The Ford Barn

EJ · 09-10-2019, 06:26 AM

What if anything would you guys have told Henry to change on the model A if given the chance, me personally I would have liked it a bit longer just for the look.

Dave in MN · 09-10-2019, 07:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EJ

What if anything would you guys have told Henry to change on the model A if given the chance, me personally I would have liked it a bit longer just for the look.

Same "a bit longer" but for the legs!

old31 · 09-10-2019, 08:43 AM

Longer cab, synchro trans, 6 cylinders.

But remember, for every change the price goes up. And that is not what Henry was about.

rfitzpatrick · 09-10-2019, 09:35 AM

Synchroized Transmission

Chuck Dempsey · 09-10-2019, 09:43 AM

leg room....

ETAModel · 09-10-2019, 09:45 AM

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As a big boy I would've liked a little more room in the cab... we as a society have gotten bigger over the years... to many comforts i guess.

Edit, my dad always said every Model A he was in needed one more forward gear, so much so my uncle had an OD installed in his...I have to admit an overdrive would be nice...could run along at 60 mph and carry on a conversation without YELLING!!!

JOHN CT · 09-10-2019, 10:06 AM

Leak less ha!

ryanheacox · 09-10-2019, 10:14 AM

As a '30 Fordor owner. All, or at least more, metal construction.

Purdy Swoft · 09-10-2019, 10:15 AM

I would leave the model A exactly like it is !!!

Ranchero50 · 09-10-2019, 11:13 AM

Steering angle that was limited by the box and not the spindles.

Stiffer frame...

WHN · 09-10-2019, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Purdy Swoft

I would leave the model A exactly like it is !!!

I agree. 90 plus years later it is much easier to see where a little change here or there would have helped.

Remember where we were coming from, the Model T.

I respect the Model A for what it is and represents. Enjoy.

30 Closed Cab PU · 09-10-2019, 12:33 PM

Also impressive was Henrys commitment to continuous improvement, even during the last year of production when he could have stopped making changes with a new model coming out.

Todays cars are tied to their design from cost restrictions. Often the cost/benefit is used to continue selling cars with known issues, and letting the consumer pay for design issues.

MikeK · 09-10-2019, 01:39 PM

They should have changed the water inlet position from between 2-3 to between 3-4. They also should have changed the water pump from an outlet pump above the cylinder head to an inlet pump below the block deck line. Engineering corrected this in the '32 V8 but the 'improved' '32 B engine was doomed to repeat the A's heat cycle problems.

Synchro909 · 09-10-2019, 05:54 PM

I agree with Mike K and with those who say a little more leg room but the biggest improvement would have been to declutter the RHS of the engine. It is near impossible to remove the carb bottom half with it still bolted to the manifold and it is just too difficult to adjust the valves. I realise Henry didn't make them adjustable but it would be nice.
Oh, wait - here's another how about oil and air filtration. It is VEREY VERY difficult to put both on an engine because the RHS is already so cluttered. A little forethought would ahve solved that!
Another gear, synchronised or not would be a BIG winner too.

ronn · 09-10-2019, 06:17 PM

copy the chevy, but undercut the price.

mhsprecher · 09-10-2019, 11:25 PM

I'm with Purdy. Given the technology of the times and where they were coming from, they did a pretty darned good job. There were a lot of running changes that took care of a lot of issues. More room or more adjustment to the seat would have been one thing, for sure.

Bill G · 09-11-2019, 12:28 AM

It's one of those things.... All the stuff of the Model A that we love to hate is everything that gives the car its personality and what makes them what they are. Hell, if they were made to more modern standards, they just would not be the same. The stuff I love to hate: Uncomfortable seats in Tudor. Can't see traffic lights withoug crouching down; Rattle, rattle rattle, squeak, squeak, squeak shimmy shimmy shimmy. Need I go on?

Synchro909 · 09-11-2019, 12:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Magicbox51

It's one of those things.... All the stuff of the Model A that we love to hate is everything that gives the car its personality and what makes them what they are. Hell, if they were made to more modern standards, they just would not be the same. The stuff I love to hate: Uncomfortable seats in Tudor. Can't see traffic lights withoug crouching down; Rattle, rattle rattle, squeak, squeak, squeak shimmy shimmy shimmy. Need I go on?

In a nutshell, Shake, Rattle and Roll!

Railcarmover · 09-11-2019, 08:27 AM

Ford took a mulligan on the engine,the X8 failed and the V8 wasn't ready so they punted with the 4 cylinder.Even then,they choked it off with low compression and inadequate fuel.The car itself was a failure in the business sense.he spent close to 150 million in 1927 dollars (2bn today) developing it and had only one good year of profitability (1929) in production..

So yeah,second guess Ford..but consider this,his company was wealthy beyond comprehension by the time he built the A,he could build a failure and turn and subsidize the company for 15 years with T money..which,in effect he did..I believe he should have stuck to his guns,continued building the T..he would die before he ran out of money..

Jim Brierley · 09-11-2019, 11:43 AM

I agree with WHN. Hindsight is wonderful, but keep in mind where the A came from. We must walk before we can run!

09-10-2019, 06:26 AM	#1
EJ Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Birmingham UK Posts: 27	Change What if anything would you guys have told Henry to change on the model A if given the chance, me personally I would have liked it a bit longer just for the look.

