1980 Ford Model A

Convertible

4 cylinders

Automatic

MOMLEX0850

Clear

Gasoline

Harry J. Shay founded the Model A & Model T Motor Car Reproduction Corporation in the spring of 1978 (which name was changed to Shay Motors Corporation in November of 1980). Harry Shay had a great deal worked out with Ford. The plan was to send at least one car to every Ford dealership across the USA. Ford got publicity and attracted customers to its showrooms and Shay got access to an extraordinary distribution network. One dealer in New-Jersey even said he had people lined up in front of his dealership (shades of December 1927!). Other dealers reported floor traffic of 200 to 600 people in a single day when they first placed a Shay in their showroom. A California dealer said he had not seen such response since the introduction of the Mustang almost 15 years earlier. The cars were advertized in glossy color brochures (see links at the bottom of this page) starting in late 1978: «Golden Anniversary Model A / Last of the Model A's / Limited production / Sold by Ford dealers, factory-built, warranted by Ford Motor Company». This might have been the only time a major auto manufacturer participated in the reproduction of a famous car out of its past. Ford waived design patents for its Model A so that the Shay Roadster could be built. Ford supplied the platform, Shay manufactured the cars and Ford, Mercury and Lincoln dealers sold them. Nationally advertized on CNN, the Today Show, Price Is Right, Hollywood Squares, in the New York Times, Forbes magazine, Old Car News, Motor Trend Car & Driver and other auto magazines which praised them as highly successful and more reliable than the Model A, with the modern conveniences of today's automobile. Ads were saying there were orders to last twenty years or so. A 10,000 limit was placed on production since above this level, the car would have had to adhere more strictly to U.S. Federal standards on design and safety. Shay was exempted from the following federal vehicle safety standards: #103 (windshield defrosting & defogging), #104 (wiped area of windshield), #108 (front side markers & reflectors), #109 & 110 (tire and rim width) and, the following more specifically relating to impacts: #201 (interior design), #202 (head restraints), #203 & 204 (steering column & rearward displacement), #207 (seating system), #210 (seat belt attachment points), #212 & 219 (windshield retention & zone intrusion from hood), #214 (side door intrusion and #301 (fuel system integrity). After the initial 10,000 Roadsters, Shay planned to build these other replicas by batches of 10,000 units: a 1955 Thunderbird, a 1930 Ford, a 1932 Ford Roadster, a 1936 Ford Roadster, a 1937 Ford street rod, a 1940 Lincoln Continental, a 1965 Mustang and a 1924 Model T. Shay was to manufacture the following body styles and quantities for his Model A: 500 Super Deluxe Roadsters (twin spare mounts), 1,928 Deluxe Roadsters (left spare mount), 6,641 Standard Roadsters (rear spare mount) and a handful of Special Series models such as a pick-up truck, Polar Bear, College Classic and Golden Oldie models and a very rare Model A C-cab/panel truck (between 3 and 10 of the latter were produced, with automatic transmissions, before production was halted due to poor sales). In reality, few Standard models were produced and much more Super Deluxe models were, because that's what the buyers were asking for. This car was purchased directly from Broadwell Ford Dealership in Bath Maine in 2001. My dad is the original owner. It has 2,530 original miles. It was delivered to him by a commmercial hauler. Prior to our purchase it was exhibited in the dealer show room and used for parades only. My dad has driven it in parades but also around town on nice days. It is a convertable. It has a rumble seat that has a seperate heating system. It has always been kept in a semi climate controlled garage. It runs very well and is dependable. Although not driven regularly (hence the low mileage) it always starts right up. Its a fun car to drive and always gets a lot of attention. Pick-up Polar Bear C-Cab Thunderbird Documents courtesy of Lou Little & Tim Wildey. See also Regal T-Bird replicas built today. © Copyright 1999-2012 Shay Model A WebSite - all rights reserved. From 1986 onwards, Regal Roadsters has been producing a T'Bird replica which, although it was designed from the ground up, might very well incorporate some components from the Shay and Camelot T'Birds since that company bought a lot of Camelot's parts after the latter went out of business. Shays are sometimes confused with Glassics, another Model A replica built around the same time. (See the Glassic WebSite.) ______________________ For his part, after WWII, Harry J. Shay worked for General Motors as an automotive engineer, where he developed mechanisms for which he held patents. In the early 70's, shoulder belts were in all the cars but were a nuissance since they had to be adjusted with a slide-buckle. Harry Shay had invented a type of seatbelt device that locked on impact, allowing the belts to retract or stretch at all other time, the way they do on today's cars. He died at age 70 on August 4, 1995, at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit after suffering a stroke. He entered the hospital a day earlier, said his son Joseph. «It was just his second hospitalization ever» added the son, noting that his father continued recreational skiing into his 60s. «He was proudest of his eight grand-children» said the younger Shay. «When someone would ask him about