The term 1932 Ford may refer to three models of automobile produced by

Ford Motors Ford Motor Company (commonly known as Ford) is an American multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. It was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. The company sells automobil ...

between 1932 and 1934: the Model B, the Model 18, and the Model 40. These succeeded the Model A. The Model B had an updated four-cylinder engine and was available from 1932 to 1934. The Model 18 was the first Ford fitted with the flathead V-8, and it was available in the Model 40 too in 1933 and 1934. The company also replaced the Model AA truck with the Model BB, available with either the four- or eight-cylinder engine. The three car models were replaced by the streamlined Model 48 in 1935 which used the same chassis as its predecessor. The

1937 Ford The Ford line of cars was updated in 1937 with one major change — the introduction of an entry-level V8 in addition to the popular flathead V8. The model was a refresh of its predecessor, the Model 48 (itself based on the Model 40A) ...

would be the last to use the old 1932 chassis until 1940 when the car line of Ford was completely redesigned.

Technical

Rather than just updating the Model A, Ford launched a completely new vehicle for 1932. The V8 was marketed as the Model 18 in its initial year, but was commonly known as the Ford V‑8. It had the new flathead V8 engine. The Model 18 was the first low-priced, mass-marketed car to have a V8 engine -- an important milestone in the American automotive industry. The V8 was rated at , but power increased significantly with improvements to the carburetor and ignition in succeeding years. The V8 was more popular than the four-cylinder, which was essentially a variant of the Model A engine with improvements to balancing and lubrication. The Model B was derived with as few technical changes as possible to keep cost low. It was virtually indistinguishable from the V-8, aside from the engine and the badging on the hub caps and headlamp support bar (later: grille). Its intention was to be a price leader, and, as it offered more than the popular Model A, this should have been a winning formula. In fact, the newer and only slightly more expensive V-8 stole the show, and made the Model B obsolete. The V8 engine was previously exclusive to

Lincoln Lincoln most commonly refers to: * Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865), the 16th president of the United States * Lincoln, England, cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England * Lincoln, Nebraska, the capital of Nebraska, U.S. * Lincoln (na ...

products, which, in 1932, switched to V12 engines only. Although there was a certain visual similarity with the predecessor Model A, the car was of new design. While the Model A had a simple frame with two straight longitudinal members, the new car received a longer wheelbase, along with an outward curved, double-dropped chassis. In both models, the fuel tank was relocated from the cowl, as it was in the Model A and late Model T (where the back of the tank formed the dashboard), to the lower rear of the car, as is typical in modern vehicles. This required Ford to include an engine-driven fuel pump, rather than rely on gravity feed. While the V8 was developed from scratch, the B had an improved four-cylinder Model A engine of

displacement Displacement may refer to: Physical sciences Mathematics and physics *Displacement (geometry), is the difference between the final and initial position of a point trajectory (for instance, the center of mass of a moving object). The actual path ...

producing . Design of this vehicle was supervised by then-Ford president

Edsel Ford Edsel Bryant Ford (November 6, 1893 – May 26, 1943) was an American business executive and philanthropist, who was the only child of pioneering industrialist Henry Ford and his wife, Clara Jane Bryant Ford. He was the president of Ford Motor C ...

, but the creation of the Flathead V8 power plant was mostly under the supervision of

Henry Ford Henry Ford (July 30, 1863 – April 7, 1947) was an American Technological and industrial history of the United States, industrialist and business magnate. As the founder of the Ford Motor Company, he is credited as a pioneer in making automob ...

1932

When Ford introduced the Model A in late 1927, there were several competitors also offering four-cylinder cars, among them

Chevrolet Chevrolet ( ) is an American automobile division of the manufacturer General Motors (GM). In North America, Chevrolet produces and sells a wide range of vehicles, from subcompact automobiles to medium-duty commercial trucks. Due to the promi ...

Dodge Dodge is an American brand of automobiles and a division of Stellantis, based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Dodge vehicles have historically included performance cars, and for much of its existence, Dodge was Chrysler's mid-priced brand above P ...

, Durant, and

Willys Willys (pronounced , "Willis") was a brand, brand name used by Willys–Overland Motors, an American automobile company, founded by John Willys, John North Willys. It was best known for its design and production of World War II–era Willys MB, ...

