1931 Ford Model A

Henry Ford was reluctant to replace the successful and long-lived Model T and Ford's legions of satisfied customers were hesitant to take anything but minor steps away from the familiar, tried-and-true Tin Lizzy. When Ford shut down its River Rouge plant, there had been no planning for the change-over. For months it remained closed, losing momentum, market share, and market position to its faster-moving and motivated competition.

The Model A was finally introduced in December of 1927 and, having very large shoes to fill, it was substantially different from the Model T. It was still a four-cylinder automobile with a transverse leaf spring suspension, but incorporated numerous improvements, including the pumped water cooling, sliding gear 3-speed transmission, and coil ignition. The 103.5-inch wheelbase was longer, allowing for larger and more luxurious bodies. The exterior styling was different, but still resembled a Ford, and several of the styling changes had been foreshadowed in Model T designs of the late Twenties.

The Ford Model A was a very popular automobile and succeeded the Model T in 1928. During the period of 1928 through 1931, there were approximately five million Model A's (all body styles) manufactured. The 1931 Model A Roadster was priced at $475.00 and weighed 2230 pounds - that's 22 cents a pound. There were 456,000 Roadsters produced by Ford during this four-year period. Up to this point in history, convertibles and roadsters had been far more prevalent. Soon, body style production would take a turn in the American market, with a fixed-roof and hardtop vehicles becoming more popular. For the Ford Model A, the most popular body style in 1931 was the Fordor sedan. Total 1931 Ford Model A production reached 541,615 examples.

1931 was a monumental and historical year for the Ford Motor Company, as it was the final year of the Model A, and marked the 20-millionth Ford produced, a Fordor sedan that left the factory on April 14th of that year. Changes were minor for 1931 and included a new radiator shell with a relief effect and slightly revised running boards.

Power was from a 202.5 cubic-inch four-cylinder engine offering 40 horsepower and backed by a three-speed manual transmission. Mechanical brakes were located on all four wheels.

The Model A was still a rapidly produced vehicle at a very affordable price. A Model A roadster had a base price under $500, even with the Deluxe trim and accessories, making it within reach of a modestly successful family. Ford had once again proven that less is sometimes more, and the Model A has proven to be a worthy successor to the 'Tin Lizzie' Model T which had literally put America on wheels.

by Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2019