Thems others are commercials...throw in sedan delivery there. There was a LARGE selection of bodies for big trucks, including some deluxe types for snooty stores, but there the reason for variety was functional.
And that purple cabriolet has removed its top hat...starting to get pretty sporty. And wet and cold, too.
still got it's roll-em-up windows though. (the top's just off it right now) mine will have a carson top on it and no roll-em-ups I still consider half-tons and roadster pickups passengers as they are on the same chassis.
Technically, they are "Commercial cars" in Ford useage...line was divided into passenger, commercial, and truck. Trucks meant those on non-passenger chassis. Station wagon status was a bit unclear and variable.
Look at these '30-31 advertising pictures and the people and images in them: http://www.mafca.com/era-ads/Jones/31dlxroadster.jpg http://www.mafca.com/era-ads/Jones/31dlxfordor.jpg http://www.mafca.com/era-ads/Jones/30cabriolet.jpg
And a nod to the three-window question: Ford produced a whole gaggle of different coupe types '28-31, some of them with three windows, though they are never called that. Ford had at least two completely different 3-window stylinf studies in '30-31, one suggesting the '32 three window and the other a clunky, awkward thing that could have been a Chevy or Durant three window almost. They never went to production, but did start a deluxe version of the 5-W.
Years ago, on a farm in Saskatchewan, I saw what I think is the rarest of the rare '32 Fords. It was a hearse. Built on what had to be a BB platform except it had single tires on the rear. The cowl looked to be roadster pickup. From the cowl back it was all coachbuilt but factory in appearance. On the passenger side were two large barntype doors. The neat thing was that it had a passenger grill and the big truck frame actually had the unique '32 reveal line pressed into the side the full length. Sorry, no photos... I saw this car at least 16-18 years ago..... could still be there for all I know.
That really sounds like it is a stretched passenger frame, common for this sort of vehicle. There were AA and BB hearses too. There was even a factory stretch deuce, a limo from Ford England.
Bruce, I had never heard of the 30-31 studies. Does any pictorial record exist showing the stillborn body styles?
Yes...and at least one of the cars still exists in private hands. I heard of these on Ahooga, and saw archival pictures of the prototypes there; right now, Ahooga has tightened security beyond by powers of computing, and anywy it is hard to search. There have been articles in the A magazines, but I don't have a handle on those. The good one was really neat, the bad one...well, it looked like someone had just splatted a '29 Chevy body onto a Ford. Stiff and primitive, looked dated by 1930 standards.
I've no idea if this will work, but it's kind of a cool promotional film for a Bay Area Ford dealer in '32. The 3W is featured prominently, and with female drivers. -Dave
production numbers from roadsters.com Cabriolet 6,091 Convertible sedan 926 Five-window Standard coupe 51,794 Fordor sedan 37,363 Panel delivery 6,122 Phaeton 2,490 Roadster 12,597 Sedan delivery 400 Station wagon 1,383 Sport coupe 2,911 Three-window Deluxe coupe 22,148 Tudor sedan 124,101 Victoria 8,580
at the risk of a hailstorm of hate from the ladies on this site... how many guys here would really consider it a GOOD idea to put their girls in a car with suicide doors??? it makes sense in a way I guess, but still baffles me that modesty would be the marketing ploy there...
AHA! Found the Model A three windows, on Vince's wonder site: http://idisk.mac.com/forever4/Public/pages/protothreewindow.htm Look at the slat window one as a precursor to the deuce. Here's the main site: http://idisk.mac.com/forever4/Public/index.htm#assorted Lots of very neat Ford stuff--he even has a book or tool or two I don't!
wow bruce, that's cool. might have to sneak into my brothers garage and steal his 31 slantwindow sedan body and mate it up to an extensively modified coupe body
I think it would be REALLY cool... and...hammer weld the mods, carefully paint, apply way too much rubbing compound, add some rust in lower edge... Then, when people notice, you can just say "What?? It's a '31 coupe...bought it from a guy in Dakota. Why are you staring?"
Thanks! That's a very neat reference. Personally, I think the '30 version would have been somewhat more digestible if it hadn't had such a busy paint scheme.
Still, it looks like they just chopped off the visor. I think we're lucky they waited until '32 with that one. -Dave
The model A is also too short to hold the 3-window somehow, I think...the '32 has barely enough wheelbase. Somehow, the passenger compartment needs to be fat and long, and that needs more space for the trunk... On the '32, the passenger area is bulged, with more of a pumpkin shape than other '32 bodies, and they curved the decklid more tightly too since there wasn't enough room left for the curve used on other bodies.
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