There’s a letter on display at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn that allegedly originated from the pen of popular gangster Clyde Barrow. This letter compliments Mr. Ford on the superior performance of the Ford V8 when compared to other vehicles he managed to procure through whatever means a guy like that procures a vehicle. Since Barrow’s day, the stock 1932 Ford has fundamentally disappeared, replaced by a cornucopia of hot rods that have taken on a life of their own. That this one survived those heady days of gangsters and Beach Boys songs makes me like it all the more.
On a recent visit to Gilmore Car Museum (which has to be among the best car museums in America, by the way), I saw this recently donated 1932 Ford Convertible Sedan, a bodystyle that found a mere 842 buyers (with the V8 – only 41 with the four).
I love cars like this. Many times on these pages, I’ve discussed my sweet spot for vehicle condition. It’s a complicated variant of an X and Y (and probably Z) graph.
On my graph, older cars deserve more allowances for wear. They’ve made it a long way; therefore, they have the right to show a few more blemishes than say, something that’s only 50 years old.
Additionally, the more utilitarian a car is, the more wear it’s allowed. My ’65 Dart, for example, is far more timeworn than my other cars, but it’s a bare-bones station wagon. It’s worked hard, and I’ll accept far more imperfections. They are a sign of character.
If I were to buy a truck from the 1960s, I’d much prefer that it was freckled like this ’32 Ford. In fact, I see this Ford as a working car; all Fords were working cars back then. Roads were often precarious, even at this late date. Any car that could survive stock car racing in the 1940s and ’50s, then the hot rod era, then the over-restoration era, deserves to tell its tale with pride.
With that being said, I think it’s important to preserve this Ford in its current state in perpetuity. It’s right on the border of being too rough to be cool. Currently, it’s perfect, but if I were to own something like this and drive it regularly, and store it in my non-climate-controlled situations, it would slowly degrade even further. It might take a decade or two, but it’s not going to heal itself.
That’s why I’m glad it was donated to the Gilmore, which has been growing for years and has as good a chance of any car museum to survive the coming decades of waning interest in antique automobiles. The barn setting and quiet rural backdrop are perfect for a car like this ’32. The staff will keep it running and driving around the grounds, but also make sure it stays as it is.
If this were an animate object, it might feel as if it’s been a fugitive from the law that has finally found asylum after 91 years.
After all, it must be one of the last remaining 1932 Ford Convertible Sedans in any condition. Unlike those auction cars with their clearcoated swagger, this Ford exhibits a handshake honesty that is missing from a lot of old cars, including many at the Gilmore. That it is currently the centerpiece of this particular barn says a lot about how people feel about a car like that.
Wow.
Amazing find, photos, and background information. Thank you! So impressive, that a mass-market car from the Depression-era, exudes so much class, and elegance. Nice detailing abounds! The very attractive nose, with the the curved chromed headlight mounting tube, hosting the ‘V8’ emblem, looks marvelous. As does the grille, with the beautiful and timeless, blue ‘Ford’ badge. Stylish tail light assemblies. Always loved the embossing manufacturers included, in the sheetmetal, surrounding doors and windows. Really adds grace to its looks. Love the simple, central gauge cluster, and its tasteful facing. Such an attractive car. Even the windshield top-mounted wipers, look more refined mounted above, rather than below.
And in this museum setting, the well-weathered midnight blue paint and bodywork, contrasts so well, with the rich hardwood floor. Very pleasing presentation.
Thoroughly appreciated this Aaron, thanks! Easily, my favourite CC find this week.
You’re welcome! I spent a lot of time around this car that day.
Great find and excellent write-up.
The Gilmore Museum is on my list to visit for sure.
Thanks Jeff…You won’t be disappointed if you visit. It’s one of the few things that seems to get better every year.
Fine detailed pics. A lot of hands have rested on that left windowsill when they weren’t signalling turns.
Thank you!
I’ve visited the Gilmore Museum once, and would love to again. The collection is outstanding, as is the setting. This very car in an “ordinary” building would still be interesting, but the barn structure and wide open and accessible spaces really make these cars stand out.
In your X, Y and Z graph, this car strikes exactly the right balance. It’s easy to envision Clyde Barrow or one of his contemporaries just jumping in and driving away.
I’ve been visiting the Gilmore for 25 years now (usually every other year – it’s nearly a six-hour round trip), and I was just commenting on how they have managed to make it bigger while also maintaining its rural tranquility. It’s out in the middle of nowhere, but it’s great.
The Gilmore is without a doubt one of the greatest car museums period! I had the chance to visit it about 4 years ago and am heading back in about 3 weeks…this time I’ll be driving my 1977 GMC Motorhome along with 2 other friends who will be also bringing their GMC Motorhomes as well, we’ll be camping there as The Gilmore allows overnight camping…gonna be a great trip!
