1934 Ford Model 40 Station Wagon

When Henry Ford acquired the town of Pequaming in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, it included the half-million acres of forest surrounding it. These forests became the source for the framing and paneling for Ford's new station wagon. Ford opened his own Iron Mountain sawmills around 1922 under the Michigan Land, Lumber, and Iron Company in the Menominee River Valley, and no longer had to buy lumber from the mills on the peninsula for the framing of his Model Ts.

The 1934 Ford V-8 Station Wagon, designated Type 860, was the company's most expensive car, priced at $660. It was constructed of maple, birch, and basswod sourced from Iron Mountain with final finishing at the Murray Corporation. The 221 cubic-inch 'Flathead' V8 engine produced 85 reliable horsepower and was backed by a three-speed sliding gear transmission. All wagons rested on a 112-inch wheelbase and used rod-actuated mechanical brakes on all four wheels. The suspension was simple yet effective, with a solid front axle and a 3/4 floating rear axle along with transverse front and rear leaf springs. Among the improvements for the 1934 model year were a Stromberg carburetor and a newly designed A.C. air cleaner for easier breathing. Combined with a redesigned intake manifold, horsepower rose by 10 over 1933.

This Ford Station has resided in a private collection for over 35 years. It was given a restoration and resided in a climate-controlled facility.

By Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2022