How versed are you in post-war Fords? Let’s find out!

POST-WAR
FORD TRIVIA QUESTIONS

Answers will be at the end. Don’t peek!
(Accompanying photos are for reference only and are not the correct answer)

1 – What year did Ford first offer the Fairlane Series? 

A. 1954 B. 1955 C. 1957 D. 1959 

2 – The FE “big-block” V8 engine helped lead Ford to its “Total Performance”
program. What was the displacement of the first version of the FE motor released to the public? 

A. 332 cid B. 352 cid C. 361 cid D. 390 cid 

3 – Starting in 1952, Ford began marketing its convertible as the Sunliner. What
was the last year the name Sunliner was used on a Ford Convertible? 

A. 1958 B. 1960 C. 1962 D. 1964

4 – Ford was known as the “Wagon Master” starting in the 1950s. What year did Ford release its revolutionary “two-way” tailgate? 

A. 1964 B. 1966 C. 1967 D. 1969

5 – During the 1960s, Thunderbird evolved into a true personal luxury car. What
was the biggest cubic-inch displacement offered in the T-bird between the 1960 and 1969 model years?

A. 430 cid B. 352 cid C. 406 cid D. 429 cid 

6 – Mustang was a smash hit when introduced in April 1964. From what other Ford line did much of the Mustang’s engineering evolve? 

A. Fairlane B. Falcon C. Thunderbird D. Econoline

7 – What make and model automobile was sold through Chrysler dealers, but had
a Ford engine? 

A. Dual Ghia B. Plymouth Arrow C. Sunbeam Tiger D. DeSoto Fireflite

8 – Galaxie was first marketed in 1959 as a premium series of the Fairlane 500.
What was the first year that Ford offered the Galaxie 500 series? 

A. 1960 B. 1962 C. 1965 D. 1968 

9 – For the U.S. market, what year did Ford introduce the Y-block overhead
valve V-8? 

A. 1952 B. 1953 C. 1954 D. 1955 

10 – During the 1950s and 1960s, Ford often had exotic-sounding names
for its colors. But black had one name used up into the 1970s. What name did Ford market its basic black? 

A. Tuxedo B. Ebony C. Raven D. Midnight

Drum roll please… Here are the answers.
How did you do?

1 – (B) Fairlane was named after Henry and Clara Ford’s estate in Dearborn, and the Fairlane name was introduced for the 1955 model year.

2 – (C) The first FE big-block V-8 to hit the market has 361 cubic inches and was offered first in the 1958 Edsel as the E-400, with 361 cubic inches rated at 303 hp. 

3 – (B) Ford marketed its Sunliner convertible from 1952 to 1962. From 1954 to 1956, the Skyliner was a glass-top car, and in 1960, the fastback hardtop was called the Starliner.

4 – (B) The two-way tailgate, where it could fold down or be hinged like a door, was first seen in 1966. 

5 – (A) The largest displacement in a Thunderbird between 1960 and
1969 was the 430-cid V-8 seen in 1960 (it was introduced in 1959).

6 – (B) The mighty Mustang’s basic engineering evolved from the Ford Falcon. 

7 – (C) Produced by the Rootes Company, Ltd in the U.K., the Sunbeam Tiger utilized the Ford small-block V-8, first with 260 cubic inches, and later with 289 cubic inches.

8 – (B) The Galaxie was first offered in 1959, the Galaxie 500 in 1962 and later that year came the Galaxie 500XL. 

9 – (C) The Y-block V-8 hit the U.S. market for 1954 sporting 239 cid and 140 hp. It was the same displacement as the last “flathead” V-8, but with 30 more horses. Canada would not get the Y-block until 1955. 

10 – (C) From 1950 well into the 1970s, Ford’s basic gloss-black finish was Raven Black. 

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David Gooding, founder of Gooding-Christie’s Auction, grew up in the world of classic and collector cars. Along the way he met and became friends with a number of collectors and one of the most notable old car enthusiasts he met was Stan Lucas.

After Lucas earned a degree in mechanical engineering in the early 1960’s, he began a long and productive career that took him to various parts of the world. But vintage cars always remained a passion of his ever since he was a 12-year-old boy and started driving to school in his own 1920 Dodge. Lucas developed a passion and as his successes in business allowed, he started to buy the cars he wanted. Old was good, steam was better! He continued to purchase cars up to nearly the end of his life. His passing on January 11^th of this year set the world a buzz about his collection, owning some of the most interesting, eclectic and historic vehicles one could imagine. Among the grouping were five Doble steam powered cars, considered by many as the most powerful and most practical steam powered cars ever with only 30 examples produced. He amassed a stable of early brass era cars, several the only known examples to have survived, a few big classics like Packard, Pierce-Arrow and Duesenberg.

The friendship Lucas had made with David Gooding paid off and on September 20, 2025, a major chapter in the old car world came to a close with an all out no-reserve offering of 25 select lots of memorabilia and the offering 73 vehicles. They came to sale in original preserved condition, fully restored show car ready condition and several were either restorations in progress or patiently waiting their turn to be brought back to their original glory.

The interest in this collection was strong. Several we talked to said they had tried to get to visit the Lucas collection, but he was very selective about who he let come and share time with his beloved automobiles. In 2018, this writer had been part of a Classic Car Club tour of his garage, a rare opportunity indeed. At that time we were told, “no photos, no note taking, look with your eyes!” At the auction preview, for the first time, many enthusiasts were able to see close-up, the intricate workings of many of the cars.

Staged at the garages of Stan Lucas in Long Beach, California on September 20, 2025,  the auction gallery was warm with large fans running to help cool the anxious bidders which was included many notable collectors spotted in the room, and plenty of old friends. Several were sporting straw hats, one of trademarks of Stan Lucas, and many had lots of stories of Stan and his cars. Gooding’s premiere auctioneer, the always enchanting Charlie Ross came to the podium and immediately owned the audience, selling first the signs and parts that were in the memorabilia section and raising a quick $300,000 in the process. All of the vehicles were auctioned in place and Ross made sure no bids were over looked, keeping the crowd in good spirits with his British charm and humor.

When the sale was over at 3:30 in the afternoon, everything had been sold with several records set along the way. Names rarely seen at auction, Stanely, White, Stutz, Mercer, Duesenberg and those incredible Dobles, were hot property. Taking the high bid for the sale was a rare and meticulously restored 1911 Oldsmobile Limited touring car. This legendary car with his huge 707 c.i.d. engine was estimated to bring between $1.5 to $2.5 million and far exceeded that figure when the hammer came down at $4,600,000. With commissions added that took the total sale to $5,065,000! Coming as a distant second high sale was the 1934 Duesenberg Model J Murphy Disappearing Top convertible that Stan Lucas had purchased in August 2024 at Gooding’s Pebble Beach sale, trading hands at $2,800,000. The stunning 1924 Doble Model E Murphy Roadster brought a selling bid of $2,000,000 even while two other restored Model E Dobles brought $1,300,000 each. Surprisingly, the only Model F and the last Doble to leave the factory with a Fisher Body coupe originally mounted on a LaSalle, brought just $520,000.  Several rare Mercer Raceabouts were offered bringing strong money and a group of Stutz Bearcat runabout all brought strong money with the top dollar in this group going to a 1915 Model 4F Bulldog hammered sold at $880,000.

