Yes, I’ve been cruising through Shorpy again; beats reading the news these days. And this shot instantly grabbed me: What? Two-door taxi cabs? I have never seen a two door cab in the US or Europe.
And there’s two more things that make no sense:
These have V8s! That’s crazy. Taxis back then never had the more expensive optional V8s. That didn’t happen until well into the ’70s. Sixes were cheaper to buy, cheaper to fuel, and cheaper to maintain.
And whitewall tires! That’s something else you never saw on a taxi. Might as well throw money away.
This makes no sense. The 1952 Fordor cost $45 more than the Tudor. I can’t find just how much more the V8 cost than the six, but it was probably a similar amount. But as I said, even if it cost the same, the six was inherently cheaper to run.
The other thing that’s a bit odd is that in 17 comments left there, only one questioned them being two-doors. And the site owner responded with [Tudors cheaper than Fordors. – Dave]. Doh!
At least one commenter had something useful to add: that the dealership was Hardaway Motor Company at 1541 1st Avenue, Columbus, Georgia.
In Mexico City, VW Beetles were the most common cabs for many years, but they all had no front passenger-side seat, so entry and exit was relatively easy.
Have you ever seen a two-door cab, other than the Mexican Beetles?
I didn´t saw it in the metal, only on historic photos, but in the 50s the city of Bremen, Germany used two door Borgward Isabellas.
I’m not surprised, since Borgward was based in Bremen, and there were no four door Isabellas. Borgward probably gave the taxi drivers a good deal.
I’m sure there were likely some other unusual exceptions, but like in the case of those Borgwards, it was for a reason other than practicality.
From this view, it’s possible there is only one V8 with whitewalls, go publicity’s same. The rest could be blackwall sixes.
“For publicity’s sake”
That makes no sense either. What publicity benefit?
In looking at the high resolution image at Shorpy, I can see a couple more cars’ tires; some were blackwalls and at least one or two more had whitewalls.
As to ordering one car of a taxi fleet with the V8 and the rest with the six, that makes no sense either. Realistically, fleet orders were all the same, for a number of very good reasons.
Supervisor’s car?
You’re grasping at very thin straws there. What supervisor? No cab company, especially of this size, had a “supervisor” driving around, especially in a fully numbered cab.
Well, a two-door would reduce the number of fare jumpers. That’s the only explanation I can think of. I have nothing whatsoever on the whitewalls and V8s.
Maybe Columbus’ largest employer, Fort Benning, might have something to do with these odd configurations.
Hmmm. I wonder if the cab company removed the folding seat back on the front passenger side. They would almost have to. Then would the driver have to lean over to open the door at the destination? Maybe this was an attempt to insure payment before the passenger left the cab.
Wasn’t the six a new design in 1952? I wonder if the cab company decided to stick with the tried-and-true design rather than take a chance on a new design (which proved to be quite good, but one never knows up front).
But you are right, I don’t think I ever recall seeing a 2 door cab in the US.
FWIW in the high resolution image at Shorpy, the front passenger seatbacks are visible.
https://www.shorpy.com/node/20273?size=_original#caption
Most of them are Tudors.
In small towns in the ’50s, taxis generally carried one passenger, either an older person or a kid being taken to babysitter. (Mom didn’t have a car). So maybe a Tudor was enough. Taxis rarely if ever picked up two separate passengers in one trip.
NYC required limos because the typical call was for two couples going to Broadway.
Most of them are Tudors
Are suggesting that there are some Fordors there too?
Oldcarbrochures has a taxi brochure for the ’53 Ford. While the illustrated cover shows whitewalls, all mention is about the “Fordor”. A V8 was an option, but like Paul says, why would you?
Interestingly, there were three transmissions available as on the retail line.
While novel to look at, these don’t make good business sense at all.
Sitting in the backseat is “big city” like a some chauffeur driven big shot.
In several cities un Brazil there were also Vw Beetles as taxicabs with the front passenger seat removed. Probably more than 50 years ago and at a time when, for reasons unfathomable even to Brazilians, 4 door cars were practically non existent. In the late 70 s and 80s Brazilian 4 door Chevettes were virtually export only.
Neat photo and definitely enignatic!
Longshot theory: the fleet was originally ordered for another buyer, but it fell through or if the buyer had to take the order, they offloaded them at a deep discount and the taxi company picked them up. The photo is taken in front of the used car lot…
That was my thought too, a canceled order that the cab company was able to get a good deal on.
+2. Acquisition costs can persuade even tight fisted fleet buyers to vehicles they normally wouldn’t consider. As a salesman, my fleet spec Dodge was replaced with a Chevy SS. Fleet manager got a great deal on some left over units. Sometimes Lady Luck just smiles. I’ve been trying to delay turning this one in as I can’t imagine I’ll get a replacement anywhere near as nice.
Cancelled police order? But that does not explain the whitewalls.
I’ll add to the theory that it’s a fleet order screw-up, maybe for someone else (the proximity to Ft. Benning was mentioned) and the cab company agreed to take the cars at fire-sale prices. That might also explain the photo, itself. Someone saw all these oddly configured cabs and thought it would make an interesting picture.
State highway patrols often used 2-door pursuit cars, so that could make sense. I think the location is simply convenient, though. A place to line up a lot of cars.
I was thinking maybe police, since a two door police car was not totally unusual then, but why would a LE agency back out of that large an order and the white walls would not really make sense in that case.
My wife went to Guadalajara in the early 90’s (with our kids!) and told me about squeezing everyone into Beetle taxis, including using the front passenger seat. At least that’s how I remember it. Don’t hunk I’ve ever seen a two door taxi in the US … or even any two door fleet car except some Pintos and cars of that ilk. Oh, and of course Mustang and Camaro cop cars.
The only 2 door taxi I’ve seen is my Jo-Han promotional model of a 1962 Plymouth Fury. Even at 9 years old I thought it strange that they made a 2-door cab as a promotional. And yes, it has whitewalls. The oddity of this model is why I’ve kept it almost 60 years.
Jeepneys have no doors at all.
A random observation is that it used to be much more common for a single passenger in a taxi to ride in the front with the driver, in smaller cities at least. In my memory riding in the back had a sense ‘putting on airs’, and treating the driver as a chauffeur.
Occasional 2 or 3 passenger fares might not have seen a two door taxi as a major inconvenience in those simpler times. Not to mention the average North American being significantly more svelte.
Earlier this summer I was driving behind a Smart Fortwo with an Uber decal in the rear window. This was in the Greater Toronto Area. I’m not sure is it was legitimate or just for laughs!
The driver may have been running Uber Eats gigs in addition to, or instead of, ride sharing. A Smart works pretty well as a food delivery vehicle.
“Sixes were cheaper to buy, cheaper to fuel, and cheaper to maintain.”
…and faster!
Lol
Interestingly enough, as of 2018 there still was a Radio Cab company active in Columbus Georgia and the picture of their cab still showed a Ford.. albeit a Ford Edge SUV.
Hey Bill, your order has arrived, they don’t quite meet spec, maybe you better get over here.
State highway patrols often used 2-door pursuit cars, so that could make sense. I think the location is simply convenient, though. A place to line up a lot of cars.
This reminds me of when one of my college roommates very intelligent but somewhat auto-clueless parents bought a Cutlass Ciera. He asked them why they bought a 2-door instead of a 4-door, and it was the first time they realized they had…