What are the most common differences between Canadian and US Model A’s?

Canadian cars: Use Robertson screws throughout the interior body panel supports.
EVERYTHING inside the car was held with these square headed (Robertson) screws.

• Cast steel (iron?) bowl fuel filter assembly was changed to a glass type Jan 1929.
• Starter switch attached to starter using round headed Robertson screws.
• Champion Spark Plugs had “Made in Canada” on one side & “REG IN 3X CANADA” under the word
  “CHAMPION” on the other.
• Rear lamp housings are different then the US types.
• Car horns were made by E.A. , or G.I.M. and Ames. Note: Spartan is a US company.
• Stainless steel one – piece hubcaps were used on Canadian cars.
• Shock absorbers have “MADE IN CANADA”, or “CAS” stamped on the cover.
• Tire valve stems were made by Schrader or Dill, with Canadian ID on them.
• Heinze/Ames wipers were not used on Canadian cars. E.A. and Trico were the most common.
• Canadian cars (’30- ’31) had front forged fender support brackets instead of stamped.
• Canadian bumper clamps are not recessed or painted blue. They are chromed, plain and have nothing on the surface (front) – June 1928 – August 1930. The rear were the same, however, 1928 – 29 had Ford Script recessed in to the middle of the rear clamps, with some finding their way onto all 4 positions. It depended on what was in stock that day, (there is a contention that early ’27 – ’28 plain clamps were nickle plated). The rest of the time period (’31-’32) – had the holding bolt going through the plate to the back mounting plate (painted black) before being secured with a nut/ washer.
• The front center bumper clamp was a miniature of the above big oval ones over the same time period. Except the early 1928’s were round, (2 1/2″) Ford Script and had “MADE IN CANADA”, in raised letters, on a nickel finished cover.
• Canadian Radiator badges for 1929 to late 1930 were plain Ford script with NO paint in the recess part of the badge.
  A chrome finish was added in the late ’30s. The 1928’s passenger vehicles had a deep royal blue, almost black, baked enamel background set in a nickel badge. Commercial vehicles had a straight black finish in the recess.
• Tools for the Canadian cars were under unique part #’s and had MADE IN CANADA stamped on the majourity of them.
• Owners Manuals, Instruction books also had “Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited” on the front covers.
• Some Canadian Vehicle colours are listed under different names, which were listed in the May 1930 Canadian Parts book. This fails to differentiate colour shade/ tone shifts as a result of no standardized CDN manufacturing procedures and the actual materials used.
• An example; the ‘Ford Maroon’ is used on the US ’31 Town Sedan, whereas the CDN Town Sedan was painted with a ‘Henna Red’ the difference being in the shade of paint.
  A March 1931 Canadian Service Letter lists 12 standard colours for the Town Sedan, but doesn’t name them. Until the Judging Standards Committee authorizes changes to the MARC/MAFCA standards, points may be deducted for any deviation from them. This means Canadian A’s, painted in CDN colours, will loose points if we can’t prove the difference outside the standards. (Thanks to Ian Lavery for this information)
• It was also in 1923, when Ford called the 2-door sedan a Tudor. Ford of Canada adopted the same name for it, and even went further and called the 4-door sedan a Fordor. Ford used that term for many years, but it originated in Canada and used it for five years before it was utilized in the United States. Both countries continued on, with these names, from the Model A’s and B’s and on to future products.
• The arrival of the Model A brought a much greater variety of body types, though Ford of Canada never produced quite all the body styles made south of the border. I believe Model ‘A’ Hucksters, for instance, were never made in Canada, however plans were available to those that wished to have them made, by the owner or a coach builder.

Ford of Canada constantly tried to keep a high level of Canadian content in it’s production lines.

Visit these sites for more interesting information:

http://www.ford.ca/heritage/prewarfords/

http://www.ford.ca/heritage/

The above information was found in the MAFCA Judging Standards (1997 edition), as detailed information in the “Canadian Model A’s” chapter of the binder. There are many other publications that have more minute details, date, factory sites, etc. which you might find interesting research within this hobby.

If you find mistakes, let me know. If you have knowledge of other differences, e-mail the Web Master. Thank-you.

Useful Web Sites

• http://www.ford.ca/app/fo/en/our_company/heritage/pre_war_fords.do  (See paragraph above).
• http://cmaff.com/   “Canadian Model ‘A’ Ford Foundation”
• http://www.ctmhv.com/index.htm   “Canadian Transportation Museum and Heritage Village”
• http://www.modelaford.org    “Model ‘A’ Restorers Club”
• http://www.mafca.com/   “Model ‘A’ Ford Club of America”