Prices were strong throughout the sale and as the hammer fell on the final lot, a 1903 “Curved Dash” Oldsmobile  sales totaled $29,914,700. Commission structure for this sale was 12% for the first $250,000, and 10% thereafter. With commissions added in for the vehicles, a total of $33,107,264 had been raised. Gooding-Christie’s did an outstanding job of researching the lots and making an excellent presentation.

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During the latter part of the 1950s, Ford was quietly developing higher-horsepower engines for the race track and for its popular passenger cars. While engineers were making sure Fords were fast, Ford stylists were kept busy designing new interiors and exteriors in which to place these new powerplants. To whet the appetites of the car-buying public, as well as stimulate their imaginations, show cars (aka concept vehicles) were an important part of the studio’s work. These exercises in creativity gave the talented designers a chance to experiment with new ideas and concepts on paper and sometimes bring their wild ideas to reality. Those experiments that became three-dimensional exercises were then used to test the general public’s reaction to the futuristic creations at auto shows around the country. 

In the early 1960s, one such car that toured the circuit was Ford’s stunning Cougar 406. This dark-green coupe was based on a modified contemporary Thunderbird chassis. In the mid 1950s, under George Walker’s reign at Ford Styling, the hottest property in the company catalog was the sporty two-seat Thunderbird. Using that car’s 102-in. wheelbase as a starting point, several concepts were toyed with for future generations of possible two-seat T-Birds. While Thunderbird was Ford’s “halo” car of the era, it was not a big profit maker, and the man in charge of the Ford Division, Robert S. McNamara, had different plans for the T-Bird. He would see it grow into a profitable four-passenger personal luxury car. 

However, one of those two-seat concepts created during the era of the early Thunderbird was shelved, then ultimately rediscovered in the early 1960s to form the starting point for Ford Motor Co.’s first Cougar. The design had been created by a talented and young 25-year-old stylist, John R. Samsen. He had joined Ford in 1952 and was soon assigned to Franklin Hershey’s team, which was working on the sporty new Thunderbird. As was the practice of the day, stylists were encouraged to explore their creative talents by being innovative in new concepts and ideas. Samsen’s smart-looking coupe exemplified mid-century modern’s use of streamlined curves with lines that were not interrupted by an over-abundance of chrome and gingerbread. One of the most striking features of Samsen’s coupe was its lift-up, gull-wing-style doors, a la the Mercedes-Benz 300SL. It was a handsome car, but with the production T-Bird’s design wrapped up, and Ford’s move to make it a four-passenger car, this handsome and modernistic design was shelved and forgotten. Samsen’s career was short-lived at Ford as he was lured away to Chrysler in 1955 where he would contribute to many of the company’s products, including the Plymouth Barracuda and Road Runner, Chrysler Imperial and numerous other projects before his retirement in 1976. 

Back in Dearborn, Ford was looking at some new ideas in which to showcase its latest mechanical achievements. By chance, the drawing for Samsen’s gull-wing coupe was rediscovered. A few modern touches were applied, such as concealed headlamps placed in the leading edge of the front fenders, and taillamps moved to the top of the quarter panels with bullet-style lenses reminiscent of those seen on the 1959 Cadillacs! The most important feature, the gull-wing door treatment, was retained, along with the panoramic wrap-around windshield and large, fastback-style back glass. The Cougar 406 coupe rode on a set of chrome-plated Kelsey-Hayes wire wheels, the same style found on the then-current Thunderbird Sports Roadster. Maintaining its low profile with a sleek stance, it presented clean lines incorporating a long hood and a short deck, with a focus on personal luxury and just a hint of aggression. Sourced directly from the 1955 Thunderbird were the steering wheel and adjustable chrome-plated steering column. Occupants sat in comfortable power-adjusted bucket seats upholstered in white leather, while the driver was presented with a trio of pods fitted with essential gauges. All other critical controls, plus the radio and ventilation operations, were in a center panel that formed a sweeping “V” design outlined and padded in white leather to match the seats. Below those controls was a 6,000-rpm tachometer, and under that gauge were two switches that opened and closed the power-operated louvered windows in the gull-wing doors. 

But what really gave the Cougar 406 its powerful personality was the 405-hp version of the new 406-cid big-block V-8. Fitted with a trio of special Holley two-barrel carburetors, this was Ford’s most potent engine in the early days of its Total Performance push. One difference between the 406 engine in the Cougar 406, as opposed to those in production full-size cars, was that this engine was backed by a Cruise-O-Matic automatic transmission. 

Cougar 406 made its debut at the 1962 Chicago Auto Show. Despite a snowstorm dropping 5 inches on opening day, the Ford booth was overwhelmed with spectators wanting to see this new car, as well as the rest of the company’s lineup. Cougar 406 would be shown at several other shows before being retired. In early 1963, the Cougar 406 found its way to the shops of California-based custom car builder Dean Jeffries, one of Hollywood’s “go to” people for creating special vehicles for film work. (Jeffries’ work included building TV’s famous “Monkeemobile.”) Jeffries applied a stunning red paint scheme to the Cougar 406, and then it was sent to the studios to appear as the “star car” driven by Jack Lemmon in the hit comedy “Under the Yum-Yum Tree.” After its appearance in this popular film, the Cougar 406 seems to have just disappeared, and as of this day, its whereabouts are still unknown. Who knows — maybe this handsome and historic coupe is still parked in some Southern California suburban garage, waiting to be discovered. 

Interested in concept cars? Here are a few more articles for your reading enjoyment.

https://www.oldcarsweekly.com/features/car-of-the-week-1958-buick-xp-75-concept

https://www.oldcarsweekly.com/features/car-week-1953-cadillac-elegante-concept-car

https://www.oldcarsweekly.com/features/xm-turnpike-cruiser-assembly-begins

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From the earliest days of automotive production, serial numbers were meant more for inventory control than to identify a certain car. Almost from the start, inventor George B. Selden held a patent on an internal combustion-engined vehicle, and went after nearly every pioneer car maker in America and demanded they pay a licensing fee on each car they built. Then came the Manufacturer’s Mutual Association (MMA), which later changed its name to the Association of Licensed Automobile Manufacturers (ALAM). Its first goal was to challenge the Selden patent, but later, when a scheme was created to share in Selden’s royalties, it became allies with Selden. Because each car meant money in someone else’s pocket, fairly accurate production records were kept on early American automotive production. Then came Henry Ford, who had amassed enough of a fortune that he was able to fight Selden’s claims and break the strangling grip that the ALAM held over the auto industry after a January 1911 court ruling.