. That changed within a few years, soon leaving the new Plymouth the sole major make in the Ford's price class with a four. Although sharing a common platform, Model Bs and Model 18s came not only in Standard and Deluxe trim, they were available in a large variety of body styles. Some of them, such as the commercial cars described below, were only available as Standards, and a few other came only in Deluxe trim. There were two-door roadster, two-door cabriolet, four-door phaeton, two and four-door sedans, four-door "woodie" station wagon, two-door convertible sedan, panel and sedan deliveries, five-window

coupe A coupe or coupé (, ) is a passenger car with a sloping or truncated rear roofline and typically with two doors. The term ''coupé'' was first applied to horse-drawn carriages for two passengers without rear-facing seats. It comes from the Fr ...

, a sport coupe (stationary softtop), the three-window Deluxe Coupe, and pickup. The wooden panels were manufactured at the

Ford Iron Mountain Plant Kingsford is a brand that makes charcoal briquettes, along with related products, used for grilling. Established in 1920, the brand is owned by The Clorox Company. Currently, the Kingsford Products Company remains the leading manufacturer of c ...

in the Michigan Upper Peninsula from Ford owned lumber. One of the more well known and popular models was the two-door Victoria, which was largely designed by

. It was a smaller version of the Lincoln Victoria coupe, built on the

Lincoln K-series The Lincoln K series (also called the Lincoln Model K, in line with Ford nomenclature) is a luxury vehicle that was produced by the Lincoln Motor Company between 1931 and 1940. The second motor line produced by the company, the Model K was devel ...

chassis with a V8 engine; by 1933 Lincoln no longer used a V8 and only offered the V12, with the V8 now exclusive to Ford branded vehicles. Prices ranged from

US$ The United States dollar (Currency symbol, symbol: Dollar sign, $; ISO 4217, currency code: USD) is the official currency of the United States and International use of the U.S. dollar, several other countries. The Coinage Act of 1792 introdu ...

495 for the roadster, $490 for the coupés, and $650 for the convertible sedan. Production totals numbered from 12,597 for the roadster to 124,101 for the two-door sedan. Ford sold 298,647 V8-powered 18s in 1932, and except for the fact Ford could not keep up with V8 demand, the essentially identical four-cylinder B would have been a sales disaster: dealers switched customers to them from the V8, and even then sold only 133,539, in part because the V8 cost just US$10 more. The B was discontinued because buyers disliked four-cylinder models in general, and because of the huge success of the V8, not for being an inferior car. In fact, it persisted a little longer in Europe, where in many countries the tax system heavily favored smaller-displacement engines. All 1932 Fords—V8-8s and Model Bs—came with black fenders, wire wheels, and a rear-mounted spare wheel (side mounted on cars equipped with a tail gate). Options included single or twin side mounts, luggage rack, clock, interior and exterior mirrors, and choice of leather or (for closed cars) broadcloth interior material. Paints were

Pyroxylin Nitrocellulose (also known as cellulose nitrate, flash paper, flash cotton, guncotton, pyroxylin and flash string, depending on form) is a highly flammable compound formed by nitrating cellulose through exposure to a mixture of nitric acid and ...

(nitrocellulose)

lacquer Lacquer is a type of hard and usually shiny coating or finish applied to materials such as wood or metal. It is most often made from resin extracted from trees and waxes and has been in use since antiquity. Asian lacquerware, which may be c ...

1932 Ford B 400 Sedan Transformable pic3

One special type was the flathead V8-engined B400, of which only 842 were made. This was a two-door

cabrio coach A cabrio coach or semi-convertible is a type of car that has a retractable textile roof, similar to a convertible/cabriolet. The difference is that where a convertible often has the B-pillar, C-pillar and other bodywork removed, the cabrio coa ...

, a convertible coupe with fixed side window frames. Most of them were exported for overseas markets or ambassador use. Since sales were poor, it was soon discontinued, becoming the rarest of 1932 Fords. The B400 bodystyle was replaced by a more expensive full convertible.

Standard and Deluxe trim

The B shared frame, bodies, and even most of the trim with the eight-cylinder car. The only technical difference was the use of the slightly reworked Model A engine, thus the designation B. Most body styles were available as Standard or Deluxe variants with either engine as an option. Customers could get a Deluxe 1932 Model B as a roadster, phaeton, Tudor, or Fordor, as well as the Deluxe-only three-window coupé. Standard trim meant black front window frame, black wire wheels (color optional), black horn (chrome-plated optional), single tail light (second optional), painted dash, position lights integrated in the

head lamp A headlamp is a lamp attached to the front of a vehicle to illuminate the road ahead. Headlamps are also often called headlights, but in the most precise usage, ''headlamp'' is the term for the device itself and ''headlight'' is the term for t ...

s (Deluxe cowl lamps optional), and less expensive interiors.

