A 1928 Ford Model A roadster that has spent 77 years in the same family is now crossing the auction block, turning a private heirloom into a public test of what long-term stewardship is really worth. The car, bought just after World War II and prepared for refurbishment by the current owner’s father, now arrives on the open market with a story that stretches across generations. Its sale offers a rare window into how provenance, originality and market data intersect when a prewar icon finally leaves the garage.
The family story behind a 77‑year stewardship
The car now for sale is a 1928 Ford Model A roadster that has been in single-family hands for an extraordinary span of 77 years, a detail that immediately sets it apart from the usual prewar offering. According to the listing, the current owner’s father bought the Ford Model in 1949 and began readying it for a refurbishment that would keep the car in use rather than treat it as a static relic, a narrative that helps explain why the body, interior and mechanicals present as a cohesive, lived-in whole rather than a museum-perfect artifact. That continuity of care is central to the auction description, which traces the car’s journey from postwar purchase to its current presentation as a running, usable roadster.
The Ford Model listing notes that the 1928 Ford Model A roadster was purchased in 1949 by the current owner’s father, who began preparing the car for refurbishment and ensured that the seat is trimmed to match the rest of the interior. A related description of the same 1928 Ford Model A roadster for sale after 77 years of single-family ownership underscores that the car is Roadster For Sale After 77 Years Of Single-Family Ownership, explicitly citing the figure 77 and describing the car as a Roadster For Sale After Years Of Single Family Ownership. A companion reference to the same sale again identifies Jan, Ford Model and Roadster as key identifiers in the Roadster For Sale After Years Of Single Family Ownership, repeating the 77-year figure as a central part of its appeal.
What makes the 1928 Ford Model A roadster special
Even without the family backstory, the 1928 Ford Model A occupies a pivotal place in American automotive history as the successor to the Model T and the car that proved Ford could modernize. The Ford Model was engineered with more power, better brakes and more comfort than its predecessor, and contemporary specifications highlight how it moved the brand into a new era of usability. Period data show that the Ford Model A featured updated dimensions, improved chassis design and more refined bodywork, details that help explain why collectors still seek out early examples of the roadster body style.
Technical references list the Ford Model A Specifications in detail, with navigation through an Article, Image gallery and Valuation tools that show how the car’s proportions and features evolved across body styles, including the open Roadster. One specification sheet notes that the Ford Model A features a track width of 56.0 in (1,422 mm), a figure preserved in the Specifications that enthusiasts still consult today. A broader overview of the Ford Model A, presented as Ford Model A Navigation with an Article, Image and Valuation resources, reinforces how central this model remains to the prewar collector landscape, particularly in open Roadster form.
Mechanical character and the “Versatile Model” legacy
Under the hood, the 1928 Ford Model A roadster reflects a mechanical formula that was simple, durable and surprisingly usable in modern traffic. The engine is a water-cooled L-head inline four with a displacement of 201 cu in, and period documentation notes that this unit provides 40 hp with a top speed that made the car practical for both city and rural driving. That combination of modest output and robust construction is part of why so many Model A examples, including this family-owned roadster, could be maintained and upgraded over decades without losing their essential character.
Technical descriptions of a 1928 Ford Model A roadster pickup confirm that the engine is a water-cooled L-head inline four with a displacement of 201 cu in, and that this engine provides 40 hp through a three-speed manual transmission with a single speed reverse. A separate profile of a 1928 Model A Roadster Pickup describes The Versatile Model A as a Success for Ford, emphasizing how the Model and Roadster Pickup body combined functional work-truck capability with the same basic chassis and drivetrain used in passenger cars. That account of The Versatile Model as a Success for Ford, preserved in a detailed Roadster Pickup feature, helps explain why the Model A platform remains a favorite among restorers and why a family could realistically keep one running for 77 years.
How the market values early Model A roadsters
For potential buyers, the question is how a long-held 1928 Ford Model A roadster fits into today’s market for prewar Fords. Auction records show that similar cars can command strong but still approachable prices, especially when they present as honest drivers rather than over-restored showpieces. One notable sale lists a 1928 Ford Model A Roadster that was SOLD for $39,200, against an Estimate of $20,000 to $30,000 Without Reserve, a spread that illustrates how demand can push a well-presented example beyond its pre-sale range when bidders respond to its condition and story.
The catalog entry for that Ford Model A Roadster, which identifies the Engine as A189 and notes the front axle with transverse leaf spring, documents how a seemingly modest prewar car can outperform expectations when it combines originality with curb appeal, as reflected in the SOLD price of $39,200. Another 1928 Ford Model A Roadster offered in an Open Roads, North America sale by RM Sotheby is cataloged with the Ford Model and Roadster body style clearly identified, and the Open Roads, North America format shows how online events have broadened access to such cars. The RM Sotheby listing, accessible through the auction Search, underscores that buyers now routinely evaluate prewar Fords through high-resolution imagery and detailed descriptions rather than only in-person previews.
Provenance, comparables and the 77‑year factor
Long-term family ownership is not unique in the Model A world, but it remains a powerful selling point when documented clearly. A separate 1928 Ford Model A Owned By Family For 76 Years Up For Auction shows how another car with a similar backstory was positioned on the market, with the description emphasizing that the Ford Model was Owned By Family For 76 Years Up For Auction and listed for sale at Bring a Tra. That example, which also highlighted details such as 21 inch wire wheels in red, demonstrates how sellers lean on both narrative and specific equipment to differentiate one Model A from another.
The current 77-Years-Family-Owned 1928 Ford Model A Roadster listing follows a similar pattern, noting that the car was purchased in 1949 by the current owner’s father and that the refurbishment included matching upholstery and careful mechanical preparation, as detailed in the 77-Years-Family-Owned description. A related image link to the same 1928 Ford Model A roadster, which shows the car’s stance and body lines, reinforces how visual presentation supports the written claim of careful long-term care, as seen in the listing photography. Taken together, these comparables suggest that documented family tenure, when paired with solid mechanical condition, can lift a Model A roadster above the pack.
More from Morning Overview