1931 Ford Model A Deluxe Phaeton

Model As were cars Henry Ford never wanted to build. He firmly believed that the Model T was the ultimate car. He changed his mind only when flashier, more modern cars made by his competitors cut deeply into the Model T’s sales.

Ford shut down his factories for nearly a year while his company worked to create a worthy successor to the T. During that time, car sales everywhere slowed almost to a halt as people waited to see the “new Ford” before buying. When the Model A arrived in showrooms in 1927, even Ford’s huge and efficient factories were not able to keep up with the initial demand.

More than four million Model As were produced in a wide variety of body styles ranging from utilitarian pickup trucks to formal town cars. This deluxe type of Model A was only offered from 1930-1931 and was one of the most expensive to buy. Only 2,229 were built in 1931 and the Museum’s is one of the few that still survive today.

More from our automobile collection:

In our current exhibit, From Carriage to Classic: How Automobiles Transformed America, we present the origin story of the American automobile through 23 cars from Heritage’s permanent collection of antique and classic automobiles. Come along for a ride from the late 1800s to the 1960s and watch the car evolve from a horseless carriage to a streamlined symbol of freedom and independence.