Model A Ford prices

[Crusty Trucker]

It appears to me that Model A Ford prices, in general, have been quite stable, meaning stagnant, not rising or falling to much of a degree for quite a while now. Except for the more rare and desirable models and those near #1 condition, it seems driver quality A's aren't any more expensive now than 10 years ago.

I had an acquaintance who thought he scored a deal on a very nice '31 Deluxe coupe for $10k ten years ago. Two and four door sedans and pickups weren't much more. Open cars were more expensive, but they always have been and still are.  However, my point is despite covid, inflation, changing generations and modern driving conditions, you can still find nice A's for 2015 prices. The only anomaly I see are higher asking prices for project A's. Considering the cost of restoration, this doesn't really make sense.

Are my observations wrong, or do you notice the same in your area and nationally?

[Paul Dobbin]

I think they are the best deal in Antique cars everywhere.   Good parts available, 3 big active clubs for support

and activities.   You can still buy a nice one for a lot less than the cost to buy and restore any of them.   They

are strong runners and make great tour cars for couples looking for the antique car adventure.   I know a lot of

people who started with Model A's and never changed, and some that went with older or newer cars or just

added to their collections.

 

Edited January 4 by Paul Dobbin
reposition text (see edit history)

[pkhammer]

Prices likely don't vary a lot over the years because supply and demand doesn't vary much either. There are lot's of Model A Fords still around so other than a select few models, are not rare. Demand has remained steady over the years as well, not fluctuating much in either direction. With not much change in supply or demand, prices will probably not be much different 10 years from now. Some are of the opinion that as the older collectors pass on, demand will go down. I will agree that is already happening with model T, but I think model A's will always continue to be popular with collectors since they are an inexpensive way to enjoy the hobby as well as a joy to drive.

[zepher]

Once I retire and move, I would love to pick up a Ford Model A and drive it as often as I can.

The parts availability and club support are what is so attractive about them.

Edited December 26, 2023 by zepher
Spelling (see edit history)

[Steve_Mack_CT]

Seat of the pants observation based solely on forum folk here.  I know several who have talked about adding an A to the mix.  Few or no A owners I know on this forum have or are moving their A along for something else.

 

That said I did think I was moving out of As years ago when I traded our 30 tudor towards a Packard 120 sedan.  The dumb move wasn't so much that trade but selling off a decent stash of A parts thinking I was done with them.  I am still building it back up again after we acquired the 30 roadster 7 or 8 years ago... 

 

I like the mix of cars we have but would be happy with a couple of As as well.  I always thought a fun roadster driver with some period banger speed parts and a restored closed A - maybe a victoria or a 31 slant sedan would be a nice combo.  Mrs. Mack favors A pick ups.  Then specialty tools, spares would support 2 cars vs. One.

 

Projects are attractive to hot rodders which I think keeps prices up.  

 

Well merry Christmas eve and for anyone thinking an A would be fun do it in 2024 - you won't regret it! 👍😉😁

[46 woodie]

Model A Fords were in their "heyday" in the late 1960s and early '70s. A perfect example of that is listed in the program for the 1968 HERSHEY. There are over 225 Model A's listed for the show field, last year 2023 there were about 10 Model A's listed in the program. All those cars probably went to the heir's of the owners and wound up in a garage somewhere and once in a while they start to become available. I saw a very nice 1929 Tudor Sedan sell for $9000, you could not build it for that kind of money. You can get a very nice entry level Model A for around $10 to $12K and drive it and show it and just have fun with it.

[zepher]

8 hours ago, 46 woodie said:

Model A Fords were in their "heyday" in the late 1960s and early '70s. A perfect example of that is listed in the program for the 1968 HERSHEY. There are over 225 Model A's listed for the show field, last year 2023 there were about 10 Model A's listed in the program. All those cars probably went to the heir's of the owners and wound up in a garage somewhere and once in a while they start to become available. I saw a very nice 1929 Tudor Sedan sell for $9000, you could not build it for that kind of money. You can get a very nice entry level Model A for around $10 to $12K and drive it and show it and just have fun with it.

That is exactly what I would be looking for.

A decent, driver that I wouldn't have to worry about driving it as often as I could. 

[auburnseeker]

On 12/24/2023 at 9:07 PM, Steve_Mack_CT said:

Well merry Christmas eve and for anyone thinking an A would be fun do it in 2024 - you won't regret it! 👍😉😁

We'll see.  I dove in head first and still haven't gotten to drive it or hear it run in person since winter hit almost the day it was delivered.

