1949 Ford "Shoebox" 2-door Sedan

by

Model number: 6255

Review of the model:

An American model car collection will not be near complete, if the 1949 Ford “shoebox” 2-door Sedan was not in the inventory. This is surely a true statement, but in my case the purchase was formed by a bit of lock, as I get the model in a lot for a good deal. As you can read further down this article, the Ford 1949 was the first “modern” car after the war, and it is clamed that this car saved Ford in the start of the fifties. The design was quite remarkable at the time, and the nickname “shoebox” referred to the boxy design. The car sold in high numbers and is a car for the people – just as the VW beetle later became in Europe.

As a model car collector here in Europe, I must admit my knowledge of this very car was sparse. The only thing that made it for me was; this little model car is so cute that I firstly had my memories back on Walt Disney and Donald Duck. Imagine this Ford 49 drive around in the stories in the comics books of the fifties – Easy, Yes!

In scale 1:18 I recall that Maisto had one in their series and also the French Solido. But this specimen is from the Spanish Mira. Again this is my first model from this manufacturer, so one can ask, how good is this model?

I always try to be objective, as this is mending to be a fair review, which can be a guideline for other collectors that maybe will buy this model in the future. So let’s have a look of the Ford 1949.

It is hard to explain, but there is something about emergency vehicles with all of their bright colors, lights and chrome trim. This is an affection that emerges in all boys from childhood. A Fire Chief is a cool job. And the car that comes with the job is also a very cool car!

Back to the model; what do I like and what is not so good? Well we can start with the overall quality. This model has many parts and the paintwork is well made, the model shines and there are no flaws in the paint and prep work. All the chrome parts and trim is looking good at first glance, but have small “black sports” and that indicate it is not made in high quality. I was able to correct this with my Liquid Chrome marker from Molotow. You can open all doors including the hood and trunk. A fine feature on this low-budget model, but this model car is a 2-door Sedan and Mira also made a model as a Convertible. They use the same mould and have the roof mounted separated with gabs mostly notably on to of the windscreen. The worst “detail” that is a real issue is, the door/window frame is molded in to the roof part – That is looking odd when you open the doors!

All the emblems and stickers, and I mean literally stickers will fall off the model sometime in the future – You can choose to peel them of now and scan new ones on clear decal paper. The model strait from the box was “missing” the side windows both in doors and on the passenger bench, so I cut some out with a little piece of clear plastic and glued them from the inside. Hereafter chrome trim was applied around the windows with my Liquid chrome pen. On the back of the model the trunk hinges and bezels around the backlights were painted with the same pen.

The interior of the model is okay for this price range, but the steering wheel is a bit chunky. If we open the hood the small V8 Ford motor is visible and is in fact rather nice a little paint work and wires will make big difference.

The front of the car is well made the grill have many details including metal “mesh” and the headlight have only a small “black pupil” easily corrected by white paint up under the front fenders.

So will I ran out and buy all of Mira models?.... No this will be my only model from them, except if the made another cut little car as this Ford is!

I will let it up to you to be the Judge; can you live without this model?
 

I will give this model 1 out of 6 stars  ******

Below here are pictures of the model, historical description, old brochures, technical data and  some movie clip for the real car. So please enjoy!

History:

Ford 1949 Shoebox

By Terry McGean and others

The story of the 1949 Ford's development is a detailed and dramatic tale, despite having played out over a relatively brief period, at least in terms of new car development at the time. The happy ending known to consumers of the day and anyone else who has ever paid attention to the history of the American auto industry was a car that was indeed a leap forward both in styling and engineering. It has been called the first modern car of the post-war era, and heralded as a benchmark of automotive design.

The 1949 Ford was an American automobile produced by Ford. It was the first all-new automobile design introduced by the Big Three after World War II, civilian production having been suspended during the war, and the 1946-1948 models from Ford, GM, and Chrysler being updates of their pre-war models. Popularly called the "Shoebox Ford" for its slab-sided, "pontoon" design, the 1949 Ford is credited both with saving Ford and ushering in modern streamlined car design with changes such as integrated fenders and more. The design would continue through the 1951 model year.

