Ford's Survival in 1949 and beyond.

[f.f.jones]

I am copying this pictorial article here both for the younger AACA members born well after the 1940's and '50's, who may not be aware of this bit of automotive history, as well as for us old-timers who are more familiar with Ford's struggles after WWII. It's an interesting and brief story of the background behind the development of the 1949 Ford and should interest most old car hobbyists even if they are not Ford fans.

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/enthusiasts/1949-ford-the-car-that-saved-the-company/ss-AA1f54P7?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=e3f3c068c1cd4b2c961d054b00f8f448&ei=63#image=1

[John_S_in_Penna]

6 hours ago, f.f.jones said:

...for the younger AACA members born well after the 1940's and '50's... 

Thank you for the pictures.  Ford's history is interesting.

I see now that there are explanatory captions below each

picture to aid in the story.

 

I think of "younger" AACA members as those born after 2000.

I suppose people who are 50 to 60 years old are younger,

though, than the average in the AACA!

 

Edited August 14, 2023 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[JamesR]

Yes, thanks for the link. I've never been a devoted automotive historian, but was always aware of the historical significance of the '49 Ford. At one time in the not too distant past, I think a lot of non-car people were aware of it, too, but it's my impression that the importance of the '49 has been lost on many folks - even some old car people - over the last few decades. It's just another old car to them.

[Buffalowed Bill]

This thread has not seemed to generate a great deal of traction with the group. Regardless some might find it interesting (many will already know this info.) contained in this article.

 

So how many know that Studebaker designers were responsible for the 1949 Ford? It really a great read and the best that I have seen regarding the spirit at Ford and the reasons behind the allowing an outside designer compete with the established Ford designers.

 https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/a-must-read-who-designed-the-1949-ford.770745/

[rocketraider]

Always amazed me that Ford's 1949 redesign didn't send GM into a panic the way 1957 Chrysler products did.

 

The 49 Ford was the genesis of modern slab-side styling with lower hoodlines and smooth integrated decklids. Yet GM kept right along with their high hoodlines, bustle-back trunks and separate (or styled to look so) rear fenders thru 1953. Course they were ruling the market, so people must have liked it.

[8E45E]

11 hours ago, rocketraider said:

Always amazed me that Ford's 1949 redesign didn't send GM into a panic the way 1957 Chrysler products did.

 

The 49 Ford was the genesis of modern slab-side styling with lower hoodlines and smooth integrated decklids. Yet GM kept right along with their high hoodlines, bustle-back trunks and separate (or styled to look so) rear fenders thru 1953. Course they were ruling the market, so people must have liked it.

The '49 Ford still had some archaic features on it that GM did away with some years before, including exposed trunk hinges, pull-out door handles and flat glass divided windshields, though starting in 1950, Ford did start to update some of these features.  Ford did not introduce a hardtop until 1951.

 

Craig

[JamesR]

12 hours ago, 8E45E said:

The '49 Ford still had some archaic features on it that GM did away with some years before

 

I love the looks of the '49 - '51 Fords , but it's my impression that for part of the '40's and early '50's, many cars looked a bit more advanced than they really were. For example, my early '50's Plymouth had the same basic engine that Plymouths of the mid-1930's had. By the mid-50's, there were some more important advancements that actually improved the way that ordinary cars drove and performed, such as optional overhead valve V-8's,  ball joints, better handling, etc.

[8E45E]

1 hour ago, JamesR said:

 

I love the looks of the '49 - '51 Fords , but it's my impression that for part of the '40's and early '50's, many cars looked a bit more advanced than they really were. For example, my early '50's Plymouth had the same basic engine that Plymouths of the mid-1930's had. By the mid-50's, there were some more important advancements that actually improved the way that ordinary cars drove and performed, such as optional overhead valve V-8's,  ball joints, better handling, etc.

