1950 Ford Custom Deluxe

Automakers resumed production following World War II with mildly updated versions of their pre-war products. It took a few years to introduce completely new postwar era cars, most were introduced near the close of the 1940s. Ford turned to designer George Walter, commonly known as the 'Cellini of Chrome,' for new, modern, and streamlined designs to bring them into the 1950s. Introduced for 1949, Ford engineers had updated the antiquated suspension system using wishbones and longitudinal rear springs. Chrome trim and molding accented the slab-sided body. Models included the base Ford series and the top-of-the-line Custom Series, both offered with six- or eight-cylinder engines.

Since the Ford lineup was all-new for 1949, the 1950 models were nearly identical, even though advertisements stated '50 improvements for 50.' Changes included redesigned hood ornaments, flattop horn ring, push-button handles on exterior doors, recessed gas filler neck, and a three-bladed cooling. Models included the Deluxe Series and the Custom Deluxe Series. Again, both were powered by either an L-head six-cylinder engine with a 226 cubic-inch displacement and developing 95 horsepower at 3,300 RPM. The L-head eight-cylinder engine displaced 239 cubic-inches and offered 100 horsepower at 3,600 RPM. A three-speed manual type transmission with a semi-centrifugal-type clutch was standard. Options included a three-speed helical gearset and synchronizers for second and third gears or a three-speed manual with automatic overdrive.

Body styles on the Custom Deluxe Six included a 2- and 4-door sedan, Club Coupe, and eight-passenger station wagon. The V-8 versions included the body styles of the six and added a two-door, six-passenger Crestliner, and a convertible. Total series output was 818,371 which greatly exceeded the 388,368 Deluxe series output.

The Custom Deluxe Series added additional chrome trim around the window, a chrome horn ring, armrests on all doors, passenger assist strap on the interior 'B' pillars, and two sun visors. An additional chrome strip ran along the lower half of the body, and model identification could be found at the front end of the chrome strip.

Although the public had agreed with the new 1949 models, the station wagons were not as popular. Ford, for many years, had affectionally referred to them as the nation's wagonmaster, and they had excelled in popularity. The Ford plants in upper Michigan had built the wagon bodies from 1940 through 1948, with wood being sourced from Ford-owned forests. As the 1940s were ended, much of the industry was phasing out wood altogether, and many traditional wagon bodies would not work with the new car lines.

Because of the profound investment in the wood art form, Ford was reluctant to go all-steel. Instead, the skinned the steel skeleton body with mahogany plywood, framed in maple or birch. During the war, they had learned heat-bonding and laminating techniques while building gliders for the armed forces, leading to curved wood laminates. This construction was less costly, reduced waste, and was allowed for complex wood shapes.

Only the top-of-the-line Custom Deluxe Series was offered with the station wagon with prices starting at $2,030 for the six-cylinder version and $2,100 for the V8. Total production reached 29,017 examples in 1950. Although not as popular as the 2-door sedan which found 396,060 buyers or the Sedan with 247,181 sales, it did find more buyers than the 2-door Crestliner which had 8,703 sales.

The 1950 Ford Station Wagon interior had real leather only on the driver's seat. The second and third-row seats were in vinyl. They continued to use the window design, seats, and wood tailgate of the 1949 Custom, but now the second seat could be folded flat for load space, and the tailgate could now be laid flat. The third seat still had to be removed, allowing for various interior configurations depending on use and needs. Steel stamping replaced the prior wood tailgate, and the side windows were changed so that only the forward pane slid open. The side panels, too, were now steel, with Di-Noc imitation woodgrain.

The later model year Ford wagons were given a new title of Country Squire which did not appear on the cars but were used in various print ads and dealer folders of the period. This name would go on to become one of the most recognized names in American station wagons.

by Daniel Vaughan | Aug 2020