Retiree turns heads in Utah with his century-old car with a modern Tesla twist
- The idea of driving a Prohibition-era car with no noise is wild
- However, it is not as unbelievable as you might think
- One Utah man created exactly that powered by Tesla
Published on Apr 06, 2025 at 3:27 AM (UTC+4)
by Keelin McNamara
Last updated on Apr 01, 2025 at 9:40 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
Driving a silent Ford Model A from the Prohibition era with no sound might sound next to impossible, but a Tesla part made it happen.
It all went down in Utah, US.
One man restored the 1928 car.
And it is unlike any Model A ever – mostly because it uses a Tesla battery.
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Ford Model A – successor to the Model T’s crown
By now, you probably know that the Ford Model T is, perhaps, the most important car ever created.
Produced for 18 years between 1908 and 1927, the Model T was an absolute revelation.
The Model T was the first car ever to be mass-produced on the famous American assembly line.
By 1928, Ford recognised that a refresh and an upgrade were needed.
In particular, the company recognised that the Model T market was starting to flail.
Competitors, such as General Motors, were starting to catch up to the brand and even exceed it in areas.
When it was released in December 1928, the Model A was a massive hit.
It came with several introductions, including a three-speed sliding gearbox, as well as a modern look.
In three months, Ford sold over one million Model A units.
Five months later, in July 1929, they had sold two million units.
Production ended in March 1932, and by the end, over 4,800,000 Model As had been released.
Utah uses Tesla to blend past, present, and future
As mentioned, the Ford Model A is the topic of our story today.
And, as we also mentioned, it’s unlike anything you’ve probably ever seen before.
Paul Shinn is a vintage car fanatic who runs a YouTube channel of the same name.
He describes himself as ‘YouTube’s #1 Ford Model A car guy’.
Recently, Paul travelled to Utah to document a modern conversion of a 1928 Model A pickup truck.
Dennis Thompson, the man responsible for the restoration, allowed Paul to test out his 1928 Ford.
Thompson explained the restoration as they drove around Salt Lake City, Utah.
The retiree explained that the Model A is now powered by the battery setup from a Tesla Model S.
Surprisingly, that is the only non-original addition – everything else is stock.
A positive side effect of this is that it allowed Thompson to preserve the original transmission.
Since the regeneration, Thompson has put 3,000 miles on the clock.
The Tesla Model S battery setup affords the Model A a range of 85 miles.
John Begg, the president of the Model A Ford Foundation, Inc., makes an appearance.
“I’ve never seen another one like it,” he said.
Frankly, John, I think we can safely say that all of us agree with you on that.
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Keelin McNamara is a content writer at Supercar Blondie from Ireland, covering cars, technology, and lifestyle. Despite being a Law graduate, he discovered his passion for journalism during the COVID-19 pandemic, and has worked in the industry ever since. Outside of work, he is an avid MotoGP fan, and is a self-confessed addict of the sport.