Have fun, Chuck. Sounds like a great trip!
Thanks, We are most certainly looking forward to the trip and just in case you really like 32 Fords you will wanna check out the Beller Museum in Romeoville, Chicago, it’s primary focus is on 32 Fords…lots of cool cars and trucks, really a nice museum, friendly folks and when we went last year there was no admission! It’s definately worth a visit if you are in the area…
A very rare and unusual body style. And of course I’m a fan of genuine patina. This one shows its age very well.
Very nice indeed and agreed it’s right at the tipping point of needing to be preserved in a state of arrested decay or restored for further driving pleasure .
Is this a ‘Victoria’ model ? .
Whenever I’d turn up in an oldie that looked like this my friends derided them as ‘Natemobiles’ .
-Nate
You know, Nate, that’s what I thought, but the sign at the museum said “convertible sedan,” and that’s what my literature called it, too. I believe a similar Model A was called a Victoria, but I’m not too well-versed in my prewar body types.
And if this is a Natemobile, long live Natemobiles. 🙂
The Victoria had a fixed roof rather than the folding top, but I think it did have a similar rounded shape at the rear of the roof unlike the sedans straight C pillar. The real difference with the Victoria is the area under the rear window curves out making kind of a bustle back where it curves in on the sedans.
Thanx Dan & Aaron ;
Yes, the 400A ‘A’ Model Ford was a sort of convertible and had a bustle back .
That’s why I was asking about this one, I can’t recall ever seeing a 1932 Victoria before, I like it .
-Nate
My father was fond of pointing out that this color of paint was called Washington Blue. A bit of trivia that every car nut knew, growing up in the Thirties!
Excellent car. I don’t recall ever seeing one of this body style before.
I have been to the Gilmore twice- once about 5 years ago over a three-day visit for their German and British shows, and a quick stop last summer while passing through the area. This place is truly a gem!
Perfect just as it is! There’s a reason ’32 Fords are one of the most classic cars of all time, I just wish more of them had been left unmodified, though one can understand why they became the basis for so many customs!
One of the things you need to remember is that the ’32 Ford became the hot rod of choice between 1946-60 or so. At which point, other than a dedicated Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg following, and maybe a couple of other marques (Pierce-Arrow, Stutz?) there was no real ‘antique car hobby’ at the time. That really didn’t take off until the latter part of the Sixties.
Prior to that, these were just cheap old cars.
Being a sedan convertible is probably spared it from a hot rod fate, that generally favored the 5 window or three window coupes or cabriolet bodystyles, or even the tudor in the peak hot rodding days. It’s amazing it survived at all regardless
Agreed about it’s being the wrong bodystyle for a hot rod, but for some, a ’32 Ford is a ’32 Ford.
As close as I am, I am embarrassed that I have never visited the Gilmore. I have to do something about that.
It is cool, but I will confess that I have never loved this body style – I have just never been a fan of folding-roof cars with fixed side window assemblies. That said, I am glad it exists. If memory serves, I built a model kit of one of these many decades ago – one of the Hubley metal kits. I may still have it somewhere.
I will agree with you that some original cars need to stay that way. When I belonged to a local Model A club, there was a guy with a 30 or 31 that was purely original. It was just a touch rougher than this one, and the paint was not as good. But out of the 2 or 3 As he owned, it was his clear favorite and the one he almost always drove on tours.
Yeah me neither. A friend was there this week and sending me photos and it looks great. Wasn’t there a CC meetup at the Gilmore? If not maybe there should be.
I like me a nice 32 hot rod but it’s refreshing to see a stock 1932 Ford once in a while. I’m always surprised to see one, the percentage of stock ones must be in the low single digits!
How about this 1932 Ford? It doesn’t look like a FrankenFord hotrod. Is this one OK?
I’ve always gotten a chuckle out of the Clyde Barrow letter, since the 32 Ford V-8 wasn’t the fastest car in its price class back in the day. I’ve read from numerous sources that a 32 Terraplane 8 would leave the Ford for dead under just about any conditions.
Of course, the Ford was much more prevalent in the marketplace. which made it a much more stealable car, so I can understand Floyd’s preferences.
I believe that some doubt the veracity of the Clyde Barrow letter anyway, but it’s a cool story, so why look too hard? Didn’t Dillinger prefer Terraplanes?
What a beautiful example, and in perfect condition as is. And a convertible too, of all things. I wish it were mine but it deserves to be in a place where the public will enjoy it. Was it a ‘34 that Bonnie and Clyde pulled their shenanigans in? I remember the Clyde letter to Henry Ford.? Ford was kind of a white collar outlaw at times, but that’s another story.