09-10-2019, 08:43 AM	#3
old31 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Posts: 2,094	Re: Change Longer cab, synchro trans, 6 cylinders. But remember, for every change the price goes up. And that is not what Henry was about.

09-10-2019, 09:35 AM	#4
rfitzpatrick Senior Member Join Date: May 2018 Location: Coral Springs, Florida Posts: 551	Re: Change Synchroized Transmission

09-10-2019, 09:43 AM	#5
Chuck Dempsey Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Waynesville, NC Posts: 785	Re: Change leg room....

09-10-2019, 09:45 AM	#6
ETAModel Senior Member Join Date: May 2013 Location: Along the Red River, Texas Posts: 360	Re: Change Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) As a big boy I would've liked a little more room in the cab... we as a society have gotten bigger over the years... to many comforts i guess. Edit, my dad always said every Model A he was in needed one more forward gear, so much so my uncle had an OD installed in his...I have to admit an overdrive would be nice...could run along at 60 mph and carry on a conversation without YELLING!!! Last edited by ETAModel; 09-11-2019 at 01:10 AM.

09-10-2019, 10:06 AM	#7
JOHN CT Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: In my garage Posts: 465	Re: Change Leak less ha! __________________ 31 Tudor 66 Bonneville 57 Chevy pickup 27 T roadster pick up

09-10-2019, 10:14 AM	#8
ryanheacox Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Northwest CT Posts: 1,092	Re: Change As a '30 Fordor owner. All, or at least more, metal construction.

09-10-2019, 10:15 AM	#9
Purdy Swoft Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Alabama Posts: 8,099	Re: Change I would leave the model A exactly like it is !!!

09-10-2019, 11:13 AM	#10
Ranchero50 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2019 Location: Hagerstown MD Posts: 224	Re: Change Steering angle that was limited by the box and not the spindles. Stiffer frame...

09-10-2019, 12:33 PM	#12
30 Closed Cab PU Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2018 Posts: 2,332	Re: Change Also impressive was Henrys commitment to continuous improvement, even during the last year of production when he could have stopped making changes with a new model coming out. Todays cars are tied to their design from cost restrictions. Often the cost/benefit is used to continue selling cars with known issues, and letting the consumer pay for design issues.

09-10-2019, 01:39 PM	#13
MikeK Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Windy City Posts: 2,919	Re: Change They should have changed the water inlet position from between 2-3 to between 3-4. They also should have changed the water pump from an outlet pump above the cylinder head to an inlet pump below the block deck line. Engineering corrected this in the '32 V8 but the 'improved' '32 B engine was doomed to repeat the A's heat cycle problems.

09-10-2019, 05:54 PM	#14
Synchro909 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 7,496	Re: Change I agree with Mike K and with those who say a little more leg room but the biggest improvement would have been to declutter the RHS of the engine. It is near impossible to remove the carb bottom half with it still bolted to the manifold and it is just too difficult to adjust the valves. I realise Henry didn't make them adjustable but it would be nice. Oh, wait - here's another how about oil and air filtration. It is VEREY VERY difficult to put both on an engine because the RHS is already so cluttered. A little forethought would ahve solved that! Another gear, synchronised or not would be a BIG winner too. __________________ I'm part of the only ever generation with an analogue childhood and a digital adulthood.

09-10-2019, 06:17 PM	#15
ronn Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: NNNNNNNNJJJJJJJJJJ Posts: 6,785	Re: Change copy the chevy, but undercut the price.

09-10-2019, 11:25 PM	#16
mhsprecher Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Takoma Park, MD Posts: 2,817	Re: Change I'm with Purdy. Given the technology of the times and where they were coming from, they did a pretty darned good job. There were a lot of running changes that took care of a lot of issues. More room or more adjustment to the seat would have been one thing, for sure.

09-11-2019, 12:28 AM	#17
Bill G Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Walla Walla, WA Posts: 1,045	Re: Change It's one of those things.... All the stuff of the Model A that we love to hate is everything that gives the car its personality and what makes them what they are. Hell, if they were made to more modern standards, they just would not be the same. The stuff I love to hate: Uncomfortable seats in Tudor. Can't see traffic lights withoug crouching down; Rattle, rattle rattle, squeak, squeak, squeak shimmy shimmy shimmy. Need I go on?

09-11-2019, 08:27 AM	#19
Railcarmover BANNED Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Sacramento Posts: 1,262	Re: Change Ford took a mulligan on the engine,the X8 failed and the V8 wasn't ready so they punted with the 4 cylinder.Even then,they choked it off with low compression and inadequate fuel.The car itself was a failure in the business sense.he spent close to 150 million in 1927 dollars (2bn today) developing it and had only one good year of profitability (1929) in production.. So yeah,second guess Ford..but consider this,his company was wealthy beyond comprehension by the time he built the A,he could build a failure and turn and subsidize the company for 15 years with T money..which,in effect he did..I believe he should have stuck to his guns,continued building the T..he would die before he ran out of money..

09-11-2019, 11:43 AM	#20
Jim Brierley Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Temecula, CA Posts: 4,085	Re: Change I agree with WHN. Hindsight is wonderful, but keep in mind where the A came from. We must walk before we can run!