Very Early / Early 1928 RHD Model A's

dlshady

dlshady

Well-known member
A photo recently posted by Bick in the E28 floor mat thread has got me to thinking. I'd be curious to see the differences in early brake linkage pieces between the LHD and RHD cars, especially the emergency brake stuff. Does anyone out there have any spare parts, or possibly an E28 RHD chassis they could photograph and post up for us to see?

Thanks,
Deron
 
Here's a partial answer to your question. I have the Dearborn engine release list through the spring of 1928. The first indication of an engine set up for RHD is December 5th 1927 with engines A1484, A1481 and A1496 so marked. By this time, the first frame with the three piece front crossmember and the single eye /single eye brake system, i.e., no external brake retracting springs attached to the frame and rear radius rods, no upsets in the brake rods, was obsoleted. I would conclude no RHD cars would have had the first system. For example, A1276 was release before A1031 on December 3 to Rouge Assembly. Both of these vehicles are matching #s. A1031 has the first system while A1276 has the second system, double eye / single eye. This system would be the only one in a very early RHD chassis. I have never seen nor heard of one existing. By Feb 1928, the third system was starting in production with the double eye / double eye system in some plants. This center ebrake system reduced the number of special parts required for RHD. Given stricter European standards for seperate ebrakes, I feel that the third system would have been used early on for export.

A second generation braking system in an early RHD would be very rare and worth seeing.
 
Thanks for the info Steve. The photo below that Bick posted is the one that made me wonder. Sure would be interesting to see some of the more unique parts from this setup.

Deron
 

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Not sure of what exactly you need a picture of but here's mine.
Was told it is a 28.....how early?...not sure.
Hope the picture helps!
The "green rake option" was not original equipment!
 

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Deron, thanks for reposting the photo. Dale, your frame has the the "L" brackets just behind the engine mounts indicating the second generation braking system. I'm a little unclear exactly when Canadian production started but it may be that some of the "obsolete" US parts were sent across the border for the export cars down under and to S America.
 
Roadster62 said:
Round brake & clutch pads, with the gas in the center?
Click to expand...

Some RHD A's here in New Zealand have the gas pedal in the centre, and some on the right side. What the difference is between them I dont know, but I do know there's not much room for a size 12 boot between the brake pedal and the cowl upholstery panel. :)
 
Bassman/NZ said:
Some RHD A's here in New Zealand have the gas pedal in the centre, and some on the right side. What the difference is between them I dont know, but I do know there's not much room for a size 12 boot between the brake pedal and the cowl upholstery panel. :)
Click to expand...


Hi Bassman.

I've always assumed that all of the NZ RHD A's had the center accelerator. I've learnt something new today.

With regards to the tight space around the pedals, a size 8 can easily foul throttle & brake, when going for the brake. Great fun when coming up to an intersection.

Cheers
Mike.
 
Dale Maritimes Canada said:
Not sure of what exactly you need a picture of but here's mine.
Was told it is a 28.....how early?...not sure.
Hope the picture helps!
The "green rake option" was not original equipment!
Click to expand...

Thanks for posting the photo! My interest is mainly in the differences in components between the LHD and RHD chassis. I can't tell from your photo where the emergency brake would have mounted. The photo I posted earlier showed the handle on the far right, but I don't see any evidence of your handle being mounted there. I can't tell from the photo whether your shifter tower has provisions for it in front of the shifter.

Would it be possible to see a few more shots? Maybe of the center crossmember or the brake linkage from the pedal back to whatever it connects to?

Many thanks,
Deron
 
Marty. I think you may have it wrong, to best of my knowledge ALL RHD A,s had the acc pedal in between the clutch & brake, In 45 years never seen a stock one differant, Thats why i like driving my LHD A,s Currently have r/pu on 32 rails & have rotated the offset round pedal tops to the left, ( cut & weld) then put the acc pedal to the right. had a trial run & seems great, Cheers Derek.
 
For five or more years now I have been asking the RHD guys to do a bang-up article on the componetnts and functions of the RHD cars vs the LHD cars but apparently there is no interest to do so.

Oh well!

Pluck
 
Interesting that Kiwi cars had the throttle in both locations.
I have only seen the central location in Aus.

Manuel in Oz
 
I have the remains of an early (Feb.) RHD Model A. Eng No: CA67, Canadian production commenced 1st February 1928.It has a number of very early features including 3 piece front cross member, and the riveted type engine mounts. What remains of the braking system shows no brackets on frame, or rear radius rods for brake return springs. It does have a peg on inside of the right frame rail for return spring on brake mechanism. Unfortunately all my 'Earlybird' bits are in storage at several different locations so an unable to photograph them.
Steve Ciccalone's info on the first RHDs is very interesting. The picture of the RHD Tudor being unloaded,was taken at Cork Marina, Ireland outside the Ford Factory. Note open ended rear bumpers. First 200?
To answer Steve Plucker, It has been a desire of mine for some time to do an article on RHD A's but time at the present precludes that. Having said that a Model A enthusiast from Christchurch New Zealand Les Pearson is in the final stages of a book on RHD A's. Canadian production of the single brake system continued until engine number CA 44610, Friday Aug.31
 

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All RHD 'A's in NZ & other countries have gas pedal in centre. As for round type pedals, Ive always thought they were used [ after initial use of oval ones] to give enough footroom because of central gas pedal. If you have never known anything else, there is no problem whatsoever of driving a Model A with such a set up. It would scare me to get in a LHD 'A' & have everything in 'the wrong place'!
 
Great photo Bick! Interesting to know about your chassis. We have found that a lot of early stuff ended up in Canada, particularly the PacNW. My A435 engine was found in BC. A566 was on the US West Coast. A189 was built circa 11/25 and shipped to Europe. It is LHD. Sold in Sweden and titled 3/8/28. A straight rail frame and early vehicle was also found in BC. A217 frame was recently found in Idaho and it is set up for the second brake system. A241, the earliest surviving car, was found in the PacNW too.

We know there were two versions of open end rear bumperettes. I have seen Nov 27 photos of cars with open end front and rear, closed front, open rear, closed front and rear.

I'd love to see dated photos of early cars, particularly those shipped out of the US. Bick, is there a date associated with that Cork photo? The first 200 cars brings up a lot of questions and theories. Pluck and I for example have varying thoughts about it.
 
Very interesting photo sent by dlshady, is that the chock rod coming threw the
column drop?
Steve ..your right about RHD cars, I'm wondering about the chock rod " tabs " on the
tanks.
 
Derek and Tudortom.... At Marineland recently there were around 40 A's. Probably 15 of them had the gas pedal on the right and they were RHD. That's what I was basing that statement on. I was particularly looking at pedals because I am trying to decide where to put my gas pedal. (it's an AV8) Also some had round pedals and some had oblong, but I didn't notice whether that was related to the gas pedal position.
 
I find that really interesting. I was there but didn't take paricular notice of pedal setup. We are having the AGM of the Hawkes Bay Club this Sunday I will be taking particular note of pedal placement. I personally don't ever recall seeing the accelerator on the outside of a RHD Model A. As for round / oval, I had always assumed that all RHD cars fitted with the multi disc setup had the oval pedals, however, with several examples shown in official Ford of Canada literature it would appear that assumption was wrong. I note also that the early round pedals are smooth not ribbed. My early bird has ovals that are smooth and show no sign of ever being ribbed.
 
Here's a shot of an early RHD chassis from the May 1928 Ford Service Bulletin (Canadian). Coincidently the first Model A's were put on public display here in May 1928.
 

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