Ford · 1941–1948
1941 Ford
The Ford car was thoroughly updated in 1941, in preparation for a time of unpredictability surrounding World War II. The 1941 design would continue in an aborted 1942 model year and would be restarted in 1946 and produced until 1948 when the more modern 1949 Fords were ready. During the initial year of this car, it evolved considerably. The front fenders came in three pieces, the theory being that small damages could be replaced easily. During the year, it evolved into two pieces with the lower front and back sections being joined. The hood risers changed, the early ones being the same as 1940 Fords, changing during the year to the better later version. The 1941 Convertible had no rear side windows, the only side windows being in the doors; in 1942, quarter windows were added so the rear occupants could see out. Five different coil/distributor arrangements were used during 1941, causing confusion for mechanics. Other variations were: two different positions for the generator, and three for the cooling fan — front of the crankshaft, front of the generator (rare) and on a bracket. This is thought to be the first Ford to offer a replaceable cartridge oil filter as an option. The two interior heaters were a "Southwind" gasoline burner, which had the advantage of keeping one warm in winter at drive-in movies (provided a small electric fuel pump was used), and a more ordinary hot-water type. Both had window defrosters. Electric windshield wipers were available in addition to the vacuum-powered wipers. Three different convertible power top mechanisms (vacuum, electric screw, and hydraulic) and two different header bar latching systems were used. Rear suspensions sometimes had a sway bar, most did not. It served a transitional role in Ford’s lineup.
Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Predecessor: 1937 Ford|Ford V8 · Successor: Ford Custom|1949 Ford
All Ford 1941 Ford data: UK builds, safety, recalls, model years →
Specifications
- name
- 1941 Ford
- Manufacturer
- Ford
- Production
- 1941–1942, 1946–1948
- Model years
- 1941–1942, 1946–1948
- Assembly
- Main plant, Dearborn, MI, Branch Assembly, Twin Cities, MN, Somerville, MA, Richmond, CA, Norfolk, VA, Memphis, TN, Louisville, KY, Long Beach, CA, Kansas City, MO, Edgewater, NJ, Dallas, TX, Chicago, IL, Chester, PA, Buffalo, NY, Atlanta, GA, Argentina, Australia
- Body style
- 2-door coupe, 2-door convertible, 2-door coupé utility (Australia only), 2-door sedan delivery , 2-door pickup truck, 2-door sedan, 4-door sedan, 4-door station wagon
- Predecessor
- 1937 Ford
- Successor
- 1949 Ford, Ford F-Series first generation (pickup trucks)
- Layout
- FR layout
- Class
- Full-size Ford
- Wheelbase
- 114 in
- Length
- 194.3 in
- Engine
- 226 CID 226 CID 90 hp L-head I6, 221 CID Flathead V8, 239 CID Flathead V8
- Transmission
- 3-speed sliding-mesh manual
Specification summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Check the linked sources for citations.
More photos
Sources
- Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4564906CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
- Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1941_FordCC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1370549068 · retrieved 2026-10-01
- Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1941_ford_super_deluxe.pngCC BY-SA 3.0 · Photo: RJHall · retrieved 2026-10-01
- Car Model Index — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/Compiled record. Sources that do not permit reuse are not copied; this index is credited instead.