by another member of my gender oversight. My humble apologies for this error. Please forgive my quick response and thank you for your many contributions.

In candor, next time I will utilize my "real" reading glasses.

Please forgive this older gent -

Regards -

SHEC :mad:

BTW - that is me in the 1958 photo with our Coupe "Annie" - named in loving respect for the original owner Mrs. Annie L. Bayless -

Thanks again.
 
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foxfire42 said:
Do you have single bulb headlights which would be for a cowl light configuration? Is the cowl light harness run from the main harness butt connector to the cowl area and stored? If you have single bulb headlights and no cowl lights the 7 o'clock light switch location has no function. The cowl light deletion is very interesting.
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Yes on all the above. At the 7 o'clock position - we still pickup the rear running lamp as usual.

Also, please note on the lower Avatar photo. My Dad wanted the cowl lights installed to make it "correct". I remember punching out the panel stamping as it was dimpled for production. Looking back, I regret that we did this as we took away the uniqueness - the lack of the lamps being installed. Keep in mind, it was 1978 and an amateur restoration to include a double color switch.

I lost on both arguments - but my Dad, wife and son all love the changes made back in the day! The car gets a number of honks and thumbs up whenever we hit the road. :)
 
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no you got it all wrong! the slow drip is the self preservation feature! Combine with just the right about of speed and mix a little dust in with it and it will last for 1000+ years!
 
Early ar phaeton rear bustle,anyone seen another like it?
 

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