1952 Ford Mainline

Article

1952 1955 1956

Ford offered a completely redesigned body for its cars in 1952, its first since 1949. The new body featured a one-piece curved windshield, protruding round parking lights, a full-width rear window, and a round three-bladed spinner in the center of the grille bar. The Mainline was Ford's entry model; its spartan interior included only one sun-visor and an armrest only on the driver's door.

The Mainline came standard with an overhead valve six-cylinder engine displacing 215 cubic-inches. It had four main bearings, a Holley one-barrel carburetor, 7.0:1 compression, and delivered 101 horsepower at 3,500 RPM. A three-speed manual-type transmission was standard with a three-speed manual with automatic overdrive optional. The Ford-O-Matic was a $170 option. An optional L-head, 239 cubic-inch V8 was available, and with a Ford two-barrel carburetor and three main bearings, the engine offered 110 horsepower at 3,800 RPM.

Body styles on the Mainline included a two- and four-door sedan, business coupe, and a two-door station wagon with seating for six. Prices ranged from $1,390 to $1,830 for the Mainline Six and $1,460 to $1,900 for the Mainline Eight. The two-door sedan was the most popular with 79,931 examples produced, followed by 41,277 of the four-door sedan, 32,566 of the station wagon, and 10,137 of the business coupe.

Standard equipment on the Mainline included rubber window moldings and a horn button instead of a horn ring. A new and expanded list of optional equipment became available from Ford, including illuminated vanity mirror, engine compartment light, color-keyed rubber floor mats, wheel discs, hand brake signal lamp, rear fender skirts, rocker panel trim strips, and Magic Air heater and defroster.

Above the Mainline was the Customline, fitted with additional standard amenities and extra chrome trim. Bodystyles included a two- and four-door sedan, and a club coupe. Both six- and eight-cylinder engines were offered on the Customline, and when equipped with the V-8, a four-door station wagon was added to the list of available body styles. Prices ranged from $1,570 to $2,060.

Above the Mainline and Customline was the Crestline, the top-of-the-line model for 1952 and exclusively offered with V-8 engines. Body styles included a Country Squire station wagon, Sun Convertible, and Victoria Hardtop.

All 1952 Ford models rested on a 115-inch wheelbase platform and measured 197.8-inches in length.