why are so many people fascinated by cars of the 1920s

[Mulletwagon]

Old rides tend to remind us of better days. Cars are the bookmarks in our history. They take us back to events like family vacations with Mom and Dad, high school adventures, easing into adulthood, bringing home that first newborn, and all too soon, teaching that youngster to drive. Think of every car show as "This is Your Life".

[nkaminar]

" The A's probably get the most because they are so different from what we see today."

To me the A's are normal and the modern cars (post WW II) are the different cars. I live in the past, at least according to my wife. I guess she is right.

[TomInCologne]

Sorry, but you are all wide off the mark:


It's because they are so cuuuuuuuuute and all you want to do when you see them is cuddle them...


sorry, could not resist...

[woofa.express]

Why I am in love with Model A.

I never really liked school. I just wanted out. As I remember most every farm kid felt the same. I also remember the school replaced all the clear glass windows facing “free territory” with opaque glass in an attempt to hold attention in the class room. Never the less my mind wandered.

We were taunted by the older kids who had not long left school driving past in their A’s going oogah. We all longed to be out there- free. Their motorcars looked so much fun, the horn seemed exciting and some had A’s where their buddies sat in the boot. Americans call it a trunk.

That is what drew my attention to the Model A. I have being in love with them ever since. Their simplicity appeals and they have lines comparable and maybe even better than Raqual Welch's. Even if I am not driving I just like look and admire their beauty.

[ericr]

Originally Posted by TomInCologne

Sorry, but you are all wide off the mark:


It's because they are so cuuuuuuuuute and all you want to do when you see them is cuddle them...


sorry, could not resist...

me personally, the Cadillacs, Packards and Lincolns of the late '20s are gorgeous

[Terry, NJ]

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Actually, cars from the twenties are not popular and they are hard to sell. Carsfrom the thirties are much more salable. Although, they began in 1928, Ford, A s are the one exception. I recall one experience a friend had trying to sell a 1922 Studebaker. This car was in immaculate condition, all original! A Phaeton with the original leather seats, top with Ising glass curtains, Studebaker's large block engine that ran beautifully for it's 18,000 Miles. The car needed nothing! However, He had hell of a time selling it. After a while, he sold it out of frustration for $20,000. Why? Dunno! Everyone sincerely agreed the car was a beautiful survivor, but no one wanted to own it! Maybe it was just too primitive with it's vacuum fuel pump, Two wheel brakes, and canvas strap schocks.
Terry

[Gene F]

What URSUS said...I had an engineer I used (he has passed now) and he drove a Model-A back n forth on the weekends to home when he went to college. His dad owned a moving company, and somehow he ended up with an A. It was the only car he had.

The Model-As are about as far back as are desirable though. The cars from the 30s, up till WWII are still very popular. They sure have a distinct look about them.

[Eccentric Old Guy]

Originally Posted by Redbird

When you are at a car show let the younger generations sit behind the wheel. They will never forget it!

Yeah.....I got a chuckle when my oldest son first checked out my 28ccpu. He blinked, when I showed him the manual windshield wiper.....I'll never forget that look on his face!

[ETAModel]

I'm not sure where the attraction for the A comes from. Maybe listening to Dad tell stories about my uncle who hauled nitro-glycerin in the trunk of one before WWII, maybe watching too much of The Walton's, cause that's about all they drove. I have had a love affair with the A for decades, but never rode in one until 2019. Maybe I like the idea of doing a lot with a little, something a 40 hp motor will teach you, maybe its the fact you have to DRIVE the thing, it certainly doesn't drive itself like my modern vehicles.

Maybe someday I'll own one for myself, and not be a "Surragate" owner of the 30 Fordor I drive.

[bob from red oak]

I am in my 70s and my observation is those in my age range appreciate pre war 20s and 30s cars/trucks. The next generation favors the 60s and 70s muscle cars they could not afford when they were high school. Then the really younger group likes the newer roller skate looking things. Since my generation is thinning out each day it seems more and more Model As are for sale at reasonable prices.

[Bob-A]

Three things got me into 20's/30's cars in my younger days in the 1960's:
"The Untouchable's" TV show, a friend of mine at the time had an older brother who had Model-A's. Who liked to chase us kids around the neighborhood with his friends standing on the running boards throwing oranges* at us and my dad who grew up in the roaring 20's and dirty 30's.


Bob-A


* This was in Florida and to us kids Oranges grew everywhere and where only good for throwing at each other!