After sticking with its well-received previous model through model year 1948, Ford completely redesigned its namesake car for the year 1949. Save for its drive-train, this was an all-new car in every way, with a modern ladder frame now supporting a coil spring independent suspension in front and longitudinal semi-elliptical springs in back. The engine was moved forward to make more room in the passenger compartment and the antiquated "torque tube" was replaced by a modern drive shaft. Ford's popular 226 CID (3.7 L) L-head straight-6 and 239 CID (3.9 L) Flathead V8 remained, now rated at 90 hp (67 kW) and 100 hp (75 kW), respectively.

The 1949 models debuted at a gala at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City in June 1948, with a carousel of the new Fords complemented by a revolving demonstration of the new chassis. The new integrated steel structure was advertised as a "lifeguard body", and even the woody wagon was steel at heart. The convertible frame had an "X member" for structural rigidity.

From a customer's perspective, the old Custom, De Luxe, and Super De Luxe lines were replaced by new Standard and Custom trims and the cars gained a modern look with completely integrated rear fenders and just a hint of a fender in front. The new styling approach was also evident in the 1949 Mercury Eight and the all-new Lincoln Cosmopolitan. The styling was influential on many European manufacturers, such as Mercedes Benz, Borgward, Austin, Volvo and many others.

Though the '49 Ford may look somewhat plain to a young observer today, its design was actually fairly radical for its time, and the result of designer's adherence to strict guidelines that had to be met while also yielding a distinctly modern appearance. Greater interior room was one of the challenges presented, and to that end the new Ford offered a front bench seat that was a full six inches wider than the 1948 model, while the overall width of the car's body shrank by two inches. The new car also sat four inches lower than the '48, yet egress was unhindered, even in the rear on sedan models, where a "dog-leg" cutout allowed longer rear doors. The lower ride height combined with an all-new independent front suspension improved handling (another design goal), and an X-member in the frame increased torsion rigidity by 60 percent.

But the model's landmark design status is probably not the only attribute maintaining the interest of collectors today; the clean lines of the new car inspired customizers and (along with sister ship Mercury) triggered a new generation of sheet metal manipulation that continues today, mostly in period style. Much as it had in the 1930s, Ford's first model of the era is often seen as the cleanest, and while subsequent models maintain popularity as well, purists often look to the '49 and the similar 1950 model as favorites.

These were popular cars when new--Ford sold 1.1 million of them that first year--so even today they're not hard to find. But like most cars of the era, the '49 Ford was offered in multiple trim and body configurations, and some are more desired than others. We're focusing our averages on the coupes, with some influence from Tudor sedans; we're leaving out values for convertibles and woody wagons as they seem to be in a league of their own.

Today, the steady rise of the 1949-'50 Ford's value points to continued enthusiast interest, and if recent growth in pricing-trends toward '50s American cars is any indication, these models are probably a safe place for collectors to spend. Certainly, the '49 and '50 Ford have long represented an affordable means of getting involved in a popular sect of the hobby, one that is well supported by clubs and the aftermarket.

                                                                                                                                                Technical specification:

1949 Ford Custom Ford or Sedan

Manufacturer:  Ford

Production: 1949–1951

Assembly:

Dearborn, Michigan
Chester, Pennsylvania
Long Beach, California
Saint Paul, Minnesota
United States
Australia
Singapore, Malaysia

Body and chassis:
Class Full-size Ford
Body style 2-door sedan
4-door sedan
2-door coupe
2-door hardtop
2-door convertible
2-door station wagon
2-door coupé utility (Australia)

Layout: FR layout

Related:1949 Mercury Eight, Lincoln EL-series

Powertrain:
Engine 226 CID (3.7 L) L-head I6
239 CID (3.9 L) Flathead V8 100 HP

Dimensions:
Wheelbase 114 in (2,896 mm)
Length 196.8 in (4,999 mm)
Width 71.7 in (1,821 mm)
Curb weight 3,110–3,770 lb (1,410–1,710 kg)

Chronology:
Predecessor 1941 Ford
Successor 1952 Ford
 

Old brochures of the Ford 1949

Video of the real car from Youtube

If you have any question or comment your are free to contact me at: aeronautic@stofanet.dk

Dealers are welcome to get their models reviewed too.

Aeronautic Feb. 2018

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