1931 Deluxe Tudor

[Brian in Wheeling]

Question:
How many here have seen an original 31 Delux Tudor? I mean a factory made one not a standard Tudor someone has later "made" a deluxe.

Also, can anyone provide a source for factory production numbers for this model?

A friend has had what we believe to be an original factory Deluxe...has the green mohair, dome light, carpeted lower doors, rear arm rests, different pleats in the seats, etc. none of the interior has ever been replaced except, I believe, the front kick panels.

Thanks,
Brian W.

[jimvette59]

I had one it is in my avatar. I lost my storage and could not let it be outside. I understand that Ford put the added armrest escutcheons etc. etc. from the Victoria to compete with Chevrolet.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Out of six 30/31 Tudors we have done, two of them were original DeLuxe vehicles complete with the larger seats and a few other telltaling details. Why do you ask?

[Steve Wastler]

Ford did not produce a deluxe Tudor in 1930

[Blessyouboys]

I believe all Deluxe Tudors have an indented firewall, and a woodgrain finish on the dash rail and garnish moldings.

There were 21,984 Deluxe Tudors produced in the U.S. in 1931.

[Steve Plucker]

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Originally Posted by Brian in Wheeling

Question:
How many here have seen an original 31 Delux Tudor? I mean a factory made one not a standard Tudor someone has later "made" a deluxe.

Also, can anyone provide a source for factory production numbers for this model?

A friend has had what we believe to be an original factory Deluxe...has the green mohair, dome light, carpeted lower doors, rear arm rests, different pleats in the seats, etc. none of the interior has ever been replaced except, I believe, the front kick panels.

Thanks,
Brian W.

Here you go:

1930

USA 364
Foreign 0
Canada 71
TOTAL 435

1931

USA 21984
Foreign 867
Canada 639
TOTAL 23490

· Contained on the Ford “Assembly Record Types” for 1930 was a column for a “DELUXE 2DOR”. However it was not till June of 1931 when it was actually produced. Just what this 1930 model was is unknown. (9)
· Dearborn: June 9, 1931: It was decided to add a De-Luxe Tudor Sedan to the Ford line of cars. (6)

Pluck

[Arcieri]

Bought mine in fall of 1978. Had pretty much all of the correct late 1931
parts intact. Original upholstery also but it was too worn out to use.

Car is apart now and we are restoring it back to as original as we can.

Ray

[Purdy Swoft]

Originally Posted by Arcieri

Bought mine in fall of 1978. Had pretty much all of the correct late 1931
parts intact. Original upholstery also but it was too worn out to use.

Car is apart now and we are restoring it back to as original as we can.

Ray

Did it have the fold down arm rest in the center of the backrest of the back seat ? There seems to be some controversy as to whether the 31 deluxe tudor had this feature .

[Arcieri]

Mine did not have the fold down arm rest. I am positive of that.
It did (does) have arm rests on each side of the back seat.

Ray

[Arcieri]

Several years ago, I came across this list of changes that were supposed to have been made to our "A"s in 1931 and the effective dates.

I did not make up this list nor did I check it for accuracy back then.

Some day, when cabin fever sets in, here in frigid Colorado, I plan to sit by the fireplace with this list and the Restoration Guidelines and a copy of the
Service Bulletins and check out what new Model A information has come to light these past 15 years or so. I'll bet good money that about 20% of the dates on my list will be different from what is known today.

Ray

[Arcieri]

Wow! Couldn't upload the Word file. Message said file was too big.
Sorry for the poor attempt to convert to JPG and upload that.

If anyone would like the DOC file I could E-mail it to them. Just send me a PM here.

Ray

[Arcieri]

Trying to upload a PDF file to see if it is more clear.

[Modelacoupe3]

Originally Posted by Brian in Wheeling

Question:
How many here have seen an original 31 Delux Tudor? I mean a factory made one not a standard Tudor someone has later "made" a deluxe.

