Classic
DREAMCARS Mount Dora, Fla. (352) 385-1945
www.classicdreamcars.com
(CLICK
ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE)
SHOWROOM
PHOTO ON DISPLAY WITH FORD TRUCK LINEUP - CLARK GABLE's '38 SEEN DURING FILMING
"SARATOGA" - ALLAN JONES WITH "CHIEF" AT BEL
AIRE STABLES -
COMEDIAN
JACK BENNY IN HIS 1939 FORD WOODIE - ROBERT MONTGOMERY OFFSTAGE
DURING FILMING OF "EVER SINCE EVE". OLD PHOTO OF 1939 'STANDARD' BODY
WOODIE TAKEN
DURING CAMPING TRIP -
(CLICK
ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE)
1939
FORD MODEL 722A 'STANDARD' MODEL WOODIE WAGON
ANOTHER FABULOUS
FORD WOODIE WITH ONE OF THE LAST BODIES BY MURRAY CORPORATION.
OUR CAR IS ONE OF ONLY 2,203 STANDARD MODEL WOODIES
MADE WITH GLASS WINDOWS (ANOTHER 315 WERE MADE WITH SIDE CURTAINS).
IT IS FULLY EQUIPPED OR OPTIONED WITH DUAL WINDSHIELD WIPERS, DOME LIGHT,
LEATHER SEATING (INSTEAD OF VINYL), REAR BUMPER, OIL BATH AIR CLEANER,
SUPER "DEEP DISH" 5 1/2" DEEP BEVELED LENS FOGLAMPS (CALLED 'ROAD
LAMPS'), VENTILATING FAN, HEAVY DUTY CLUTCH, CARPAC ROOF LUGGAGE
CARRIER (PICTURED ON/OFF THE CAR), WIDE WHITEWALL TIRES, VISOR
MIRROR, LOCKING GAS CAP, DELUXE HUBCAPS AND GLAMOUR RINGS, PINSTRIPED
16" WHEELS, (2) AUTO FLOWER VASE 'DEODORIZERS', TWO TAIL LIGHTS, INTERIOR
MOUNT SPARE, CHROMIUM LICENSE PLATE FRAME, PERPETUAL MOTION STEERING WHEEL
CLOCK,
AND DUAL MIRRORS (ONE LEFT TO BE ATTACHED). THIS MODEL CARRIED
THE SPARE TIRE INSIDE MOUNTED ON THE BACK OF THE DRIVER SEAT,
INSTEAD OF THE TAILGATE, AND WAS ALSO FITTED WITH THE LATER OPTIONAL
'BANJO-STYLE' STEERING WHEEL. WE WILL BE SEARCHING FOR MORE OPTIONS
AND ADDING THEM LIKE THE COLUMBIA OVERDRIVE, RADIO, AND HEATER . FINISHED IN MASONS BLACK IT HAS THE FULL
LEATHER INTERIOR AND BLACK LONG GRAIN TOP (THOUGH IT IS WRITTEN IT WAS ORIG.BROWN).
THIS 'MODEL 922A' CARRIES THE OPTIONAL A 85 H.P. FLATHEAD V8 WITH
3-SPEED FLOOR-MOUNTED SHIFTER, HYDRAULIC BRAKES ( A FIRST FOR
FORD THIS YEAR) & SOLID MAPLE BODY. OUR CAR WAS FULLY RESTORED
FRAME-OFF THROUGH EARLY FORD V8 SALES IN BALSTON SPA, NY.
IN 2003. IT EVEN FEATURES A LIFETIME COLLECTION OF VINTAGE
LEATHER LUGGAGE (WITH ANTIQUE AIRLINE / TRAVEL STICKERS), GUN SCABBARD WITH
WINCHSTER SHOTGUN ENCLOSED,
ANTIQUE FISHING CREEL/ ROD & REEL, VINTAGE "MOUNTAIN AIR CAR CHILLER" (CA.)
AKA: A "SWAMP COOLER"
, VINTAGE WOODEN SHAFT GOLF CLUBS & (2) BAGS, ORIGINAL OLD SURFER & TRAVEL
STICKERS AND A STEAMER TRUNK COMPLETE WITH ORIGINAL DATED "WHITE
STAR" OCEAN LINER BOARDING TICKET. (SOME OPTIONS NOT PICTURED)
AS MORE AND MORE
ORIGINAL WOODIES ARE RUINED BY 'UPDATING' THEM TO STREET
RODS- ITS' GREAT TO SEE AN ORIGINAL UPDATED WITH
A FEW VINTAGE 'CREATURE FEATURES'.