1933

When the Model 40 and the new B were introduced February 9, 1933, revisions of the car were substantial, especially considering how important the 1932 change had been. For its second year, the wheelbase was stretched, from 106 in (2692 mm) to 112 in (2845 mm) on a new crossmember frame. The grille was revised, gaining a pointed forward slope at the bottom which resembled either a

spade A spade is a tool primarily for digging consisting of a long handle and blade, typically with the blade narrower and flatter than the common shovel. Early spades were made of riven wood or of animal bones (often shoulder blades). After the a ...

, a

Medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with the fall of the West ...

shield A shield is a piece of personal armour held in the hand, which may or may not be strapped to the wrist or forearm. Shields are used to intercept specific attacks, whether from close-ranged weaponry like spears or long ranged projectiles suc ...

, or possibly the 1932

Packard Light Eight The Packard Ninth Series Light Eight Model 900 was an automobile model produced by the Packard Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan only during model year 1932. The Light Eight was planned as a new entry model, building off the 1928 Packard Six#S ...

in general outline anyway. Both the grille and hood louvers curved down and forward. The overall design and grille were inspired by the English Ford Model Y. Streamlining was further accentuated by the new hood which now covered the cowl, giving an impression of more length. In addition, there were more rounded and skirted fenders and new, elegantly bowed bumpers. Headlamp support bars were no longer in use, and there were new wire wheels. The cars got a new dashboard with instruments set in an oval insert in front of the driver. There was a glove box on the passenger side. Closed Deluxe models received heavy

DI-NOC 3M Company (originally the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company) is an American multinational conglomerate operating in the fields of industry, worker safety, and consumer goods. Based in the Maplewood suburb of Saint Paul, Minnesota, ...

(PVC) woodgraining on dash and window frames, and there were deeper seat cushions. There were 10 body styles (14 if standard and Deluxe trim levels are counted separately). Now, all were available for V-8s and the Model B, which thus got Deluxe models, too. Convertible Coupes and Victoria came in Deluxe trim only, and the most expensive car in the line, the "woody", as a Standard only. It cost US$590 with the four-cylinder engine. The cars gained about 3 percent in weight, compensated for with more powerful engines, as on the V-8 with its 15 percent increase in power.

"Model C"

Power from the V8 rose to 75 hp (56 kW) with a revised ignition system. The four-cylinder engine continued unchanged, but was referred to (by some) as the Model C, though Ford never referred to its "Improved Four-Cylinder engine" as a "Model C" engine. There is some dispute over this; some sources say it was a common misconception due to the introduction of a larger counterbalanced crankshaft during the Model B engine production, and the letter "C" casting mark on most, but not all, of the Model B heads. On the other side, this integrally counterweighted crankshaft was first introduced for truck engines only. When they proved superior concerning smoothness and longevity, they were introduced for worldwide four cylinder production. Together with the fact that there were huge quantities of "B" code engines in stock that needed to be used up, this explains why there are "B" and "C" coded engines in some model years. As Canadian-built cars used the prefix "C" on their identification plates, there is another source for errors. Model Bs start with prefix "AB", V-8s with "18-1". (Model A

part number A part number (often abbreviated PN, P/N, part no., or part #) is an identifier of a particular part design or material used in a particular industry. Its purpose is to simplify reference that item. A part number unambiguously identifies a part ...

suffix was ‑A, Police Special High Compression head part number suffix was ‑b, and there was a fairly large letter "B" casting mark about the center of the head.)

1934

The 1934 Ford (the Model 40B) was not as substantial a

model year The model year (sometimes abbreviated as MY) is a method of describing the version of a product which has been produced over multiple years. The model year may or may not be the same as the calendar year in which the product was manufactured. ...

change as the previous two years had been. Noticeable changes included a flatter grille with a wider surround and fewer bars, straight hood louvers, two handles on each side of the hood, smaller head lights and cowl lamps, and a reworked logo. The bare metal dash insert was replaced by painted steel. V‑8 output was again increased, this time to 85 hp (63 kW), and the

four-cylinder The engine configuration describes the fundamental operating principles by which internal combustion engines are categorized. Piston engines are often categorized by their cylinder layout, valves and camshafts. Wankel engines are often categoriz ...

