Calling all Phaetons and Open Cars

[Model A Ron]

In the morning I am going to trailer back my first Model A. The car is a 1929 Phaeton and I am looking forward to getting some miles on her. That said I would like to hear from my fellow Phaeton and open car owners. I would also love see photos of your cars. I will post some of mine when I get her home.

Thanks
Ron

[Mike Peters]

15 T 28 Phaeton

[Model A Ron]

Very nice Mike...... I always liked the T and I may just get one some day.

Ron

[henry's 31]

Hi Mike:


Beautiful cars, thanks for sharing.

[jm29henry]

Early 1929 February

[Model A Ron]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Well it sure was long day but I did get her home today


[/IMG]

[Model A Ron]

Hear she is at the gas station
[/IMG]

[Model A Ron]

[jm29henry]

Sorry Ron but your photos are loading

[Marshall V. Daut]

Here they are.
Marshall

[Model A Ron]

Thanks Marshall......I must be doing something wrong. I am still a new bee on hear

[katy]

Are those front wheel straps the only thing holding the car on the trailer?

[1928Mik]

Marshall, how fast were you able to go hauling your Phaeton?

[Model A Ron]

Originally Posted by katy

Are those front wheel straps the only thing holding the car on the trailer?

The front wheels were strapped down, parking brake on, and both front and rear axles were chained. Trailer worked quite well.

Ron

[jbwthree]

Gorgeous car, congrats ! I am new to the club as well, although mine is a Tudor. Fun cars no matter which you choose.

Curious about the uhaul trailer, I looked into renting one to tow my car home but the uhaul web site said that they needed to inspect the tow vehicle and the vehicle to be towed before renting it, which wasn’t practical for a car that was 200 miles away ! Guessing they are willing to overlook this if you provide a signature waiving them of responsibility?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[AYooperA]

Hi Ron, Here’s my September 1929 phaeton.
Production was about 50k per year for 1928 and 1929.
Enjoy your new ride. John

[Model A Ron]

Originally Posted by 1928Mik

Marshall, how fast were you able to go hauling your Phaeton?

I cannot speak for Marshall but I keep my speed to 55 for the 220 mile trip with the top up on the Phaeton. It was challenging on I40 as everyone was going 70 75 but I did not want to damage the top.

Ron

[1928Mik]

Ron, that's the speeds I haul mine also. I was always told to transport 'no faster than the car will go' and even tho I might hold up traffic it's better than tearing up the top.

Any faster I would put the top down and secure it.

[Tim Ayers]

Gorgeous car. Love it.

[Ayers1]

Beautiful car! I would love to get a phaeton one day.

[Model A Ron]

Originally Posted by jbwthree

Gorgeous car, congrats ! I am new to the club as well, although mine is a Tudor. Fun cars no matter which you choose.

Curious about the uhaul trailer, I looked into renting one to tow my car home but the uhaul web site said that they needed to inspect the tow vehicle and the vehicle to be towed before renting it, which wasn’t practical for a car that was 200 miles away ! Guessing they are willing to overlook this if you provide a signature waiving them of responsibility?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have used uhaul several times. If you pick a trailering weight for your vehicle that does not match a factory weight they need to inspect it. Just go look at your truck first and you should be fine as long it is capable of towing the weight.

Ron

[Model A Ron]

Originally Posted by 1928Mik

Ron, that's the speeds I haul mine also. I was always told to transport 'no faster than the car will go' and even tho I might hold up traffic it's better than tearing up the top.

Any faster I would put the top down and secure it.

It was a longer ride but better safe than sorry.....car and top were just fine.

Ron

[Model A Ron]

Originally Posted by Ayers1

Beautiful car! I would love to get a phaeton one day.

Thank you......I drove it about 30 miles over the weekend with the top down and without all the blind spots I am sure most of my driving will be topless.

Ron

[Model A Ron]

Originally Posted by AYooperA

Hi Ron, Here’s my September 1929 phaeton.
Production was about 50k per year for 1928 and 1929.
Enjoy your new ride. John

John
Very nice Phaeton and a sister car to mine. My gas tank is stamped 5/9/29. Do you have a 2 tooth steering box or a 7 tooth? Mine has a 7 tooth and I think they switched to a 2 tooth by mid 29.

Ron

[John Dayhuff]

Not sure if this will show up or not but here is my 1930 Phaeton.

[Mister Moose]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

This is as good a place as any for this question -

What is the accepted pronunciation of Phaeton?

Fay-tun?
Fay-yuh-tun?
Fay-yeah-tun?
Fayt'n?

Something else?

[Model A Ron]

Originally Posted by John Dayhuff

Not sure if this will show up or not but here is my 1930 Phaeton.

John
Very nice phaeton.....how long have you had it?

Ron

[Model A Ron]

Originally Posted by Mister Moose

This is as good a place as any for this question -

What is the accepted pronunciation of Phaeton?

