Arabella – A 1929 Ford Model ‘A’ Fordor Sedan

Arabella was probably built in Canada completely, or may have been assembled in Argentina, being exported CKD from Canada, but she resided in Argentina until 1989 and she was right hand drive from new.

Arabella’s last owner in Argentina was Mr Alberto Luis Monteverdi, an Italian gentleman married to an Argentine lady some fourteen years his junior. It seems that in late 1988, they met with a simultaneous and premature demise. No bullet holes have been found in the vehicle, but she has had a bit of a shunt at some time in her life, but nothing to affect the chassis or body too much.

By April 1989, Arabella had arrived in the UK being shipped from Buenos Aires to Tilbury on the MV Arabella. The consignee was a Mr D. Elliott of Latimer Road, West London, who sold her on to a Mr B. Messenger of Kettering, who sold her again to Mr C. J. Milne-Atkinson of Western on Trent, Derby.

Along the way Arabella underwent considerable refurbishment before she was purchased by Mr Peter Monk of Lostwithiel in December 2000 from Mr C. H. Evans of Llangennech in South Wales. Since then, Arabella has had one or two mechanical problems sorted out, and just after purchase, she was promised a coat of paint one day.

This makeover eventually occurred in 2009 when she was converted into a landaulet style fordor sedan. Ideas and menial tasks were provided by yours truly, but the skills come from Mr J. King of Lostwithiel and ALD Craft of Par. Plymouth City Bus did the paintwork and one or two tweaks here and there on the front wings and what you see now is a very smart, much thought of old lady whose nickname is simply ‘Posh’. Like most aristocratic and good-looking old gals, it takes a lot of TLC and cash to keep her the way she is.

For the technocrats, the engine is an ‘in line’ four cylinder side valve unit of 3,285cc, nominally rated at 24hp and producing 40 bhp at 2,200 rpm. Transmission is via s single plate dry clutch and a three-speed crash gearbox (no synchromesh). Steering is by a worm and sector shaft, and not very adjustable on 1928/29 models. Suspension is by transverse spring, front and rear, with hydraulic shock absorbers. The 1928/29 models ran on 21” diameter wheels and all Model ‘A’s were fitted with mechanically operated four wheel brakes.

Between 1928 and 1931, almost five million models of various types of Model ‘A’s were made around the world.