| carguy | -- 12-26-2016 @ 1:42 PM |
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I like the look of the late 40's Ford and Mercury Sportsman convertibles and I would like to learn more about these cars. Can anyone direct me to a comprehensive article about these cars? Has V8 Times done such an article? Bill Brown '34 Cabriolet
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| Stroker | -- 12-26-2016 @ 2:52 PM |
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Bill Large Northern Ohio Regional Group is probably the "go-to" club member. Bill has one of the nicest Mercury Sportsman's on the Planet IMHO. designer E.T. “Bob” Gregorie and illustrator Ross Cousins created the Sportsman convertibles that debuted for both Ford and Mercury in 1946. Ford sold 723 Sportsman convertibles in 1946, but sales of the higher-priced Mercury were disappointing, prompting Ford to discontinue the model after a mere 205 were built.
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| 53CountrySquireRanger | -- 12-26-2016 @ 4:30 PM |
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Good afternoon Bill, Additionally, I would invest in the book "Famous Ford Woodies" by Lorin Sorensen; 2003. You can get it for around $30 on amazon. Pg 186-200 covers them extensively. Rare and first time published photos . It's a great investment, especially if your a woodie V8er. Scotty
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| woodiewagon46 | -- 12-26-2016 @ 4:58 PM |
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Get the book "Famous Ford Woodies" by Lorin Sorenson. Has a chapter dedicated to the Sportsman.
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| 37V8 | -- 12-27-2016 @ 12:16 PM |
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Bill Large's Sportsman convertible is gorgeous, but Bill is a longstanding member of the Dearborn RG. Bryan Allen This message was edited by 37V8 on 12-27-16 @ 12:17 PM
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| Stroker | -- 12-29-2016 @ 11:35 AM |
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37V8: Thank's for "Correcting" Bill's "home RG" Here's a photo of Bill's Merc. at Greenfield Village.
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| carguy | -- 12-30-2016 @ 8:04 AM |
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Thanks for the photo. That Merc is, indeed, gorgeous. Thanks for the clarification on the chapter affiliation for Bill Large. That explains why I didn't find him in my Northern Ohio RG roster. Looks like I need to buy the Woodie Book. Thanks to all who responded. Bill Bill Brown '34 Cabriolet
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| trjford8 | -- 12-30-2016 @ 10:04 AM |
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In regards to the Famous Ford Woodie book, check with the Early Ford V-8 Foundation as they sell the book. It's $49.95 and free shipping. www.fordv8foundation.org This message was edited by trjford8 on 12-30-16 @ 10:08 AM
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| woodiewagon46 | -- 12-30-2016 @ 2:48 PM |
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That is one beautiful Sportsman. Perhaps Bill can "chime in" here and give some exact Mercury numbers but the book does not distinguish between Ford and Mercury. It list's a TOTAL of only 3692 Sportsman built. I do know that the Mercury is a lot rarer.
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| 39 Ken | -- 12-31-2016 @ 5:59 AM |
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EFV8 album indicates Sportsman production as: 1946 Ford 723. Mercury 205 1947 Ford 2774. Mercury None built for years after 1946. 1948 Ford 28. Looks like a total of 3730 Ford and Mercury Sportsman's built from '46 to '48
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| woodiewagon46 | -- 12-31-2016 @ 11:27 AM |
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Ken, perhaps you would know where to find this. I know I read somewhere, about approximately how many Sportsman were left. I thought it was in the Membership Directory that the National Woodie Club sends out every year but it's not. I'll keep looking.
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| 39 Ken | -- 01-01-2017 @ 3:53 AM |
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I don't have any idea of the number remaining. The Woody club would be my first stop to research that number as you have indicated. There have been a number of clone Sportsman's built along the way which would probably skew any numbers that are out there. Good luck on you search.
