This is a 1930 Ford Model A Tudor sedan hot rod that was completed in 2023. It’s built on a 1932 Ford chassis and powered by a modern 5.0 liter Coyote V8 sending power back to the rear wheels via a modern 4R70W 4-speed automatic transmission and a limited-slip differential.
The Coyote V8 has become a popular choice with hot rodders as it’ll fit anywhere a small block will, all while offering double overhead cams, four valves per cylinder, electronic fuel injection, and more power per cubic inch than most traditional push rod (or flathead) V8s.
Fast Facts – A Ford Model A Tudor Sedan Hot Rod
- This is a 1930 Ford Model A Tudor hot rod, completed in 2023. It was built on a 1932 Ford chassis and it’s powered by a modern 5.0 liter Coyote V8 engine. It has a 4R70W 4-speed automatic transmission, limited-slip differential, and 1939 Lincoln drum brakes.
- The Ford Model A, introduced in 1927, became a pivotal model in Ford’s history, offering greater luxury and better performance than its predecessor, the Model T. The Model A was a significant part of the hot rod movement and was produced until 1932, laying the foundation for future V8-powered cars like the Model 18.
- The Coyote V8, developed from the Ford Modular engine, debuted in 2010 and has become a popular choice for hot rod builds. It features double overhead cams and four valves per cylinder, offering more power and better fuel efficiency than older pushrod V8 engines.
- This 1930 Ford Model A Tudor hot rod includes modern comforts like Vintage Air air conditioning. It features black and brown vinyl bucket seats and is being offered for sale on Bring a Trailer in Denver, Colorado, with a clean title.
The Importance Of The Ford Model A
The Ford Model A could very well be described as the second most important Ford model in history, but some argue that it’s actually more than that. The Model A came after the legendary Model T, and it would be a litmus test to see if Ford could produce a worthy follow up to what had become the best-selling car in the world.
As you can see from this 1931 Ford Model A advertisement, the Model A Tudor was a two-door sedan that offered seating for five at a lower cost than the larger four-door sedan “Fordor” model. Image courtesy of Ford Motor Co.
As it played out, Ford would see runaway sales with their new Model A, an all-new design that offered far more luxury and comfort than any Model T variant that had come before. The Model A was larger and offered a more powerful engine, a higher top speed, and a number of modern enclosed cab designs that made it ideal for use as a family car.
The Model A would remain in production from 1927 until 1932 when it was replaced with the Ford Model B and the Ford Model 18 the latter of which would offer Americans the first affordable V8-powered car in history and go a long way to establishing the nation’s love for V8s. It was also the foundation of what would become the hot rod movement.
A History Speedrun: The Coyote V8
Ford’s Coyote V8 engine can trace its lineage back to the Ford Modular engine that entered production back in 1990 to replace pushrod V8 designs that had been in production in some form or another since the 1960s.
Ford engineers studied modern European and Japanese engine designs, and finally settled on a V8 design with a 90º bank angle, overhead cams, an iron block, and lighter weight aluminum heads. This engine would start at 4.6 liters and be increased out to 5.8 liters.
A V10 version would also be developed, and later V8 versions would switch to double overhead cams per bank with four valves per cylinder.
A high-performance 5.0 liter V8 version of the Ford Modular engine would make its debut in 2010, they named it the “Coyote” and it would be offered in production cars like the Ford Mustang and as a crate engine for the aftermarket.
The Ford Coyote V8 fits in most places that a small block V8 would typically go, and it offers a lot more power to boot.
The Coyote had been specifically developed to challenge the General Motors 6.2 liter LS3 V8 fitted to the Chevrolet Camaro, and the Chrysler 6.4 liter Hemi V8 fitted to Mustang competitors like the Dodge Charger and Dodge Challenger.
Both of these engines offered notably more displacement than the Ford Modular V8, but they were also older pushrod/two-valve designs – as a result the Coyote was able to match them on power and pace while also offering slightly better fuel economy.
The Coyote V8 quickly became one of the most read about V8s in the country and a best-seller to boot. Development continued and the Gen II version debuted in 2015 followed by the Gen III in 2018 and the Gen IV in 2024. Other special versions of the engine include the Boss 302 (Road Runner) variant, the F-150 variant, and the Miami variant.
Coyote crate engines are now a popular choice to be retrofitted into vintage Fords, and a number of other makes, thanks to the fact they can fit in small block V8 compatible engine bays. The engine has proven to be highly-reliable, thanks largely to the fact that the original Ford Modular engine was designed to handle 100,000 miles (160,000 km) of use before any major services were required.
The Ford Model A Tudor Coyote Hot Rod Shown Here
The vehicle you see here is a 1930 Ford Model A Tudor, the two-door sedan model that would prove so popular with buyers in period, as it was cheaper than the four-door sedan but would still seat the same number of people.
This hot rod version was completed in 2023, it uses the 1930 Ford Model A Tudor steel body on a 1932 chassis, and it’s fitted with 1939 Lincoln drum brakes, as well as a modern 5.0 liter Coyote V8 engine with stainless-steel headers.
The interior of this car is finished in black and brown vinyl that extends to the door panels, and it has a Vintage Air air conditioning to keep things cool in summer.
Power is sent back through a 4R70W 4-speed automatic transmission, a 10″ rear end, and a limited-slip differential rot the rear wheels. Inside you’ll find bucket seats trimmed in black and brown vinyl that extends to the door panels, a TCI shifter, and a Vintage Air air conditioning to keep things cool in summer.
It’s now being offered for sale on Bring a Trailer out of Denver, Colorado with a clean Colorado title that describes the car as a 1930 Ford Model A. If you’d like to read more about it or register to bid you can visit the listing here.
Images courtesy of Bring a Trailer
Articles that Ben has written have been covered on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more.
Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
