Thought this may generate some interest or discussion. Not sure if this has been done before but someone replicating the Model A victoria convertible style custom designed by Gordon Buehrig during his time at ACD. The car is being built from a cabriolet body just as the original was in the ACD shops. This was Buehrig's personal car,as even as chief of design at Duesenberg, such a car was out of reach..

I will try to post some pictures later, I understand the bodywork is done and it is getting close to the paint and upholstery stage.

My question is, how would AACA classify this car? A one off, but the body is being built to spec in the same fashion as the original. So would it be eligible for AACA competition? What about CCCA eligibility is an application is done - I believe they accept rebodied Classics now. One one hand it is a Model A, on the other hand it is a faithful rebody of a design by one of the greatest, and arguably best known designer of the Classic era. Proper materials and workmanship.

I do not believe the original exists anymore, but anyone who has seen the car in either Buehrig's book Rolling Sculpture or in the Model A publications can see this is a really great looking car.

Yes. It was a good looking car. I'm surprised someone hasn't replicated it way before now.
Interesting thought on how it coud be classified for AACA events. If the real car still existed, I doubt it would be accepted by the Classic Car Club as a "Full Classic," even with its "custom" coachwork (there are a couple of Fords that have been accepted by the CCCA already, but they have V8 engines). Even Ford Model A town cars are not accepted by the CCCA as "Classic."
So... (and I speak with an unofficial opinion here) even though AACA has accepted rebodied " CCCA Classics," I doubt there would be a place for this in AACA judging events.
I'd love to see it when it's done though. And please post some pictures as soon as you can.

Here is the work so far, actually the builder started with a cabriolet cowl and doors, I believe the back half was gone. Check it out:

The only people that would give a car like that acceptance would be Hot Rodders, AACA types would cry the loss of an original cabriolet cowl and doors, MARC people may have a hitman hired by now. Personally I look forward to seeing the actual finished car as long as it stated to be a recreation.

A thoughtful hot rodder might try to fit a supercharged Auburn 8 in the engine bay.

Even as an "A" owner I realize these cars are not Packards or ACD cars or whatever. There are quite a few semi-complete bodies out there - As & Ts as I am sure you know. I agree a cab cowl & doors going to a project like this (or a traditional hot rod..) is a fine use for the parts..

I am interested in what coverage MARC & MAFCA give this project. Speedsters, hucksters and one off commercial type bodies are usually accepted, but generally not for fine point judging.

I am hoping to get some more pictures of his progress to post soon ~

Can someone post a picture of the original Gordon Buehrig Model A ?
Thanks a lot!

Sorry. It's the best I've got.

Has some kind of similiarities with this Cord L-29 ?

This thread started me thinking, would the AACA accept the original car if it was still in existence? Granted Gordon Buehrig designed this car, however it would still be a modified car and would not have been delivered from Ford looking like this. Do who and when a car is modified make a difference?

If a known designer designed it and it was built in the ACD shops I would consider it a custom bodied vehicle like any other and as such I think the original would be welcome in AACA competition but not the recreation.

Here is the story and pictures from the book "Rolling Sculpture" by Gordon Buehrig.

Thanks Leonard. Subtle modifications that add up - the mark of a truly great designer. I think the car looked even better after the modifications - especially the wheels and tires. The big blackwalls really work on this car. Love Buehrig's own words on the satisfaction and quality of this car. Remember, he had access to all the ACD cars he wanted, and he drove them a lot from what I have read.

If the original existed today, I absolutely think CCCA would include this car as Mr. Restorer32 is obviously using his skills at understatement when referring to Buehrig simply as a "known Designer"

Regardless, that would be one expensive Model A!

I used the same understatement with "known designer" as you did with "subtle modifications".

Ha - no argument there, Restorer32. I should have said "subtle changes in appearance" I recognize a small difference in appearance could be the result of major work on this or any other custom car.

Hoping to get the fellow who is doing the recreation to send an update. I guess there were some challenges in researching some of the details as very little other than what is in Rolling Sculpture and an old MARC or MAFCA article exist on the car. Some of the technical challenges include elongating the hood so it fit right at both ends, adding hood louvres, etc.

Restorer32 - BTW, I wonder if you and the other Packard guys got a similar impression - I think Buehrig's drawing above looks a lot like something Ray Dietrich would have drawn up?

It would certainly be an interesting topic. Would it open up the Ford Model A Town Cars to classic status as well? As mentioned, the Buhrig car has the leg up with a "known designer."

Personally I think the towncars belong in CCCA, West. Brewsters are there, and although I have only seen a couple Brewsters they are not superior to the A towncars in coachwork, in my opinion. The basic even for 1930 powertrain no doubt keeps them off. It is, however, adequate for the car, although I have never ridden in a towncar so I am not sure how much added weight plays a role.

How many Model A Towncars were built? Were they built by Ford or by a custom builder? Were they designed by a "known designer"? Just curious. I never have been able to fully understand CCCA thinking but I think an A Towncar could possibly qualify using the same set of rules and the same mindset that allows '47 Cadillacs and Lincoln Continentals.

Model As certainly wouldn't fare well on a CCCA CARavan. I think the problem with getting one into the CCCA has more to do with its "basic" underpinnings. Letting a few town cars (or the Buehrig-designed car, if it were ever found) certainly wouldn't open the flood gates, per se, but you always hear afterwards, "since they now accept 'XXX', they need to accept 'YYY'."
In my opinion, they don't HAVE to accept anything. It's a club for a certain type and period of car, governed by their rules, and if anyone doesn't like it, they don't have to join it. If you want to join a club that accepts everything, join the AACA.

That's pretty cool! Are you going to put a hot motor in it? You could put a nasty Cossie in it like this one:

http://www.mat.fi/project1929fordmodel-a.htm

Restorer, the towncars were designed by LeBaron, but built by Briggs. 1,102 produced in '28-29 style and another 96 in 1930. I understand there are only a very few 1930s left, and while '28-29s are rare, a member of our local MARC region has one. According the "The Original Model A" these were built and appointed in equal quality to a larger towncar. A good argument for CCCA but I also realize the power of the later v-8 Brewster cars are a different animal in that respect.

West, overall I think CCCA does pretty good in determining which cars qualify. I am sure we all have our ideas about what should be added or dropped, though!

57Plymouth, it is not my project, just a car I am interested in. Builder is in FL and I believe the plans are for the standard 40 hp engine.

Back to the Buehrig car, though - didn't you guys see the Dietrich like lines in the car's profile drawing? If I saw the design and did not know, I would think Dietrich did it.

Gee, I don't know...

I believe that a couple of replicas of this project have already been built. I no longer have the magazine, but I think it was in Special Interest Autos in the late '70's or early '80's. At the time someone was building two or three replicas at the same time.

Does anyone else remember the previous project?

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