FORD

One hundred years ago, Henry Ford unveiled the very first Ford production car, the Model A. From these humble beginnings emerged one of the most influential products of the industrial age. Whilst only 1700 Model As were made in total, the production methods learned and profits generated formed the solid foundation Henry Ford needed to establish his young company. Although often overlooked in the shadow of the formidable Model T, at some 15 million examples, the 'A' will forever stand as one of the most significant and seminal vehicles of the automotive era.

This Ford Model A built 5 years before the infamous Model T, is the oldest surviving Ford Motor Car in the world being one of the first three ordered.

The Ford Motor Company at Mack Avenue, Detroit, was incorporated on the 16th June 1903 and started trading on July 13th. On that day the first three motor cars were sold, Car no 11 to Dr E Pfennig of Chicago, $850, Car no 9 to The Indiana Auto Company, Indianapolis, $300 deposit, and this Car, no 30, to Mr Herbert L McNary of Britt, Iowa, $170 deposit.

By coincidence, this three car transaction was entered on the 15th July on the same ledger page as the potentially damaging Company bank balance of just $223.65, which has been the subject of many books and articles including Life Magazine of May 25th 1953, celebrating Ford Motor Company's 50th Anniversary. This lack of funds led to an argument with Ford's partner, Couzens, insisting that Henry sell some of his stock of treasured Ford motor cars, like quick, or the Company would fail.

Information on shipping dates from the Henry Ford Musem, Dearborn, USA, confirms that Car No 30, the McNary Car, was shipped on 4th August. There are only two earlier numbered cars surviving: No28 at the Panhandle Plains Historical Society in Texas and No 18, privately owned in Redondo Beach, California (both ordered and shipped after Car 30). The cars were not shipped in numerical sequence.

The Centenary may bring other finds, however after 100 years it is unlikely that Car 11 or Car 9 will be found. This car is therefore the oldest Ford ordered still to survive with proper provenance.

The Chamber of Commerce in Britt, Iowa, have records showing that Mr Herbert L McNary, was a buttermaker at the Britt creamery. He and his car were the subject of an article in the 1978 Britt Centennial Celebrations. In a section called 'Early Automobile Repair' is written:
"Herbert T Redmond operated a machine and bicycle shop in Britt in the early 1890s and was the first auto repair man in Hancock County. His shop was on the west side of the street, south of the old Milwaukee depot. His acquaintance with the horseless carriages began with a Stanley Steamer, purchased by John Benton, a barber, and a two cylinder Ford purchased by HL McNary in 1903"

The second owner, Harry E Burd of Waterloo, Iowa, acquired the car from the McNary family around or just before 1950. Harry took three years to negotiate the purchase at $400, and had it restored by Lloyd Sievers. The Grout Museum, Waterloo, have a file for Harry E Burd, who was a historic car collector with his father and an article was written in 1980, either for a speech or magazine, when Harry was 85, mentioning that one of Harry's biggest finds was the Model A Ford, the third car ever sold by Henry.

In the file accompanying the car is a letter from Henry E Edmunds, Manager of the Archive Department, The Ford Motor Company, dated 28th December 1954 to Harry Burd confirming that his car No 30 was the third car sold by the Company.

In 1961, Harry E Burd sold the car to a Ford dealer in Switzerland for $6500. The Swiss owner loaned it to the Ford Motor Works in Cologne, Germany, in the late 1980s where for 15 years it was on display in the Company's foyer, at the Museum of Nuerburgring and the Engineering University of Aachen.

The present owner of the car purchased it from the Swiss in 2001. This wonderful piece of automotive history is part of The Brighton-Early Collection located in Sussex, UK.

One of the first three cars sold by Henry Ford on the 13th July 1903, the other two have not survived. It has been estimated that in 100 years Ford have since manufactured approximately 285 million Ford Badged Cars world wide.

With thanks to:
The Henry Ford Museum, Dearborn, USA
The Britt Chamber of Commerce, Britt, Iowa, USA
Grout Museum District, Waterloo, Iowa, USA
Ford Europe, Motorsport Press Office, Ford Motor Works, Cologne, Germany