The two previous Ford car lines, Standard and De Luxe, had blossomed into three: Special, De Luxe, and Super De Luxe.  The popular 90 horsepower 221 cubic inch V8 remained the top-line engine in Super De Luxe models.

The “ignition key” for these cars was actually used to operate a bolt lock which, on one end, unlocked the steering column (a feature destined to return, mandated, decades later), and on the other end, unblocked the ignition switch, allowing it to be operated. Starting the car was then accomplished by pressing a pushbutton on the dashboard, another feature destined to return with the advent of “smart keys.”

Although electric starters had replaced starting cranks for decades, Ford cars included a manual starting feature until 1948 as an antidote to the dead-battery syndrome. The wheel-lug wrench served as a handle (also for the jack), and the jackshaft with bayonet-coupling pins could be inserted through a small hole in the grille to engage a bayonet socket on the forward end of the engine crankshaft. A quick-and-easy twist of the handle was sufficient to start the flat head V8, and the bayonet coupling was self-disengaging for safety.

With Ford in financial chaos during this period, sales fell well behind Chevrolet.  Ford’s output for 1948 was 430,198 vehicles, only about 62% of Chevrolet’s output, and Plymouth came close to knocking Ford from second place with an output of 412,540 vehicles.

We will have more details about this specific Ford Two-Door Special Deluxe before the start of its auction on Wednesday, so please check back very soon!