Model B engine was in its last year, as was the Victoria body style; nevertheless, there were fourteen body options, the Tudor being top-seller. The standard three-window coupe was deleted. Deluxes had

pinstriping Pin striping (or pinstriping) is the application of a very thin line of paint or other material called a pin stripe, and is generally used for decoration. Freehand pin stripers use a specialty brush known as a pinstriping brush. Automotive, b ...

, again twin (chromed) horns, and twin back lights. Inside, they got more elaborate wood graining. The 1934 Ford V-8 is well-known for having been the vehicle in which the notorious Depression-era bandits Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow were ambushed and killed. Barrow preferred to steal the powerful Ford V-8, and was driving a 1934 sedan on May 23, 1934, when a heavily armed law enforcement posse opened fire and riddled the pair with bullets and buckshot in

Bienville Parish Bienville Parish (, ) is a parish located in the northwestern portion of the U.S. state of Louisiana. At the 2020 census, the population was 12,981. The parish seat and most populous municipality is Arcadia. The highest natural point in Loui ...

, Louisiana. File:1934 Ford Model 40 (23285375560).jpg, left, 1934 Ford Model 40 File:Bonnie Clyde Car.jpg, left, 1934 Ford in which

Bonnie and Clyde Bonnie Elizabeth Parker (October 1, 1910May 23, 1934) and Clyde Chestnut "Champion" Barrow (March 24, 1909May 23, 1934) were American outlaws who traveled the Central United States with their gang during the Great Depression, committing a ser ...

were ambushed and killed

1934 Model 40 Special Speedster

Edsel Ford commissioned Ford's chief designer, E.T. "Bob" Gregorie to design and supervise the construction of a personal sports car based on a style of period sports car Mr. Ford had seen in Europe. A special two seat roadster was built from aluminum and installed with a flathead V8 engine. Only one was built and is currently at the Ford House museum.

Hot-rod variants

The 1932–1934 Fords are extremely popular with

hot rod Hot rods are typically American cars that might be old, classic, or modern and that have been rebuilt or modified with large engines optimized for speed and acceleration. One definition is: "a car that's been stripped down, souped up and ma ...

ders. During the period after WWII, Model Bs and 18s were favored. This continued into the 1960s on a large scale. Today, the roadster and coupe are the most sought-after body styles, making unmodified examples rare. Since the 1970s, 1932 bodies and frames have been reproduced either in fiberglass or lately in steel, which has increased the number of cars being created or restored, typically as hot rods. These are often very expensive, and a typical show-quality car may sell for $60,000 or more. 32tudorred

Deuce coupe

A deuce coupe (''deuce'' indicating the year "2" in 1932) is a 1932 Ford coupe. The Model 18 coupe with its more powerful

V8 engine A V8 engine is an eight- cylinder piston engine in which two banks of four cylinders share a common crankshaft and are arranged in a V configuration. Origins The first known V8 was the Antoinette, designed by Léon Levavasseur, a ...

was more popular than the

Model B coupe. In the 1940s, the Model 18 was plentiful and cheap enough for young men to buy, becoming the basis for an ideal hot rod. Customizers would strip surplus weight off and " hop up" the engine for power - a metaphor drawing from one's behavior becoming more raucous when "hopped up" on beer. These "hot rods" came in two body styles, the more common 5-window and the rarer

suicide door A suicide door is an Car door, automobile door hinged at its rear rather than the front. Such doors were originally used on Horse-drawn vehicle, horse-drawn carriages but are rarely found on modern vehicles, primarily because they are less saf ...

3-window. The iconic stature of the 1932-vintage Ford in hot rodding inspired

The Beach Boys The Beach Boys are an American Rock music, rock band formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian Wilson, Brian, Dennis Wilson, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and their f ...

to write their hit 1963 song "

Little Deuce Coupe ''Little Deuce Coupe'' is the fourth album by the American rock band the Beach Boys, released October 7, 1963 by Capitol Records. It reached No. 4 in the U.S. during a chart stay of 46 weeks, and was eventually certified platinum by the RIA ...

", which also was the name of the album it appeared on. The deuce coupe was also featured prominently in the 1973 hit film ''

American Graffiti ''American Graffiti'' is a 1973 American coming-of-age comedy-drama film directed by George Lucas, produced by Francis Ford Coppola, written by Willard Huyck, Gloria Katz and Lucas, and starring Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Paul Le Mat ...

