How many car parts that are involved in a model A? in a low-cost car
 

Let talk about the model A Ford:

Henry Ford was always convinced that people should satisfy themselves with nothing more than a good, simple and economical car

When the New Ford is unveiled in December of 1927, riots occur in a few cities. 25,000,000 Americans (more than one out of every five man, woman and child in the U.S.A.) literally assault Ford showrooms in the space of only one week!

A fresh jaunty look, sparkling performances, easy drivability and a low price all contribute to half a million sales on the spot!.

Some people think that this model is a good choice for a restoration project, but do not know is that maybe to the last screw was changed in your car!

A simple and strong automobile should not be so complex in its construction and carry fewer parts, but the truth is that I think has the parts that are necessary for the operation, other brands may be included accessories that only the rich could buy

Ever I've wondered about the quantity of components involved in a model A car, Anyone know how many components are involved in one car?

Re: How many car parts that are involved in a model A? in a low-cost car
 

5000 +

Re: How many car parts that are involved in a model A? in a low-cost car
 

It is not the quantity but how it was built.

Ford used extreme (for the day) accuracy in the day to day production of parts that required extreme accuracy. While items like the brake cross shaft are "loosely" held in place with a fabric lined bushing, items like the crank finished to sub-thousands accuracy. The rods were built to +-1 gram at each end.

Ford was obsessed with accuracy. Ford used Johansson gauge blocks to set up the machines and check the finished products. The factory start up for the A was slowed down because of the need to do high accuracy work.

Ford was able to build the A cheap and extremely reliable with the proper combination of materials and high accuracy machining.

So as you approach the restoration of the A you need to consider how and why Ford built each part. Returning the A to factory specs is not that easy and one needs to have some precision measuring devices as one works on some parts of the A.

Re: How many car parts that are involved in a model A? in a low-cost car
 

Wasn't this also a big jump from the T Model's part count?

More inventory for the factory and dealers, a jump in complexity of parts and construction. Different level of coordination on parts working together? All of this done on drafting tables and chalkboards.

Re: How many car parts that are involved in a model A? in a low-cost car
 

I get a mixed vibe from the OP. Is it simple car or a complex car? Which is it?

My opinion is that it's quite a simple car indeed. I've developed that opinion after decades of restoring Packards. If you wish to talk about accuracy, that's another topic in and of itself, but for Packard, a way of life for nearly every employee. They had quiet rooms where they would test bearings on a granite surface that had sound pick ups attached, and it had to meet their standard of nearly zero noise. They placed microphones in strategic areas of the cars to detect noises during development. There's more, but this is a Ford board, and I was talking about a car that cost as much as 5-6 Fords in the day, depending on the model chosen.

After all of these years involved in 30s cars, you tend to pick up that which was an industry standard for many of the OEMs. The light switches are similar on many cars from that time. Some of the fasteners are unique to that time and clearly much of the textiles, pattern making procedures, and more. Still, I think that in the big picture of restoring cars from this era, the Model A is a reasonbly simple example. We're here on this board because we all have a unique appreciation for it that comes from many directions.

If I were to restore a Model A to a Packard standard, it would be wrong. 1 model year of Packard production might equal a day or 2 of Ford production. Having learned that there's 40 different steel alloys used in the production of the Ford, and that Henry had his own forests and iron mines, and that his dedication precision was the stuff that legends are made of, it's no wonder he was able to build and sell so many cars. Naturally price had a lot to do with that as well. Consider that the restorer doesn't have to worry about product development, metallurgy (to a degree), doesn't have to be a pattern maker for the wood work, it's clear how easy the task of restoration on one of these can seem. I'd never refer to restoration as easy in general terms, just that there's a lot less car to work on by comparison.

Re: How many car parts that are involved in a model A? in a low-cost car
 

So I assume that the model "A" was more complex in its construction as the Model "T", every 10 seconds a Model T left the assembly line, so if the "A" model was more complex in its construction, should have taken more time to get out, or the high accuracy machined reduced the assembly time? anyone know how often seconds or minutes, a model "A" saw the light?

Re: How many car parts that are involved in a model A? in a low-cost car
 

You got me thinking (not a safe thing to do)

"every 10 seconds a Model T left the assembly line, so if the "A" model was more complex in its construction, should have taken more time to get out,"

But how how many people? If two guys make widgets every 10 seconds and you make it more complex would 4 guys be able to get them done every 10 seconds?

Re: How many car parts that are involved in a model A? in a low-cost car
 

Obviously an A is more complex than a T.
<<<<<---------- It's taken me six years to get this far on my A! Hardly 10 seconds!

Re: How many car parts that are involved in a model A? in a low-cost car
 

If I recall correctly an assembly plant's line was running at sixty vehicles per hour. I guess take that times however many plants were running though not around the clock.

Re: How many car parts that are involved in a model A? in a low-cost car
 

In the below video you can see at 27:30 minutos the cars leaving the assembly plant every 10 seconds...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_L5F...eature=related

Re: How many car parts that are involved in a model A? in a low-cost car
 

I am constantly amazed at just how precise the model A was. That is coming from a former Machinist/Tool and Die maker/Model maker. Once while checking clearance hole sizes, I came across a hole with 1/128 th " clearance (.007") Most holes are drilled for 1/64th (.015") clearance. In his wood work, I found nominal sizes (I/4", 1/2", 3/4", 1' ) all to be on size within .005....AFTER EIGHTY YEARS! Amazing!
Terry