 

Any body else buy one over the last year?

 

 

I have had a few over the years but none that I put on the road.  They were bought or traded for various reasons but I never intended to buy one to use.   Well that was until a few months ago.

 

 

Edited December 26, 2023 by auburnseeker (see edit history)

[zepher]

That is a great looking truck. 

[Roscoe]

2 hours ago, auburnseeker said:

We'll see.  I dove in head first and still haven't gotten to drive it or hear it run in person since winter hit almost the day it was delivered.

 

Any body else buy one over the last year?

Horse traded for a '30 Fordor in June. Just now got the new 6 v positive ground alternator on it, along with new hoses and fan belt. Haven't drive it a total of 100 miles yet. Still need to do a complete oil change and figure out why my driver's side headlight suddenly quit working. Seems like it'll be alot of fun when I get the kinks ironed out.

 

All bets are off if I get the opportunity Steve_Mack_CT did- A chance for a late 30's Packard sedan, and "Clara" will leave so fast her pretty little luggage rack will have to hang on for dear life...

Edited December 26, 2023 by Roscoe (see edit history)

[1935Packard]

Stable prices are a good thing.  Buyer and seller alike can come in and out without feeling like the hobby is a gamble.

 

(And yeah, technically,  a 2010 dollar is the equivalent to about $1.40 today.   So prices would need to be up 40% to keep up with inflation.  But that's no fun to think about, I realize! )

[auburnseeker]

13 hours ago, zepher said:

That is a great looking truck. 

It will be even nicer when I get done with it.  I'm thinking black wheels would really make it look right. 

 

It's so tough when buying A's.  I really didn't want one as nice,  but I couldn't justify spending a couple to a few grand less for a truck that needed paint and a whole bunch of other work, that easily would have cost multiples of that to do.  I could have lived with scruffy paint,  but the paint was checked and falling off the other examples I passed on.  Scuffs scratches and fading,  are one thing,  but paint falling off usually doesn't stop.  Plus I couldn't pass up the zero rust or repair body.   If she fully checks out mechanically then I'll be content with the purchase.

[60FlatTop]

21 hours ago, 46 woodie said:

Model A Fords were in their "heyday" in the late 1960s and early '70s.

Thirty to forty year old cars have and still are most popular. The conservatively styled car will have an easy life with its first owner and carry on with minimal purchase and maintenance cost to subsequent owners until they begin to accrue major repair costs around 50-60 years of age. Really desirable cars will be maintained at a higher cost. Cars sold at bargain prices will be disassembled for repair. A smaller percentage will carry on.

 

$10,000 sounds like a bargain but I figure the average hobbyist is in there with $3,000-$5,000 and a cheap pair of rose colored glasses. That is the real average as I have seen it over the years. There are always exceptions.

 

This afternoon some hobbyist will look at a clean 40 year old car sitting in a garage and make a score for $3,000. In 40 years it will be the family heirloom, just like has happened so many times over. I have been doing it every 5 to 10 years.

[TAKerry]

I had thought the price on A's had gone up a bit. Talking about asking prices not knowing what they sell for. I was seriously looking for one about 5 or 6 years ago. I would scour the net. almost daily. I think at one time I knew every model A in the country that was for sale and the asking price. I kept at it for quite a few years. Every morning check my email then look for a model A. I think the prices have stayed pretty even but seem to be creeping up a bit, may be inflation?  One thing I have noticed is that there seems to be more cars of the same era with reduced pricing that one could call 'model A prices'. IF I were in the market I most likely would buy an A just for the support and parts availablity but it seems that Buicks, and Chevys, and a whole lot of other cars can be had for the same amount now.

[Leif in Calif]

I think the prices have been pretty flat, which means in real terms they are slowly declining. There are still many A owners who see the car as a connection to their father. These owners are in their 70s and 80s now so it seems likely ten years from now, there may be more supply than demand. 

I do admit that we've been saying this for a very long time and prices have only sagged, not plummeted.   

[JRA]

Ford model A is an amazing car, simple to drive and to maintain. It is the entry point for many in the hobby. The stability in their market price should also be considered with the liquidity as an asset. I believe they will still keep as a very attractive model for a while, they are the easiest one to buy and sell in the 1920s space. I think the Model T situation is slightly different, because its challenges to drive in today’s traffic.

