The original Ford Model A is the first car produced by the Ford Motor Company, beginning production in 1903. Ernest Pfennig, a Chicago dentist, became the first owner of a Model A on July 23, 1903;[4][page needed] 1,750 cars were made in 1903 and 1904 at the Ford Mack Avenue Plant, a modest rented wood-frame building on Detroit's East Side, and Ford's first facility. The Model A was replaced by the Ford Model C during 1904 with some sales overlap.
| Ford Model A | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Ford |
| Also called |
|
| Production | 1903–1904 |
| Designer | Henry Ford |
| Body and chassis | |
| Body style | 2-seat runabout rear-entry 4-seat tonneau |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | Flat-2 1,668 cc (101.8 cu in) 8 hp (6 kW)[1][2] |
| Transmission | 2-speed planetary |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 72 in (1.8 m)[3] |
| Curb weight | 1,240 lb (560 kg) |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | Ford Quadricycle |
| Successor | |
The horizontal-mounted flat-2, situated amidships of the car, produced 8 horsepower (6 kilowatts). A planetary transmission was fitted with two forward speeds and reverse, a Ford signature later seen on the Ford Model T. The car weighed 1,240 pounds (562 kg) and could reach a top speed of 28 mph (45 km/h). It had a 72-inch (183 cm) wheelbase and sold for a base price of $750. Options included a rear tonneau with two seats and a rear door for $100,[6] a rubber roof for $30 or a leather roof for $50. Band brakes were used on the rear wheels.[1] However, it was $150 more than its most direct competitor, the Oldsmobile Curved Dash, so did not sell as well.[4][page needed] The 1904 model came as a two-seater runabout for $800[a] or the $900 four-seater tonneau model with an option to add a top.[5]
The company had spent almost its entire $28,000 initial investment funds[b] with only $223.65 left in its bank account when the first Model A was sold. The success of this car model generated a profit for the Ford Motor Company, Henry Ford's first successful business.[9][self-published source?]
Although Ford advertised the Model A as the "most reliable machine in the world",[citation needed] it suffered from many problems common to vehicles of the era, including overheating and slipping transmission bands. The Model A was sold only in red by the factory, though some were later repainted in other colors.[10]
Ford Model AC
editFootnotes
editReferences
edit- 1 2 3 Kimes & Clark (1989).
- ↑ Ristic-Petrovic, Dusan. "Image: Miscellaneous Brochures and Data/Autos of 1904 Booklet/Autos of 1904-17". Oldcarbrochures.com. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
- ↑ "1903 Ford Model A Two". Conceptcarz.com.
- 1 2 Lacey (1986).
- 1 2 "The Advance of the Ford". Automobile Review (Advertisement). Vol. 9, no. 12. Chicago. December 15, 1903. p. 10.
The advanced and improved construction, the higher grade of materials used in building the machinery and body, and the addition of heavy 3 in. detachable tires to its equipment compel us to make the price of the 1904 Ford $900 with Tonneau, $800 as a Runabout
- ↑ "The Ford". The Automobile (Advertisement). Vol. 5, no. 12. December 1903. p. 13.
Price, with Tonneau, $850.00
- ↑ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
- ↑ Johnston, Louis; Williamson, Samuel H. (2023). "What Was the U.S. GDP Then?". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved November 30, 2023. United States Gross Domestic Product deflator figures follow the MeasuringWorth series.
- ↑ "Early Ford Models 1903–1908". RitzSite.nl. Retrieved February 11, 2010.
- ↑ "1903 Ford Model A". Auto Museum Online. May 22, 2013.
- ↑ "1904 Ford Model 'AC' 10hp Four Seater Rear Entrance Tonneau: Engine No. 982". Bonhams. May 2014. Archived from the original on April 26, 2016. Retrieved August 29, 2017.
Bibliography
edit- Kimes, Beverly Rae; Clark, Henry Austin Jr. (1989). "Ford – Model A – Two". Standard Catalog of America Cars: 1805–1942 (2nd ed.). Krause Publications. pp. 547–548. ISBN 0-87341-111-0.
- Lacey, Robert (1986). Ford: The Men and the Machine. Little, Brown and Company. ISBN 0-316-51166-8.