From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 1941 Ford
1941 Ford
Ford causing confusion for mechanics. Other variations were:
two different positions for the generator, and three for
the cooling fan — front of the crankshaft, front of the
generator (rare) and on a bracket. This is thought to be
the first Ford to offer an oil filter. There were two inte-
rior heaters: a "Southwind" gasoline burner, which had
the advantage of keeping you warm in winter at drive-in
movies (provided you added a small electric fuel pump),
and a more ordinary hot-water type. Both had window
defrosters. It had an excellent radio, which could con-
sume the battery in about 2 hours. Electric windshield
wipers were available in addition to the vacuum-pow-
ered wipers. There were three different convertible pow-
Manufacturer Ford Motor Company er top mechanisms (vacuum, electric screw, and hy-
Production 1941–1948 draulic), and two different header bar latching systems.
Rear suspensions sometimes had a sway bar, most did
Predecessor 1937 Ford
not. It had excellent brakes for the era, and the best han-
Successor 1949 Ford dling of an ordinary car at the time. It was a very transi-
tional car.
Class Full-size Ford
The two previous Ford car lines, standard and De
Body style 2-door coupe Luxe, had blossomed into three, Special, De Luxe, and
2-door convertible Super De Luxe. This time, the entry-level 136 CID (2.2 L)
2-door pickup truck
V8 was deleted in favor of a new 226 CID (3.7 L) L-head
2-door sedan
4-door sedan straight-6, the first Ford six since the failed 1906 Model
4-door station wagon K. The popular 221 CID (3.6 L) V8 remained as the top-
line engine and was standard in De Luxe models. Both en-
Layout FR layout
gines were rated at 90 hp. The 239 CID engine, introduced
Engine 226 CID (3.7 L) 90 hp L-head I6[1] in 1939 for Mercury and Trucks, was continued in the
221 CID (3.6 L) Flathead V8 Mercury Models. The chassis was longer, with a 114 in
239 CID (3.9 L) Flathead V8
(2896 mm) wheelbase.
Wheelbase 114 in (2896 mm) The "ignition key" for these cars was actually used
to operate a bolt lock which, on one end, unlocked the
Length 194.3 in (4935 mm)
steering column (a feature destined to return, mandated,
decades later), and on the other end unblocked the igni-
1941,
The Ford car was thoroughly updated in 1941 in prepa-
tion switch, allowing it to be operated. Starting the car
ration for a time of unpredictability surrounding World
was then accomplished by pressing a pushbutton on the
War II. The 1941 design would continue in an aborted
dashboard, another feature destined to return with the
1942 model year and would be restarted in 1946 and pro-
advent of "smart keys."
duced until the more modern 1949 Fords were ready.
Although starting cranks had been replaced by elec-
During the initial year of this car, it evolved considerably.
tric starters for decades, Ford cars included a manual
The front fenders came in three pieces, the theory being
starting feature until 1948 as an antidote to dead-battery
that small damage could be replaced easily. During the
syndrome. The wheel-lug wrench served as a handle (also
year, it evolved into 2 pieces with the lower front and
for the jack) and the jack shaft with bayonet-coupling
back sections being joined. The hood risers changed, the
pins could be inserted through a small hole in the grille
early ones being the same as 1940 Fords, changing during
to engage a bayonet socket on the forward end of the en-
the year to the better later version. In the 1941 Convert-
gine crankshaft. A quick-and-easy twist of the handle was
ible, there were no rear side windows, the only side win-
sufficient to start the flat head V8, and the bayonet cou-
dows being in the doors, in 1942, quarter windows were
pling was self-disengaging for safety.
added so the rear occupants could see out. There were
five different coil/distributor arrangements during 1941,
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 1941 Ford
1941 the grill and headlights. Tail lights were enlarged and
moved from vertical to horizontal. the frame was low-
ered and softer springs were used to improve the ride.
The dashboard was changed, moving the radio from the
top of the dash to low down, and the linear speedometer
and clock were replaced with round ones. The radio had
an optional floor button so you could change preselected
stations without moving your hands. War rationing re-
quired auto makers to black out their chrome trim, and
a special four-door model was produced with no chrome
at all for military use. The pickup received new styling as
well, with heavy vertical bars, and truck production last-
ed through March 3.
