Mystery auto in the Sierras

[Marjorie]

I found this photo in a family album of my great-grandfather with one of his cars. Can you identify the make and year?

[keiser31]

1928-29 Ford Model A cabriolet.

[Brass is Best]

I think the Cabriolet was introduced for the 1929 model year.

[wayne sheldon]

I believe Brass is Best is right. I am not a model A expert, but as I recall, the cabriolet was introduced as a 1929 model. Also, pay attention to the cowl lamp. Generally speaking, the cowl lamp option for 1928 and 1929 was only on some models of four-door sedans, and the cabriolet in'29. For '30 and '31, all body styles (except maybe trucks?) could order the later style cowl lamps as an option. My limited understanding for the '28//'29 models is that someone found evidence of some era exception to the rule and another body style that got cowl lamps? I don't really know about this? But this is what some model A people told me a few years ago? So all of a sudden a bunch of people with '28/'29 model As started putting reproduction '28/'29 cowl lamps on cars that never had them before. Some because they wanted something different. And some to put turn signals in.

Regardless. That model A was a bit special as it was one of very few 1929 models other than four door sedans to have the cowl lamps.

[Dave Mellor NJ]

Looks like a larger lamp was put on the cowl lamp arm

[Marjorie]

Thanks all!

[dustycrusty]

 The  1929 68A Cabriolet presaged the cowl treatment and reveal line to the hood that the other 1928-'29 Fords lacked, but it would show up in the design of the 1930-'31 cars and trucks. The cowl light appears bigger than OEM in the O.P.'s picture, but that may be an artifact of the shadow cast by Great Granddad's hand upon it.

 

  Is he parked in Beale's Cut?

 

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/beales-cut

Edited December 6, 2020 by dustycrusty (see edit history)

[ply33]

2 hours ago, dustycrusty said:

 The  1929 68A Cabriolet presaged the cowl treatment and reveal line to the hood that the other 1928-'29 Fords lacked, but it would show up in the design of the 1930-'31 cars and trucks. The cowl light appears bigger than OEM in the O.P.'s picture, but that may be an artifact of the shadow cast by Great Granddad's hand upon it.

 

  Is he parked in Beale's Cut?

 

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/beales-cut

 

 

Definitely not Beale’s Cut. The hills at Beale’s Cut are soft rock, practically just dirt, that don‘t have type of hard rock cut look.

 

Beale’s Cut today has really weathered from what it looked like in the 1920s when the movie industry like to jump horses over it. The top has eroded into the cut so it is both wider and shallower than in past times.

 

Located on private land now so you can’t just walk into it and examine it closely. You can still get a glimpse of it off of Sierra Highway just a short distance from the I-5/California 14 freeways split on the north side of Los Angeles just south of Newhall. Newhall is now incorporated into the City of Santa Clarita.

 

Source: I used to live in Newhall and went by it on Sierra Highway pretty often.

[Dave Mellor NJ]

You can also tell a cabriolet of any year by the lack of an exterior visor