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| Deluxe Convertible Coupe |
| | Deluxe Station Wagon Chassis Num: 99A-240265 |
The first 'in-house' wagons built by Ford did not appear until 1929 when they were listed in their commercial line. They proved to be very popular and by 1947, Ford had become the leader in wood-bodied station wagons with 16,000 units being produced annually. Most automakers commissioned outside builders and suppliers like Cantrell or US Body and Forging to build their wagons. Henry Ford's obsession with efficiency led him to bring the task in-house.
Assembly of complete wagon bodies was moved to a newly created Ford plat at Iron Mountain in the summer of 1939. The initial intent was to produce 75 station wagons per day. Within a short period of time, the number escalated to 100 units per day and exceeding quality standards.
The role of the wood-bodied station wagons began to change during the 1930s. They became popular on the estates of wealthy customers which helped in gaining distinction. They could often be seen driven by the gardener, chauffeur or tradesman.
By 1939, Ford was offering the wagon as either a Standard or Deluxe model. When Ford introduced their new line of 1940 models on October 6th of 1939, they advertised them as 'the style leader in its price class.' The designs were courtesy of designer E.T. 'Bob' Gregorie who created the elegant streamlined look on the Fords.
Ford offered two powerplants in the 1940 station wagon line. Most of the Deluxe wagons were given the 221 cubic-inch v8 horsepower which had 85 horsepower on tap. This was a necessary unit as the wagons tipped the scale at 3,260 pounds making them the heaviest vehicle available in the Ford catalog. With additional payload and all eight seats filled, the V8 engine would get a very good workout.
A few cars were given a larger, 239 cubic-inch Mercury V8 engine which had slightly more horsepower, at 95 bhp. It is believed that just over 350 examples were outfitted with this powerplant. This 1950 Ford Deluxe Station wagon is one of those examples. It has a black body with varnished mahogany paneling. The inter features leather seats and plenty of room for up to eight passengers. It has an older restoration that still shows well today.
In 2007 it was brought to the Gooding & Company auction held in Pebble Beach, California and estimated to sell for $140,000 - $190,000. Those estimates proved nearly accurate, as the lot was sold for $132,000 including buyer's premium.
| Deluxe Station Wagon Chassis Num: 18H5880295 |
The 'woodie' wagons became a status symbol as the cost of wooden bodies soon exceeded those of metal construction. The DeLuxe station wagon remained the priciest Ford offering at $950. A mere 8730 examples were built.
This woodie wagon was the recipient of an extensive two-year restoration that was completed by Alan Vivanco Restorations between 1999 and 2001. It is painted in a deep maroon finish with a correct long grain leather top. The woodwork was restored by Doug Carr of the Wood N' Carr, and was again refreshed in 2007 by David Hawks of Jupiter, Florida. This vehicle is equipped with a chrome grille guard, bumper extensions and a windscreen-mounted radio antenna. There are wide whitewall tires, body color steel wheels, and chrome DeLuxe hubcaps and trim rings.
The interior of this car is light brown leather upholster and rubber floor mats with a two-tone dash, steering wheel, and Art Deco-inspired instruments and controls. There is a standard dash-mounted clock and an optional radio.
In 2008 this 1940 Ford Deluxe Station Wagon was brought to RM Auctions 'Vintage Motor Cars of Meadow Brook' where it was estimated to sell for $100,000-$125,000. Bidding exceeded those expectations, settling at $143,000 including buyer's premium. The lot was sold.
The Ford DeLuxe was produced from 1937 through 1940. The styling was influenced by Edsel Ford and borrowed many cues from the Lincoln Zephyr. One of the more noticeable Zephyr influences was the oval headlights that were incorporated into the front fenders. Other front-end features were V-shaped grille and vertical bars. The 221 cubic-inch eight-cylinder engine was carefully hidden under the sweeping bonnet. The 85 horsepower that was produced was sent to the rear wheels through a three-speed manual transmission. The four-wheel hydraulic brakes brought the vehicle to a stop.
| Photos grouped by event | |||
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Vintage Motor Cars of Meadow Brook |
Gooding & Company |
2006 Barrett-Jackson Auto Auction |
AACA Antique Auto Museum at Hershey |
| Ford: 1930-1940 |
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| Manufacturer Website |
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| Related Articles and Event Coverage |
| Vintage Motor Cars of Meadow Brook |
| Gooding & Company |
| 2006 Barrett-Jackson Auto Auction |
| AACA Antique Auto Museum at Hershey |
| 2005 Cleveland OH |
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1940 ford
Replies: 0 Sunday, July 03, 2005 |
| 1940 Ford models |
| Ford Deluxe Convertible |
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Automobile information, history, and statistics from concept to production. | © 1998-2009 Conceptcarz.com