CHECK OUT THE ORIGINAL INVOICE ON THIS 1928 FORD MODEL A
In addition to driving and the cars themselves, another fun and potentially fascinating part of the old car hobby is the discovery of original documentation that accompanies many collectible cars. Passenger vehicles made since 1959 are required to have a window sticker detailing standard and optional equipment and the factory suggested retail prices both both the car and its options, a.k.a. the Monroney label, but older cars never had such documentation. Instead, we rely on original sales invoices from dealerships to fill in those blanks in the record.
That's why we were excited to see the submission of this 1928 Ford Model A Sport Coupe now available on Hemmings Auctions. Included with the car is the original sales invoices from H.M. Lawrence, a Ford, Lincoln, and Fordson tractor dealership from Oakland, California. The car was sold to an Oakland resident with the universal everyman name for an American: John Smith.
Dated June 20, 1928, the invoice details the list price of the Model A Sport Coupe ($704), along with a host of options, some of which were certainly dealer-installed accessories, such as running board mats for $6.00 and an extra tire and tube for $15.50. A Motometer cost Mr. Smith $6.50, while a coupon book set him back $12.00. I hope there were some good road trip discounts in there. Pedal pads for a buck seems a fair deal, too.
Handwritten notes indicate that the car was paid on the date of purchase and that the customer was afforded “free service for 1500 miles.” Presumably some of those notes were penned by the salesman, who is identified here as “Mr. Everett.” If you think fine print is a late 20th century invention, think again, as the lower edge of the page includes an indication that you’re on your own even when the dealership’s employees might be behind the wheel of your car. And if it is damaged by fire while at the dealership, well they were apparently “not responsible” at all.
Finished in Niagara Blue with Dutchess Blue body molding along with tan pinstripes and a tan fabric roof, this restored Sport Coupe looks to be show ready in the photos provided by the seller, whose notes indicates a very thorough redo of this rare body style. Those included images show not only a clean body, but also a properly restored interior, a clean engine bay with no signs of coolant or lubricant leaks, and an underside completely devoid of corrosion, including the more benign type typically observed on fasteners.
This 1928 Ford Model A Sport Coupe is accepting bids for a few more days. The seller believes it to be one of the first Model A Sport Coupes sold in California. The restoration process included some upgrades for driving, such as the installation of a high-compression cylinder head and Weber carburetor. The seller estimates that it now generates 70 horsepower, which he indicates is good enough for "easy cruising" at 65 mph with the accompanying Mitchell overdrive fitted to the car.
Head on over to Hemmings Auctions to take a closer look and be sure to examine the sales invoice to get a taste of the car-buying experience from 1928 in Oakland, California.