In gearing up for the Model T’s replacement, Henry Ford left production lines at his plants idle beginning May of 1927. The first Model A engine was completed on October 20, 1927, and the following day it was installed in the first Model A assembled. Reverting to the Model A designation symbolized the impact the car was to have on the Ford Motor Company. Like the Model T, it was eminently affordable, yet that is where the similarities ended. Thanks to the style-conscious Edsel Ford, the influence of the Lincoln automobile in the new Ford was unmistakable. Arguably, it helped the new car appeal to both the average buyer as well as people like New York governor Franklin D. Roosevelt and actress Mary Pickford, both of whom owned Model As.

Clifford Sherman was retired from the Air Force as a Senior Master Sergeant and flew over 30 missions in the European theater during World War II. He also served over a decade as the Highway Superintendent for the Township of Richland in Upstate New York. His passion for classic cars became his life Long hobby with special attention to prewar vehicles. He and his buddies founded the Pathfinder Car Club of Fulton in New York where Cliff served as president for over 10 years. Other restoration projects included a 1935 Ford Coupe, 1941 Chevrolet Sedan, a 1949 Ford Coupe and the 1963 Chevrolet Corvair 95 Rampside Pickup Truck also offered in this sale.

The total restoration of this 1928 Model A Phaeton was the project of Clifford Sherman of Pulaski, New York and took him over six years to complete. Cliff understood the magic that can take place when a garage full of parts and pieces is transformed into a working art that takes on a life of itself, and the restoration was completed in 2001. Described as what appears to have been a very good restoration project to start with, Cliff’s Model A presents today as an excellent older restoration. Aside from a few paint chips on panel edges and other similar wear items seen on a decade-old restoration, it presents well in the attractive shade of blue with black fenders, yellow wheels, brown upholstery, and black top. The engine bay and underside represent this to be a very solid car indeed, to complement the fine condition of the body and interior.

Cliff passed away in 2004 and his cars remained in static storage. In preparation for the sale, the fuel system was cleaned from the tank to the carburetor and the car was road tested. It was found to start, run, and drive with ease, and the brakes, lights, and horn are all reported to be in good running order, although it would be advisable for the new owner to perform a thorough safety inspection and mechanical sorting to his or her own satisfaction. This special vehicle is offered for sale to a new home by his wife Lillian who sat through endless weekend hours on lawn chairs supporting her husband’s love of these classic vehicles.