THE
STORY:
Despite the fact
the Ford 'Station Wagon' was almost a necessity in 1939, it was called
into service for settings that included not only Private Use but,
Country Clubs, Hotel Service Vehicles, Country Merchants, Country
Limousine or Estate Service and even a transport vehicle for schools.
It basically earned it's name because it was used for trip to the Train
Station and Bus Station, not to mention the Sea Port when Ships
arrived. Built to conform to strict Ford Standards of Reliability and long
life it was quickly converted to Utility Hauling by the removal
of the rear seats. It could carry an amazing Eight people or a
ton of baggage and was seen as a Status Symbol by the Rich and
Famous including (in 1937-39) Clark Gable, Jack Benny, Wallace Berry,
Robert Montgomery, Katherine Hepburn, Carol Lombard, Myrna Loy,
Joan Bennett, Robert Taylor and Paramount's Allan Jones..... To
haul his famous horse "Chief" & trailer. Just a few of the Holly Woodies
that were floating around town in the late 30's.
Due to Roosevelt's reluctance to get into the fray, America was
turning a blind-eye to Hitler's movements around Europe but, folks
still had time to attend the "World's Fair" in New York,
as well as, issue the First 'Superman' Comic in 1938, make Nestlé's
First Jar of Instant Coffee, issue the Jefferson Head Nickel and
see Owens-Corning make the First Fiberglass article.
By 1939, America saw the First Automatic Dishwasher, Microfilm
Camera and the First Air-Conditioned Automobile by Packard. Pan
American Airways launched the First Transamerica Seaplanes to
cross the Atlantic and Sikorsky launched its First Helicopter.
Lou Gehrig would retire from Baseball with a nervous system disorder
(later named after him), and Hollywood would produce an amazing
2,012 Feature Films- 483 in the United States. Seldom was the
list of nominees for Best Picture Academy Award so full.
It included: "Dark Victory", "Goodbye Mr. Chips",
"An Affair To Remember", "The Wizard of Oz"
, "Wuthering Heights".... just to name a few but, the
winner : "Gone With The Wind" featuring Clark Gable and Vivian
Leigh swept the Awards. This film became a Cinematic Legend catapulting
its Stars into a frenzy never to be seen again. Still, the Great Hopes
of the American Public still could not wipe out the reality of
the impending War.
Ford decided, once
again, to divide its Model line-up into two parts, the Standard
Body and the Deluxe. But, this time ...despite the fact the difference in price
was just a measly $65-85 (that was a lot of bread at 5 cents a
loaf), FORD gave consumers a unique choice. They
could basically choose the previous years ('38) design front clip with grille /
sail panel and hood changes, or
choose the new, substantially revised, body style fresh off the
drawing board. It was a safe gamble for Ford, as he never risked
being shunned like the folks did at Chrysler with the Airflow ( that little indiscretion just about bankrupted Chrysler
and they were years in recovery). Henry Ford, forever
the Genius at marketing, even offered two different V8's: the 60
Horse Flathead or the 85 Horse version. Only Four Body Styles
were offered in the Standard Series and that included a Coupe,
Tudor Sedan, Fordor Sedan and the Station Wagon ("Woodies", sometimes called
"Woody's")...while the Deluxe Series
offered SIX different body-styles. The "Story" goes
that, Murray Corp. President C.E. Avery, had a major falling out
with Henry Ford. Henry's Dearborn Body Building Dept. Head, A.M. Wibel
accused Avery of price gauging, quality problems and slow production.
While Avery countered that the quality problem was due to Labor
Strikes, and the frugal Ford supply of "poor quality Soy-Bean
Oil Varnish he was forced to use". It ended with Henry pulling
the entire Station Wagon body building operations and moving them
to Iron Mountain, Michigan. Murray Body works was left with only
the front-end sheet metal works, frames and seat springs for the
Mercury model. Sadly, Avery had just expanded to a huge, new Press
Steel building at it's colossal Rouge Plant in Dearborn.
Options were not
plentiful. Our car is pretty loaded by 1939 Standards, but you
could also get a Spotlamp, Grille Guard, Clear or Yellow Sport or Foglamps
(as seen on Clark Gable's car), Radio, Heater, Clock, Seat Covers, Sideview
Mirror, and Fender Skirts. Not a lot of 'window dressing' in 1939.
1939 was the First Year for the Lockheed Aircraft Designed
Hydraulic Brakes and that may be the reason Henry Ford finished
the year with an amazing 532,152 cars produced- 481,496 registered.
Incidentally, the President of Ford Motor Co. was- Edsel Ford. * The information
above is documented by multiple books on Ford Motor Co. including
"Standard Catalog of Ford 1903-1990 (1st Edition), Lorin Sorenson's:
"Famous Ford Woodies" and "The V8Times". We assure you there
were TWO separate bodystyles in '39.
