Model A Day captures feel of a bygone era

Jim Parker
The Post and Courier

Headed by a rare 1931 truck, Model A Fords line East Montague Avenue in North Charleston on July 26.

Jim Parker
The Post and Courier

Joe Nicholson brought his 1930 four-door Model A Town Sedan to a breakfast at Aunt Bea's in North Charleston to mark the 80th anniversary of the versatile classic, predecessor to the revolutionary Model T.

The Olde North Charleston business district on East Montague Avenue has been preserved and restored to capture its early to mid-20th-century roots.

You couldn't picture George and Martha Washington riding by. But Bonnie and Clyde? That's a different story.

So when two dozen Model A Ford Phaetons, Town Cars, roadsters and trucks, vintage 1928-31, rolled up on July 26, they seemed to fit right in. The owners were with the Lowcountry Model "A" Club, which organized a breakfast to commemorate the classic car's 80th anniversary. The first Model A was sold in 1928.

North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey, who attended the breakfast, had issued a proclamation naming July 26 as International Model A Day.

The club chose Olde North Charleston, with low-slung brick and stucco buildings and wide streets, for its nostalgic feel. Model A owners met at Aunt Bea's restaurant, operated by Summey's wife, Debbie. The eatery itself is a throwback, showcasing "Andy Griffith Show" memorabilia and even housing a post office.

The event coincided with similar gatherings nationwide. Clubs got together to launch Model A Day, said Hugh Hiott, an organizer and Lowcountry club member. "July 26th coincides with the 80th anniversary," he said.

The idea behind the events was, "Let's expose Model A's to the public," he said.

Interestingly, the Model A lasted just four years, when Ford replaced it with the B model. By contrast, the A's immediate forerunner was perhaps the best-known car of all time, the Model T, which during its 20-year production run made cars affordable to the masses.

Yet the Model A today remains one of the most popular cars for collectors. Owners cite a few reasons: The car stayed fairly simple so that replacement parts are readily available, the models weren't that expensive and they were solidly built yet more streamlined than the spartan Model T.

"It's a fun little hobby," said Joe Nicholson, a local financial adviser who brought his 1930 Model A four-door Town Car. "It's not an expensive hobby."

Nicholson has added modern conveniences such as air conditioning and safety features such as seat belts but has kept the car well-preserved.

The olive-colored model has a trunk rack on the back and a temperature gauge on the engine hood.

There's a cautionary note for anyone interested in tackling a hobby such as owning a vintage car. The Model A was built in the days before anti-lock brakes, power steering or synchronized manual shifts. It's not hard to grind the gears, you can't downshift and sometimes switching speeds involves double clutching, pushing in the floor clutch and shift to neutral, then shift again to move up a gear. Braking can involve a firm foot, and steering works best with two hands on the wheel and the hope of some wide turns.

Yet getting everything working at once is a thrill. And there are some perks thrown in, such as the hand throttle that gives an instant power surge at higher speeds.

"You don't ride Model A's like today's (cars)," Hiott said. "You drive them."