Stainless Ford

[FlatheadTed]

http://www.secondchancegarage.com/pu...teel-fords.cfm

[51 MERC-CT]

Saw one of the '36's at a car show back in 1953.

[mercman from oz]

Stainless Steel 1936 Ford Tudor Sedan on display at the Early Ford V8 Central National Meet in Auburn, Indiana in 2009.
It was so well polished that it was near impossible to take photos of it, on account of the reflections. I doubt that it was this polished when it was new? When driving on the road, if the sun hit at the right angle, you could be temporarily blinded if you were a passing motorist? I am sure that it would be illegal?

[51 MERC-CT]

Originally Posted by mercman from oz

Stainless Steel 1936 Ford Tudor Sedan on display at the Early Ford V8 Central National Meet in Auburn, Indiana in 2009.
It was so well polished that it was near impossible to take photos of it, on account of the reflections. I doubt that it was this polished when it was new? When driving on the road, if the sun hit at the right angle, you could be temporarily blinded if you were a passing motorist? I am sure that it would be illegal?

Sorta' takes away the originality by being polished. The one I remember seeing had a brushed finish similar to the Delorean.

[Terry,OH]

The Crawford Auto museum in Cleveland (Western Reserve Historical Society) has an example of all three and none are polished. I would like to see photos of the 36 early in it's life. I talked to the maintenance men at the Crawford they were trying to get the Bird version started and running last year. I do not believe the 36 runs.

[Barry-ct]

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Many years ago there was a 58-60 Thunderbird that we'd see in town that was a stainless steel car. I believe they were built as a promo model for US Steel, or at least that's what we were told. Haven't seen it in a long time.

[woodiewagon46]

The AACA Museum in Hershey PA, had the Thunderbird on exhibit a couple of years ago.

[51 MERC-CT]

Originally Posted by Barry-ct

Many years ago there was a 58-60 Thunderbird that we'd see in town that was a stainless steel car. I believe they were built as a promo model for US Steel, or at least that's what we were told. Haven't seen it in a long time.

This is probably the Allegheny Ludlum Stainless '60 you saw.
The CT markers are not currently being used.

[JM 35 Sedan]

Originally Posted by Terry,OH

The Crawford Auto museum in Cleveland (Western Reserve Historical Society) has an example of all three and none are polished. I would like to see photos of the 36 early in it's life. I talked to the maintenance men at the Crawford they were trying to get the Bird version started and running last year. I do not believe the 36 runs.

That same '36 was on display, prior to its restoration, at the last EFV-8 Club's GNM held in Dearborn, Mi. I'm thinking it was 2008. I have pictures of it taken there on an open car trailer.

I just found a few pictures of this car on the internet taken prior to its restoration.....

[G.M.]

In 1949 I drove through Ardmore, Pa. on my way to work and
there was a SS 36 sedan parked in an upscale, gated apartment
complex. It was there every day. Rumor was it belonged to the
president of Budd Companies wife. Budd company was located on
the other side of Philadelphia and stamped the SS parts for the
body. Also around 1985 I went over near Miami Fl. to buy some
parts from a guy that had several garages full of old Ford parts.
He told me his father scraped out old Fords years before and he
helped him. He had some SS body parts and said they couldn't
cut the body with a cutting touch and had to use a hatchet. I
don't remember the whole car as being shiny, I think it was a
brushed finished and I was at least 100 feet away. G.M.

[Pat/Ohio]

This stainless '36 was on display at the Early Ford V-8 Foundation Museum in Auburn, IN for most of 2015. Our Regional Group (141) also had it on display at the Arthritis Foundation Car Show in Dublin, OH in 2015. It was a big hit. I had an opportunity to ride in the back seat around the show grounds there before putting it back in the trailer for it's journey back to Auburn. It may be coming back to the EFV-8 Foundation Museum sometime next year after the expansion to the museum is completed.

Pat

[corvette8n]

I wish they did a '36 3 or 5 window coupe.

[19Fordy]

GM: I also met that same fellow years ago at his house where he had tons of old Ford parts. At that time he related the story of when he literally chopped up an old stainless 36 Ford. I recall that his temperament was "unique" in that it was "his way" or "no way". If you weren't willing to pay his price he would not hesitate to destroy the part right in front of you.
I think his name was "Boots" Goyer. He's since passed on.

[john in illinois]

Here is a picture I took at the V8 museum.


John

[VeryTangled]

Hi Everyone, My dear dad, Henry@1140, was on the judges team in 2009 that had to score the restored/polished '36. I was not at the meet. He told me the team had discussions about the finish not being correct and there was some pressure on the team. I think this car was on display in Saratoga Springs at the museum during the national meet there.

I have a short video of our own Frank Miller driving the '36 when it was at the Foundation & Museum from their parking lot into the museum.