Fay-tun?
Fay-yuh-tun?
Fay-yeah-tun?
Fayt'n?

Something else?

I say Fay-yuh-tun

[alexiskai]

ˈfā(ə)t(ə)n

Accent on the first syllable – FAY-eh-ten

[John Dayhuff]

Originally Posted by Model A Ron

John
Very nice phaeton.....how long have you had it?

Ron

I bought the car on August 11th, 2018. However I have a 50 year history with this car. See my Bio story to read all about it.

[al's28/33]

[al's28/33]

[al's28/33]

Had mine for 20 years so far no regrets.

[Synchro909]

Tourers are by far the most common body style here. My first Model A was a tourer and I still have it. It is the car I use for the long outback trips and we love it. BTW, no one on these trips uses a closed car with their heavy doors. The rough roads will have those doors fall of in short time. Tourer or Roadster is the only choice.
I'd post a picture if I could.

[loftbed]

Just sold this car, going from Oregon to Kentucky
Rod

[katy]

Ford called the Model T version a touring car, on the Model A it they changed a phaeton. Anyone know why they changed the name?

[al's28/33]

"Phaeton" was much more elaborate and stylish than "tourer".... Henry was all about sales!

[Mister Moose]

Interesting origin of the useage of Phaeton:


A phaeton (also phaéton) was a form of sporty open carriage popular in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century. Drawn by one or two horses, a phaeton typically featured a minimal very lightly sprung body atop four extravagantly large wheels. With open seating, it was both fast and dangerous, giving rise to its name, drawn from the mythical Phaëthon, son of Helios, who nearly set the Earth on fire while attempting to drive the chariot of the Sun.

With the advent of the automobile, the term was adopted to refer to open touring cars, which were in consequence referred to as phaeton-bodied.

[Model A Ron]

Originally Posted by Mister Moose

Interesting origin of the useage of Phaeton:


A phaeton (also phaéton) was a form of sporty open carriage popular in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century. Drawn by one or two horses, a phaeton typically featured a minimal very lightly sprung body atop four extravagantly large wheels. With open seating, it was both fast and dangerous, giving rise to its name, drawn from the mythical Phaëthon, son of Helios, who nearly set the Earth on fire while attempting to drive the chariot of the Sun.

With the advent of the automobile, the term was adopted to refer to open touring cars, which were in consequence referred to as phaeton-bodied.

Love the history of the Phaeton name so thank you. How many Phaeton's do you think are still able to be driven today? I got mine a few weeks back but it's the only one I have seen in person for many years now. I have a feeling that the open cars rusted out faster and many have been scrapped prior to 1950. Also they were the cheep cars when new so I bet they got used and abused more than the closed cars.

Ron

[woofa.express]

Originally Posted by katy

Ford called the Model T version a touring car, on the Model A it they changed a phaeton. Anyone know why they changed the name?

hello my friend Katy.
In Australia they are still called Tourers.

[mercman from oz]

With respect to woofa.express, I understand that most Australian call these cars "Tourers", however, when they were released in Australia, they were officially called Phaeton by Ford.
Check out the Australian Ford Brochure for the new 1928 Ford Model A.
These are the four Body Styles that were offered in Australia. I also think that we got the Sports Coupe, but not the Five Window Coupe.
Notice that the car at the bottom right is called a Phaeton.

[mercman from oz]

Continuing on, check out this Illustration from the Australian Sales Brochure for the 1930 Ford Phaeton.
Note that it is also called Phaeton.

[woofa.express]

Hi Mercman. I never knew that. Do you know why I and everyone who owns one calls it a tourer? cheers, gary

[Synchro909]

Originally Posted by woofa.express

Hi Mercman. I never knew that. Do you know why I and everyone who owns one calls it a tourer? cheers, gary

The Americans refer to these cars as a Phaeton or as a touring car. We simply use a variation of the latter, a Tourer. As far as I know, it has always been the local vernacular.

[28PHAETONROY]

Here's our Sept '28 6 wheeler. Restored driver - on the road in mid 50's. Freshened up, engine rebuilt by Schwalms around 2012, trans & 3.54:1 diff rebuilt as well. Now has new Lebaron Bonney top(not these photos). Got one of the last LB kits before they went out. We like original looks, but safety and dependability where it counts. My father-in-law estimated he and his wife had put 100,000 miles on the car between the mid-fifties and year 2000 when my wife & I got the car.

Will work on getting photos to load - but so far no luck

[28PHAETONROY]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Here is a photo

[updraught]

Originally Posted by woofa.express

Hi Mercman. I never knew that. Do you know why I and everyone who owns one calls it a tourer? cheers, gary

The British called them tourers:

[katy]

Why did they call the Tudor and the Fordor saloons? In my vernacular a saloon is a watering hole.

[Ed in Maine]

It is a pretty car. I hope you have small feet. It is a challenge getting in and out of those cars. Good luck and welcome to the Ford Barn. Ed