Ford Model A, Red, for sale in Charlotte, North Carolina, for $24,995.

If you're a car enthusiast, and you haven't owned a Model A, you're missing out on one of the truly great collector cars of all time. Rugged, simple, with plentiful parts supplies and thriving club activities, the Model A is the perfect early collectable, and I bet you'll find one in even the most impressive collections.

This 1929 Model A roadster pickup is one of the more desirable body styles that has recently come into fashion. The bright red paint is probably not the car's original color, as Henry Ford had an aversion to reds, and bright red was especially expensive, but with trucks, custom orders were not unusual. There's no denying that the work is nicely done, with straight bodywork and a nice gloss to the finish. And any Model A without the black fenders is probably incorrect-you could have your fenders any color you wanted as long as they were black. Black trim is also used on the belt molding at the tops of the doors, adding a little two-tone flash to the utilitarian bodywork, and the bed is fitted with beautifully finished oak planks, so nice you'll be hesitant to throw anything back there at the local Home Depot.

Basic is the right word for any open Model A's interior, with weather-resistant materials and exactly zero creature comforts being the norm, but I guarantee you'll love every moment of it. The vinyl bench seat is springy and comfortable, and wipes down with just a damp cloth. The steel dash is also the outside of the fuel tank, which is mounted above the engine to facilitate gravity feed to the carburetor. And the gauges consist of speed, fuel, and ammeter, with a single instrument lamp in the center. The big hard rubber steering wheel makes the A lively on the road, and houses the headlight control. A black rubber mat covers the floorboards, and the carburetor is adjusted via a knob on the far right side. The black vinyl top folds easily from behind the driver's seat, delivering a great open-air driving experience.

On paper, the Model A's modest 40 horsepower from a 200 cubic inch inline four seems modest, but it makes great torque and delivers bright performance in the lightweight little truck. It also has a distinctive sound that fans recognize a block away. Carburetion and spark are brutally simple, and these cars will practically run underwater on a mixture of vodka and Aqua-Velva. The 3-speed manual gearbox is non-synchromesh, so brush up on your double-clutching, and the brakes are mechanical drums, so plan ahead. This truck has been dressed up with some 1930-31 Model A 19-inch wire wheels wearing stainless trim rings, and the whitewall tires give it some flash-maybe even a little too much!

Model As are simply great cars, and they always bring a smile to everyone's face. This one is as functional as it is fun, and I can guarantee many years of happy motoring behind the wheel. Call today!