All this talk about '32 Fords, how about books on the subject ?

[Greg Myers]

I've got a few in my library, some good some not.

Edited August 4, 2014 by Greg Myers

[unclescott58]

Well, which of the four are good? And which are not?

Scott

[Greg Myers]

bottom two good

[ratdoggy]

I actually know an author....What do you think you need in a book on the deuce ?

[Greg Myers]

The Rodders Journal book "Deuce" was very specific in that it covered the 75 historic cars shown at the AMBR show. The first one was kind of a rehash of some Ford shop manuals with the second being an updated version ( kind of disappointing), also having some what of a British bent, the author being British as it were.

The Third covering the subject quite well, many color photos and original content.

The bad ones? Not here.

What do you "need" in a book on the Deuce? What have you got? I've presented what I have.

[1930fordpickup]

Greg I think he is asking what content are you looking for in the book.

Are you looking for the history of Fords car from the start to the end of production?

Do you want just stock build info or do you want a book based for street rods from the 40's until now?

Then you have the cars that run on the salt flats and the drag strip. Dirt trackers is another few chapters.

[Jon Haigwood]

cool, all I got is Wiki

[Greg Myers]

What do you "need" in a book on the Deuce? What have you got? I've presented what I have. Take part in the thread, show us some books. I've shown you mine.

[Jon Haigwood]

lets see:

Classic Cars of the World

Fast Fords

Shelbys Wildlife

Custom Cars in Color

Mustangs

and somewhere I have a book on Concept Cars

but alas no 32 Ford books or any others in that group

[Art Anderson]

Some thoughts here, from the "factory stock" perspective:

With Fords, while reams of information, stacks of books (both soft and hard cover) have been written about Model T's and Model A's, once past those, into the V8 era of the 30's and beyond, good printed information can be hard to find. Why?

When the restoration of antique automobiles really started to take off, in the late 1940's, collector interest (and restoration as well) truly centered around cars of the so-called "Brass Era" (not counting the so-called "Classic Cars"--those luxury cars mid-20's to the late 30's). With Fords, that meant 1916 and earlier Model T's, the all black T's being pretty much a stepchild. Even the Model A, as late as 1950, was still just a "used car", then being only 19-22 years old (their time in the sun would start for real a few years later).

1932 and later pre-war Fords, at least here in the US, were considered pretty much hot rod fodder, or at best, what old car buffs called "special interest" cars--not yet really considered worthy of serious restoration, which is what tended to "spark" any sort of serious books showing production line photographs, etc.

This almost "prejudice" against nearly all mass-produced cars of the 1930's continued, in the antique car hobby, well into the 1970's, by which time early writers and publishers in the old car hobby, such as Floyd Clymer, had either retired completely or had passed away. Publishers such as Clymer had been mainstays of the reference material for old car restoration from just after WW-II until they reached their personal "end of the line"--and the soft cover books they put out pretty much faded away. When restorer interest in such as cars of the 30's hit, in the 1970's, a lot of reference material that might be of interest to modelers was pretty much in the form of specialty magazines, such as "Special Interest Auto's", "Car Collector" and the like, or was generally available only in the periodic journals published by marque-specific clubs. In particular, this seems to have hit the '32 Ford "harder" than any previous Ford, and for that matter, even the '33-'48 Ford, due I suspect to two things:

First of all,the 1932 model year was the lowest production year for Ford since 1912--only slightly more than 250,000 Model B's and Model 18's (the latter is the V8 designation) were built, less than half of 1931's production of Model A's. Second, and probably more important, the 1932 Ford was not considered to be a very good car, certainly on the used car market, due primarily to engine troubles with the early V8, and also its having a fairly weak frame, that having a rather serious problem with twisting on rough, uneven roads (very common in those years), because of old Henry's insistence on a K-shaped center crossmember in the first Ford frame with "double dropped" open channel side rails--that made for an awful lot of flexing of body shells resulting in embarrassing sheet metal cracking at places such as the base of the windshield posts (A-pillars) and at the rear corners of the bodies themselves. In fact, Ford's 1932 Service Bulletins had frequent notices of body reinforment plates becoming available, with instructions on how to install them, then leading in the unsightly body cracks followed by repainting (this probably caused the rather low resale value of the Deuce, making it all the more attractive to early hot rodders as a lightweight car, fully V8 compatible, at very cheap used car prices!). In addition, the relative scarcity of restorable examples of 1932 Fords by the mid-late 60's, when 30's cars began being considered as antiques rather than just "used cars", or at best, "special interest" cars, probably meant far fewer technical and historical articles in magazines devoted to the restoration of flathead V8 cars in general. I know, because I've looked high and low for reference pics showing as much info on the stock Deuce as is available for Model A's, for a stock configuration '32 Ford project I have in mind.

