When were the first 1930 cars produced?

[DelSolid]

This is not a who's buried in Grants tomb question, What I mean is when (month/date) was production of the 1929 models stopped and the 1930 models begun?

Specifically I am interested in a west coast (Long Beach or San Francisco plants) built deluxe roadster but any information regarding the dates of transition to the 30 body style is helpful regardless of plant/body.

Thanks,

John

[Bob C]

1930 Deluxe Roaster did not come out until about August.

Bob

[CarlG]

If I had Pluck's book handy, it would tell you that and more.

[Bob C]

Forgot about that book. The 1930's were introduced Dec 31, 1929.
The Long Beach plant opened April 21, 1930.

Bob

[DelSolid]

OK, That sheds some light on things, although I don't like what I can now see!

My engine/chassis number is A26274XX which corresponds to a middle November 1929 mfg date but the body is a 1930. It appears to have deluxe parts on it but that doesn't mean much as most parts were gone. I have a reasonable belief that it was always a west coast car. The Speedo is an early 30 as are other details.

My problem is that when the car was put back in the DMV's system in the early 1990s it was entered as a 1929 because of the chassis number, despite the fact that it is clearly a 1930 body. I think the previous owner just didn't care.

So I have an appointment with the CHP to see the car and try to convince them that it is indeed a 1930 so I can get the title corrected (I know I could leave it but it just bugs me to no end that it is titled as a 29). Common sense says that an engine made in mid-November on the east coast could definitely end up in a next year car by the time it was transported out here to California but who says everyone has common sense?

Also, forgive my ignorance, but which book are you referring to? and whats a pluck?

[DelSolid]

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OK, A little googling and I found it, "BLADE OF DISHONOR" by Thomas Pluck.

I have to admit that I cant imagine where it addresses Model A, but if you say so...

(just kidding, I found it, 28-31 ford assembly line and plants)

[160B]

This should provide adequate information to establish the vehicle as a 1930.

RG&JS 1-2 Revised 2011

"assembly date for a vehicle may be as long as three
months after the date the engine was produced (four
months in 1931)."

[160B]

Originally Posted by DelSolid

also, forgive my ignorance, but which book are you referring to? and whats a pluck?

here is Steve Plucks web site

http://plucks329s.org/

And here is his engine data, with the complete engine number you can establish the actual date the engine was assembled.

http://plucks329s.org/pdf/studies/Mo...n%20Charts.pdf

[burner31]

Since you are in California, just tell the CHP and DMV that your car "identifies" as a 1930.
They must respect your "car"tural diversity
There...problem solved

[160B]

Your engine assembly date is 11-13-1929 and the vehicle assembly could have been as late as 2-13-1930.


Date.......beginning engine #....last engine #...# produced
11/12/29...2617358..................2624963...........00 07606
11/13/29...2624964..................2632608...........00 07645
11/14/29...2632609..................2640265...........00 07657

[DelSolid]

OK, Got it. Thanks everyone for the help.

160B, that is perfect.

Burner31, I'll keep that in my back pocket as Plan B.

[Anton Voycheck]

Originally Posted by CarlG

If I had Pluck's book handy, it would tell you that and more.

What is the title?


Looks interesting to me.

[CarlG]

Originally Posted by CarlG

If I had Pluck's book handy, it would tell you that and more.

Originally Posted by Anton Voycheck

What is the title?


Looks interesting to me.

Title is:
The 1928-1931 Ford Assembly Plants and Their Production of the Model A Ford "Passenger Cars" ... Part 1

by Steve Charles Plucker

There was an ad on the swap meet a while back.

Available on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_n...ssembly+Plants

Probably other places as well.

Page 17 states:

"The 1930 models were introduced to the public on December 31, 1929 at many dealer establishments throughout the USA. They not only included a whole new look of the Model A Ford, but some new body styles also."

The book is only $25 and is well worth the read. Steve put countless hours assembling all the factual data as well as pictures of the assembly plants.

