Vehicle Description
If you haven't seen one of these Ford Model As before, don't be
surprised. It's a 1931 A400, known as the convertible sedan, and
it's the Holy Grail of Model A collecting. Rare, handsome, and
practical as ever, this Model also has a wonderful history and a
lot of neat details to its restoration that make it a great car to
drive and one that is sure to stand out at any Model A club
event.
There's so much information on this car that it's hard to know
where to start. The A400 was a late addition to the Model A roster
and only a handful were built. Today, they're the most valuable and
highly-sought of all body styles (except maybe the town car), and
everyone already knows this car. It appeared in the book "Henry's
Lady" about the Model A, numerous magazine articles documenting its
restoration (and re-restoration in 2012), and a long list of awards
at various shows. The fact that it's also gorgeous is no
coincidence. Finished in Chicle and Copra Drab, it's elegant and
subtle, and befitting a car of this one's stature, it's loaded up
with options. That's still the paint that was applied during the
1970s restoration and it's in amazing condition with very few
indications that it's nearing 50 years of age. There's a straw
pinstripe that matches the wheels, and it sports an incredibly rare
3-door hood that was a period accessory. Much of the stainless and
chrome trim was freshened recently and there's a new grille guard
up front. Dual sidemounts and a rear-mounted trunk make it ideal
for touring and it's hard to believe this is "just" a Ford.
Wow!
The beautiful brown leather interior is sporting but practical,
featuring a number of upgrades designed to make it the ideal
vintage travelling partner on the road. Bucket seats offer seat
belts for safety, there are turn signals on the steering column, a
very rare 5-gauge instrument panel that adds temperature and oil
pressure dials to the standard Model A setup, not to mention the
beautiful engine-turned face. The woodgrained garnish moldings are
just lovely and the carpets are brand new. There's not a mark on
the upholstery and again, it speaks very highly of the quality of
that 1972 restoration because the years haven't been able to get a
grip on this A. The top does indeed fold, although the tops of the
window channels remain in place, so perhaps it is better to think
of it as a giant sunroof. Either way, it's remarkable to see.
The engine looks like a familiar Model A 4-cylinder, but this is
actually a very rare Russian-built GAZ Model B engine, of which
they built 65. Why the Soviets were building Model A engines, I
can't say, but it makes 55 horsepower, 15 more than the standard
Ford engine, and thanks to careful maintenance and a recent full
service, it runs superbly. It was recently stripped and repainted,
the steering column was rebuilt, the flywheel was turned and a new
pilot bearing installed, and it runs a Model B carburetor instead
of the original Zenith. You'll also spot an alternator up front,
new wiring, and an F100 steering column. The transmission is from a
'39 Ford, so it has synchromesh for easy shifting and few people
will spot the upgrade. Hydraulic brakes are another plus to improve
reliability and performance, and on a car that you're going to
drive, they're very welcome. A standard Model A exhaust system has
that traditional sound and it sits on proper 19-inch wire wheels
powdercoated Tacoma Cream and wrapped in wide whitewall tires.
This is an extraordinary Model A, perhaps the most noteworthy one
in existence. The modifications only make it more user-friendly and
its extensive pedigree makes it a car that any Model A fan would be
honored to have in his collection. Call today!