1947 Ford Super DeLuxe Sportsman
Wood and canvas replaced sheet metal in Ford’s most collectible postwar convertible. The Super DeLuxe Sportsman featured mahogany and maple panels on the doors, quarters, and rear deck, while genuine leather upholstery in tan or red with French stitching filled the interior. Power windows came standard, an uncommon luxury for the mid-1940s.
Chief designer E.T. “Bob” Gregorie drew inspiration from a custom Model A built for Henry Ford II, creating drawings for this wood-bodied convertible in early 1945. A prototype emerged from Iron Mountain by retrofitting wood panels onto an early production convertible body. Standard convertible components were retained where possible to control manufacturing costs.
The 239 cubic inch flathead V8 produced 100 horsepower, paired with a three-speed manual transmission. Columbia two-speed rear axle overdrive was available for more relaxed highway driving. Production spanned two model years (1946-1947), with 3,629 Sportsmen completed, including 205 Mercury versions for 1946 only. The first example was finished in December 1945 and presented to actress Ella Raines as a Christmas gift.
When new, the Sportsman carried a base price of about $2,282, making it one of the most expensive Fords of its day. Curb weight was approximately 3,550 pounds (1,610 kg).
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