That was the cause of Studebaker's postwar downfall.  After the failure of the redesigned '53 models, there was little money in the coffers left to come out with a completely new OHV 6 cylinder engine to replace their anemic flathead six, a bigger block V8 that would have kept pace with the late '50's horsepower wars, and a less expensive to manufacture front suspension, etc.  It didn't take long for the automakers to realize the cars had to perform as good as they looked and the horsepower race was on.  The postwar sellers' market for the Big Three left them flush with cash, and were able to keep up with technological advancements, and more comfort & convenience options than the independents could offer.   With the exception of a major front suspension update in 1951,  Studebaker retained the same basic chassis design from 1939, right to the end of the 1966 line.

 

Craig

[Pfeil]

On 8/16/2023 at 6:06 PM, rocketraider said:

Always amazed me that Ford's 1949 redesign didn't send GM into a panic the way 1957 Chrysler products did.

 

The 49 Ford was the genesis of modern slab-side styling with lower hoodlines and smooth integrated decklids. Yet GM kept right along with their high hoodlines, bustle-back trunks and separate (or styled to look so) rear fenders thru 1953. Course they were ruling the market, so people must have liked it.

It certainly put Pontiac in a panic. The 49 Pontiacs were almost ready for introduction when Ford released the 49. Shocked; Pontiac had to redesign the front end of the car right down to that sort of propeller in the chrome grill.

 

[Pfeil]

1 hour ago, JamesR said:

 

I love the looks of the '49 - '51 Fords , but it's my impression that for part of the '40's and early '50's, many cars looked a bit more advanced than they really were. For example, my early '50's Plymouth had the same basic engine that Plymouths of the mid-1930's had. By the mid-50's, there were some more important advancements that actually improved the way that ordinary cars drove and performed, such as optional overhead valve V-8's,  ball joints, better handling, etc.

Remember you could have a Plymouth Savoy in 1959 with the 230 Flathead engine as standard equipment. A Rambler to 1965.

[58L-Y8]

GM with 50%+ of the overall U.S. market in those years led styling purely by saturation and repeat sales volume momentum.  While Misterl and company took note of Ford's fully-envelope body architecture, they also understood their customers would readily accept an incremental and evolutionary approach to any major body architecture change.   

[JamesR]

On 8/17/2023 at 10:07 PM, Pfeil said:

Remember you could have a Plymouth Savoy in 1959 with the 230 Flathead engine as standard equipment. A Rambler to 1965.

And the Savoy was a good sized car, too. Pfeil, I remember reading somewhere that the Mopar flathead six was still available in new vehicles until the 1970's, at least in some form or another. I seem to recall reading that some military vehicles - possibly made in Israel - were equipped with a version of that engine at a date much later than you'd think. Hope I'm not misremembering...maybe someone here can verify that.

[Pfeil]

35 minutes ago, JamesR said:

And the Savoy was a good sized car, too. Pfeil, I remember reading somewhere that the Mopar flathead six was still available in new vehicles until the 1970's, at least in some form or another. I seem to recall reading that some military vehicles - possibly made in Israel - were equipped with a version of that engine at a date much later than you'd think. Hope I'm not misremembering...maybe someone here can verify that.

Yes, the Savoy was the price leader full size car. I couldn't find anything newer than 59 having the flathead six. Other countries who knows?

Sport Fury, Fury, Belvedere, Savoy.

[ply33]

1 minute ago, Pfeil said:

Yes, the Savoy was the price leader full size car. I couldn't find anything newer than 59 having the flathead six. Other countries who knows?

Sport Fury, Fury, Belvedere, Savoy.

To the best of my knowledge, 1959 was the last year for a North American car to get the L-6 engine. The '66 Dodge truck factory service manual I once had included a section on the L-6 engine (not sure if the shorter 23" block or the longer 25" block) in the WM600 military portion of the manual. I believe the L-6 engines were available for industrial applications into the early 1970s.

[JamesR]

12 hours ago, ply33 said:

I believe the L-6 engines were available for industrial applications into the early 1970s.

That's probably what I'm recalling. Like for powering generators and large pumps and such?

[Littlestown Mike]

1 hour ago, JamesR said:

That's probably what I'm recalling. Like for powering generators and large pumps and such?

Don't forget forklifts---

 

[JACK M]

8 hours ago, Littlestown Mike said:

Don't forget forklifts---

 

Airplane tugs.