Fun Facts About the Ford Model B

What started out as a slow seller is now a highly sought-after collectible. Learn more about how the Ford Model B influenced the cars we know and love today.
Written by Elaine Duvet
The elegant and sophisticated 1932
Ford
Model B wasn’t a great seller back in the day. But these days, people go crazy over it. The better version than the Model A had fewer problems and gained Ford’s first four-cylinder engine.
Jerry
, the
trustworthy insurance comparison app
, checks out the fascinating history of the classic Ford Model B.

The Ford Model B: Beginnings

The Model B was produced under two different models that used the name—the Ford Model B 1904 and the Ford Model B 1932. Ford revealed the upscale tourer in 1904, with polished brass and wood trimming.
Manufactured at the Ford Piquette Avenue Plant, it was the American company’s first vehicle to incorporate the front engine layout. The Model B could produce 24 hp and featured a 283.5CID engine with a two-speed transmission. 
Priced at just $2,000, the Ford Model B would have had an equivalent price of $57,000 today. The vehicle was produced for three years and sales were slower than expected. As a result, it was replaced by the more affordable Model K. 
Between 1932 and 1934, Ford built the Model B, Model 18, and Model 46 to succeed the Model A. The Model 18 featured a V8 engine in 1932, as did the Model 46 in 1933 and 1934. The Model BB replaced the Model AA truck, which offered both a four-cylinder and eight-cylinder selection. 
Buyers could purchase the Model B as a two-door roaster, two-door coupe, two-door sedan, four-door sedan, two-door cabriolet, two-door phaeton, or a pickup.  
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The Ford Model B: The details

The 1932 Ford Model B features a 3.3-liter L-head-4 I4 engine. With two rows of seats, five people could comfortably ride inside. The auto also stepped away from the wood look from the early 1900s and delivered a more modern style similar to the type of cars we know today. 
The Model B came with wire wheels, a rear-mounted spare wheel that was mounted on the side or back of the car, and black fenders. Buyers could also opt for a luggage rack, interior, and exterior mirrors, a clock, single or twin side mounts, and leather or Broadcloth interior material. Pyroxylin lacquer was the primary paint used on the vehicle.
Though the Model B was discontinued, it wasn’t due to its inferiority. Drivers didn’t care much for a four-cylinder model, and it was hard to compete with the massive success of the V8 engine. The vehicle lasted longer in Europe since many countries’ tax systems favored smaller-displacement engines. 
These days, car collectors will pay thousands to restore the Model B to its original state. In fact, Model Bs and V8 were turned into hot rods during the WWII era. Popular media even noted the large continuation of these modifications into the 1960s with a hit song. Beach Boys, anyone?
According to
HotCars
, “Since the 1970s, 1932 bodies and frames have been reproduced either in fiberglass or lately in steel, which has helped resolve bodywork shortages and increased the number of ‘rods’ being created or restored.” The ones that are made are often quite pricey. You can expect your average auto-show hot rod to go for at least $60,000. 

Insuring your classic car

While you may not have a Ford Model B sitting in your garage, we all have a vehicle we hold near and dear to our hearts. Why not make sure that auto has the best coverage in town?
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