The 1951 Fords featured an optional Ford-O-Matic automatic transmission for the first time. A Deluxe Business Coupe was also marketed. The new Fords got the now-famous "Ford Crest" which appeared on the division's vehicles for many decades in one form or another. The trim lines were renamed as well, with "Standard" becoming "Deluxe" and "Custom" renamed "Custom Deluxe". In the center there was a red space that had either a 6 or 8 depending if the car had the six-cylinder engine or the V8. The 19 styling was similar, with a single central "bullet" in the frowning chrome grille. All wagons received flat-folding middle seats at mid-year, an innovation that would reappear in the minivans of the 1990s. Another new name was Country Squire, which referred to the 2-door wood-sided station wagon. In the 1950 model there were some 10 changes in the door latching mechanism alone.ฤก950 saw a new Crestliner "sports sedan"-a 2-door sedan with 2-tone paint intended to battle Chevrolet's popular hardtop coupe of 1950. It was said that the doors could fling open on corners. In some ways the vehicle was rushed into production, particularly the door mechanism design. Competition from GM was surpassing the old Ford designs. The all-new 1949 Ford was said at the time to be the car that saved the Ford Corporation. The styling was influential on many European manufacturers, such as Mercedes Benz, Borgward, Austin, Volvo and many others. The new styling approach was also evident in the 1949 Mercury Eight and the all-new Lincoln Cosmopolitan. From a customer's perspective, the old Custom, De Luxe, and Super De Luxe lines were replaced by new Standard and Custom trims and the cars gained a modern look with completely integrated rear fenders and just a hint of a fender in front. The convertible frame had an "X member" for structural rigidity. The new integrated steel structure was advertised as a "lifeguard body", and even the woody wagon was steel at heart. The 1949 models debuted at a gala at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City in June 1948, with a carousel of the new Fords complemented by a revolving demonstration of the new chassis.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |