1930 Ford Model A Town Sedan

In the fall of 1927, Ford Motor Co. started producing the Model A Ford, as a replacement for the Model T Ford (produced from 1908 – 1927).

This was not Ford’s first Model A. The first Model A was produced from 1903-1904, and with each revision of the car there was a successive letter designation up to the Model T Ford of 1908-1927.

The Model A (1929-193031) was offered as a roadster, phaeton, 2-dr coupe, 2-dr sedan, 4-dr sedans, station wagon, and panel and pickup trucks. 

Unlike the majority of Model A’s which were all steel and built in a Ford factory, the 4-door sedans consisted of a wooden framed body, covered in sheel metal, with a canvas roof, manufactured by either Briggs or Murray coach builders. The bodies weighed approximately 700 lbs. and were shipped by rail to the Ford factory to be set on a Ford chassis.

The Town Sedan was Ford’s top-of-the-line 4-door model; with cowl lights, mohair interior, carpeting, a fold-down center armrest for the rear seat, a switched dome light for the rear passengers, and roll-down shades with tassels on the rear and rear-quarter windows.

Although the 4-door bodies of Briggs and Murray bodies were of euqal quality and design, there are subtle differences and body parts are not interchangeable. Most easily recognized, a Murray’s doors have an arch to the window opening, whereas a Briggs window opening is more square.