''. The car is also famously referenced in the 1973

Bruce Springsteen Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American Rock music, rock singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Nicknamed "the Boss", Springsteen has released 21 studio albums spanning six decades; most of his albums feature th ...

song, "

Blinded by the Light "Blinded by the Light" is a song written and recorded by Bruce Springsteen, which first appeared on his 1973 debut album ''Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.'' A cover by British rock band Manfred Mann's Earth Band reached number one on the Billb ...

", made popular by

Manfred Mann's Earth Band Manfred Mann's Earth Band are an English rock band formed by South African musician Manfred Mann (musician), Manfred Mann. Their hits include covers of Bruce Springsteen's "For You (Bruce Springsteen song), For You", "Blinded by the Light" an ...

in 1977. Typical of builds from before World War Two were '35 Ford wire-spoke wheels. Immediately postwar, most hot rods changed from

mechanical Mechanical may refer to: Machine * Machine (mechanical), a system of mechanisms that shape the actuator input to achieve a specific application of output forces and movement * Mechanical calculator, a device used to perform the basic operations o ...

to hydraulic ("juice") brakes and from bulb to

sealed-beam headlight A parabolic aluminized reflector lamp (PAR lamp or simply PAR) is a type of electric lamp that is widely used in commercial, residential, and transportation illumination. It produces a highly directional beam. Usage includes theatrical lighti ...

s. The "gow job" morphed into the "hot rod" in the early to middle 1950s. The mid-1950s and early 1960s custom deuce was typically fenderless and steeply chopped, and almost all Ford (or Mercury, with the flathead, introduced in 1939). A

Halibrand Halibrand is an American maker of racing wheels and quick-change rearend housings. Halibrand started in Culver City, California in 1946. Its first product was a magnesium wheel for Indy car IndyCar, LLC (stylized as INDYCAR), is an auto racing ...

quick-change rearend was also typical, and an

Edelbrock Edelbrock, LLC is an American manufacturer of specialty automotive and motorcycle parts. The company is headquartered in the Memphis area (specifically Olive Branch, Mississippi), with a Southern California R&D Tech Center located in Cerritos, C ...

intake manifold An inlet manifold or intake manifold (in American English) is the part of an internal combustion engine that supplies the fuel/air mixture to the cylinder (engine), cylinders. The word ''manifold (engineering), manifold'' comes from the Old Eng ...

or Harman and Collins

ignition magneto An ignition magneto (also called a high-tension magneto) is an older type of ignition system used in spark-ignition engines (such as petrol engines). It uses a magneto and a transformer to make pulses of high voltage for the spark plugs. The old ...

would not be uncommon. Reproduction spindles, brake drums, and backing based on the 1937s remain available today. Aftermarket "flatty" (flathead)

cylinder head In a piston engine, the cylinder head sits above the cylinders, forming the roof of the combustion chamber. In sidevalve engines the head is a simple plate of metal containing the spark plugs and possibly heat dissipation fins. In more modern ...

s were available from Barney Navarro,

Vic Edelbrock Otis Victor Edelbrock, Sr. (August 16, 1913 – November 11, 1962) was an American automotive aftermarket performance parts engineer, racer and is considered one of the founders of the American hot rod movement Victor, known as "Vic", establis ...

, and

Offenhauser The Offenhauser Racing Engine, or Offy, is a racing engine design that dominated American open wheel racing for more than 50 years and is still popular among vintage sprint and midget car racers. History The Offenhauser engine, familiarl ...

. The first intake manifold Edelbrock sold was a "slingshot" design for the flathead V8. Front suspension

hairpin A hairpin or hair pin is a long device used to hold a person's hair in place. It may be used simply to secure long hair out of the way for convenience or as part of an elaborate hairstyle or coiffure. The earliest evidence for dressing the ha ...

s were adapted from

sprint car Sprint cars are open-wheel race cars, designed primarily for the purpose of running on short oval, circular dirt or paved tracks. Historically known simply as "big cars," distinguishing them from "midget cars," sprint car racing is popular primar ...

s, such as the

Kurtis Kraft Kurtis Kraft was an American designer and builder of race cars. The company built midget cars, quartermidgets, sports cars, sprint cars, Bonneville cars, and USAC Championship cars. It was founded by Frank Kurtis when he built his own mid ...

s. The first Jimmy

supercharger In an internal combustion engine, a supercharger compresses the intake gas, forcing more air into the engine in order to produce more power for a given displacement (engine), displacement. It is a form of forced induction that is mechanically ...

on a V8 may have been by Navarro in 1950. Brookville Roadster was one of the first companies to reproduce car bodies in steel.

