Well guys, this car found me. guy came into my store asking for ether. turns out he was trying to start a 1930 Model A. Now I don't know a damn thing about this but hes selling it for 8k says it ran 5 years ago when he parked it but hasnt touched it since. he also claims its all original (i see a few add ons, stereo, redone seats, headliner.) What am I looking at? what is this thing worth? is this a project I really want to be getting into?

 

Pretty! I, too, don't know anything about them, but I like it and am sure you can't go wrong for $8k.

 

This would be a good place to find out information:
Model A (1928-31) - The Ford Barn

 

It's had some updates, but it looks like it is mostly correct. I sold a '30 Tudor just like this one in 2011 that my father and I restored. It was more correct than this one, but not by a lot. I got $8500 for it a couple days after I parked it with a sign in the window.

 

Some people don't have a clue, it is not all original. All original refers to what a vehicle looked like when it drove off the assembly line.

The tutone red paint is the wrong shade, the interior is completely wrong and it was "done on the cheap." Model A closed cars came with mohair interiors and rubber floor mat. Vinyl hadn't been invented yet.

Personally, I believe the car is overpriced. With the exception of open cars (roadsters, tourings, A-400 convertible sedan), prices have dropped off in recent years as the people that have collected them are dying off.

Also be aware that 45 MPH is the A's top speed and the fuel tank is located in the cowl panel directly in the front of the dash, so one should not smoke with the windows closed.

And...the 3 speed trans is not synchronized, so you have to double clutch.

 

Take a look at it in the light, how good a job did they do and what's it worth to you?

I grew up as a kid with a 1924 Ford Model T that was stored in my parents' garage after having previously been kept in a barn on a farm, what we see in the pictures is obviously not something like that.

 

I agree with you on this, I owned a ground up restored 2 door deluxe 31 at one point although a nice project I think it is a bit much for what it is.

 

Ask yourself what your plans would be with it. If you're thinking of getting it running and flipping it, forget it, not much left money left on it. If you want it to cruise around, offer him less, and enjoy it.

 

Our mid-1920s Model T 4-door sedan had oak floor boards and maybe some kind of carpet... each (rear?) door window had its own cloth shades, kinda like a train.

 

I had a 1929 Model A Tudor sedan that I restored / rebuilt, starting as a father / son project when I was 10 (I was the son), and finishing on my own after college. I've been out of Model As for quite a while now, so I don't know what they bring, but $8K can't be too far off. They don't have great collector value, but you won't find many for much less either.

That's a Tudor sedan, like mine was. Probably the least desirable body style. The open cars are more fun in nice weather (and you probably won't drive it in bad weather anyway), and the pickups, wagons, coupes and Fordors are all cooler, or more practical. But still, you can put a family of 4 - 6 in one (if you aren't worried about seat belts) and have fun running to the Dairy Queen or whatever.

For me, after finishing it, the Model A was just not in a sweet spot as a toy car. It was way too old to be practical, but a little too modern to be really fun (I'd like a Model T with the throttle on the column and three pedals for brake, low and reverse). My open Jeep was more fun (and way more practical) than the closed Tudor. But still, it was a fun toy and if I hadn't had the Jeep I'd have kept having fun with it.

My car would cruise at 50 mph pretty well, and would top out around 65. But I had converted to hydraulic brakes (the mechanical drums are OK if you keep them adjusted, but never really very good). It got terrible mileage (like 9 mpg in a 2000 lb car).

Parts were readily available for it though (I don't know if that's still true ~20 years after I sold mine). And it's dirt simple, so with an mechanical aptitude you'll be able to work on it.

So is it a good project to get into? Depends on what you're looking for. If I still had mine I'm sure I'd still enjoy it, but old cars do take work, and it just wasn't worth it to me when I also had the Jeep (or now my Bronco). But it was definitely a head-turner!













And one "before" shot

 

He's correct. A 1930 Tudor could have been a couple different shades of blue, green, brown, "drab" or black. So it wouldn't have been any shade of red, much less that shade.

Look at the picture of my interior above. That was a pretty accurate reproduction (carpet was available).

This car certainly isn't a good bet for a high dollar collectable. Whether you could get one for much less isn't clear to me though.

As I noted above, it's too old to be practical. But it'll keep up with traffic on most city streets, and you can drive it on a highway, just be prepared to pull over and let backed up traffic go by every so often.

And it's not hard to get used to shifting the non-synchroed trans. Just don't ever expect to shift it fast.

 

There were very cars available with carpeting back then, the Model A wasn't one of them.

I don't know of any pre-war Ford that originally came with carpeting. Lincoln had carpeting in the rear of 4 door sedans, the front was a floor mat.

I've owned a 1939 Ford Convertible, 3 1947 Ford Station Wagons, 1948 Ford Sportsman and a Deluxe Club Coupe.

Plus a 1929 Packard 633 Club Sedan, 1934 Packard V12 Rumbleseat Coupe, custom body by Dietrich, 1939 Packard Super 8 1703 5 passenger sedan.

All of these cars had original paint and interior. The Packard's had "moss tread" floor mats, the Ford's had rubber floor mats.

A pal of mine has a 1930 Model A Tudor (see pic), he bought in the 1980's at the Long Beach Model T Club swap meet from the 2nd owner.

It was repainted just before he bought it, but it still has its original (moth eaten) mohair interior and the remains of a rubber floor mat.

Pic: Pal's 1954 F100 & 1930 Model A Tudor. Inside the garage is a 1923 Model T Touring and a 1934 DeSoto Airflow 4 door sedan.

 

According to the Model A Ford Club of America, the Deluxe Tudor had carpets while the standard Tudor had rubber mats. But since the Deluxe Tudor didn't come out until 1931 that would still make this 1930 (and my 1929) incorrect with carpets. Here's a link to the MAFCA website: MAFCA - Tudor Sedans

And for what it's worth, it says that the standard Tudors had "standard fabric" on the seats (whatever that means) while the Deluxe Tudors had "Mohair or Bedford Cord", noting that Mohair was by far the most common.

 

I think Chris said it best..."What is it worth to You?" Granted, it may not be completely original but the question is... would YOU be comfortable with it, the way it is ?
It may not garner 8k.... maybe 6500 or 7 given recent enthusiasm and values.
That may or may not come into play given your intentions.
I learned to drive double clutching so in my book, if i liked it (which i do), i would offer 6,000 and let the games begin from there. From the pics, i don't see it as so much of a project as something to make your own. You may choose to take it back to factory stock or you may just choose to enjoy it as is with a few personal touches along the way....Either way, it's your journey. I'm positive that you would have tons of support from FTE should you choose to chase the dangling carrot. I personally love the Tudor sedans, Vicky's, over the coupes and roadsters. That's just my preference though. I can see it with 1/4 window lace curtains and sail panel crystal bud vases along with front bumper bracket road lamps. In any event, best wishes with the choice that you make and keep us updated.

 

I found an old photo of my 31, they can be a lot of fun and if you do the work yourself you will enjoy it more.