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14/01/2022 11:11 pm
“The Big Secret of 1927 EXPOSED!” The was the lead on large Tootsie Toy ads announcing that even as Ford was preparing to release their revolutionary, all new Ford to the American public, Tootsie Toy, in cooperation with Ford, would release a 65 mm. scaled version of the Ford that was so new that Ford named it their Model A.
The details and proportions of the Tootsie Toy Model A coupe, first in a 3-car series, were so realistic that Ford dealers clamored for them. Tootsie Toy soon responded with their four door Model A sedan, with the spare tire bearing the “FORD” logo. Tootsie also upped their ante with solid metal wheels that had raised lines to simulate the real thing. Furthermore, the coupe and both later Model A’s had a Tootsie Toy first, a radiator shell-grill-headlight unit of a separate casting that was riveted through a hole in the single piece body in the hood area. This enabled the major toy company of American dime stores to paint the bodies in a variety of color while leaving the radiator in a natural metallic.
The coupe came first, the sedan followed the next year (with Ford dealers being offered them in special boxes for advertising purposes), and a van (most often as a “U.S. MAIL” unit) came later. Theses combined into a major sales hit that lasted until 1933 when Ford’s new cars destroyed Tootsie’s market for the Model A’s.
(Information from TOOTSIE TOYS: WORLD’S FIRST DIECAST MODELS by James Wieland & Edward Force)
And here are my three:
These are unrestored little fellows from the 1928-1933 production. In the early 1960s Tootsie Toy made technically more modern versions of the Ford Model A for nostalgia customers, but the quality is not nearly as good. But it does have an open rumbleseat.
The next chapter, "Larger Model A Toy Cars" will be along soon. Maybe those will be closer to 1/43?
This topic was modified 6 months ago 2 times by David H
Topic starter
15/01/2022 2:08 pm
The Model A Ford introduced in 1928 saved Ford's automotive future, and Tootsie Toy also reaped rewards. While Ford attempted to control images of their car, other companies got involved. Here are two examples from my holdings:
These are both larger than the Tootsie Toy models, and the Tootsie Toys are more highly detailed. Perhaps a major reason for that is that both the larger cars are made of cast iron (except for their steel wheels). None of these have been restored.
Thirty years after these toys were produced, the Model A Ford came back to life with the Hubley Company introducing the first of what became a line of seven Model A kits, much larger in the scale most commonly identified as 1/20. I have three of the seven, constructed several years ago.
The Model A Club of America site has this history of the Hubley models at https://www.mafca.com/hub_history.html
"About 1960, the Hubley Company of Pennsylvania manufactured and sold accurate 1:20 scale metal replicas of Model A Fords, Chevrolets and Packards. There were seven Model "A" Ford body styles available: Station Wagon, Victoria, Roadster, Roadster Pickup, Phaeton, Town Sedan, and Coupe.
"The kits contain several metal body castings and an assortment of plastic parts. It takes some time to clean up all the pieces and paint them, but the results are well worth the effort. This is a great family participation project for the younger members, as everyone who races a car must be involved in some part of the building of it.
"About 1969, Hubley was purchased by Gabriel, who continued the production of the Model A cars and trucks for several years, exactly like the original Hubley vehicles.
"In the 1980s, the Hubley line was purchased by Ertl and Scale Models, which continued to manufacture four models: Station Wagon, Pickup, Town Sedan and Victoria. In the early 2000s, production was discontinued."
While these kits are long out of production, they still show up often on resale sites. As always with kits, it's usually better to buy the unopened originals. There are a lot of small parts involved.
Pretty soon I will add my last little involvement with the Ford Model A, and that one will, I promise, bring in the 1/43 connection.
Enjoy! David H 
Karl Schnelle liked
15/01/2022 2:17 pm
@d-m-holcombe fascinating. How many times have we seen a manufacturer introduce a new thing, one that influences everything that comes after it, only to hold onto it for too long, throwing the company into jeopardy?
John Kuvakas
Warrenton, VA
David H liked