Early Ford serial numbers

Ford Motor Co., as with other car makers, kept serial number information simple, usually with a letter to identify the model being produced, and a simple consecutive numbering system. Up into the 1940s, the primary serial number for a Ford vehicle was almost always the engine number. Starting with the 1928 Model A, the engine numbers were also stamped on the frame or chassis of the vehicles, but these numbers were hard to find with the fenders or bodies attached to the frame over the placement of the numbers. With the first V-8 automobiles in the 1930s, the engine number continued to be the main identifier, with the engine number stamped on the top face of the frame, but now they were in places where they were more visible. For collectors of early Fords, finding the serial number can be a challenge. Many a 1928-1931 Model A owner has bought a car only to find the number on the title might have been based on the engine installed by the factory, and that engine has long since disappeared. Meanwhile, the number on the frame is obscured by the body.

To help law enforcement identify stolen automobiles, the National Auto Theft Bureau published annual manuals to help identify certain models, and several volumes were produced to cover the proper registration of vehicles that had engine swaps as nearly each state has different rules and procedures.

The practice of placing the engine number on the frame continued at Ford up to the 1949 model year. Starting with the 1950 model year, a more uniform system of serial numbers was instituted at Ford, a system that made sense and may well have been the basis for the modern 17-digit “Federalized” VIN system in use today.

Ford modernizes serial numbers

For 1950, Ford passenger car serial numbers started with a letter code that identified the engine (at that time the choices were only the V-8 or the six), the model year and a two-letter code for the plant where the car was assembled, followed by a unit sequence starting with 100001. Mercury and Lincoln also used a new serial number system starting with the 1950 model year which started with the model year, the assembly plant and a unit number starting at 5001 for Lincoln and 10001 for Mercury, followed by a letter to identify the make (“M” for Mercury and “H” for Lincoln). For two years, 1956 and 1957, the letter L was used as a suffix on Lincoln automobiles.

Over at Ford, a serial number such as “B1LB123456” would indicate: B=239 cid V-8; 1=1951 model year; two letters representing the assembly plant, as with LB for Long Beach, CA; 123456=23,456th 1951 Ford scheduled for assembly at the Long Beach plant. Notice I said “scheduled for assembly,” as car serial numbers were issued when orders were received at the plant, then those orders were sent to a production scheduling department where it was decided when that vehicle could be fit into a production rotation. This meant that vehicles did not come down the assembly line in numerical order, and this can even apply to Ford vehicles with a 00001 unit number not having been the first car off the assembly line. (As an example, our research has shown that the first Edsel produced at the Los Angeles plant was actually unit #00006, with another example being the #00001 car from the Somerville, Mass., being assembled two weeks after production started.) One other example from Edsel was the #00001 car from the San Jose, Calif., plant, and while production started on July 15, 1957, this “first” car wasn’t assembled until around Oct. 21, 1957!

Those early 1951 serial number plates—or patent plates, as Ford called them—were mounted under the hood, on the firewall. Later, in the 1951 model year, the patent plate was changed and now included the exact body, factory paint color, interior soft trim and a production code that started with a scheduled assembly date code.

For 1952, these data plates were relocated for one year only to the front passenger-side door. The following model year, 1953, saw the plate moved to the driver’s door hinge pillar and a slight change to the composition of the serial number. Rather than using two letters for the assembly plant, now just one letter accomplished that. The fourth character in the serial number would now represent a body type, not the exact model. A sample number such as B3FC123456 would represent the following: B=239 cid V-8; 3=1953 model year; F=Dearborn assembly; C=Convertible body; 123456=23,456th 1953 Ford scheduled for production at Dearborn.

The body code most often seen during this period was the letter G, which represented all sedan and coupe models in the Mainline and Customline series. As more engine options became available, the first letters in Ford serial numbers had many more selections, starting with the letter A (for a base six-cylinder) and up to the letter P (usually the most powerful engine available and often reserved for Police use). In later years, even more letters would be utilized.

During the 1957 model year, the design and size of the patent plates was changed, as was the data included. While the serial number was still placed at the top of the plate, it included the same data, body, color and trim information, but the production code entry was eliminated and replaced with an actual date code entry, and for the first time, an entry for the transmission and ratio code for the rear axle were included. These later plates were put into use at different dates as Ford continued to use up existing supplies.

This 10-character system worked fairly well up to the 1959 model year. A major change was incorporated for the 1960 models in an attempt to further identify a series and exact body style by expanding the serial number to 11 characters. At this point, the serial number became referred to as the vehicle identification number, or VIN. Hence, a VIN such as 0E54Y112345 would break down as follows: 0=1960 model year; E=Mahwah, N.J., assembly plant; 54=Galaxie four-door sedan; Y=352 cid, 300-hp V-8 engine; 112345=12,345th 1960 Ford scheduled for assembly at the Mahwah plant. This composition would continue to be used on all domestically built Ford passenger cars up to and including the 1980 model year. In 1966, with trade agreements between the USA and Canada, Ford of Canada also started to use the 11-character VIN.

Both Lincoln and Mercury continued to use the same system they had instituted in 1950, which would continue up to the end of the 1957 model year. One exception was the Continental Mark II, which was considered its own division, and had a serial number composition totally unique from other Ford products during its 1956-’57 model years. In 1958, Lincoln and Mercury, as well as the new Edsel, adopted the Ford 10-character serial number composition.

With the 1960 model year, Lincoln, Mercury and the short-lived 1960 Edsel also adopted the new 11-character VIN system, and those surviving makes would also continue to use this same system up through 1980.

Location, location, location

As with earlier Fords, starting with the 1928 Model A, Ford continued to stamp an official serial number directly onto the chassis, often in several places on the top face of the frame rail. This would continue on all body-on-frame vehicles through 1962. Starting with the 1963 model year, the data plate was redesignated as a Vehicle Warranty Plate and clearly stated above the plate was “Not for Title or Registration Purposes.” Beginning that year with U.S. production, the official location of the serial number for body-on-frame models was a metal tab located on the fire wall, visible only with the hood open. On those models with uni-body construction, primarily the mid-size Fairlane and compact Falcon, the VIN had been stamped in various locations under the hood since their introduction.

In addition to the “public” or easily found “official” serial number, Ford also placed the number in concealed locations. These numbers were a help to law enforcement in dealing with stolen cars, as thieves would often alter or obliterate the official number.

Starting with the 1968 model year, a new federal mandate required car makers to place a car’s VIN in a place visible from the exterior of the car. That year, all American-made automobiles complied by placing the serial number on the driver’s side of the vehicle, usually on the dashboard, where it could be easily seen through the windshield. Ford did comply with the new rules, but put a little twist on it by placing its serial number on the passenger’s side of the vehicle. This was done for one year only, and starting in 1969, Ford moved the VIN to the driver’s side of the car where it remains more than 55 years later.

With the incorporation of the 17-digit VIN by 1981, several third parties began to track vehicles’ maintenance, accidents, title transfers and more. And unlike the period from the 1950s up to the 1970s, today’s Ford vehicles might have the serial number in up to 17 different locations.

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As American cars continued to improve and to get larger, the ”Yank Tanks” were a bit unwieldy on narrow urban British streets. Like other British car makers, Ford started to design vehicles that were more suited to the British suburban road system that were smaller in stature, were economical to own and operate, and were reliable.

