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2026 Honda Ridgeline ReviewGo Full Steampunk with this Hot Rod Ford Model A
Gleaming copper and immaculate mechanical detail make this 1930 Ford Model A hot rod one for the ages.
A Copper Classic
Since the beginning of the automobile, there have always been those who wanted to push the proverbial envelope, to trim weight and up horsepower, to chop tops and break speed records. Ford’s Model T and Model A were pivotal in the early days of hot rodding as the ubiquitous autos were the basis for many a build.
And while hot rodding evolved to include plenty of GM and Chrysler cars, the popularity of those early Fords has remained strong a century later. In fact, browse listings for Ford Model As today and you’re likely to find four or five rodded out versions for every stock or near stock version.
Sadly, a good many of those hot rod Model As err toward that the classic mold of under-funded, ill-conceived, poorly executed project cars. Rare indeed are those few builds done with care, precision, and good taste. So, when we stumbled across this 1930 Ford Model A hot rod listed on Carsforsale.com, with its gleaming copper and exposed V8, we knew it was something special.
The Ford Model A In Context
To understand a hotrod Model A, you have to know the factory version. The Ford Model A was the successor to the Model T, released in 1927. The Model T had had an extraordinarily long run, from 1908 through 1927. Henry Ford had spent nearly two decades perfecting the production of the Model T and had been loath to contemplate a successor. But as competitors like GM began to catch up to Ford, it became clear the aging Model T was no longer the market force it once was.
The Model A was a complete redesign from the prior Model T. First of all, it was bigger: 31 inches longer with a 3.5-inch longer wheelbase. It was also heavier by 800 to 1,000 lbs., depending on the configuration. Also new was the 201 cu.-in. four-cylinder engine making 40 horsepower, doubling the output of the Model T. Drum brakes were also added, as was a three-speed manual transmission. The Model A was a thoroughly modern automobile compared to the increasingly archaic Model T.
The Ford Model A was offered in a proliferation of body styles to suit nearly every potential buyer, including coupe, roadster, and convertible, as well as a Phaeton, Town Car, Fordor, Turdor, station wagon, Victoria, and truck.
The Model A’s run was a short one, spanning from 1927 through 1932, and succeeded by the Model B/18 which included the Ford V8. Despite that brief interval and major economic headwinds of the Great Depression halfway through its production, the Model A managed to sell an astonishing 4.8 million units. That level of production may have something to do with its popularity among hot rodders, who took to the car almost immediately swapping Model A motors into Model Ts or lighter Model T bodies onto Model A chassis. When the Model B/18 arrived, and with it the Ford flathead V8, people began swapping that engine into Model As.
This 1930 Ford Model A
As noted above, the 1930 Ford Model A we found on Carsforsale.com is much more than a rat rod with a flathead V8 and some flames down the side. This build puts a unique steampunk spin on the classic hot rod with its engraved copper grille and copper-plated parts, including on the exposed flathead V8 and upgraded suspension.
Like any good hot rod, this Model A is an amalgam of parts. The chassis comes from a 1932 Ford modified to follow the lines of a Model A. The body is chopped by 3.5 inches. The taillights are borrowed, improbably, from a 1950 Pontiac. The aforementioned copper grille is patterned after a ’32 Ford’s with filigree engraving by master engraver Tay Herrara.
Nearly everything is new or rebuilt, from the floor and subrails to the rumble seat. Both it and the rest of the interior is finished in fresh leather upholstery in a rich brown that perfectly complements the copper trimmings. Running gear includes new GM brakes, a Vega steering box, and 11-inch drum brakes all around. The flathead V8 features an Edelbrock intake and heads and sends power to a new five-speed GM T5 manual transmission (complete with a crystal shift knob). The package is finished off with aggressive black side pipe exhausts.
This 1930 Ford Model A is the hot rod done right, a stunning showcase of craftsmanship and imagination. It’s listed for $81,900.