[Barry-ct]

51 Merc- Yes, that's the car. I got the maker wrong. But my buddy who has a few of the square birds loved that car. I always seemed to see it in the center of Newington. Brought back some memories from seeing the pic.

[G.M.]

Originally Posted by 19Fordy

GM: I also met that same fellow years ago at his house where he had tons of old Ford parts. At that time he related the story of when he literally chopped up an old stainless 36 Ford. I recall that his temperament was "unique" in that it was "his way" or "no way". If you weren't willing to pay his price he would not hesitate to destroy the part right in front of you.
I think his name was "Boots" Goyer. He's since passed on.

Yes that was the guy, I think his name was Boots Guyer ?? G.M,

[rockfla]

At the Grand National Meet in 1973 All three models 36, 60 T-Bird and the 67 Lincoln were there and went around the proving ground track with all the V8's at the meet. All cars were dull finish!!!

[mercman from oz]

Here is an enlarged photo of the SS 1936 Ford when it was on display at the Early Ford V8 Foundation Museum back in 2015.

[mercman from oz]

The Saga of the Stainless Steel Fords
By Tom Benford
Here's a little word-association quiz for you. What's the first thing you think of between the words "stainless steel" and "automobile"? If you're like most car buffs, you probably came up with "DeLorean" or, if you're really into cars, possibly "the roof of the 1958 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham," right? But how many of you associated "stainless steel" with "Fords"? Not many, I'll bet.
That's because very few people are aware that three Ford models were fabricated in stainless steel. They were built for special promotional and marketing purposes and owned by Allegheny Ludlum Steel. These special stainless steel Fords included the 1936 Ford Deluxe, the 1960 Thunderbird and the 1967 Lincoln Continental Convertible. Here's the history of how these stainless cars came about, according to Allegheny Ludlum Corporation.
In 1935, company officials of the Allegheny Ludlum Steel Division and the Ford Motor Company collaborated on an experiment that was to become a legacy and a tribute to one of the most dynamic metals ever developed. Allegheny Ludlum was a pioneer producer of stainless steel and proposed the idea of creating a stainless steel car to Ford. The decision makers at Ford liked the idea and it became a reality in the form of a 1936 Deluxe Sedan. The Stainless Steel Deluxe Thirty Six became the centerpiece of a campaign to expose the public to the new metal and its many uses.
In all, six of these cars rolled off the Ford assembly line in 1936. Of the six, four still exist today giving testimony to the proof of stainless steel's durability. These stainless steel cars were perfect vehicles for increasing the public's awareness of the quality of the metal. One of these four survivors is on display at the Heinz Regional History Center in Pittsburgh, PA.
The top salesmen each year were given the honor of being allowed to drive them for one year. Powered by the standard 85hp Ford V-8 engine, they were reputed to be surprisingly smooth and quiet. Each of the original six logged at least 200,000 miles with Allegheny Ludlum officials behind the steering wheels before they were 'retired' to private ownership in 1946. Thousands of additional miles have been logged on the odometers since, and their shiny bodies have outlasted most of their non-stainless steel parts. A retired Allegheny Ludlum employee said that the dies were ruined by stamping the stainless car parts, making these the last of these cars ever produced.
Allegheny Ludlum and Ford later collaborated on two more stainless models. The next one was the 1960 Thunderbird, and two of these cars were produced as another experiment to further raise public awareness of stainless steel by touring it around the country. They both rolled off the Wixom, MI production line on July 11, 1960. The experiment was a success on a number of levels and public awareness of stainless steel's many uses increased with every city and state the cars visited.
Since 1960, when the two stainless steel Ford Thunderbirds were introduced, they have been displayed throughout the United States and Europe. With the exception of the body skin, bumpers and grille, which are made of T302 stainless steel, every other component is standard 1960 Thunderbird equipment. Also included is the first T409 solid stainless steel muffler released on a production vehicle. Both cars still have their original mufflers and T304 exhaust pipes after 49 years on the road!
Then, in 1967, three Lincoln Continental Convertibles were the last of the stainless steel cars produced by the Ford Motor Company and Allegheny Ludlum Steel. As with all stainless steel, there was no need for painting since the corrosion-resistant properties of the stainless eliminate the problems caused by rust.
Except for the vehicles' bodies, all other parts and equipment on the cars were standard for the 1967 Lincoln Convertible. The vehicle weight is just about equal to one with a standard steel body.
Allegheny Ludlum Steel retains two of the Lincolns and still uses them for customer visits and special events. A complete set of stainless automobiles (1936 Deluxe, T-Bird, and Continental) are on permanent display in the Crawford Auto Museum in Cleveland, Ohio. And of the 11 total stainless steel cars built, 9 are still in use.