i was just checking out the belvedere that was in the time capsul on u tube and i read that there is 3 other cars buried by fomoco. they are...... 1937 4 door sedan 1958 T bird 1968 lincoln they said these cars are made from stainless steel by Allegheny-Ludlum. dose anyone know anything about this? im just curious and works quite so i figured why not ask here. it would be sad to think the steel in these cars could be in the same condition as the belvedere. the page i read says the location of these cars is unknown?
Nver heard of it, and also call BS. But who knows? If they are all steainless then the body atleast would be somewhat decent.
They did make some stainless steel cars but if I'm not mistaken they are safe and sound in the Dearborn museum.
Hi, google 'stainless steel fords' you might come up with something. I have seen them on the net. They weren't buried or in a time capsule that I know of. They were built to demonstrate what stainless steel COULD be used for. I believe they are on display in either several museums or maybe all in the same one ...? It seems like it might be the 'Ford' museum for factory historic milestones, again ...? Dan Stevens dba, Steelsmith
History of the Stainless Steel Car In 1935, officials at Allegheny Ludlum Steel Division and the Ford Motor Company collaborated on an experiment that would become a legacy and a tribute to one of the most dynamic metals ever developed. Allegheny Ludlum, a pioneer producer of stainless steel, proposed the idea of creating a stainless steel car to Ford. The idea took shape in the form of a 1936 Deluxe Sedan. That car became the centerpiece of a campaign to expose the public to the new metal and its many uses. <table marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr><td> </td> <td>Allegheny Ludlum and Ford would later collaborate on two more stainless models, a 1960 Thunderbird and a 1967 Lincoln Continental Convertible. Of the 11 cars originally built, nine are still in use. </td></tr> </tbody></table> The stainless steel cars were perfect vehicles for increasing awareness of the quality of the metal. And over the years, this quality has been shown in its stainless performance. Of the six stainless steel cars that rolled off the Ford assembly line in Detroit in 1936, four exist today as living proof of the durability of stainless steel. One is on display at the Heinz Regional History Center in Pittsburgh, PA. Each of the original six logged at least 200,000 miles in the hands of Allegheny Ludlum officials before "retiring" to private ownership in 1946. Thousands of additional miles have been logged on the odometers since, and the shiny bodies have outlasted most of their non-stainless steel parts. <table marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr><td>The experiment was an unparalleled success on a number of levels. Public awareness of stainless steel's many uses increased with every city and</td><td></td></tr> <tr><td colspan="2">state the cars visited. Through many years of active use, metallurgists and engineers were amazed at the superiority of the silvery metal.</td></tr> </tbody></table> Since 1960, when two stainless steel Ford Thunderbirds were introduced, they have been displayed throughout the United States and Europe. The two Thunderbirds came off the Wixom, Michigan production line on July 11, 1960, and each has traveled over 100,000 miles, demonstrating the durability and timeless beauty of stainless steel. With the exception of the body skin, bumpers and grille, which are made of T302 stainless steel, every other component is standard 1960 Thunderbird equipment. Also included is the first T409 solid stainless steel muffler released on a production vehicle. Both cars still have their original mufflers and T304 exhaust pipes after 25 years on the road! <table marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr><td></td> <td>The 1967 Lincoln Convertible was the last of the stainless steel cars produced by the Ford Motor Company and Allegheny Ludlum Steel.</td></tr> <tr><td colspan="2">Once again, the companies proved that stainless steel's enduring beauty is matched by its toughness.</td></tr> </tbody></table> As with all stainless steel there is no need for painting. The corrosion-resistant properties of the stainless eliminate the problems caused by rust. Except for the vehicle's body, all other parts and equipment on the car are standard for the 1967 Lincoln Convertible. The vehicle's weight is just about equal to one with a standard steel body. Three stainless Lincolns were built that year. Allegheny Ludlum Steel retains two and still uses them for customer visits and special events. A full set of Stainless automobiles (1936 Deluxe, T-Bird, and Continental) are on permanent display in the Crawford Auto Museum in Cleveland, Ohio.
A friend emailed this to me a while back, This is the 1936 Ford Tudor Sedan built for and owned by Allegheny Ludlum Steel This is 1 of only 4 in existence and is the only one currently in running & in road worthy condition.. The car is in exceptional condition, with the interior and even the frame looking great. All 4 cars each had over 200,000 miles on them before they removed them from service. These cars were built for Allegheny as promotional and marketing projects. The top salesmen each year were given the honor of being able to drive them for one year. The v-8 engine (max 85 hp) ran like a sewing machine and was surprisingly smooth and quiet. I thought this was a much better looking automobile than the Ford Thunderbird that visited us last year. FYI, the car was insured (we were told) for the trip to Louisville via covered trailer for 1.5 million dollars. We were also told that the dies were ruined by stamping the stainless car parts, making these the last of these cars ever produced.
thanks INLAW. i knew of the 36s. i guess the 37 part threw me off some. at least they aint buried. thanks for all the replies.
You guys are correct about the Allegheny Ludlum cars. I've worked for the company for over 30 years and my past job was as a mechanic in the vechicle repair shop of the steel mill. I did some work on the 36 Ford. There is one of the 36's in a musuem in Cleveland Ohio and an other one is the only privitely owned one,which is owned by Leo Gephart and is one of the nicest ones of all.
There is a 36 Ford Stainless car in a Pittsburgh, Pa museum also. The local V-8 Ford club were "care takers" for the car for awhile, even had a chance to ride in it. The frame rotted away over the years, it was steel, and had to be replaced. The body only was SS.
Yup. the Crawford in Cleveland has the both Fords ('36 and Tbird and a Lincoln). At least all were on display 2 years ago. Have pics on my fried hard drive---of course.