''Little Deuce Coupe''

The picture featured on the front cover of the Beach Boys' 1963 album ''

'' was supplied by ''

Hot Rod Hot rods are typically American cars that might be old, classic, or modern and that have been rebuilt or modified with large engines optimized for speed and acceleration. One definition is: "a car that's been stripped down, souped up and ma ...

'' magazine, and features the body (with his head cropped in the photo) of the car's owner Clarence 'Chili' Catallo and his own customized three-window 1932 Ford coupe.Dave Wallace
"Little Deuce Coupe"
''

''. October 19, 2012. ''(Retrieved 2021-01-18.)'' Catallo had bought the car in 1956 for $75 in

Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...

when he was 15 years old. He chopped and channelled the car to lower the top by , then replaced the stock Ford flathead V8 (as in the song) with a newer, more powerful

OHV OHV may refer to: * Overhead valve engine * Off-highway vehicle, aka off-road vehicle * Off-roading * California State Parks California State Parks is the state park system for the U.S. state of California. The system is administered by the C ...

Oldsmobile Rocket V8. Much of the original customizing work, including the stacked headlights (from a later 1960 Chrysler 300H), side trim, and grille, was done by Mike and Larry Alexander in the

Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...

suburb of Southfield. After Catallo moved to Southern California, additional work, including the chopped top, was done in 1960–61 at Kustom City, George Barris' North Hollywood auto customizing shop. This led to the magazine cover and two years later, the shot was featured as the cover for The Beach Boys' fourth album. Catallo sold the coupe a few years later but, urged by his son Curt, was able to buy it back in the late 1990s for $40,000. The car had since been additionally modified but was restored by Catallo with many of the original parts, so it is again nearly identical to the famous photo. In 2000, the hot rod won the "People's Choice" award at the

Meadow Brook Concours d'Elegance Meadow Brook Hall is a Tudor revival style mansion located at 350 Estate Drive in Rochester Hills, Michigan. It was built between 1926 and 1929 by the heiress to the Dodge automaker fortune, Matilda Dodge Wilson and her second husband, lumber ba ...

Modern hot rods

Most newly built hot rods use fiberglass or more expensive, newly minted, steel bodies. The classic 1932 Ford lines are closely reproduced with new bodies. Because the 1932 Ford is extremely popular with hot rodders, unmodified versions are becoming rare. Although distinctly different in appearance, 1933 and '34 Fords are also popular starting points for hot rod construction, and are also available as reproductions.

Gallery

File:NASC Springnationals-Drayton Manor.jpg, Hiboy Deuce, with chopped top, drag headers, and

tunnel ram A tunnel is an underground or undersea passageway. It is dug through surrounding soil, earth or rock, or laid under water, and is usually completely enclosed except for the two portals common at each end, though there may be access and ve ...

(with dual quad carburetors), and aftermarket dropped axle and

disc brake A disc brake is a type of brake that uses the #Calipers, calipers to squeeze pairs of #Brake pads, pads against a disc (sometimes called a

rake Rake may refer to: Common meanings * Rake (tool), a horticultural implement, a long-handled tool with tines * Rake (stock character), a man habituated to immoral conduct * Rake (poker), the commission taken by the house when hosting a poker game ...

rotor) to create friction. There are two basic types of brake pad friction mechanisms: abrasive f ...

s, based on 1932 Model 18 or B three-window coupe File:'33 Ford Model B Streetrod (Auto classique).JPG, Street rod with chopped top, based on 1933 Model 40 or B three window coupe File:1934 Ford Deluxe Fordor.jpg, Somewhat milder tuned street rod without chopped top, based on 1934 Model 40B or B Fordor, claimed a Deluxe. The usual mixing parts in this genre avoids clear identification File:1934 Ford Model B.jpg, 1934 Model 40B or B three window coupe, built in the 1950s hot rod tradition with 1930s style steel wheels and rows of hood louvres File:ZZTopEliminator.jpg, "

Eliminator Eliminator may refer to: People and characters *The Eliminators (band), a band which covered " The Saint" from '' Surfbeat Behind the Iron Curtain, Volume 1'' *The Eliminators, a professional wrestling tag team that consisted of John Kronus and P ...

" coupe, based on a 1933 Ford and built for

ZZ Top ZZ Top is an American rock band formed in Houston, Texas, in 1969. For almost 56 years, it consisted of vocalist-guitarist Billy Gibbons, drummer Frank Beard (musician), Frank Beard, and bassist-vocalist Dusty Hill prior to his death in 2021. ZZ ...

guitarist

Billy Gibbons William Frederick Gibbons (born December 16, 1949) is an American rock musician, best known as the guitarist, primary vocalist, and only constant member of ZZ Top. He began his career in Moving Sidewalks, who recorded '' Flash'' (1969) and op ...