his cars, he'd say "Let me show you this article about my grand-son's sports accomplishments".» _____________________ BOOKS: Aside from the few periodicals' articles mentioned previously, nothing has ever been published on the Shay Roadster. However, it now has been mentioned for the first time in a book (1 picture and 2 paragraphs): The Legendary Model A Ford (ISBN 0-87341-615-5) by Krause Publications. A second book entitled The Big Guide to Kit & Specialty Cars: Past & Present is supposed to mention the Shay on page 108. TV & MOVIES: In the newest version of "Pearl Harbor", you can see a Shay in one scene, where several of the actors were heading to or from the beach in one. Also, several years ago, the infamous Boy Band N'Sync made a music video where they are in a Shay for most of the video. It was not shown much in the US, but was shown in Europe heavily. And, of course, there are reports of Shay's being in the "Untouchables" with Kevin Costner in background scenes. Thanks to Ed Pugh, we can show you this ad published on June 13, 1983, on page 18 of Automotive News and which read: "A lot of people thought I'd lost my mind! Maybe some still do. You see, I bought the inventory and assets of Shay Motors Corporation, formely Model A and Model T Inc., a company that cost a lot of dealers a lot of money and goodwill. I bought it because I happen to believe that there's a large market for a quality replica car made by a reliable company. Because I intend to have both, I have already spent a great deal of time selecting the right team to maintain the highest standards of excellence. We're at work right now in our Marshall, Michigan, plant building Camelot Motors authentic replicas, the 1929 Model A Roadster and Pick-up, and the 1955 and 1957 T-Bird. Our strenghts are engineering and production. What we need now are dealers who would like the opportunity to make money selling these popular cars. We build the cars to order on a no-deposit basis, guarantee the quality, provide a five-year or 50,000 mile warranty, deliver on schedule, provide advertizing support and give you a territory without a licensing fee. In return, you display the cars, take the orders and provide service. If you feel as I do that there's a market for quality replicas, pick-up the phone and call us, or write for more information. We'll send you our full color brochures and price list. We'll even tell you about our special introductory price offer. Write or call today. Paul G. Housey, President." Camelot Motors Inc. had been founded in March 1983 by Paul G. Housey in Indiana. Housey, a native of Detroit, attended Wayne State University until he went into the Air Force. After his discharge in 1965, he went to work at the Ford Motor Co. as a process engineer. Housey had also briefly been employed by Shay in 1979. From 1982 to 1993, Speedway Motors of Lincoln, Nebraska, a firm specializing in kit cars since the late fifties was selling the Roadster as a kit under the name Modern A. Base price originally started at only $4,495 (without upholstery, top and wheels), but was very soon raised to $5,750 + $1,500 for a set of spoke wheels. Please note that, at those prices, you had to find and provide your own Pinto and disassemble it in your backyard. Speedway funished a 92 page assembly manual which contains step-by-step instructions on how to completely put together this car from the frame up. It is amply illustrated (see examples below) and lifts the fog of mystery on a lot of questions as to how our cars are built. I have examined everything in detail and, other than an improved box frame, I cannot find a single small difference between the Modern A and the Shay. Furthermore, this manual also contains a copy of the most precious wiring diagram (instrument & chassis harness). Finally, there was a 3 part article on the assembly of the Modern A in the March, May and July 1983 issues of "Kit Car, The Car Builder's Authority". (Information and documents generously contributed by Pat Johnson.) See a picture of a completed Modern A here. May 2002: If you wish to have much more historical details and insight into Shay Motors, please go to Nathan Shay's page. Nathan is Harry Shay's grandson and he has most generously allowed us to publish a very interesting research paper he has written on the subject. HISTORY OF THE SHAY ROADSTER & T-BIRD HOME Ford History Shay History Publicity & Articles Body & Interior Mechanics & Maintenance Part Replacement V.I.N. Value & Conclusion Links "November 2007: Extremely sad news. Ryan Shay, Olympic marathoner hopeful, suddenly passes away. Ryan was Nathan's brother, Joe's son and Harry's grandson. Read more here and here." On Feb-04-13 at 18:29:45 PST, seller added the following information: This is an original 1980 Shay. It has the original windows, mirrors, seats, box trunk, rumble seat, top and side curtains, tires, etc. All in very good conditon. This car went from the factory to a dealership floor room to my dad. It was in the showroom for 20 years used for parades only. The dealer retired and sold the Shay to my dad. It has been driven very lightly, stored in a semi climate controlled garage for the past 12 years. It has low mileage 2,530 original miles. Dad has used it mostly to ride in parades but does occassionally drive it around town. Even though it is rarely driven it starts up very nicely and drives beautifuly. We did have it upgraded from manual to automatic when my dad was no longer able to shift. We do have the original clutch and stick that is included in the car. More photos to come.