Art

[unclescott58]

Art, a wonderful bit of history. Thank you.

Scott

[Greg Myers]

You don't think the '32 being a "one year" production car built at the height of the depression may have had something to do with it ?

[Bernard Kron]

...1932 and later pre-war Fords, at least here in the US, were considered pretty much hot rod fodder, or at best, what old car buffs called "special interest" cars--not yet really considered worthy of serious restoration, which is what tended to "spark" any sort of serious books showing production line photographs, etc.

This almost "prejudice" against nearly all mass-produced cars of the 1930's continued, in the antique car hobby, well into the 1970's, by which time early writers and publishers in the old car hobby, such as Floyd Clymer, had either retired completely or had passed away. ... Publishers such as Clymer had been mainstays of the reference material for old car restoration from just after WW-II until they reached their personal "end of the line"--and the soft cover books they put out pretty much faded away. ... In particular, this seems to have hit the '32 Ford "harder" than any previous Ford, and for that matter, even the '33-'48 Ford, due I suspect to two things:

First of all,the 1932 model year was the lowest production year for Ford since 1912--only slightly more than 250,000 Model B's and Model 18's (the latter is the V8 designation) were built, less than half of 1931's production of Model A's. Second, and probably more important, the 1932 Ford was not considered to be a very good car, certainly on the used car market, due primarily to engine troubles with the early V8, and also its having a fairly weak frame, that having a rather serious problem with twisting on rough, uneven roads ...

It's always a delight to read your insights, Art. In particular I have been fascinated by the unusual phenomenon of the least-produced Ford of the initial era of the brand becoming the definitive hot rod icon. This is particular so when you add in the fact that the model was rushed into development and introduced in the throws of the greatest financial collapse of the industrial age. Your comments offer a clue to solving this mystery.

The Tony Thacker book (book copies shown above are essentially the same book with the 75th anniversary being a somewhat expanded version of the original release), despite its somewhat Euro-British perspective, does an excellent job of capturing the pressure-cooker environment that gave birth to this enduring symbol of the Ford brand. Expanding somewhat on the points you make, here are some thoughts on why so many hot rodders adopted this model on either side of WWII. Firstly one can argue it's the last of the "vertical" era of Ford models with the '33-'34 model introducing the earliest elements of streamline to the marque. So it's an "old" car but without the cachet of early-era "brass" history to it. In a sense not old or historic enough. But more recent models would look too much like current models to be the overt junk yard fodder that guaranteed cheap prices, a key aspect for hot rodders looking for something to hop up. In that sense, "old enough". Additionally, as you point out, it lacked the development it required and was rushed to market full of serious problems. So more likely to make it onto the used car market as the edge came off the Depression in the mid 30's. Thacker does a very good job of documenting these issues. I think that as time progressed hot rodders realized the relatively rarity of this one-model-year Ford, especially so for the cheap and light but lower-production roadster, and thus was created a modern hot rod icon.

To my eye the Deuce, as the last of the "verticals", is the most appealing, with a nice flow to its lines, a pleasing bulk, and well conceived detailing throughout the main body and extending to the hood and grill. In general it's more substantial looking than even the Model A, let alone the various evolutions of the T. I can understand why, good looking as well as relatively scarce, it would be the top candidate to be The Icon.

[Art Anderson]

You don't think the '32 being a "one year" production car built at the height of the depression may have had something to do with it ?

Greg,

There's a good number of cars from that era (and later!) that were produced in FAR fewer numbers, that generated a great amount of interest, both with restorers, and those who write and publish research and reference materials. It's just that the '32 Ford, being as it was considered, right along with most other cars of the 1930's, little more than a special interest car in the old car hobby until well into the 1970's. Additionally, among Ford restorers, the Deuce never quite carried the title of "The New Ford Car" anything like Model A did.

Art

[Greg Myers]

You're preachin' to the choir brother. My first car was a 1931 Model A.

I think Bernard hit it " the Deuce, as the last of the "verticals", is the most appealing, with a nice flow to its lines,"

Hot Rodders like the way it looks.

[Greg Myers]

Personally, I think the "A" is better looking,