File:34ford.jpg, 1934 Ford 5 Window Custom

Production

There were no specific plants for the Model B. It rolled side by side with the V-8 off the line. In 1932, Ford Motor Company had 32 plants in the US, one in Canada, seven in Europe (one for

Fordson Fordson was a brand name of tractors and trucks. It was used on a range of mass-produced general-purpose tractors manufactured by Henry Ford & Son Inc from 1917 to 1920, by Ford Motor Company (U.S.) and Ford Motor Company Ltd (U.K.) from 1920 ...

tractor A tractor is an engineering vehicle specifically designed to deliver a high tractive effort (or torque) at slow speeds, for the purposes of hauling a Trailer (vehicle), trailer or machinery such as that used in agriculture, mining or constructio ...

production only), four in Central and South America, and one each in Turkey, Japan and Australia. Vehicles were manufactured at the Ford

River Rouge Plant The Ford River Rouge complex (commonly known as the Rouge complex, River Rouge, or The Rouge) is a Ford Motor Company automobile factory complex located in Dearborn, Michigan, along the River Rouge, upstream from its confluence with the Detr ...

, then sent to the various assembly locations in "

knock-down kit A knock-down kit (also knockdown kit, knocked-down kit, or simply knockdown or KD) is a collection of parts required to assemble a product. The parts are typically manufactured in one country or region, and then exported to another country or r ...

s" by railroad, where they were locally assembled and sold.

United States

* Atlanta (Georgia) * Buffalo (New York) * Charlotte (North Carolina) * Chester (Pennsylvania) * Chicago (Illinois) * Cincinnati (Ohio) * Cleveland (Ohio) * Columbus (Ohio) * Dearborn (Michigan) * Denver (Colorado) * Des Moines (Iowa) * Edgewater (New Jersey) * Houston (Texas) * Indianapolis (Indiana) * Jacksonville (Florida) * Kansas City (Missouri) * Long Beach (California) *

Louisville (Kentucky) Louisville is the most populous city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, sixth-most populous city in the Southeast, and the list of United States cities by population, 27th-most-populous city in the United States. By land area, it is the country' ...

* Memphis (Tennessee) * Milwaukee (Wisconsin) * New Orleans (Louisiana) * Norfolk (Virginia) * Oklahoma City (Oklahoma) * Omaha (Nebraska) * Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) * Portland (Oregon) * Richmond (California) * St. Louis (Missouri) * Seattle (Washington) * Somerville (Massachusetts) * St. Paul (Minnesota)

Canada

* Toronto (Ontario) * Winnipeg (Manitoba)

Europe

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , ; ; ) is the capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, largest city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It has a population of 933,680 in June 2024 within the city proper, 1,457,018 in the City Re ...

(Netherlands) *

Antwerp Antwerp (; ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of Antwerp Province, and the third-largest city in Belgium by area at , after ...

(Belgium) *

Asnières-sur-Seine Asnières-sur-Seine () is a Communes of France, commune in the Hauts-de-Seine Departments of France, department and Île-de-France Regions of France, region of north-central France. It lies on the left bank of the river Seine, some eight kilometr ...

(France) *

Barcelona Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...

(Spain) *

Cologne Cologne ( ; ; ) is the largest city of the States of Germany, German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with nearly 1.1 million inhabitants in the city pr ...

(Germany) *

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...

(Denmark) *

Dagenham Dagenham () is a town in East London, England, within the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham. Dagenham is centred east of Charing Cross. It was historically a rural parish in the Becontree Hundred of Essex, stretching from Hainault Fo ...

(United Kingdom) * Gorky (Soviet Union) Like the previous GAZ A ( Ford A based), a heavily modified version of the 1934 Ford Model B 40A was also produced by

GAZ Gaz may refer to: Geography *Gaz, Kyrgyzstan Iran * Gaz, Darmian, village in South Khorasan province * Gaz, Golestan, a village in Bandar-e Gaz County * Gaz, Hormozgan, a village in Minab County * Gaz, Kerman, a village * Gaz, North Khorasan, a ...

in Gorky as the M1 model. Available only to high-ranking officials, the military, and various institutions, it served as the basis for the

BA-20 The BA-20 () was an armored car developed in the Soviet Union in 1934. It was intended to replace the FAI and its field trials were completed in 1935. The BA-20 was then used in the early stages of World War II. Design and production The BA-20 ...

military vehicle. In Germany a four-cylinder variation of the Model B with a somewhat more streamlined back end was produced called the

Rheinland The Rhineland ( ; ; ; ) is a loosely defined area of Western Germany along the Rhine, chiefly its middle section. It is the main industrial heartland of Germany because of its many factories, and it has historic ties to the Holy Roman Empire ...

