Ford is a car brand that has been around for a very long time. The Ford Model B range changed the look and feel over the years. We will be taking a look at the history behind this classic car as well as how it turned into the iconic 1932 Ford Model B which was not a good seller back in the day but nowadays, people cannot get enough of it.
The Ford Model B is a better version than the Model A. They took everything that was right with the Model A, removed all the problems, and thought it would be a good idea to add in a 4 cylinder engine which was a first for Ford.
Let’s take a look at how this awesome classic car came to be.
A classic, elegant cat that shows sophistication and yet has a mean streak underneath the hood of the car.
History of Th Ford Model B:
Ford Motor Company produced two different models with the Model B name, Ford Model B 1904 and Ford Model B 1932.
In 1904, Ford introduced the upscale touring car. It had polished wood and brass trimming. It was built at the Ford Piquette Avenue Plant. It was Ford’s first car to use the front-engine layout that had a large 24 horsepower 4-cylinder engine positioned at the front of the car behind a conventional radiator.
It was a 2-speed transmission and the engine was a 283.5CID.
It was priced at $ 2 000 which is equivalent to about $ 57 000.00 today. It was a high-end car that was produced for three years. The sales of the car were slow due to the price of the car and it was replaced by the derivative model K in 1906 which was cheaper for the consumer.
Ford produced 3 cars between 1932-1934. The Model B, Model 18 and the Model 46. These cars succeeded the Model A. The Model B had an updated 4-cylinder and was available from 1932 to 1934. The V8 was available in the Model 18 in 1932, and in the Model 46 in 1933 & 1934. The 18 was the first Ford fitted with the flathead V8. The company also replaced the Model AA truck with the Model BB, available with either the four- or eight-cylinder engine.
The Ford Model B came in a few different body types:
2-door roadster
2-door coupe
2-door sedan
4-door sedan
2-door cabriolet
2-door phaeton
Pickup
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Specs of the 1932 Ford Model B:
The Model B was a 4-cylinder car with an improved version of the engine used in the Model A. The engine was a 201 cu in (3.3 L) L-head-4 I4. It had 2 rows of seats which meant that 5 people could travel in the car at once.
The Model B moved away from the wood look that came in 1904 and they made a car that looked more like a car that we know today.
It came with black fenders, wire wheels as well as a rear-mounted spare wheel that was mounted on the side of the car or the back of the car. Options included single or twin side-mounts, luggage rack, clock, interior and exterior mirrors, and choice of leather or Broadcloth (closed cars) interior material.
The paint used on this car was Pyroxylin lacquer.
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. The V8 was a model known as the Ford Model 18 as well as the 46.
How much is a Ford Model B worth today?
Today, the 1932 Model B is a highly collectable car that people will pay thousands of dollars to restore to the exact original style. During the WWII period, the Model Bs and V8s were frequently altered into hot rods. This continued into the 1960s on a large scale, being noted in popular media of that time via a hit song. Since the 1970s, 1932 bodies and frames have been reproduced either in fiberglass or lately in steel, which has helped resolve bodywork shortages and increased the number of "rods" being created or restored. Those that are made are often very expensive. A typical auto-show hot rod maybe $60,000 or more.
It might have been a bit of a slow seller back in the day but in today's times, people cannot wait to get their hands on one of these classic cars. It is a car that you would love to have in your garage and when you drive around in it, you feel like you are part of the Ford history.