At the end of World War II, Ford, like other car makers in England, was anxious to get back into production of civilian automobiles. Two prewar models, the Anglia (previously known as the Eight) and the Prefect (formerly the Ten) were put into production. While cars in the United States were becoming modern in their looks and their mechanics, those British who could afford a motorcar were happy just to get a new machine and were content with the cars’ prewar design well through the 1940s.

To raise much-needed capital in the years after the war, Ford of England started contributing to a growing export market. Primary markets were members of the Commonwealth, but a few Ford Anglias and Prefects were exported to the United States. Even in a car-hungry market, these under-powered compacts were a hard sell as American drivers wanted full-size vehicles for their postwar families. Americans also wanted more horsepower under the hoods than these British Fords could provide.

In 1950, a new English Ford Consul was introduced that featured modern and new slab-sided styling, unibody construction, heavier use of chrome trim and moldings (including a toothy vertical grille design) and a bit more power under the hood. A new overhead-valve, four–cylinder engine rated at 47 hp from its 1.5 liters offered enough pep for these cars to operate at U.S. highway speeds, and by 1953, the new Consul was being imported into the United States.

One of the most important contributions to the automotive world that the new Consul provided was the improved strut-style suspension designed and championed by Ford engineer Earle S. MacPherson. These new MacPherson struts were suited well for city driving, and also performed well on country roads. MacPherson strut-equipped Consuls became noted for their great handling and comfort in a small car package.

Ford of England really started to push its exports on U.S. drivers with the 1954 models. That year, three basic lines of British Fords were marketed in the United States, starting with the totally redesigned and all-new Anglia/Prefect series. Powered by a new overhead-valve, inline four-cylinder engine of 1172cc rated at 36 hp, the Anglia and Prefect were adequate for around-town driving. The Anglia was offered as a two-door sedan while the Prefect came as a four-door sedan. For 1956, the 100E Series was introduced on the Anglia and Prefect, and both models were offered in Standard and Deluxe versions. There was also the addition of a pair of station wagons, the base Escort and the deluxe Squire. As with U.S.-built Fords, the Squire feature faux wood side trim and a bit more bright trim and interior appointments. These models continued basically unchanged until 1959, when only the Deluxe trim was offered for the Anglia and Prefect; both station wagons were retained.

Joining the Anglia/Prefect in 1954 was the slightly larger Consul Mark I series. As with the lower-priced Anglia/Prefect, it also featured slab-side design as well as unibody construction. For those who liked sunshine, the Consul was offered as a convertible to accompany the four-door sedan. Priced at around $1,920, the Consul was among the lowest-priced convertibles available in the United States. This series employed the 47-hp,1.5-liter inline OHV four. Minor updates and trim variations continued for 1955 and 1956, with the Mark II series introduced mid 1956. Offered as the Series 204E, these models had updated styling and a 1.7-liter four that was now rated at 59 hp, giving it more power to keep up with most American cars. Both the four-door sedan and the convertible continued with the Mark II models, which would continue to be produced into the early 1960s.

For the top-of-the line experience in British Fords, the 1954 Zephyr Mark I was brought to America. A bit larger than the Consul and powered by a 68-hp inline six, the four-door sedan was about as luxurious as a British car owner could hope for, and for those with a flair for the dashing and sporty, a convertible was also offered. Where the Anglia and Consul both featured front grilles that were rectangular, the Zephyr stood out with its raised center section. Prices started at just under $1,900 for the four-door sedan, pricier than the domestic Ford Customline sedan with a six, while the convertible was tagged at $2,265, about $100 more than the base price of a full-size Ford Sunliner convertible!

In 1955, an upgraded trim package marketed as the Zodiac was introduced and added about $210 to the price of the base Zephyr sedan. For this extra money, the customer would receive a bit more chrome trim, upgraded fabrics, more sound deadener and some snazzy two-tone combinations. During the 1956 model year, Zephyr introduced its improved Mark II models as Series 206E. With an improved six-cylinder engine rated at 86 hp and displacing 2552cc, these cars were actually quite powerful and competitive on American roadways. Base models still carried the Zephyr nameplate with the deluxe Zodiacs being quite popular, despite price increases in 1957. That year, the Zodiac convertible’s port-of-entry (P.O.E.) price was set at $2,910, considerably more than a V-8-equipped domestic Fairlane 500 Sunliner convertible.

A concerted effort to market British Fords primarily through select Mercury dealerships was launched in late 1957. In January 1958, the recently launched (and failing) Edsel Division was merged with the existing Lincoln-Mercury corporate body, thus creating the M-E-L Division of Ford Motor Co. Under this umbrella, Ford placed its European automotive product sales, marketing, and service teams that would include the Anglia, Consul and Zephyr lines, as well as the popular Taunus models produced by Ford of Germany.

With few exceptions, sales of the British Fords barely registered in the overall U.S. sales race. During 1958, which was a generally dismal year in U.S. automotive sales, Mercury sales people often touted “Made in America” in press releases and published statements, rankling those dealers trying to sell British-built Fords.

Imports were gaining favor with American car buyers during the late 1950s. The 1957 import totals reported by “Ward’s Automotive Yearbook” totaled 259,343 units while the same sourced reported that 1958 saw that number jump by more than 60 percent to 430,808! Import sales continued to increase during the prosperous 1959 calendar year with growth by more than 64 percent to a whopping 668,070 cars!

During this time period, other British makes, particularly sports cars from Jaguar and Triumph and MG, were making successful inroads to the American car scene. Meanwhile, more pedestrian European makes such as Renault, Mercedes-Benz, Fiat and Opel were also making their mark on American roads. Of course, the king of the imports during the late 1950s and 1960s was a little wonder called Volkswagen. Still, Ford of England continued to produce proven models that found popularity in the home market as well as other nations in the British Commonwealth, such as Canada, Australia and New Zealand. 

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A little more than 65 years ago, in the Spring of 1968, Ford Motor Co.’s Lincoln Division released the Lincoln Continental Mark III for 1969. Unlike its namesake released a decade earlier, this Mark III reflected the styling quality that the handsome Continental Mark II had presented when unveiled in the fall of 1955, but on a bit more economical scale. It was indeed a continuation of the personal luxury car theme.

During the 1960s, Lincoln automobiles were assembled at only one location, the modern Wixom facility in Michigan. From the time it opened in the fall of 1957 up into the 1960s, only full-size uni-body vehicles had been assembled there. This included the 1958-and-newer Ford Thunderbird coupes and convertibles and all Lincolns, whether a Capri, Premiere or Continental Mark III model. In 1961, all Lincolns were marketed as Continentals (without the Mark designation) and were offered only in four-door sedan and convertible-sedan models. These Wixom-built Thunderbirds and Lincolns shared many engineering traits, and the quality of the build at Wixom for both was the best in the industry.

Looking to expand Lincoln market penetration, a two-door hardtop version of the slab-sided Lincoln Continental was released for the 1966 model year. While this new model did boost overall sales figures for Lincoln by 36% over 1965’s figures, Lincoln’s total sales of 54,755 units still lagged far behind Cadillac’s more than 196,000 total for that selling season.

