Ford Model A- 1903 “An oldie – but a goodie!”
The Model A was the first car manufactured by Ford after the establishment of the company in 1903. It has a 2 cylinder, horizontally-opposed, 8 horsepower engine with chain drive to the rear wheels. It weighs 1,250 lbs and has a 2 seater body. At first it was simply called The Ford, later to be designated as the Model A.
The World’s equal oldest Ford, with engine no.31, spent the first 86 years of its life just a few miles from where it was built, in Detroit, Michigan. It was delivered to Mr F.E.Avery of Columbus, Ohio, for the purchase price of $600. ‘Extras’ included headlights for $9.60, and the tonneau (extra two seats) for $80.
Records show this car was sold on August 4, 1903, along with car engine no. 30 – and together they are the oldest existing cars built by the Ford Motor Company. The engine cylinders have never been bored and the pistons and rings are the original fitted by Ford in 1903. The wooden framed, aluminium-skinned body is also original, as are the glass side curtains and the exhaust muffler. Ford really made his cars to last back in the day!
In 1989, it was purchased by Mr Francis Ransley, and made the trip halfway across the world to where it resides today, in Wynyard Tasmania. Since obtaining the car from the USA, Francis has completed a full restoration of the magnificent vehicle, however has had to do little other than general maintenance to keep it on the road. In 2003, to celebrate the Ford Motor Company centenary, Ford Australia sponsored Francis and his wife to travel around Australia in the vehicle – travelling to 58 towns and cities where the car was displayed at Ford dealerships and Shows, and clocking over 26,000km in this well-travelled pioneer of motoring history!