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| carguy | -- 01-01-2017 @ 9:53 AM |
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The comment by 39 Ken about clones bring up a question. Can an original Sportsman be identified by its serial or vin number? And/or other ways? Bill Brown '34 Cabriolet
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| woodiewagon46 | -- 01-01-2017 @ 6:05 PM |
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The Ford Sportsman did not have a unique chassis number. The Sportsman and Station Wagon were built in Ford's Iron Mountain, Michigan facility. They were shipped with the cowl and rear fenders in primer in special box cars to various assembly lines in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Once they were received at their assigned destination, the cowl and fenders were painted to the customers specification. The bodies were then placed into the assembly line along with other models where they were assigned a numbered chassis. I have seen three "faux" or cloned Sportsman over the years. All were street rods and the owners made no attempt to pass them off as original cars. Building a Sportsman from scratch is a monumental job. There are several unique, rare and expensive parts, that are almost impossible to find. For example, the windows do not rise and lower with hand cranks like the other Ford bodies. The windows on the Sportsman are hydraulically operated and the rear fenders are Sportsman only. In my opinion it would be cheaper and easier to locate a needy Sportsman and restore it. Even then it's not going to be cheap.
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| trjford8 | -- 01-02-2017 @ 6:56 AM |
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There is currently a faux Sportsman on e-Bay. It looks real good , but the owner describes how they made it out of a convertible.
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| woodiewagon46 | -- 01-02-2017 @ 8:24 AM |
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If you look closely at the car now on E-Bay, it looks like they applied a veneer right over the convertible sheet metal. They did a very nice job and you can tell from a mile away that it's not a real Sportsman, but I wouldn't mind owning it.
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| 42wagon | -- 01-02-2017 @ 12:09 PM |
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The Iron Mountain station wagon bodies were stamped with a consecutive by year body number on the firewall near the voltage regulator. Perhaps the Sportsman bodies had a similar stamping?
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| woodiewagon46 | -- 01-02-2017 @ 12:22 PM |
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42, I would think they did. As you mention, Iron Mountain did stamp the body number on the firewall above the steering column. My '46 wagon is an August built car.
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| carguy | -- 01-04-2017 @ 12:45 PM |
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OK, I'm learning. I did see the nice looking Sportsman from California on E-Bay with the '51? Merc flathead for somewhere around $48-49,000. And then I see the 1946 Sportsman in the Cars For Sale section of the November-December 2016 issue of V8 Times for $265,000. And these 2 cars prompted me to learn more about the Sportsman cars. The E-Bay car would be a bit of a stretch for me but possibly doable, but if the $265,000 car is typical for a very nice original then I will have to admire them from afar and I can stop looking for one to have in my garage. Bill Brown '34 Cabriolet
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| woodiewagon46 | -- 01-04-2017 @ 3:06 PM |
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A few years ago a gentleman named Nick Alexander had an auction of his "Woodie" collection. Nick had one of the finest collections of these cars ever. His '46 Merc, Sportsman went for $368,000 and his '48 Ford went for $275, ooo. Rare = $.
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| 42wagon | -- 01-05-2017 @ 3:13 AM |
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Carguy That car on Ebay is a clone. Reportedly wood applied to a convertible body. If you compare the Ebay pictures to Lorin Sorenson's book you will see the differences. Look especially at the rear fenders and tail lights. Also I believe the price on Ebay is a starting price and the seller has some other figure in mind because he says "reserve not met" The prices bid at Nick Alexander's auction are real and are in the stratosphere as far as us mere mortals are concerned. 42 Wagon
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| carguy | -- 01-06-2017 @ 11:39 AM |
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Thanks to all who responded. It looks like the original Sportsman is going to have to be added to the long list of cars that I would like to own like, for example an original Shelby Cobra and a boat tail Auburn, that are now priced beyond what I can afford. Bill Brown '34 Cabriolet
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| woodiewagon46 | -- 01-06-2017 @ 1:58 PM |
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You have expensive taste carguy, but you sound like me!
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| 37 Coupe | -- 01-07-2017 @ 10:35 AM |
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If you ever get the chance look for and watch a 1949 movie titled "The sun comes up" It stars Jeanette McDonald and Lassie but more importantly a beautiful yellow '47 or 48 Ford Sportsman that Lassie probably left her mark on the wood. Beautifull color movie.
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