Ford Vice-President of the Car and Truck Group, Lee Iacocca, wanted that to change. For 1967, the Ford Thunderbird had been completely redesigned and returned to body-on-frame construction. With Thunderbird’s redesign came a four-door version for the first time. According to reports of the day, Iacocca directed Gene Bordinat, Ford Motor Co.’s Vice-President of Design, to create a Lincoln based on the new Thunderbird platform, and to “put a Rolls-Royce grille” on it. To get the proper proportions for this new model, Bordinat’s team started with Thunderbird’s longer four-door chassis, then essentially mounted a two-door hardtop body a bit farther back on the frame. This resulted in a design that closely matched the proportions of the Continental Mark II. Helping shave off thousands of dollars of development expenses, the team either used or adapted numerous existing Thunderbird parts wherever possible. Yet from the exterior, there was no family resemblance between the two brands, and both models appealed to a new breed of upscale customer shopping in the luxury car market.

While the 1956-’57 Continental Mark IIs had been effectively hand assembled, this new Mark III would be an assembly-line product, instilled with the same famous built-in quality of preceding Wixom-assembled Lincolns and Thunderbirds. After all, the official parade vehicle for the president of the United States was still a Lincoln, despite the tragedy in November 1963!

When placed on sale in April 1968, response to the new Continental Mark III was immediately successful, placing another feather in Iacocca’s cap following his previous success with the Ford Mustang.

A car’s front-end design is what most people see when looking at a car, and the Rolls-like grille on the Mark III was similar enough to draw comparisons, but different enough to keep Lincoln’s legal team from having to defend design infringement concerns. Ford Motor Co. didn’t skimp on the quality of the car, and that extended to the new Continental Mark III grille. This part was built as a high-quality, chrome-plated die-cast piece. At the peak of the grille was the elegant Continental four-point star rather than the Rolls-Royce winged “Spirit of Ecstasy.” Reportedly, this Continental grille alone cost about $200 each to manufacture, a pretty hefty price, but well worth the expense.

The new Continental Mark III also presented instantly noticeable modern features such as hide-away headlamps, a low silhouette, integrated wrap-around taillamps, open wheel wells and limited use of side trim and ornamentation.

Overall, the all-new Mark III carried on the tradition of past Continentals, and in the smartest of modern fashion. Offered only as a two-door hardtop, just like the Mark II, the Mark III’s long hood, compact passenger compartment and short deck lid design exemplified the ideal of a “personal” car of the present and the past. Adding to the exclusivity of the Mark III were its wide sail panels at the rear of the greenhouse that concealed back seat passengers and added a bit of mystique, much like the original Continental coupes of the 1940s and the 1956-’57 Continental Mark II coupe. There was even a simulated spare tire hump on the Mark III to complete the car’s ancestry.

For its first season, the Continental Mark III was offered in one of 21 different exterior colors, and came standard with six different and sumptuous interiors that featured pleated and overstuffed nylon tricot fabrics. Deep-pile carpeting greeted occupants on the floor and the lower portions of the door panels. Simulated wood trim was offered in a choice of English Oak or Indian Rosewood, which was applied to the instrument panel, steering wheel center and door panels. In addition to being visually pleasing as well as very comfortable, all the padding absorbed outside road noise, providing one of the quietest rides ever in a production automobile. For those who sought out a bit more prestige, leather-vinyl interiors were optionally available in nine different selections, each offering “sitting parlor comfort” for the well-pampered occupants of the Mark III.

Drivers knew they were in command of a brilliant machine by the instrument panel, which was equipped with a full array of gauges for oil pressure, fuel level, engine temperature and electrical systems, plus an electric clock.

Power was provided by the 460-cid Lincoln V-8 engine rated at 365 hp with 500 lb.-ft. of torque backed by the Select-Shift automatic transmission. Standard features included power steering, a dual power brake system with discs up front and heavy-duty drums to the rear, “Silent Strut” front suspension with coil springs, 64-in.-long rear leaf springs and all-around hydraulic shock absorbers, providing a silky-smooth ride on the 8.55×15-in. radial tires.

Creature comforts included individually adjustable front seats, front and rear seat armrests, power windows, flow-through ventilation and a host of warning lamps that warned of a door or the deck lid being ajar or a burnt-out taillamp. While an electric clock was standard, after the Mark III’s introduction, an upscale clock by Cartier was offered as an option. Other accessories included automatic temperature control, a tilt steering wheel, several sound systems including an 8-track tape player, plus several other items. At the start of production in the spring of 1968, the vinyl roof was listed as an option, but became a standard feature shortly after introduction. In the fall of 1968, a letter was issued to Lincoln dealers stating that Mark IIIs “were not” to be order without vinyl tops!

Lincoln pointed out that the Mark III was designed with safety in mind, with each car built with passenger seat belts plus shoulder harnesses, extra padding and an energy-absorbing steering wheel and column. Also touted was the Continental’s “controlled crush” front design that would collapse in stages should a front-end accident occur, plus a perimeter frame that provided solid body-side support.

Some period motorist magazines panned the Continental Mark III. One stated it “doesn’t quite turn you on” while another simply called it a “disappointment.” However, the buying public seemed to think differently. Introduced as a 1969 model in April 1968, a total of 7,770 Mark III coupes were produced before the Wixon plant shut down in mid-July 1968 for the switch over to the 1969 model year for both the regular Lincolns as well as the Thunderbird. During this change, a few improvements were made to the Mark III and when 1969 model-year production resumed in mid-August 1968, keeping up with Continental Mark III demand was job number one at Wixom. (To help relieve some of the production burden, Ford switched some production of the Thunderbird from Wixom to its Los Angeles assembly facility in Pico Rivera.)

Lincoln priced the new Mark III around the $7,500 mark for the 1969 model year, which was on a par with the Cadillac Eldorado. However, prices sharply rose to about $8,500 for the 1970 model, making it about $500 more than the Eldorado hardtop’s base price.

The Continental Mark III took a few sales away from the traditional Lincoln two-door coupes for 1969, though this impact was minimal. There was also a slight dip in Cadillac Eldorado sales for 1969 compared to 1968. Iaccoca ultimately surpassed his best expectations for the Mark III as Continental coupe sales almost matched the Eldorado totals that year, coming in with a production of 23,088 cars produced after July 1968 compared to 23,333 Eldorados—a spread of fewer than 250 units!

Lincoln would continue Continental Mark III production through the 1971 model year when it was superseded by the Mark IV for the 1972 model year.

In 1958, Ford pioneered a four-passenger personal luxury car for the masses with the introduction of the “Square” Thunderbird for 1958. Ten years later, it stepped up its game and took on its main competitor, showing the automotive world that Lincoln was every bit of what a luxury car should be. 

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One of the first areas of interest I had with Ford Motor Co. was its parts numbering system. Starting with the 1928 Model A, a system was created that divided each area of the vehicle (both cars and trucks) into sections, eventually growing into sub-sections and even sub-sub-sections. Then, with a pattern of prefixes, one could tell when these parts were first put into production. Next was a suffix that would narrow down the exact application and, for really specific items (such as soft trim and the like), a secondary suffix could be employed.