It is certain that 1942-style Ford cars continued to be
produced as military staff cars from March 1942 through
summer 1945. These would have been registered as 1942,
1943, 1944, and 1945 models. Additionally, a large num-
ber of 1942 (and a few 1941) cars held in dealer stocks by
1941 Ford Super Deluxe Coupe government edict, to be doled out to essential users dur-
ing the conflict, were Fords. Some states titled cars by the
Fords for 1941 were much more modern with a wide year of sale, so it is possible to find 1943, 1944, and 1945
body that nearly covered the running boards. The front models by virtue of their registrations and titles.
and rear fenders were still pronounced, but were now
integrated more into the body and the headlights were
pushed all the way up and out over the front wheels. The 1946
1941 grille was a three-part affair with a tall center sec-
tion bookended by twin kidneys low on the fenders and
vertical bars all around. The 1941 was a bigger car with
a 194.3 in (4935 mm) overall length. Body styles includ-
ed Tudor and Fordor sedans , a sedan coupe, a business
coupe and convertible coupe, sedan delivery wagon, and
woody station wagon. The pickup truck continued with
the 1940 standard Ford styling.
1942
Biff Tannen’s 1946 Ford from Back to the Future
1942 Ford Super Deluxe
Ford halted its car and truck lines on February 10, 1942
to begin war production, but not before a short run of
1942 cars was built. Changes were made to the car besides
a three-part "electric shaver" grille — and the parking 1946 Mercury
lights were moved from the top of the fenders to between
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 1941 Ford
Civilian production resumed in July 1945, with an early
start to the 1946 model year filling the public’s thirst for
new cars. The 1946 Ford was identical to the 1942 model
under the skin, though a heavy new grille with horizontal
bars and red accents modernized the car somewhat. The
hood was widened by adding a center strip. One notable
change was to use the 239 CID engine which since 1939
had been used in Mercury and Trucks, and capable of
100 hp (75 kW)for the first time. With steel in short sup-
ply, Ford produced a distinctive "Sportsman" convertible
with wood side panels.
In the film Back to the Future, Biff Tannen’s car in 1955
was a black 1946 Ford Super De Luxe convertible. After
the film, the car was kept by Universal and displayed in
their back lot tour. Universal sold the car in 1996 to a pri-
vate collector.[2] The vehicle is now in a private collec-
1948 Ford Woodie station wagon, the last of the all-wood bodied
tion in south eastern Wisconsin.
wagons
1947 wood-sided Sportsman convertible would end this year
with just 28 built, and the all-wood bodies on the woody
station wagons would be replaced with steel for the 1949
season. The old car-based trucks were replaced by the F-
Series this year.
References
[1] "Directory Index: Ford/1946_Ford/
1946_Ford_Brochure". Oldcarbrochures.com.
1947 Ford convertible http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA/
Ford/1946_Ford/1946_Ford_Brochure/
The 1947 Ford line was similar to the short 1946. Visual 1946%20Ford-20.html. Retrieved 2011-11-20.
differences included the removal of the red accents from [2] "Volo Auto Museum:: 1946 FORD BACK TO THE
the grill and the two small lights located just above it. FUTURE MOVIE CAR, BIFF! - Used Inventory".
Ford began titling 1947s in February 1947. For the first Volocars.com. http://www.volocars.com/
few weeks, the 1947 model was identical to the 1946. 1946-ford--back-to-the-future-movie-car,-biff!-
Ford then restyled the body slightly first by moving the c-1127.htm. Retrieved 2011-11-20.
parking lights from above the grill to below each head-
light. Exterior moldings were changed from grooved to a
smooth design. A new hood ornament with a blue plas-
Sources
tic insert was installed. New hubcap design became avail- • David L. Lewis (2005). 100 Years of Ford. Publications
able in March. Interior dash color was changed from red International. pp. 111–133. ISBN 0-7853-7988-6.
accent to gold. By September the roof mounted antenna
was moved to the cowl. Horns were moved to in front
of the radiator from the engine compartment. The final
1947 models were titled in November.
1948
1948 was the final year for the old-style Ford, with an
all-new model launched partway through the year. The
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Categories:
• Ford vehicles
• Motor vehicles manufactured in the United States
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 1941 Ford
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