[Anton Voycheck]

Originally Posted by CarlG

Title is:
The 1928-1931 Ford Assembly Plants and Their Production of the Model A Ford "Passenger Cars" ... Part 1

by Steve Charles Plucker

There was an ad on the swap meet a while back.

Available on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_n...ssembly+Plants

Probably other places as well.

Page 17 states:


The book is only $25 and is well worth the read. Steve put countless hours assembling all the factual data as well as pictures of the assembly plants.

Thanks.


I have several Model A books and this will make a great addition.

[redmodelt]

Is the frame number the same as title and engine? Lots of things can happen between 1929/30 and 2018. Body changed, frame changed, engine changed etc.

[Steve Plucker]

Originally Posted by redmodelt

Is the frame number the same as title and engine? Lots of things can happen between 1929/30 and 2018. Body changed, frame changed, engine changed etc.

Yes it WAS...when the car was bought brand new...Like you have said...lot's of things have changed.

HOWEVER it still can be if you have the right paperwork such as original title to back up your claim.

Pluck

[Mike V. Florida]

I have a problem with what you are doing. Yea I know it's my problem, not yours but here it goes and the admin can delete it if he wants.

Your engine/chassis number is Nov 1929. The factory you think it was assembled in was not opened until April 1930. That's 5 months, way past the 3 month window. So your car was an original 1929 car. Somewhere in it's past another body was put on, a 1930 body and you want the title it (with the 1929 serial number) as 1930.

What if you were to remove the 1930 body and put on a Ford Focus body from 2018. Would it make sense to go to the DMV and try to change the date to 2018?

A little to out there, so let's stick with the Ford Focus. Would anyone be alright if someone took a 2008 Ford Focus and re-bodied it as a 2018 and had a title to "prove" it was a 2018?

[dpson]

If the new 1930 models were introduced to the public on December 31, 1929 and these new models were in dealer show rooms at that time, then the assembly lines must have switched over before then. Not sure how long it took Ford to make the switch, but it wouldn't have happened overnight, so 1930 model year cars were produced in 1929.

[Steve Plucker]

According to the November 1929 Assembly Record Type documents, Dearborn assembled the following 1930 models:

1 Standard Coupe
39 Tudor Sedans
14 Fordor Sedans (Unknown if they were Murray or Briggs bodies or both)
31 Standard Sedans (Unknown if they were Murray or Briggs bodies or both)
78 Town Sedans (Unknown if they were Murray or Briggs bodies or both)
3 Cabriolets

That was Dearborn alone.

The rest of the 1930's assembled in 1929, which were assembled in December, were not only assembled in Dearborn but also the other assembly plants also if and when their 1929 model stock was used up. According to some of the data, the plants shut down for a while to get ready for the new 1930 models.

16 Phaetons
517 Roadsters
300 Standard Coupes
427 Sport Coupes
5295 Tudor Sedans
1038 Fordor Sedans (Unknown if they were Murray or Briggs bodies or both)
3501 Standard Sedans (Unknown if they were Murray or Briggs bodies or both)
4985 Town Sedans (Unknown if they were Murray or Briggs bodies or both)
870 Cabriolets

There were a total of 17115 1930 Model A passenger cars assembled in 1929.

They were then introduced to the public as stated above.

If you think you might have one of these 1930's built in 1929, and if the gas tank is original to the body itself, then review this article http://www.plucks329s.org/pdf/gastan...31gas_tank.pdf

for key items for this very small window of production.

Pluck

[Bikerider58]

Originally Posted by Mike V. Florida

Your engine/chassis number is Nov 1929. The factory you think it was assembled in was not opened until April 1930. That's 5 months, way past the 3 month window. So your car was an original 1929 car. Somewhere in it's past another body was put on, a 1930 body and you want the title it (with the 1929 serial number) as 1930.

Just to be sure, your chassis number matches the engine number which indicates 29. So, not a replacement engine.

My 30 was registered as 31, original sold year. Pervious owner tried and gave up. CA DMV can be a bother, but I was able to get mine corrected. CHP inspection was not required. DMV inspection, plus downloaded reference documents, plus statement of facts all supporting correct year. Printed documents had web sites listed so DMV folks could cross check.