Developed in the late 1920s, this basic part numbering system is still in use today, and skilled Ford parts people can tell at a glance just what and where a certain part fits using the part number. Try as I might, I have looked at both General Motors and Chrysler Corp. part numbers and, while fans of those cars might know a specific part number or a series of them, finding a part number they are not familiar with will send them running to parts books. Meanwhile, a Ford parts person will have a good, basic idea of what they are holding in their hands by the code on the box.

Ford Motor Co. part numbers are broken down into three specific sections. Starting with the Model A, the prefix indicates the basic vehicles to which the part applies. For the Model A, just the letter “A” would precede the basic part number, such as that for a dash-mounted ampere gauge or meter which would have the basic part number of A-10850, so the suffix “A” would be self-explanatory. However, if the part had a variation, another code was needed for that part variation. With the amp gauge, a suffix of “A” behind the basic part number would be all that was needed to denote the variation of the amp gauge, and for the first variation of the amp gauge, the part number would become A-10850-A.

Another part that had variations was the Model A steering wheel, basic part number 3600. Ford’s steering wheel variations included those with different center splines (seven-tooth versus two-tooth), a polished black finish versus a polished red finish, and other applications. A basic four-spoke Model A steering wheel with the red finish variation would have the number A-3600-A, while the next generation, say with a black finish, would have a part number of A-3600-B. The “B” suffix did not represent “black,” just that this was the next variation of the steering wheel. If the center attaching hub of the steering wheel went from a seven-tooth spline to a two-tooth spline, then a secondary suffix, such as A-3600-B1, could be used. When in 1932 the Model B was released, part numbers referring to those parts started with a “B” prefix.

The Ford Model A engine had more than 70 running changes between 1928 and 1931, and despite looking very similar on the outside, the Model B four-cylinder engine was a completely different animal than the preceding Model A four-cylinder. 1932 also saw the release of Ford’s first monobloc V-8 engines, and part numbers related to these engines and their parts were given the prefix of “18,” which we have always assumed was the “first” generation of the V-8. Through the 1930s, new models received new prefixes, and sometimes it is a bit confusing, but Ford Motor Co. did have a logical system of usually showing the year followed by the model application, followed by the basic part number and suffix.

Part Numbers in the 1950s

During the 1950s, a new system went into effect for the prefix identifying the initial model year of use and designated models. This system was revised again during the 1959 model year. During the 1950s, and applied to a number of parts from the 1940s, the first character in the prefix would indicate the decade (A = 1940s, B = 1950s, C = 1960s, D = 1970s, etc.). This method was used up into the early 2000s. The second character, a number, would indicate the exact model year. A third character, usually a letter, would indicate the model application for which the part was designed, and the fourth character designated which engineering department would be responsible for design and distribution. For example, a part number “C0AZ” would indicate a part for the full-sized 1960 Ford, while “C0DZ” would indicate the part was designed for use on the new 1960 Falcon line. Later in the 1960s, a prefix such as C5AZ would indicate an item for the full-size 1965 Fords (Customs, Galaxies, station wagons), with C5OZ representing the 1965 Fairlane, and C5ZZ for the hot-selling new Mustangs. When the 1970s appeared, D1ZZ would represent a 1971 Mustang part while D1SZ would represent a 1971 Thunderbird part.

Throughout the years, the basic part number divisions have remained constant within Ford Motor Co., and this system is used pretty much throughout the company on a world-wide basis. Learning the Ford system of parts numbering is a must for the dedicated Ford restorer or fan.

Guide to Ford Part Numbers

Basic Prefix Codes

First character represents the decade that the part was first used:

A=1940s; B=1950s; C=1960s; D =1970s; E=1980s; F=1990s.

Second character represents the year within the decade:

Examples: B9=1959; C3=1963, D4=1974, E5=1985, etc.

Third character presents the basic model for which the part was designed. Note that when the same part designed for a certain model was used on another model, the original part number was used. An example is 1959 Edsel parking lamp lenses, which were also used for the 1960-1962 Comets. However, the Comet’s rubber housing for the otherwise-identical parking lamps had Comet-specific numbers due to the different length of connecting wires.

(Partial Listing)

A=Full-Size Fords

D=Falcon

E=Edsel (1958-1959)

G=Comet (1961-1967)

K=Edsel (1959-1960), Comet (1960)

L=Lincoln

M=Full-Size Mercury

O=Fairlane/Torino

S=Thunderbird

W=Cougar

Z=Mustang

A fourth character was added to the part number prefix during the 1959 model year. This indicates which engineering department was responsible for this part’s use and distribution channels.

Common 4th character codes include:

A=Chassis-related parts

B=Body-related parts (sheet metal)

E=Engine-related parts

F=Engine accessories such as fans, brackets, water and fuel pumps, etc.

Y=Lincoln- and Mercury-specific designs and applications

Z=Ford-specific designs and applications

(Note: Primarily with body part numbers, a secondary prefix in front of the basic part number might indicate a specific body type the item was design for. However, this part may have applications for other models, such as a Code 70 representing a two-door sedan, but also used in the Type 64 two-door hardtop, Type 76 convertible or even the Type 59 two-door station wagon!)

More Notes on Part Numbers

The “Basic” part numbers are arranged into about 50 different sections for the chassis-related parts including wheels, brakes, suspension, drive-line, chassis, radiator, engine, transmission, etc. Body parts have about 10 distinctive areas of concern and apply to sheet metal and related parts from the firewall rearward, such as doors, floors, instrument panels, glass, roofs and deck lids. Front fenders and the hood, while being sheet metal parts, are considered part of the chassis and are included in those sections.

As new parts were developed and placed into a specific production area, expanded basic part numbers were put into the system. One example is basic part number 3528, a steering column seal kit, and then the release of a power steering cylinder boot which received an expanded number of 3C528!

One brilliant idea with the Ford parts numbering system is being able to tell the difference between the two sides of a car. Items for the left or driver’s side have the basic part number end with an odd number, and for the right or passenger side, they end with an even number. An example would be a front door with 20124 for the passenger side and 20125 for the driver’s side.

There are numerous other tips and tricks that a person familiar with Ford Motor Co. part numbers can pick up over the years, such as being able to distinguish between engineering numbers, often found on metal castings, and the actual part number found in catalogs and referenced in maintenance manuals. So effective has been the Ford system that several companies based outside the United States have developed similar programs, such as Daimler-Benz from Germany and Nissan Motors from Japan. Numbers are important in restorations, and not only serial numbers, but those interesting numbers found on individual parts. 

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In Ford Motor Co.’s early years, it faced the need for quick expansion, and the greater manufacturing capabilities required by the strong demand for its automobiles. It all began with humble beginnings at the Mack Avenue Plant in Detroit, then grew to Ford’s first purpose-built assembly facility, the Piquette Avenue Plant, also in Detroit. As those first Model Ts starting rolling out of the three-story Piquette plant’s doors in the fall of 1908, orders were pouring in so fast that it was impossible to keep up with demand in what quickly became cramped quarters. Ford soon turned to the talents of architect Albert Kahn, who was charged with designing the spacious and efficient new Highland Park Ford Plant in Highland Park, Mich., where full production of the “Tin Lizzie” could be accomplished. In the early fall of 1910, the dream came to life and Ford was able to meet customer demand by producing more than 1,000 cars a day at Highland Park!