I only bought my Model A after a long time in the hobby. Owning and restoring many other 1920s cars for years, I was very impressed with the simplicity and adaptability of Ford Model A to our current reality on the streets. 

[ericmac]

I currently own five Ford Model Ts but plan to buy an open Model A at some point. It is a car that has always been "on the list."

[edinmass]

Stable prices over ten years means an actual drop in value of about 25 percent. The A’s & T’s are a bargain for anyone wanting in to the hobby. I was once told by one of the smartest car collectors I ever met…….when buying any year Ford………buy the best one in the world, as you will pay almost the same price. He was correct and I took his advice. I can’t imagine not owning a T, and mine is parked comfortably next to my Pierce Arrow’s. I get just as much enjoyment from the T as my V-12 Pierce. 

[Brass is Best]

The Ford Model A is one of the finest cars ever designed and built. It is reliable, easy to work on and will collect more smiles per mile than any other car. I am very biased, I love the Model A, I learned to drive with a Model A. As with anything in life you tend to get what you pay for. But the "all the old guys are dead" theory is not true. I sell Model A's to customers from their late 20's to their 90's. Most have never owned one before. Many tell me they have always wanted one, but they are not sure of the reason. With these great Fords approaching the century mark they show no sign of going away. Some place Henry and Edsel are smiling because of this.

[Steve_Mack_CT]

On 12/31/2023 at 10:18 AM, Brass is Best said:

But the "all the old guys are dead" theory is not true. I sell Model A's to customers from their late 20's to their 90's. Most have never owned one before. 

The other good news is younger people involved in supporting Model As like Ora Landis (Schwalm's), Pat Musante here in CT or Tebo Barn in NH to name a few are picking up where we have lost some of the old time A shops and suppliers.  Long live the Model A Ford! 

[Paul Dobbin]

On 12/26/2023 at 10:43 AM, auburnseeker said:

It will be even nicer when I get done with it.  I'm thinking black wheels would really make it look right. 

 

It's so tough when buying A's.  I really didn't want one as nice,  but I couldn't justify spending a couple to a few grand less for a truck that needed paint and a whole bunch of other work, that easily would have cost multiples of that to do.  I could have lived with scruffy paint,  but the paint was checked and falling off the other examples I passed on.  Scuffs scratches and fading,  are one thing,  but paint falling off usually doesn't stop.  Plus I couldn't pass up the zero rust or repair body.   If she fully checks out mechanically then I'll be content with the purchase.

      One drawback to the 28-29 Model A Ford Roadster Pickups:   They are small and tall guys with long legs may have to

      open the door to get their left foot on the clutch pedal.  (Voice of experience here)   I guess people were shorter and

      smaller in those Model A days.   But they sure are good looking little trucks.   I even like the Tacoma Cream wheels on

      this one, but it needs a black top and maybe some lettered oak sign boards on the bed tops.

Edited January 4 by Paul Dobbin
RE-POSITION TEXT (see edit history)

[auburnseeker]

1 minute ago, Paul Dobbin said:

One drawback to the 28-29 Model A Ford Roadster Pickups:   They are small and tall guys with long legs may have to open the door to get

      their left foot on the clutch pedal. 

I did notice with the spare tire there is a certain process to entering and exiting it.  I have pretty long legs but I'm still agile so it seems workable. We'll see once I get to spend some time behind the wheel.

 

You are right it will get a black top at some point.  Sad part is it came with a brand new top side curtains and seat cover all in tan.   Anyone with a black set that want's to swap?

[TAKerry]

19 minutes ago, Steve_Mack_CT said:

The other good news is younger people involved in supporting Model As like Ora Landis (Schwalm's), Pat Musante here in CT or Tebo Barn in NH to name a few are picking up where we have lost some of the old time A shops and suppliers.  Long live the Model A Ford! 

Schwalms is right up the road from me. I never knew what they did but always looked forward to driving by their shop and spotting a model A or two. 

[JRA]

Entering and exiting many 1920s cars are always complicated, not only for Ford model A. I have never understood this. I am not sure people were thinner back in that era. Maybe I am wrong.
Most of my cars present this same issue. For my experience, loosing weight is helpful for easy access. Then we can say antique cars keep you healthy!