. The Ford V8 was also made by Ford in Britain in the 1930s. It was conservatively re-styled and relaunched as the post-war

Ford Pilot The Ford Pilot (''Model E71A'') is a medium-sized car that was built by Ford UK from August 1947 to 1951. It was effectively replaced in 1951 with the launch of Ford UK's Zephyr Six and Consul models, though V8 Pilots were still offered for sal ...

which came with two V8 engine options.

Mexico, Central and South America

*Buenos Aires (Argentina) *Mexico City (Mexico) *Santiago (Chile) *São Bernardo do Campo (Brazil)

Asia and Oceania

*Istanbul (Turkey) *Yokohama (Japan) *Shanghai (China) *Geelong (Australia)

Model BB trucks

As with the previous model A, there were heavier commercial vehicles. They were available with either the venerable four or the more powerful V-8. The four cylinder truck got the designation "BB", following a practice started with the "Ford Model TT, TT" and "Ford Model AA, AA" trucks. The BB had longer wheelbases of 131.5 or 157 in. (3340 or 3988 mm), a reinforced frame, heavy duty transmissions and axles, and bigger wheels. Wire wheels were standard on the light duty cars, the heavier got steel wheels (some of them dual on the rear axle). There was a separate catalogue offering popular body styles, rolling chassis or chassis and cab. Many local coachbuilders offered their coachwork to customers in need of more specific solutions. During the Great Depression, Depression, also ambulances, hearses, or fire trucks found their way to budget-minded communities and organizations. Other than with the Model B automobiles, BB designated four as well as eight cylinder trucks. V-8 was strictly an option, even for heavy trucks. The bulk of these vehicles came with four cylinder engines. These trucks are easily mistaken for B or V-8 commercial cars built on the passenger car chassis. Sedan delivery, Sedan deliveries, pickups, and station wagons were the best remembered of these. They had elongated bodies and stiffer springs, and were generally shown in the commercial car catalogue, even if the wagon was the most expensive body style available on the passenger car chassis. File:Dorothea Lange atop automobile in California (restored).jpg, Dorothea Lange on a 1933 Model 40 (V-8) station wagon. The B is similar; the only outside differences are lack of the V-8 emblem on grille and hub caps. Considered a commercial car, it came in standard guise only. File:1933 Ford 830 Model 46 pic1.JPG, 1933 Ford Model 46 (V-8) half ton pick up truck (1933). The BB is similar; the only outside difference is lack of the V-8 emblem on the headlamp support bar. File:1934 Ford Model BB 157 Truck JET563.jpg, 1934 Ford Model BB pick up truck.

Notes

References

Works cited

* * * * * * * *

General references

* Brinkley, Douglas. ''Wheels For The World: Henry Ford, His Company And A Century Of Progress''. * Burness, Tad: ''American Car Spotter's Guide, 1920–39''; Motorbooks International, * Consumer's Guide (editor): ''Encyclopedia of American Cars from 1930'', Publications International (1993), * * George H. Dammann: ''Illustrated History of Ford'', Crestline Publishing Co., Sarasota FL (1970), * Heasley, Jerry: ''The Production Figure Book For U.S. Cars''; Motorbooks International (1977) * * * Ray Miller: ''The V-Eight Affair: An Illustrated History of the Pre-War Ford V-8''; Vol. 3, The Ford Rd Series, The Evergreen Press, Oceanside, California (1972), ; , Hardcover * Naul, G. Marshall (editor) and Zavitz, R. Parry: ''The Specification Book For U.S. Cars 1930–1969''; Motorbooks International (1980) * Olyslager, Piet: ''American Cars of the 1930s'' The Olyslager Auto Library (1971; reprinted 1977),

External links

Ford Model B – Carsguide Car of the Week
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ford Model B, Model 18, and Model 40 (1932) 1930s cars Coupés Ford vehicles, 1932 Ford Military trucks of Germany Motor vehicles manufactured in the United States Rally cars Rear-wheel-drive vehicles Sedans Vintage vehicles