These Are Vintage Times for replicas of vintage motor vehicles. Now a modern-day version of Henry Ford's doughty little Model A--built in Palm Beach and distributed by the Classic Motor Car Company of Princeton, New Jersey--joins the roster of distinguished revivals currently on the market. With its rumble seat and twin fender-mounted spare tires, the Classic version of the Model A looks every inch the chariot that filled the best years of Andy Hardy's life. From the outside, only the increased tire width and greater number of spokes in the wheels hint at the machine's modernity. Under the one-piece molded-fiberglass skin, however, everything's very much up to date; instead of the original's 40-horsepower, 65-miles-per-hour four-banger, there's International Harvester's 111-hp Comanche engine mounted on the same company's lightweight but durable Scout chassis. With a gross weight (concluded on page 242)Modern-Day Model A(continued from page 131) of less than 2400 pounds, the Glassic tops out at more than 100 mph. In contrast to its ancestor's primordial three-speed gearbox, the present-day Model A comes with either a four-on-the-floor or an optional automatic transmission.
To preserve the Glassic's exclusivity, plans call for turning out only 500 reproductions of the 1931 Model A roadster and touring phaeton each year. Normally, both body styles are obtainable in red or yellow finish only, with black trim and white-vinyl roof and side-mount coverings--but special paint jobs are applied on order. The frame and bows supporting the top are of aluminum alloy, the floor boards are carpeted in heavy pile and the seats are covered in Naugahyde. Nostalgic and functional are the car's snap-on side curtains and--for easier cold-weather starts--an ever-dependable hand choke. Chromed wire wheels and trunk rack, whitewalls, wind wings and fold-flat windshield are standard equipment. Other standard features such as independent front and rear self-adjusting braking systems, seat belts, dual outside mirrors, running and backup lights and calibrated leaf springs are designed to meet Government regulations.
It comes as no great surprise to find the Model A joining the reproduction ranks that include such memorable marques as Mercedes-Benz's SSK, Auburn's boat-tailed Speedster and the Cord 812, all of which have appeared in our pages. Produced from 1928 to 1932, the original Model A was the heir to the fame earned by Ford's Tin Lizzie, the Model T, which revolutionized manufacturing techniques in the auto industry during its 19-year existence. Though Edsel Ford, Henry's son, was one of the first to admit at the time of its introduction that there was "nothing radical about the new car" as there had been with the Model T, over 5,000,000 of them were sold during its short life span. The Model A's tremendous appeal was due to its over-all utility--and practical price tag (as low as $495)--rather than to any one feature of its design.
Thanks to their devoted owners, there are many original Model A's looking as good and running as well today as they ever did. However, while demand for them has continued to grow, few owners seem willing to part with them--at any price. Hence, the Classic Motor Car Company and its contemporary copy. The $5995 tag is a long haul from what the A went for in those dim, dead days, but it hasn't deterred prospective buyers who are willing to wait six weeks for delivery. Obviously, time and money are of little concern to one in love.