The Highland Park Ford Plant was more than just an assembly plant. There, Kahn created the latest in office design with plenty of room for executives, accounting, production control and engineering. This massive facility also had its own power plant, a foundry and, of course, room for the moving production line. Through the innovative use of using windows rather than walls for the sides of the plant, as well as plenty of skylights, workers during the day could easily see what they were doing and help meet those production schedules. The spacious and well-laid-out assembly line also reduced the time required to build a Model T from 728 minutes to just 93 minutes, start to finish. This savings in time reduced Ford’s costs and allowed the company to drop the cars’ prices by 50 percent between 1912 and 1916.

In the late 1910s, work on the massive new Ford River Rouge complex had begun in nearby Dearborn. This facility would eclipse any other car maker’s assembly plant. There, Ford Motor Co. could go from raw materials to completed vehicles in one centralized location, and all under Ford’s direct control. One of the first vehicles to be produced at “The Rouge,” as it became known, was the famous Fordson tractor that would gain as much fame in the agricultural world as Ford’s Model T had in the motor-vehicle trade. As more of the Rouge complex was completed, it was decided that passenger car and truck production would work better at this larger facility. During the latter part of the 1920s, Ford moved car production to The Rouge and shifted other sub-assembly production work (such as trim components) to Highland Park. The last United States-built Fordson tractor would leave The Rouge in 1928, while production continued on these machines in Ford’s Cork, Ireland, and Dagenham, London, plants through the end of World War II.

Back in Dearborn, Henry Ford was developing a completely new small tractor design, one that would revolutionize the industry. Working with Harry Ferguson, whose new three-point Duplex Hitch system was perfectly suited for this new machine, the new Ford 9N tractor was born out of Highland Park. This combination of two companies working together would usher in a new era for agriculture in America and the world, and would make the two companies powerhouses in a field that both Ferguson and Ford had wished to help from their earliest days.

Powered by a Ford-designed 120-cid four-cylinder engine, the 9N was rated for 22 hp at 1,500 rpm and provided plenty of torque to power the little machine, as well as to energize the hydraulic equipment required to operate the numerous Ferguson- designed attachments. One of Ford’s most important innovations was to cast the cylinder block, crankcase and flywheel housing as one piece. Using removable sleeves for the cylinders would be a money saver for future maintenance, too. Fuel was delivered from the tank mounted above the engine to the sealed updraft carburetor via gravity. Keeping the engine cool were water jackets designed around each cylinder to provide even expansion and cooling, a lesson learned from passenger car production.

The Ford 9N tractor, as with many other Ford products, saw running changes, such as the alteration in 1941 of the radiator grille bars going from a horizontal design to a more efficient vertical style. Other little items included the use of hinged fuel and radiator caps that replaced the snap-on styles used in the first year.

In 1942, the improved “2N” models were released, which incorporated many of the improvements seen during the 9N’s production run, as well as additional improvements to steering, much-needed electrical system updates, and replacement of a one-piece axle-and-hub assembly with a two-piece unit, which was a direct response to complaints about breakage in the field under heavy loads.

Another benefit for both tractors came from the Funk Aviation Corp. of Coffeyville, Kan. It offered conversion kits to upgrade these tractors to either Ford’s inline L-head six-cylinder engine or the famous Flathead V-8. As with the Model T, other aftermarket companies jumped on the component bandwagon, offering power-take-off units for everything from buzz saws to post-hole diggers to mill-wheels. To make life a bit more comfortable in inclement weather, the Fort Wayne, Ind.-based Tokheim Oil Tank and Pump Co. created an enclosed cabin to be mounted to these popular tractors. Supplier Gledhill Road Machinery created a complete road-roller setup using the versatile Ford machines as its heartbeat.

In 1946, with new leadership at Ford, the Ford-Ferguson agreement was dissolved. In July 1947, the 8N tractor line was introduced as a greatly improved version of the 2N. Along with it a new line of farming equipment produced and manufactured by Ford Motor Co. and sold under the new “Dearborn” brand was introduced. (Ferguson would go on to create its own version of the 8N tractor and market it as the TO-20, eventually merging with another firm to form the Massey-Ferguson Co.)

The new 8N was very well received and kept the assembly lines rolling at Highland Park. This new 8N was at home not only on the farm, but in thousands of other light industrial applications, making Ford’s Tractor Division a very profitable organization. Further improvements continued with the release of the Model NAA, which was marketed during Ford’s Golden Jubilee in 1953. Along with this model, the Dearborn line of accessories expanded to include scoops, spreaders, saws, blades, loaders, rakes, mowers and many other useful tools, all powered by Ford tractors.

Ford Motor Co. introduced the “Hundred” series in 1955, which offered four different lines ranging from light to heavy duty. In the 1970s, Ford sold off its tractor division, but Highland Park continued to play an important role with Ford. Ford truck production had started there in the early 1950s and included everything from pickups to bus chassis to large commercial rigs. Also taking place at the massive facility from the 1930s to the 1960s was the construction of soft trim assemblies for other Ford assembly plants across the nation.

Highland Park was one of the largest automotive concerns and a proud member of the Ford family of fine factories. By the 1970s, the Highland Park facility had grown to 20 structures with more than 3 million square feet of space. Called the “Crystal Palace of Detroit” due to Kahn’s extensive use of windows to provide natural lighting, it was a monument to “form meeting a needed function.” Highland Park was the true birthplace of the moving assembly line and, at one point, more than 70,000 people were employed by Ford at this facility alone.

In 1981, Ford sold the Highland Park plant, but to this day, it continues to lease several buildings for parts storage and some long-range developmental work. An historic part of Detroit, and Ford’s long history, it is a treasure trove of automotive history.  

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Hudson famously advertised that it was time to step up to a “step down” Hudson when it advertised the first of its all-new postwar automobiles for 1948. Today, we use terms such as “bulbous” or “rolling bathtubs” to describe the Hudson’s smooth, “step down” styling. However, when the new Hudsons hit the market, these cars were considered sleek streamliners that exemplified the modern automobile.

The new Hudson’s design was credited to chief stylist Frank Springs, and his design was compared to many of the custom cars of the day — the chop-top lead sleds coming out of West Coast shops, such as that of the Barris Brothers.

“Step down” wasn’t just an advertising line, as occupants actually stepped down into the lap of Hudson luxury and its recessed floor pans that cradled passengers, surrounding them with a new, all-encompassing frame. Hudson coined the phrase “monobuilt” to describe its new processes, and these new Hudsons were quiet, comfortable, easy to drive and, for the day, quite powerful.

As a bonus, these new cars were quite agile on early stock car racetracks, and in the early 1950s, Hudson took more wins than any other manufacturer with legendary pilots Herb Thomas and Marshall Teague behind the wheel. This was an era when stock cars were regular production vehicles that had only been slightly modified. So close to stock were these stock cars that they were often driven to the tracks where they competed.

