What's the story on....
 

...1934 Ford?
https://www.automotivetimelines.com/...ry%20Photo.png

Re: What's the story on....
 

I've read that during the Great Depression, Well-To-Do folks didn't want to flaunt their wealth, and bought Fords instead of Lincolns. There were also a great number of custom coach builders in the day, not only here in the States, but world wide. Your picture may be an example of that, a Custom Coach built Ford? Or perhaps a stock Ford as built in Europe or Africa?


Hey.... Maybe Photo Shopped?

Re: What's the story on....
 

Not Ford IMO

Re: What's the story on....
 

I agree.

Re: What's the story on....
 

As Sheldon posted, Not a Ford BUT a 1934 Franklin Airman Sedan

Re: What's the story on....
 

Now for those of you who like to play scammer tag, post looking for a NOS radiator for that car and see how many there are out there!

Re: What's the story on....
 

I really like the looks of it...

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...6&d=1659384659

Re: What's the story on....
 

Who copied Who?
http://momentcar.com/images/franklin-airman-1934-9.jpg
1934 Franklin-Airman Sedan (US) with Six-Cylinder Air-Cooled Side-Draft Engine of 274ci (4.5L) at 100Hp
https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...4&d=1659405822

Re: What's the story on....
 

A close coupled sedan or five passenger coupe with a separate trunk nested between the rear fenders was not a new idea by any means, but it takes a long wheel base to achieve the "look". In the case of the subject Franklin, that's 132". Sloping heart-shaped radiator shells were all the rage in 1933 and 1934 so it's hard to say who started that trend. There is some archival evidence that Murray, one of Ford's suppliers of bodies, sold Ford on the idea.

Re: What's the story on....
 

That cracks me up, thanks for the laugh today.

Re: What's the story on....
 

Dave, it seems like the 1930's saw some pretty accelerated advancements in automotive design and styling. To me anyway. Prior to that automotive tech was slow to develop and after WWII the styling was not as exciting. Maybe the post war tech was better? Some thoughts I had. You having worked in the auto industry, although much later, might have some insights?

Re: What's the story on....
 

Seth, I see where you're coming from. The custom coach builders of the 20s and 30s is unmatched in many ways. Ford's introduction of the Shoebox was a radical change but basically nothing more than a blank canvas for custom car builders.
I think the late 50s early 60s saw a different kind of radicalized car styling. They were all one year only cars. The body parts to a 58 Chevy are unique to that year. 57 or 59 are different. You're not looking at parking light design or a piece of trim to identify that year. It is a completely unique car. The manufacturers had to be dumping a pile of money into designs and changes.
Somewhere in the 70s cars became boxes. I was driving with a friend and spotted a 1990 Firebird. It was a 30 something year old car but hardly stood out like a 30 year old car would when I was a kid. You know, like putting a 36 Ford next to a 66 Mustang.
When building cars came down to aerodynamics there was only so much one could do.

Re: What's the story on....
 

back in like 2005 we had our car at the Hilton Head Concours and the guest speaker for the banquette was the lead US designer for BMW of America and he spoke on the evolution of styling and influences of styling on cars which was MOST interesting to me. As he illustrated, by drawing on an overhead projector, the teens and twenties car design was influenced by houses/buildings, the thirties was influenced by boats......I was very very interesting to see him draw out the influences and turn them into car design.

Re: What's the story on....
 

Frank is right. Once computers and wind tunnels started designing cars it is no surprise that they all look about the same. I can't tell one make from another with all these new econoboxes.

Re: What's the story on....
 

Me neither, Mike.

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BMW designer? Now that has to be the perfect oxymoron.

Re: What's the story on....
 

And then there’s NASCAR.

Re: What's the story on....
 

Now there's a real joke.

Re: What's the story on....
 

I quit watching NASCAR after they said Bill Elliot had too small of an engine. JMO