Thread: Hot Rod List?

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Some added trivia is in the names Tudor and Fordor which I think goes back to the Model T Fords. Phonetically, Tudor and Fordor clearly indicate a "Two-door" and a "Four-door", but with some indirect sales humor it would appear that Henry Ford was equating the Ford family name to the family name of the King of England from the House of Tudor. For collectors, the 1939 Ford had the last true rumble seat roadster and I believe fiberglass replicas are available. From 1937 to 1940 there were "Standard" and "Deluxe" models where the Deluxe model of one year would be the standard model of the next year with minor changes in trim. I am weak on '35s and '36s but I don't recall the Standard/Deluxe dichotomy for those years. The '32 was a unique model of course, but the '33-'34 and '35-'36 seem to be quite similar except for grills and trim. The '41 was also a unique model and WWII interrupted production of the '42 in favor of Ford Jeeps. Then '46-'48 were basically all the same as the '42 differing only in the grill, hood ornament and trunk chrome. The '49-'51 shoebox design again remained the same except for trim and grill changes as were the '52-'54. then '55-'57 varied mainly in chrome and on and on. A noteworthy date was the 1939 Ford year which had the first hydraulic brakes. Braking was not much of a problem for Model Ts because they had a three pedal transmission so that one could apply the brakes AND invoke the reverse gear band at the same time, but the Model A Fords through 1938 V8s had poor mechanical brakes with clumsy pull rods to each wheel. I can recall "Standing" on the brakes of a '31 Model A coming down a hill and just barely stopping at a red light at the bottom, those brakes were poor at best but the 1939 brakes greatly improved that situation. There are two beautiful books on these cars: "Henry's Lady" for Model As and "The V8 Affair" for 1932-1941 Fords. I would rather drive a replica than create an expensive museum piece. To each his own.

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder