1952 Ford
Encyclopedia
The Ford line of cars
was again refreshed for 1952, although remaining similar to the all-new 1949 Ford
s. This time, curved one-piece windshield glass joined a new "Mileage Maker" straight-6
engine with 101hp. The 226 CID (3.7 L) L-head
straight-6
was replaced by an overhead valve
215 CID (3.5 L) Mileage Maker
with 101 hp (75 kW), while the old 239 CID (3.9 L) Flathead
V8 remained with 110 hp (82 kW).
The model lines were again reshuffled, with the base model now called "Mainline" and mid-level called "Customline". The top "Crestline" included the "Sunliner" convertible
, "Victoria" hardtop
, and "Country Squire" station wagon
. Inside was a "flight-style" control panel and new pedals suspended from below the dashboard. A voltmeter, gas gauge, temp. gauge, and oil pressure where standard. The clock and radio where in the center of the dash. The grille sported a single center "bullet" surrounded by a chrome ring as well as "jet intake" corner markers.
In these years, an overdrive transmission option was available.
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The big news for 1953 was the availability of power-assisted brakes and steering, which had previously been limited to the Mercury
and Lincoln
lines. The center grill bullet lost its ring and was now flanked by vertical black stripes, while the corner markers were plain rectangular lights rather than the circular "intakes". All 1953 Fords featured commemorative steering wheels marking the company's 50th anniversary. William Clay Ford
paced the Indianapolis 500
in a Sunliner convertible with a dummy Continental tire
kit (Coronado kit). This was also the last year for real wood trim on the Country Squire wagon. Toward the end of the year, Ford added "Master-Guide" power steering as an option on cars with V8s.
The long-lived Flathead V8 engine
was replaced for 1954 by an overhead valve
Y-block
unit, marking the end of an era. This engine produced 130 hp (97 kW) with a 2-barrel carburetor
and an impressive 160 hp (119 kW) with a Holley four-barrel in the official-use-only law enforcement model. Another new addition was the "Crestline Skyliner" 2 door hardtop
, which featured an acrylic glass
panel over the front half of the roof. Also added was the new "Astra-Dial Control panel" speedometer, which has a clear, plastic covering on the top, which let sunlight illuminate it in the day-time. Also added was a four-way power front seat. A snap-in sunshade was a desirable option. The "woody" Country Squire wagon now used artificial fiberglass
panels but remained the most-expensive Ford.
from 1952 to 1955. A four door sedan was offered as the V8 Customline and a two door coupe utility
was marketed as the V8 Mainline Utility
. The Utility was developed by Ford Australia using the chassis of the US Ford two door convertible. Both models were updated in 1953 and 1954 along the lines of the US Fords and were powered by the Flathead
V8 which went into Australian production in 1952.
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
was again refreshed for 1952, although remaining similar to the all-new 1949 Ford
1949 Ford
After sticking with its well-received previous model through model year 1948, Ford completely redesigned its namesake car for 1949. Save for its drivetrain, this was an all-new car in every way, with a modern ladder frame now supporting a coil spring suspension in front and longitudinal...
s. This time, curved one-piece windshield glass joined a new "Mileage Maker" straight-6
Straight-6
The straight-six engine or inline-six engine is a six-cylinder internal combustion engine with all six cylinders mounted in a straight line along the crankcase...
engine with 101hp. The 226 CID (3.7 L) L-head
Ford Straight-6 engine
Ford's first straight-6 engine was introduced in 1906 in the Model K. Production ended in 1907. Henry Ford did not like this car, which could overpower its transmission. The next Ford six was introduced in the 1941 Ford. The Ford Motor Company of America continued producing straight six engines...
straight-6
Straight-6
The straight-six engine or inline-six engine is a six-cylinder internal combustion engine with all six cylinders mounted in a straight line along the crankcase...
was replaced by an overhead valve
Overhead valve
An overhead valve engine, also informally called pushrod engine or I-head engine, is a type of piston engine that places the camshaft within the cylinder block , and uses pushrods or rods to actuate rocker arms above the cylinder...
215 CID (3.5 L) Mileage Maker
Ford Straight-6 engine
Ford's first straight-6 engine was introduced in 1906 in the Model K. Production ended in 1907. Henry Ford did not like this car, which could overpower its transmission. The next Ford six was introduced in the 1941 Ford. The Ford Motor Company of America continued producing straight six engines...
with 101 hp (75 kW), while the old 239 CID (3.9 L) Flathead
Ford Flathead engine
The Ford flathead V8 was a V8 engine of the flathead type, designed by the Ford Motor Company and built by Ford and various licensees...
V8 remained with 110 hp (82 kW).
1952
- See also Ford Country SquireFord Country Squire- Third generation :Prior to 1961, all Ford wagons used a two-piece tailgate assembly that required the operator to lift the rear window up and locking it into place via a mechanical support, and then drop the tail gate down to fully access the rear compartment.For the 1961 Ford adopted a tailgate...
The model lines were again reshuffled, with the base model now called "Mainline" and mid-level called "Customline". The top "Crestline" included the "Sunliner" convertible
Convertible
A convertible is a type of automobile in which the roof can retract and fold away having windows which wind-down inside the doors, converting it from an enclosed to an open-air vehicle...
, "Victoria" hardtop
Hardtop
A hardtop is a term for a rigid, rather than canvas, automobile roof. It has been used in several contexts: detachable hardtops, retractable hardtop roofs, and the so-called pillarless hardtop body style....
, and "Country Squire" station wagon
Station wagon
A station wagon is a body style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door , instead of a trunk lid...
. Inside was a "flight-style" control panel and new pedals suspended from below the dashboard. A voltmeter, gas gauge, temp. gauge, and oil pressure where standard. The clock and radio where in the center of the dash. The grille sported a single center "bullet" surrounded by a chrome ring as well as "jet intake" corner markers.
In these years, an overdrive transmission option was available.
1953
Mercury (automobile)
Mercury was an automobile marque of the Ford Motor Company launched in 1938 by Edsel Ford, son of Henry Ford, to market entry-level luxury cars slotted between Ford-branded regular models and Lincoln-branded luxury vehicles, similar to General Motors' Buick brand, and Chrysler's namesake brand...
and Lincoln
Lincoln (automobile)
Lincoln is an American luxury vehicle brand of the Ford Motor Company. Lincoln vehicles are sold mostly in North America.-History:The company was founded in August 1915 by Henry M. Leland, one of the founders of Cadillac . During World War I, he left Cadillac which was sold to General Motors...
lines. The center grill bullet lost its ring and was now flanked by vertical black stripes, while the corner markers were plain rectangular lights rather than the circular "intakes". All 1953 Fords featured commemorative steering wheels marking the company's 50th anniversary. William Clay Ford
William Clay Ford
William Clay Ford may refer to:*William Clay Ford, Sr., grandson of Henry Ford, son of Edsel Ford and owner of the Detroit Lions*William Clay Ford, Jr., great-grandson of Henry Ford, son of William Clay Ford, Sr., chairman of Ford Motor Company...
paced the Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
in a Sunliner convertible with a dummy Continental tire
Continental tire
A Continental tire is an upright, external, mounted spare tire behind an automobile's trunk compartment. The term also describes a non-functional bulge that is stamped into the trunk lid or a cosmetic accessory to the rear of the car giving the impression of a spare tire mount.-Development:The...
kit (Coronado kit). This was also the last year for real wood trim on the Country Squire wagon. Toward the end of the year, Ford added "Master-Guide" power steering as an option on cars with V8s.
1954
- See also Ford Crestline Skyliner
The long-lived Flathead V8 engine
V8 engine
A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft....
was replaced for 1954 by an overhead valve
Overhead valve
An overhead valve engine, also informally called pushrod engine or I-head engine, is a type of piston engine that places the camshaft within the cylinder block , and uses pushrods or rods to actuate rocker arms above the cylinder...
Y-block
Ford Y-block engine
The Y-block engine is a family of overhead valve V8 automobile piston engines from Ford Motor Company. It was introduced in 1952 on Ford trucks and in 1954 on Ford cars to replace the side-valved Ford Flathead engine and was replaced by the Ford FE engine and the Ford Windsor engine in 1962, and...
unit, marking the end of an era. This engine produced 130 hp (97 kW) with a 2-barrel carburetor
Carburetor
A carburetor , carburettor, or carburetter is a device that blends air and fuel for an internal combustion engine. It is sometimes shortened to carb in North America and the United Kingdom....
and an impressive 160 hp (119 kW) with a Holley four-barrel in the official-use-only law enforcement model. Another new addition was the "Crestline Skyliner" 2 door hardtop
Hardtop
A hardtop is a term for a rigid, rather than canvas, automobile roof. It has been used in several contexts: detachable hardtops, retractable hardtop roofs, and the so-called pillarless hardtop body style....
, which featured an acrylic glass
Acrylic glass
Poly is a transparent thermoplastic, often used as a light or shatter-resistant alternative to glass. It is sometimes called acrylic glass. Chemically, it is the synthetic polymer of methyl methacrylate...
panel over the front half of the roof. Also added was the new "Astra-Dial Control panel" speedometer, which has a clear, plastic covering on the top, which let sunlight illuminate it in the day-time. Also added was a four-way power front seat. A snap-in sunshade was a desirable option. The "woody" Country Squire wagon now used artificial fiberglass
Fiberglass
Glass fiber is a material consisting of numerous extremely fine fibers of glass.Glassmakers throughout history have experimented with glass fibers, but mass manufacture of glass fiber was only made possible with the invention of finer machine tooling...
panels but remained the most-expensive Ford.
Australian production
The 1952 Ford was also produced by Ford AustraliaFord Australia
Ford Australia is the Australian subsidiary of Ford Motor Company and was founded in Geelong, Victoria, in 1925 as an outpost of Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited. At that time, Ford Canada was a separate company from Ford USA...
from 1952 to 1955. A four door sedan was offered as the V8 Customline and a two door coupe utility
Coupé utility
The coupé utility automobile body style, also known colloquially as the ute in Australia and New Zealand, combines a two-door "coupé" cabin with an integral cargo bed behind the cabin—using a light-duty passenger vehicle-derived platform....
was marketed as the V8 Mainline Utility
Ford Mainline
The Ford Mainline is an automobile which was produced by the Ford Motor Company in the United States in the models years 1952 to 1956. It was introduced as the base trim level of the 1952 Ford range below the Customline and Crestline models...
. The Utility was developed by Ford Australia using the chassis of the US Ford two door convertible. Both models were updated in 1953 and 1954 along the lines of the US Fords and were powered by the Flathead
Ford Flathead engine
The Ford flathead V8 was a V8 engine of the flathead type, designed by the Ford Motor Company and built by Ford and various licensees...
V8 which went into Australian production in 1952.