A Stainless Steel 1936 Ford Sedan

Thank you, Richard Bunting (DHS '67), for sending me these photos of an unusual 1936 Ford Sedan.  I especially wanted to show the interior shots because they depict the simplicity of most old cars.  (Of course, the pictures of the engine add even another area of simplicity unheard of in contemporary cars.) I've included some text describing this relic.

In 1935, officials at Allegheny Ludlum Steel Division and the Ford Motor Company collaborated on an experiment that would become a legacy and a tribute to one of the most dynamic metals ever developed. Allegheny Ludlum, a pioneer producer of stainless steel, proposed the idea of creating a stainless steel car to Ford.  The idea took shape in the form of a 1936 Deluxe Sedan.

That car became the centerpiece of a campaign to expose the public to the new metal and its many uses.

This is the 1936 Ford Tudor Sedan built for and owned by Allegheny Ludlum Steel. This is 1 of only 4 in existence and is the only one currently in running & in road worthy condition.

  

 

The jaw-dropping beauty offered here is one of that tiny production run, recently restored by Lon Kruger, one of the world’s best restorers. The car utilizes the standard 221/85 HP flathead mated to a 3-speed manual and working Columbia overdrive, and has been driven just 18 miles since its restoration.

 

 

The only privately owned example, it won 2 trophies at the Early V8 Club Auburn 2009 event, 1st Place at the 2009 Hershey AACA event and was nominated for the 2009 AACA Car of the Year.

The car is in exceptional condition, with the interior and even the frame looking great. All 4 cars each had over 200,000 miles on them before they removed them from service.

 

  

These cars were built for Allegheny as promotional and marketing projects. The top salesmen each year were given the honor of driving them for one year. The V-8 engine (max 85 hp) ran like a sewing machine and was surprisingly smooth and quiet.

I thought this was a much better looking automobile than the Ford Thunderbird that visited us last year.

FYI, the car was insured (we were told) for the trip to Louisville via covered trailer for $1.5 million.

    

 

We were also told that the dies were ruined by stamping the stainless car parts, making these the last of these cars ever produced.

    

   
Here's a photo of a standard 1936 2-door Ford Sedan.