[Oldbluoval]

Somewhere on here I’ve posted this before…..
I’m 74…when I was pre-8, we used to sit on the front porch and play “car poker”. Select a model and if it went by… you got a point!
There was a local sign painter named Lawton; know as Lawty. He had a 30 model a roadster and a propensity to imbibe. the local tavern required a passing by our house for him to go home.
Early evenings you could hear the distinctive sound of the A coming down the road from a good distance. “Here comes Lawty” was the shout! I always chose Ford in the poker game!

At his death (I was maybe 19) I was able to purchase that roadster disassembled. Never finished it but sold and acquired a running roadster. At the time didn’t have skills, tools, space nor funds to do it correctly…or even a amature. But that prompted me to learn skills. High school shop teacher had an 03 Knox and A. He taught me hammer welding and body working skills.
Been involved with A’s off and on (mostly on) for the last 50+ years.
This writing is likely a “run on”!! Old people do that!

[Brkile]

I find just the opposite of what I read here. Most people could care less about my cars , 2 Model A's and a 1924 Model T (with original interior, never restored). They will walk right by my cars to admire a Mustang (a used car in my opinion). I guess one is attracted to cars of their youth and have no frame of reference for anything outside of that window. To each their own. No disrespect to you Mustang owners.

[Oldbluoval]

My grandfather has a used car lot for awhile. I remember as a kid he drove home an Austin bantam! Back then it was the equivalent of the Smart Car, Fiat, et al. We got a huge laugh back then. He was a tall, very thin man and amusing to see him in and out.
He consistently had 46-50 Ford’s

[ericr]

Originally Posted by Terry, NJ

Actually, cars from the twenties are not popular and they are hard to sell. Carsfrom the thirties are much more salable. Although, they began in 1928, Ford, A s are the one exception. I recall one experience a friend had trying to sell a 1922 Studebaker. This car was in immaculate condition, all original! A Phaeton with the original leather seats, top with Ising glass curtains, Studebaker's large block engine that ran beautifully for it's 18,000 Miles. The car needed nothing! However, He had hell of a time selling it. After a while, he sold it out of frustration for $20,000. Why? Dunno! Everyone sincerely agreed the car was a beautiful survivor, but no one wanted to own it! Maybe it was just too primitive with it's vacuum fuel pump, Two wheel brakes, and canvas strap schocks.
Terry

I am sure you are correct on this, but also, cars underwent changes during the decade and what is a better example than the Ford Company. I always assumed Studebakers were an older person's car, reliable but not memorable in appearance. If you friend was trying to sell a La Salle Roadster from the late '20s, I suspect he could sell it easily.

[nkaminar]

The real reason 30's cars are more popular.

[eagle]

The kids of today, at least in the metro areas, are being taught of the evils of ICE (internal combustion engine) cars and they truly believe that an ICE car IS evil. I grew up with grandpa's A sitting in his yard. I always admired it. It had an attraction that I really still can't pin down. I guess it "just did". When I was a kid I could ID nearly every old car I saw on the road, much more than I can now. I remember finding an AD in the paper for a 20's Hupmobile for sale. Talked my dad into taking me to see it. I spent many hours reading encyclopedias , looking up different old car brands and models. When I bought my Model T, no one had to teach me how to operate it. So as to the OP question? "Why are so many people fascinated by cars of the 20's?" Answer: No Idea! But I'm one of them. Actually my fascination runs from the very first early cars until the early 60's more or less.

[vern hodgson]

Originally Posted by eagle

The kids of today, at least in the metro areas, are being taught of the evils of ICE (internal combustion engine) cars and they truly believe that an ICE car IS evil. I grew up with grandpa's A sitting in his yard. I always admired it. It had an attraction that I really still can't pin down. I guess it "just did". When I was a kid I could ID nearly every old car I saw on the road, much more than I can now. I remember finding an AD in the paper for a 20's Hupmobile for sale. Talked my dad into taking me to see it. I spent many hours reading encyclopedias , looking up different old car brands and models. When I bought my Model T, no one had to teach me how to operate it. So as to the OP question? "Why are so many people fascinated by cars of the 20's?" Answer: No Idea! But I'm one of them. Actually my fascination runs from the very first early cars until the early 60's more or less.

For me I like the simplicity of the machine, all mechanicals are visual and you can see and feel the function of each, kinda like playing with an erector set or tinker toys.