Highly accurate restoration with multiple AACA, MARC, and MAFCA awards. Long-term ownership (decades) and no notable modifications or upgrades. The way Model As are supposed to be!
This particular little truck has been owned by the same family for decades and that’s their family business printed on the sides of the wooden stake panels. It’s a lumber mill and those planks were indeed milled at their facility many years ago. The business is gone now, but the truck was treated to a full frame-off restoration in the 1990s. The restorer was a stickler for details and made sure that it was very correct, not a glamour restoration with chrome add-ons and whitewalls, but to return it to the way it looked while in service at the lumber mill. The red paint is certainly better than Ford was applying in 1930, and the finish is smooth and glossy. You can easily see that the body fits together extremely well, there are no sloppy gaps on the doors, the hood swings open and closed on well-oiled hinges, and even the tailgate snugs up and doesn’t rattle. The industrial-looking radiator shell sports a bright blue Ford badge and a chrome radiator cap, but it has a purposeful look that really works. The headlight buckets are also original and it’s worth noting that they are mild steel, not painted stainless, meaning that they’re original and not repros. The bed sides and tailgate were steel, but the floor was still wooden and yes, the factory simply painted them instead of giving them the usual stain and varnish treatment you usually see—that’s why this one has won all those awards you see on the radiator. The stake sides are removable if you don’t like them, but we think they add a finished look and the lettering is decals that can be removed and replaced with anything you’d like.
The interior pretty much defines the term “minimalist” but it’s quite well finished and comfortable. Black leatherette on a simple two-piece bench seat means it’s cozy for two passengers but not uncomfortable. Rubber mats on the floor are low-maintenance, and the standard controls should be familiar to anyone who has driven a Model A in the past. This is a late 1930 model, so experts will spot the round speedometer and later instrument panel, which again, is totally correct. The windshield tilts out for added ventilation, which you’ll surely appreciate since the gas tank fills the cowl, and the window and door cranks are lovely little castings that look more upscale than you’d expect.
Thanks to full rebuild to factory specs, this Model A runs beautifully, starting almost instantly with a quick pull of the choke during cranking. It also has that distinctive exhaust note that makes Model As so beloved and if you’re looking at their specs on paper, you’re not getting the real story. It’ll run at 45-50 MPH all day and with a giant radiator up front, this one never seems to get fussy. It’s dressed in proper Ford Green engine enamel with a Zenith updraft carburetor and the familiar flat copper spark plug leads. It’s kind of remarkable that the bare exhaust manifold isn’t rusty and pitted, which suggests proper storage for the past 20 years, and there is none of the usual seepage between the head and block. The water pump is a modern sealed-bearing unit so you don’t have to grease it and it won’t drip and the original generator is still making plenty of electricity. With a few small touch-ups, this pickup could be ready for the show field once again.
The transmission is a familiar 3-speed manual, but there are no synchros so you should brush up on your double-clutching. The clutch is quick and light so you’ll be shifting like a pro in no time and it’s easy to master. are a few very, very minor signs of use but they could all be erased with a rag and some cleaner in an afternoon. Painted black wheels are the right choice and carry correct Firestone blackwall tires for a commercial look.
This car has won just about every major award such a vehicle can win, including an AACA National First Prize as well as a Senior Grand National First Prize. Even more significant is the MARC Master Restoration Award, which is one of the most prestigious awards a Model A can win. Other goodies include a custom carpet mat to protect the bed and a few books and spare parts.
This is a very well-finished Model A with great history and a fanatical attention to authenticity. If you’ve driven other Model As and found them sloppy and clumsy, that’s not how they’re supposed to be. Come try this Model A on for size instead and discover what a correct Model A should feel like. Besides, the world loves a bright red pickup and you’ll quickly find that everyone is your friend when you drive this handsome little Ford. Call today!
For more details and photos, please visit www.HarwoodMotors.com
