Tom Edison 27 A

[Dave Mellor NJ]

Tom was given one of the 1st Model As off the line

[P.S.]

Yes. Story goes that it was later body swapped to a phaeton. It now lives in the MAFFI museum.

[Joe K]

Video showing the Tom Edison Model A (Begins at 1:59)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7QWLZo90t8&t=119s

The speaker asserts that the car serial number is A1 which may be true of a car "assembled from parts."

Joe K

[Robert/Texas]

My wife and I visited the Edison/Ford museum in Fort Meyers in 2001. I remember seeing the Model A Fordor that Henry had given to Tom. My wife just found a picture she took of it.

[A Model A]

The photograph was taken on Dec 19th 1927 at the Kearney NJ plant and shows Edison with the first Model A assembled somewhere other than Dearborn.

Here is a whole video explaining the myth and confusion around Edison and the 1st Model A.
https://youtu.be/1OXrVLF5Y9o

[ModelA29]

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The first Dearborn car was also a Tudor. The car at the MAFFI was gifted back to Ford Motor Company by Edison's widow. They still own it but loaned it for display at the Museum. As far as the #1 the early photos of the assembly line don't show a Phaeton. The body swap I think is pure BS. Why would Henry take a car apart to change the body? Just grab the next one coming down the line. NO ONE cared about the serial number at the time. Also how many #1 engines are there? The stamping on the engine at the MAFFI is in a different spot than the 1 that Henry is shown stamping on the first engine. It is possible that the Edison car never went down the assembly line. It could have been put together with much care in the Engineering Lab. There is a photo of a similar car parked outside that building.

[Gary Karr]

Several years ago, then US Congressman Charlie Bass from NH owned the early Roadster A189 that came from Sweden. Because of his interest in early 28's, he was curious about the Edison car. He was able to talk whomever to lift the body to see what the number was stamped on the left frame rail. It was definitely not *A1* and as you can see looking at the chassis under the Phaeton, it is certainly not an early chassis. This would follow the video above that it is a mis-28. Also, we must keep in mind that *A1* was not the first car to roll down the Rouge production line.
As an example, my *A351* engine was stamped on November 7, 1927 but the car, a Tudor, didn't go into final assembly until November 21, 1927, two weeks after the engine was stamped.

[mercman from oz]

[mercman from oz]

[Joe K]

Above why I termed the A1 claim a "speaker's assertion."

There is no doubt that the Edison Car is the Edison Car. As to an early "off the production line" car there is more doubt.

"Tom, remember that Phaeton I gave you last year? Can I send a man over to pick it up and we'll "improve" it for you - free of charge?"

I have seen the reports of the Model T that preceded it lasted at least 13 years with Edison. (Edison for a while saw no need to upgrade.) I wonder where that one eventually ended up?

Google AI to the rescure (Where is Edison Model T?)

Thomas Edison was gifted a Ford Model T by his friend, Henry Ford, and the car, a "Southern Trade" model with a wider tread, is now part of a New Jersey Hall of Fame exhibit, including a simulated "ride to the moon" at American Dream

Joe K

[John D]

I never knew this.
We're heading up to Michigan in May to visit wife's family. While up there were going to the Henry Ford Museum. On the way up there we're stopping in Auburn Indiana to visit that museum.
I will just add the Gilmore Museum to the itinerary.

[Joe K]

A189 is thread drift, but the discussion can be reprised beginning at https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showt...highlight=A189

I spoke with Charlie Bass a couple of years after the purchase. (Amherst Flea Market attracted all in that day.) He admitted "It was not the car I was expecting" (apparently SEVERAL upgrades along the way) but that the only thing he regretted about the purchase was he would be less likely to drive his 28-29 Station wagon and standing on the roof to pick apples.

I left the discussion about then (travel in business) but perhaps we should start another thread to reprise and pick up where the story left off?

I find the "early a's" very interesting - will never own more than a multi-disk transmission on a roll-around stand - but perhaps that is enough?

Joe K

[Gary Karr]

Interesting to read this thread after so many years. I spent quit a bit of time around and under A189. It is the real deal although the restoration done in Sweden was an amateur job. There are definitely a lot of rare early parts still there and it definitely would be worth someone's time to do a correct restoration on it.
To answer questions on who bought it and where it went, it was purchased at the R&M Hershey auction by Virginia collector Mark Smith. He had a wonderful collection of original, unrestored Model A's and T's, including a 29 Town Car. He passed away a few years ago and many of the cars in his collection were sold at auction. A189 was not in that auction. Most of his Model A's and T's, including A189 went to the fabulous 3 Dog Garage collection of A. Ross Myers in Boyertown, Pennsylvania. If you ever have a chance to see that collection, do it.

[Joe K]

Most of his Model A's and T's, including A189 went to the fabulous 3 Dog Garage collection of A. Ross Myers in Boyerstown, Pennsylvania.

https://www.3dog.org/project/1928-mo...production-car

He doesn't specify a number, but refers to the Swedish connection.

Nice blurb: "Remarkably, its ownership history has been tracked since new, making the car one of the most historically significant examples of the five-million Model A Fords made."

Joe K

[Synchro909]

I am amused by the almost hysterical obsession about A1. If it a Model A with an out of the ordinary beginning, I know of one that (officially) doesn't exist.
As I have posted before, no 1931 model As were sent here or assembled here, yet there is one complete with the uniquely Australia features that does exist. The theory is that the manager of the Geelong assembly plant at the time (an American) desired a 1931 model so had the bones of one sent over and assembled here "off the books". Naturally, the Australian components were used where needed. The car remains unmolested.

[TerryO]

Originally Posted by John D

I never knew this.
We're heading up to Michigan in May to visit wife's family. While up there were going to the Henry Ford Museum. On the way up there we're stopping in Auburn Indiana to visit that museum.
I will just add the Gilmore Museum to the itinerary.

There are several museums in Auburn so plan an extra day and catch them all.


TOB

[John D]

Originally Posted by TerryO

There are several museums in Auburn so plan an extra day and catch them all.


TOB

Thanks for the info.
That's the nice thing about being retired. You can always spend a little extra time exploring.

[ModelA29]

Originally Posted by Synchro909

....The theory is that the manager of the Geelong assembly plant at the time (an American) desired a 1931 model so had the bones of one sent over and assembled here "off the books". Naturally, the Australian components were used where needed. The car remains unmolested.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hb9F2DT8iEQ