Slant Window Description for Story Board

56servi

56servi

Senior Member
I want to make up a Story board for my 1931 160B Slant window. I have looked thru my Lit & don't have a sales brochure. I would like to describe why the Slant Window was made & what are the features that make it different. I have a bookcase filled with Lit that came with the car but nothing that describes the car that I can find.

Thanks
Gene
 
Gene,

They are kind of special, just think about this...

They came out in May of 31 and were only produced for about 7 months.
For Ford to do something like that it had to produce a benefit. It was the first all steel structure fordor for Ford and it was produced with all interchangable parts between Ford, Murray and Briggs (though I was never sure if Ford ever built the body).
Wood was only used for the top and for mounting interior parts.

The labor savings and body cost must have been phenominal for Ford to make the change. The build up costs of the earlier fordors must have been significant. Plus it required more expensive skilled labor to build the wood frame and then nail the metal to it.

It was also the first step towards better styling. I would guess his son had a say in the design. But the slanted windshield may have also been a safety feature. The parallel glass of the straight window bodies were a hazard at night. Parallax (the reflections between the front and rear windows) made it difficult to be sure if a car was coming in front or behind you.

The body also incorporated the new seating postions allowing for a bit more seating room.

I do not know if that helps, but the body style is very pretty. I really wish I had bought a very original and nice car that was avaialable back in 2000 instead of starting down the road of the cabriolet. With my young boys a fordor would be nice.
 
This is from a 1931 advert. describing the new slant window types-
''The Ford Town Sedan---This Sedan has recently been made larger and now embodies many de luxe improvements. The windshield has the approved 10 degree slant for greater beauty and safety [ reduced night glare], while the straight line treatment of the moulding is an authentic beauty note. The drivers seat is easily adjustable, even when occupied. Bedford Cord, broadcloth or mohair upholstery is optional.''
 
I have a non-indented firewall in my 160B with a manufacture date of Feb 1931, therefore I think Slants began production earlier than May 1931, correct?
 
56servi said:
I want to make up a Story board for my 1931 160B Slant window. I have looked thru my Lit & don't have a sales brochure. I would like to describe why the Slant Window was made & what are the features that make it different. I have a bookcase filled with Lit that came with the car but nothing that describes the car that I can find.

Thanks
Gene
Click to expand...

Gene,

Sounds like you have collected a lot if information on the 160B.

Would you consider an article for either Model A News (MARC) or The Restorer (MAFCA)?

There is also information about the introduction in the Vol. 11, No. 10 (July) and No. 11 (August) 1931 of the Ford News.

Also, contained in the Ford Service Bulletins and Ford Service Letters are a ton of information about the 160B's. You can get these from the MARC office.

Also, contained in the following issues of The Model A News (MAN) and The Restorer (TR) is information:

160-B: Slant Windshield Town Sedan
(P)…MAN/12/4/19 (1965)
(A)…MAN/12/4/BP (1965)
MAN/12/5/12-13 (1965)**1
(A)…MAN/14/4/BP (1967)
(A)…MAN/16/1/BP (1969)
MAN/18/2/6-9 (1971)
(A)…MAN/18/5/BP (1971)
(A)…MAN/20/2/BP (1973)
MAN/29/2/10-15 (1982)
“Advertising the Town Sedan”: MAN/57/4/31-35 (2010)
(A)…TR/6/5/33 (1962)
(P)…TR/6/6/5 (1962)
(P)…TR/9/6/21 (1965)
(P)…TR/17/2/22 (1972)
TR/19/3/40 (1974)
(P)…TR/37/1/BP (1992)
(P)…TR/42/5/15 (1998)
TR/44/2/30-31 (1999)
(P)…TR/44/6/14-15 (2000)
“160 Series Slant Windshield Sedans—A Study”: TR/48/4/26-27 (2003)*8
(P)…TR/48/6/BP (2004)


Pluck
 
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Thanks for all the help on this. I have a lot of MAN & the Restorer on my shelf. I will take this project on & try to put something together on the Slant Window. I will post on here my draft for all to review.

Gene
 
Pat Martone said:
I have a non-indented firewall in my 160B with a manufacture date of Feb 1931, therefore I think Slants began production earlier than May 1931, correct?
Click to expand...

If your engine number is a Feb 1931 assembly date, per the RG&JS the vehicle assembly date could be as much as 4 months later making the May date for introduction for the Slant Window.

RG&JS page 1-1 Revised 2011

ENGINE
................ The engine number should match the year and approximate month indicated for the assembly date for a vehicle. (Refer to the table of engine numbers). The assembly date for a vehicle may be as long as three months after the date the engine was produced (four months in 1931).
 
My engine number is A4307145; I recall looking that up somewhere a long time ago and getting a date of Jan or Feb 1931 for my non-indented firewall 160B. I hope this addresses Pluck's question?
 
Pat Martone said:
My engine number is A4307145; I recall looking that up somewhere a long time ago and getting a date of Jan or Feb 1931 for my non-indented firewall 160B. I hope this addresses Pluck's question?
Click to expand...


Below is the link to Steve Plucker's site.

Your engine was assembled Jan 28th 1931

Using the four month possible delay from the RG&JS your Slant Window could have been assembled as late as May 31 1931.

http://www.plucks329s.org/pdf/studies/Model A Daily Motor Production Charts.pdf
 
There is documented in one of the Model A magazines a slant window fordor with a late 30 engine number. It was a fairly late production body and chassis too. By documented, they have the paper work from the day the car was bought.

While it is not a norm, things started to get messed up as sales declined due to the depression. If you have ever seen the parts warehouse photos you can see how parts would have been taken in a first off last used fashion.

As sales slowed there became opportunity for some older engines to get stuck behind the more recent engines. Then later in the year the older engines would make it onto the line.

It is interesting to look at the very linear relation between engine numbers and body numbers for the 68B cabriolets. When you try to compare the 68C numbers it is not the clear relationship you found with the 68B bodies.

Of course, we have to consider that some of the early engines would be swaps later in life. You would have to have some good evidence to prove that the early number actually came with your car. I am just pointing out that there is a factual reasonable expectation that some early number cars on later 31 production vehicles can be found as an exception to the common rule.
 
Yes, I have no way to tell if my engine is original, but since my Slant (Model 160B) has the non-indented firewall, I assume it is an early Slant. Does anyone know when they made the switch to indented firewalls for the Slants? Thanks.
 
I have owned 5 with straight firewalls. The 160 series slants were first made in March. Indented firewalls started April/May.
 
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