[jdome]

33 minutes ago, JRA said:

Entering and exiting many 1920s cars are always complicated, not only for Ford model A. I have never understood this. I am not sure people were thinner back in that era. Maybe I am wrong.
Most of my cars present this same issue. For my experience, loosing weight is helpful for easy access. Then we can say antique cars keep you healthy!

If you watch old movies you often see the driver enter the passenger side then slide under the wheel, followed by the passenger if there is one. Even if it is a male driver, a woman will dutifully wait for the man to get in first as if it is normal.  It seems to be the case with cars into the 40s. maybe try to enter from the passenger side and see if that works for you.   Many cars of the teens and earlier, had a gear shift where the driver's door would be making it necessary for the driver to enter on the passenger side.

[auburnseeker]

Out of curiosity I have kept a close eye on the market to see if a better choice came along if I had waited and as of today,  nothing within a 500 mile radius has popped up or on all of ebay that would have been a better choice.  Some much worse for alot more money, including a very scruffy one with an older restoration on ebay right now,  that said no bolt untouched, but wow must be they used everything in poor shape and put it all back together.

I see alot of what seem Like High asking prices,  mid to upper 20's on conventional roadsters, some well into the 30's,  but as mentioned I don't think there is a line of buyers for them.

[46 woodie]

jdome, one of the reasons you see drivers entering thru the passenger side is that is where the keyed door handle is on many cars. It was supposed to be a safety factor and encourage people from not walking into the street to enter their car.

[kfle]

I sold my 1931 Ford Model A Roadster back in July as I just didnt use it any longer.  It was time to let someone else enjoy it.  I purchased it back in 2017 and essentially sold it for about the same price as I bought it for back then.  As was mentioned, that is actually a loss due to inflation, however I did a lot of touring and such with it early on so got a lot of good value out of it.  

 

I did keep my Model T Speedster though as it is a fun car to hop in and drive around.

 

Edited January 5 by kfle (see edit history)

[Steve_Mack_CT]

4 hours ago, JRA said:

Entering and exiting many 1920s cars are always complicated, not only for Ford model A. I have never understood this. I am not sure people were thinner back in that era. Maybe I am wrong.
Most of my cars present this same issue. For my experience, loosing weight is helpful for easy access. Then we can say antique cars keep you healthy!

The Model A smile AKA the steering wheel marks left on the husky A driver's T-shirt!!

[jdome]

 

 

xx

%

I'm not trying to hijack this thread but this 47 Ford is my "model A" that I just bought back in September for model A money. 42,000 miles and 100% unmolested. It has the paint, upholstery and top it left the factory with. Has its original engine with no modifications. No electric pump and still 6v.  Solid body, No rust in the floors or trunk but it does have the usual rust thru along the bottoms of the fenders. I already bought all 4 NOS fenders for a total $1150.  It is amazing  the amount of new,used, NOS, NORS and repro parts that are available for these cars. My interest is in pre=war Cadillacs but I've always had a thing for 47/48 Ford convertibles and this one popped up on the local Market Page so I didn't have to chase it across the country.  I think anyone who has more than one collector car, one should be a Ford. Model As are great cars but pick any vintage you like. Any vintage Ford from T through the 60's are all great beginner cars. Reliable, serviceable,  inexpensive and amazing parts availability. 

[JRA]

The right keyed door was only on closed cars. The contradiction I cannot understand is the limited space on the front seat, against the large area in the back seat, independently the car is small or large.
 

[TAKerry]

15 hours ago, JRA said:

Entering and exiting many 1920s cars are always complicated, not only for Ford model A. I have never understood this. I am not sure people were thinner back in that era. Maybe I am wrong.
Most of my cars present this same issue. For my experience, loosing weight is helpful for easy access. Then we can say antique cars keep you healthy!

People ate home cooked meals, breakfast lunch and dinner. Now there is fast food and convenience stores within about 1000 ft of anyone! All in all we just keep getting fatter. When I was a kid we would go through maybe 2 cases of Coke a year. And that was during the summer. Mom made a pot of tea every day to drink. We had no idea what a convenience store was, the local stations still had a primary role of servicing cars and selling gas. One could maybe get a pack of crackers or gum there. The only time I saw fast food was on our annual trip to Florida. I admit my dietary choices are less than premium but by judging myself against the majority of people I see out in the public I think I am no more than average. SO yes, people were thinner back then.