Original Price?
 

A group of us were having a "discussion" of what the original price of a Model A was when it rolled off of the Show Room floor. The "discussion evolved into which model was the most expensive (excluding special models). One of those my car is more expensive (better) then your car type of thing.

I'm sure I have seen a list of the prices of the different models somewhere but can not find it.

Has anyone seen this list and tell me where I can get it?

It may help calm down a couple of old dudes heartburn.:rolleyes: Thanks

Re: Original Price?
 

Here you go. https://www.mafca.com/data_new_prices.html


Bob

Re: Original Price?
 

anybody have a similar price list for Canada?

Re: Original Price?
 

Thanks Bob. That is the list I was thinking of, just could not remember where? OTD (Old Timers Disease).

Re: Original Price?
 

Note on the left picture that none of the models shown have bumpers. A few bucks extra for them.....

Re: Original Price?
 

The page on the left was a preview, pre-release, advance notice ad to prompt people to go to the showroom on Dec. 2nd, 1927, and the drawings were not 100% accurate. All retail cars sold included bumpers.

The cars were in great demand in 1928, thanks to all of the hype and publicity, and supply was limited as Henry got the various assembly lines up and running. It was a major undertaking, similar to what Elon Musk is experiencing with Tesla and the roll out of new models. Ford at least had materials and manufacturing infrastructure in place from the Model T to build upon.

Ford eventually had them really coming off the line in 1929, which is why that is the year with the most total production. Demand was high and supply was good. The production numbers fell off in 1930 as the economic depression unfolded and demand waned, then it got even worse in 1931. Look at how many retail prices were lower in 1931, compared to 1930. Hard to move that iron when people don't have confidence about the future.

Re: Original Price?
 

I keep wanting to mock up a fake modern "dealer window sticker" for my Model A for when I take it down to the local car meets.

I need to figure out what features to list (eg, "4-wheel drum brakes", "standard transmission", etc) as well as a realistic MPG for city and highway.

The Ford ads of the time always seem wildly optimistic.

Re: Original Price?
 

Jim/Ga/TX - Are you sure? Seems like I heard somewhere bumpers and spare wheels/tires were not included as standard equipment....

Re: Original Price?
 

But reading the 'included's in the advertisement, I do see 'five steel-spoke wheels'..... Maybe no spare tire is what I heard.

Re: Original Price?
 

I would like to see that also.
Ford Canada had different pricing than in US. Bumpers & spare wheel tyre were not considered éxtras' & were included in price & std. equipment.
I know my Canadian Tudor, was 240 NZ Sterling in late 1929 which may have equated [ approx.] to about $US 500 then, but do not quote me. On top of that were the ón road costs [ plate & rego] which were not expensive.
From what I can see, anywhere that used local content in assembly [ Australia & Europe] the selling price rose, often making the common Ford pricey, especially in Europe. Australian Model A's were a bit more in cost to buy than here in NZ from my calculations.
--Just found this in my files ; 1928 prices $Can.---Phaeton $C 420 ; Rdstr $C412 ; A chassis $C366 ; Rpu $C412; AA chassis $C448 ; Cpe $C 510 ; Spt Cpe $C554; Tudor $C510 ; Fordor [briggs fabric bk]$C 570. Cheers.

Re: Original Price?
 

I have an original invoice for a new Sport Coupe from 1928. The buyer had the dealer put 2 wheel wells in the fenders on the car and the invoice had the extra cost listed for 1 wheel and 1 tire&tube. (He also added a trunk rack.) That says to me that the base cost of the car included the tire on the 5th wheel that came from the factory (or else the invoice would have listed the added cost for 2 tire&tube).

I know the cars left the assembly line without a tire on the spare wheel. I've seen the pictures.

Re: Original Price?
 

Sounds good. Another urban myth bites the dust......

Re: Original Price?
 

Ford spent 100 million in 1927 money developing the A..lost money in '28,'30 and '31..do you think they even recouped their investment?

Re: Original Price?
 

The figure I have seen for Model A introduction [ American magazine, Dec. '29] was $150 million. 1929, Fords biggest sales year, after tax profit was $91,522 million. Even though the Depression officially began with Stock Market crash in Oct. '29, it did not really bite & slow sales until late '30.
Ford was already working on the V8 by then & 1931 was a sales disaster all over the Western world.
Ford basically made its vast wealth from the Model T. He left it too late for intro. of Model A which really should have come out for '26 & therefore the Depression & outdated technology killed it. Rather than a long production life that Henry hoped for, Ford needed a new engine & chassis advancements to keep up with Chrysler & GM.
The Thirties were not great for Ford either even though they had an advanced & esteemed product. Cost of new V8, The Depression [until '35] & problems in Europe [ overseas sales were crucial to Ford profits] plus the start of WW2 meant by the early '40's, Ford was nearly bankrupt.
Henry Ford was too old & ailing by the late '30's ; it took his Grandson Henry2 to save the company.

Re: Original Price?
 

All good points.

And remember, Ford was a private company through all this. Henry had bad experience with shareholders early in his career and HATED them. So he kept Ford private for a long time.

Henry 2 took the company public (equivalent to today's IPO craze) in 1956 selling 20% of the company. There is a great article about it in the Jan. 30, 1956 issue of Life magazine. Henry 2 is on the cover, at the Rouge Plant.

Check it out:
https://books.google.com/books/about...d=gT8EAAAAMBAJ

I find it amazing what Google has scanned and made available to us inline for "free". (Nothing is ever free.)

Re: Original Price?
 

In today's dollars, to put it in perspective, that was $2,165,000,000 (over two billion dollars, 14X 1929 money just in inflation factoring) all without Govt. intervention. And also, Henry hated banks and didn't trust them, he dipped into his 'savings' and financed the whole deal himself.

Kind of like how Ford did it back when Alan Mulally was in control, they hawked everything they had even the blue oval trademark to put together a deal to raise cash and save the company. Took no Govt. money bailout like GM and Chrysler did, our tax dollars.

Re: Original Price?
 

So if the base cost included a spare tire&tube but the car left the assembly line without them, when/where did the car acquire them? Did the dealer put them on?

Re: Original Price?
 

It appears to have been done at either the Dealer if he was large enough or the area assembly plant .They were added on to the base price the Dealer paid for the car [to Ford] which was not the price to the customer. There were added transport costs, plus bumpers, oil & tank of fuel & often certain extras that were common ,eg. pedal pads, tyre lock, & tyre cover.
A Service letter from 1928 notes "Spare tire & Tube when furnished with truck will be $42.05 extra".[ This was for an AA] Another '28 service letter states "Price of bumpers is $12 [ to Dealer- $15 to customer]. Price of spare tire & tube is $12.15 to Dealer. These are for cars & trucks. It also states that when all these are put on, they are added to the price of the car that customer finally pays. [ all references from P. Winnewisser 'The Legendary Model A Ford' which is probably one of the best Model A books done in recent years]. Cheers - Tom in NZ.

Re: Original Price?
 

I got a 29 tudor with an original Oklahoma title that says it sold for 595 new.

Re: Original Price?
 

I fully agree with that statement get this book if you don't already have it, it's a good read. Fun book. Every Model A fan should own one.