Utah Valley Model A Club
Ever wondered what it was like to travel by car during the roaring 20’s or crossing the country during the depression? Do you have an interest in old cars? Do you enjoy the thought of taking a leisurely drive in an antique car along country roads? The Utah Valley Model A Club does this all summer long. It is a chapter of the largest car club in America devoted to one model of car - The Model A Ford.
The “New Ford” as Henry Ford called it was brain-child of Edsel Ford, son of Henry Ford. Model T’s were dwindling in sales in the mid twenties, and because of this, Edsel tired to persuade his father the leave the Model T behind and start developing a new car. Henry was reluctant to begin with, but finally relented. The plants were down for five months while they retooled. Advertising campaigns were so successful, and Fords cars so popular that 10.5 million Americans (10% of the U.S. population) visited dealerships across the country to see the car on the first few days after its release. The Model A was so sought after that Ford couldn’t keep up with orders and by October of 1928 the company had a back-log of 800,000 orders. Over a four year period, more than five million cars were manufactured. Eighty years later Model A Fords are the most common auto predating 1935.
The Utah Valley Model A Club was formed in 2012 to promote the preservation of this historic car and year by year it keeps growing. The mission of the club is to serve as a medium of exchange of ideas, information, and parts for admirers of Model A Ford cars and trucks (1929-1931) and to help them in their efforts to restore and preserve these vehicles in their original form.
The club draws members from all over Utah County as well as outlying areas, even as far away as Manti. Most members are car buffs who enjoy all types of cars. In fact the total number of collector cars owned by the club members total ninety, twenty-four of which are Model A Fords in various stages of restoration.
The group meets every month on the third Thursday at the Larry H Miller Ford Dealership on University Parkway in Provo. Meetings start at 7:00 p.m. It isn’t necessary to have a Model A to join the group — only an interest in the 1929-1931 Fords.
In addition to monthly meetings where members learn about the technical aspects of the car there is a monthly activity as well. During the warm weather months drives to local attractions take place.
If you would like to participate or learn more, you can join the group at any monthly meeting or find information at UtahValleyModelAClub.org or find us on Facebook and Instagram. You can also send an e-mail to ModelAClub@yahoo.com. Come and join us, you’ll be glad you did.