The incredible shrunken Hudson

Hudson was proud of its new “Step-Down Zone,” as the company referred to it, and in the spring of that year, announced to dealers that a 1/16th scale “demonstrator” model car would be available. Precision engineered and detailed, these sedans were patterned after Hudson’s higher-priced Commodore series. According to factory numbers, the run was to be limited to 20,000 units, but it is believed more were actually produced. Car makers had been working with several toy makers as early as the 1930s to create miniature replicas of their automobiles. Dealers used these models to demonstrate a vehicle’s styling cues and colors. The miniatures could double as a sales tool, and as a promotional give-away item. Admirers of these miniature motorcars started to collect them, and it’s a hobby that remains strong today.

Materials such as molded rubber or slush-molded metal miniatures were most popular for these promotional models. After the war, a better quality of die-cast was used, and one upstart company from Michigan — Aluminum Model Toys — came along and created a fairly well-detailed 1948 Ford in cast-aluminum. The following year, AMT switched to injection-molded plastic and produced accurate models in a rainbow of colors.

Unlike other car makers that sourced out the creation of their miniature cars, Hudson created its own in-house models. With advances in plastic, Hudson oversaw the creation of the molds and injection process. A special production line was set up right in Hudson’s Detroit assembly plant where hand-selected workers, mostly women, worked meticulously on the intricate parts. The final products were a fleet of handsome Hudsons recreated in 1/16th scale that were as attractive and impressive as the full-size cars. A recently discovered set of photographs unveiled the secrets of the production of these highly sought-after Hudson collectibles.

Creating a scaled-down ‘step down’

To create the miniature Hudsons, their chassis components — including the frame and floorboards — were cast in several pieces of colored plastic that were glued together. To the scale chassis, Hudson workers added the front suspension and a rear axle, plus four whitewall tires on each wheel. Each wheel was adorned with a silver-painted hubcap, complete with a red triangle in the center. From another corner in the plant, model bodies were molded in clear plastic, and after each body was cleaned and trimmed, a special painting process was used. The models were available in two basic colors: two-tones of green and two-tones of red. Some of the cars had only the left side of their bodies painted, which allowed dealers to show, in miniature, just how roomy and comfortable the “Step-Down Zone” sedans were.

After a model’s chassis was completed, front and rear seats, also molded in clear plastic, were attached to the chassis, followed by the careful attachment of the main body.

Another part of the assembly process was the buildup of the model’s front clip. The hood and fenders were molded as a single unit and painted to match the body colors. The front grille and headlamps were highlighted in argent paint, while a chrome front bumper was attached to the assembly. These were painted the same color as the body of the model car. No engine or transmission was included with the model, which may have disappointed some collectors, but the lack of engine allowed dealers to further demonstrate the advantages of Hudson’s “step down” design. Front clips were then snapped into place on the cars so they could be removed when being shown to customers.

Once the completed car was inspected and any errors corrected, they continued down an assembly line to the packing-and-shipping department where each car was individually wrapped in tissue and placed into a specially marked cardboard box that told everyone that the new miniature models of the “new Hudsons” had arrived. These boxes were packed six to a case.

Model cars were rationed; small dealerships were allowed to purchase two of these cars, while larger dealerships could order up to five. At a substantial cost of $4.95 each, these were not cheap, but to help sell a new Hudson at about $2,400 per car, the models were a bargain. 

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Perhaps no other car maker in the world has the “family feel” of Ford. After all, it is the largest and oldest company on the planet in which members of the founding family are still involved with the direction of the company. Today, the Ford family is represented on Ford Motor Co.’s board of directors by Henry Ford III, great-great grandson of company founder Henry Ford.

Heritage has long been keen to Ford Motor Co. and Ford family members, as exemplified by several landmark Ford vehicles that were revived as retro-styled prototypes in the 1990s — some of which became production vehicles.

Design Chief Jack Telnack created a retro-concept Thunderbird that was unveiled at the 1999 North American Auto Show. Under his successor, J Mays, the design would be adapted into a production car built from 2002 to 2005. Today, examples from the last generation of Thunderbird are sought-after collector cars.

Mays also reached back to Ford’s 1960s “Total Performance” era by overseeing construction of the prototype GT-90, described as the “spiritual successor to the GT-40.” Calling on the talents of Camilo Pardo, Mays appointed him as the chief designer of the subsequent, production-ready Ford GT. Pardo’s Ford GT design was a blend of the original GT-40 and the GT-90 prototype, each a car with excellent proportions for mid-engine sports coupes. The Ford GT-40 and GT are effectively street-legal race cars that captured the motor world’s attention and helped spawned dozens of competitors.

With the retro-craze taking hold in the industry, J Mays went to his design staff with another idea: to reach back to the car that some consider the best Ford design of all time, the 1949 Ford. Interest in the “shoebox” era of Fords was at an all-time high in the 1990s. When the “shoebox” Ford was introduced in June 1948, Ford touted its “dream-car silhouette” as revolutionary, promoting its “long, low graceful lines that invite envious glances” and its “mid-ship” ride. Not only was the slab-sided sheet metal a trend-setting advancement in automotive design, Ford was the only car in the “low-price” field to offer a choice of an inline six or a power V-8 engine for 1949. Combined with a better ride due to independent front suspension, greater driver and passenger visibility, plus attractive use of chrome trim, Ford saw its market share dramatically increase with the 1949 Ford. And, for the first time in many years, black ink replaced red ink in Ford’s profit column.

J Mays named the retro-styled project the “Forty Niner” and reached outside the company walls to design it, bringing on Chip Foose, a rising star among a new breed of stylists. As a graduate of the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Calif., Foose’s thesis project had directly led to the creation of the Plymouth Prowler. Brought in as a consultant, Foose went to work to soften and smooth the original “shoebox” design. Foose drew on the original’s long, low appearance provided by the slab-sided design. Presenting a “hyper-smooth” look, a minimum of chrome was used, which resulted in the elimination of the 1949 Ford’s trademark bullet front grille. Thin-line, wrap-around taillamps alluded to the original design, with sensuously delightful curves capturing the essence of the original design. Vintage-type round headlamps mounted in peaked fenders also recalled the 1949 Ford in Foose’s modern transformation.

Created to be displayed as both a chopped-top coupe and convertible, the Forty Niner was powered by a 245-hp, 3.9-liter V-8 engine backed with a five-speed automatic transmission, the same basic powertrain that would motivate the retro-Thunderbird. It is interesting to note that the engine in the Forty Niner had about the same displacement as the 1949’s flathead V-8.

Unveiled during the North American International Auto Show in Detroit during January 2001, it won rave reviews and spawned rumors that it might be headed to production. These rumors were fueled a bit by Ford’s then-CFO, Martin Inglis, who stated, “It is quite feasible to do it, if we so desire.”

After the Forty Niner was retired from the show circuit, the coupe was offered for sale at auction in Monterey, Calif., in August 2010, where it was hammered sold at $61,000 and joined the Wayne Davis collection. It was later offered at auction in Kissimmee, Fla., in January 2019, after which it came to current owner Dan Drummond, of Indiana.

It is one show car that might have had limited success as a production car, but one that makes a stand-out centerpiece to any collection. Today, it is kept in a beautiful climate-controlled arcade filled with this dedicated collector’s vast collection.

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