It's often been said that the 1932 Ford, nicknamed "The Deuce," is everyone's favorite Ford. Author Joseph P. Cabada's enthusiasm is for the 1939 model, enough that he wrote the book "1940 Ford." I'm not certain which is my favorite although I admire the 1939 Ford cars for their simplicity and elegance. In fact any vintage Ford would grab my attention, which is why I photographed this 1941 Ford on Sidney BC's main street one fine day last spring.
Although the car was parked in the same area for three days I never did get to chat with the owner. Too bad, as his sedan carried Alberta plates and no doubt came with an interesting history. It was in excellent restored condition inside and out and appeared, thankfully, to be totally stock.
About the only visual difference between it and the previous year's car is the grille, plus the addition of chrome trim lines along the fenders and below the headlights. In 1940, Fords had grown wider by 7", had a longer 114" wheelbase, and were heavier. As Cabada wrote, "the era of lightweight peppy Fords that began with the 1932 models had ended."
Henry Ford was somewhat prejudiced against 6-cylinder engines, that being the reason for the flathead V-8 that served the company well for many years. But in 1940 he gave way to market demand and for the first time in decades a 6-cylinder engine was offered. Gone was the V-8 60 as the six became the economy choice. The last Ford car to come off the line until after the war rolled out of the factory in February of 1942 and it wasn't until 1949 that a new and totally modern Ford appeared.
Sidney is an excellent town for car spotters because of its colorful seaside location, variety of restaurants and hotels, the best weather in the Pacific Northwest (no need to put a vintage car away for the winter as it seldom snows), and proximity to Highway 17 which leads from the mainland ferry docks to the city of Victoria. Almost any day when the sun shines will find a half-dozen or more classics parked along the main street. This lovely 1941 Ford sedan was a welcome visitor.
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