Also, can anyone provide a source for factory production numbers for this model?

A friend has had what we believe to be an original factory Deluxe...has the green mohair, dome light, carpeted lower doors, rear arm rests, different pleats in the seats, etc. none of the interior has ever been replaced except, I believe, the front kick panels.

Thanks,
Brian W.

You might try Rick Black. I believe he still maintains a Deluxe Tudor Registry. You can contact him through the MAFCA website. He also owns a 1931 Deluxe Tudor.

[Mike V. Florida]

Thanks guys for the lists!

Brian,

This may help you some,

http://www.mafca.com/data_tudors.html

[Marco Tahtaras]

Originally Posted by Purdy Swoft

Did it have the fold down arm rest in the center of the backrest of the back seat ? There seems to be some controversy as to whether the 31 deluxe tudor had this feature .

There is NO controversy. There is only well documented history vs. those that don't know it or wish it wasn't true.

As far as identifying an original Deluxe Tudor, the most obvious is the adjustable driver's seat on sliding tracks riveted to the floor. It's certainly something that could be faked but I've not seen it done in the last 45 years. It's worth noting that the Deluxe Tudor was introduced in July 1931 so they definitely had indented firewalls!

[Mike]

Check out my pics, I have a deluxe tudor with indented firewall, armrests, dome light etc etc
Mike

[fingers]

My friend Jim Morris (a past Mafca Director) has a 1931 Deluxe Tudor that has a restamped indented firewall. Just how rare could this be ?

[Purdy Swoft]

Originally Posted by Marco Tahtaras

There is NO controversy. There is only well documented history vs. those that don't know it or wish it wasn't true.

As far as identifying an original Deluxe Tudor, the most obvious is the adjustable driver's seat on sliding tracks riveted to the floor. It's certainly something that could be faked but I've not seen it done in the last 45 years. It's worth noting that the Deluxe Tudor was introduced in July 1931 so they definitely had indented firewalls!

Marco, As for those that don't know or wish it wasn't so, I'll just say that I don't have a dog in the hunt . My late 31 tudor with indented firewall is a standard model with no rear seat armrest .

Some say that they do while others say that the deluxe tudor doesn't have a back seat arm rest. After reading Bob Cs post on a previous thread, I checked out the Ford model A as Henry built it book . On page 157 it states that in june 1931 the deluxe tudor had a rear seat arm rest as standard equipment. It doesn't show any pictures of an armrest in the seat . I suppose that could mean arm rests on the quarters but it says rear seat arm rest . I didn't find any other info about a center arm rest. I'm not argueing the point either way .

[Marco Tahtaras]

Originally Posted by Purdy Swoft

Marco, As for those that don't know or wish it wasn't so, I'll just say that I don't have a dog in the hunt . My late 31 tudor with indented firewall is a standard model with no rear seat armrest .

Some say that they do while others say that the deluxe tudor doesn't have a back seat arm rest. After reading Bob Cs post on a previous thread, I checked out the Ford model A as Henry built it book . On page 157 it states that in june 1931 the deluxe tudor had a rear seat arm rest as standard equipment. It doesn't show any pictures of an armrest in the seat . I suppose that could mean arm rests on the quarters but it says rear seat arm rest . I didn't find any other info about a center arm rest. I'm not argueing the point either way .

It's a shame that a simple misspelling (singular instead of plural) slipped through in the book. It obviously can cause problems! Yes, the Deluxe Tudor had side armrests in the rear.

I think I've answered the center armrest question whenever it has come up. I don't expect everybody to know the specifics but I do attempt to increase the number of those that do. The thing that struck a nerve with me was the word controversy. That leaves the impression that it's an unknown, left solely to opinion. That certainly is not the case.

For the record, the only models that were produced with a center armrest were the 155-A,B,C & D, and the 170-B Deluxe. That includes all straight windshield Town Sedans (Murray and Briggs) and the straight windshield Deluxe Fordor (blind back Briggs).