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EFV-8 Club Forum / General Ford Discussion / Argentina "Knock Down" Kit Info

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Posted By Discussion Topic: Argentina "Knock Down" Kit Info -- page: 1 2     Bombsaway 04-13-2017 @ 10:45 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 6 Joined: Apr 2017 I cannot find anything about Argentina Fords in the forum. Do you have a member that is knowledgeable in this area? I just purchased a 1938 Ford Club Cabriolet Right Hand Drive model manufactured in Argentina and I want to learn more about this company. I have heard of "knockdown" kits being sent to Argentina for assembly back in the 20s but any actual verified information would be great. Thank you, Drew ford38v8 04-14-2017 @ 12:20 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 2759 Joined: Oct 2009 Drew, first of all, I'd like to compliment you on your excellent taste in cars! That's a beauty! As I recall, this subject was mentioned briefly in the V8 Club's "1938-39 Ford Book", available from this website and others. It contains a wealth of information on your car, which was manufactured, as you were told, in kit form, for export from the Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, Michigan, USA. Some incorrectly believe that all right hand drive Fords were manufactured in Canada, but that was true only for the Colonies. Alan This message was edited by ford38v8 on 4-14-17 @ 12:21 AM Bombsaway 04-14-2017 @ 8:44 AM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 6 Joined: Apr 2017 Thank you Alan! Sounds like getting ahold of that book should be first thing on my list! I really appreciate the quick reply and lead. 3w2 04-14-2017 @ 7:10 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 836 Joined: Oct 2009 Let's be a little more specific about pre-WWII RHD sourcing, shall we. Yes, some of the Canadian-manufactured RHD KD and SKD kits and whole vehicle exports were destined to British colonies, but the proper term is British Commonwealth countries as not all were colonies. In the case of Australia, it was only the powertrain and chassis components as the bodies were made locally. Ford U.S. supplied RHD KD, SKD, and whole vehicle exports to Argentina, Japan, Paraguay, and Uruguay. The RHD vehicles sold in Sweden were a mixture of Canadian, U.S., and U.K. sourcing. In the case of open cars such as yours where Ford did not manufacture the bodies themselves, those exports were in the form of SKD (slightly knocked down) kits wherein the bodies were completely finished, including upholstery and top. I was fortunate to be on assignment with Ford in South America twice in my career and brought back a fair number of U.S.-manufactured RHD open cars from both Argentina and Uruguay. This message was edited by 3w2 on 4-15-17 @ 5:25 AM johnh6813 04-16-2017 @ 10:15 AM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 23 Joined: Oct 2009 I am currently restoring a 38 club convertible that was imported from Argentina ,but was made in the US. and exported to Argentina then brought back..It was the roughest toughest car I have ever had to restore .We discarded the complete undercarriage used 39 everthing .The body had been smashed and beat ,was so eat out that a lot of work was required Had to use 2 door, doors and marry the convertible door top part to the 2 door ,door .Am just about ready to start prepping for paint.Have a list of some others that have or are also restoring the club.I know about every part of the car ,so maybe can help. John. jtwo@sympatico.ca fordv8j 04-17-2017 @ 8:55 AM reply profile send p.m. New Member Posts: 176 Joined: Jan 2015 We have a 38 conv. coupe that was really rough, had to make my doors like you did, took 7 years and nearly 4000 hours.its now a 1st car, painter it desert sand Bombsaway 04-18-2017 @ 2:06 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 6 Joined: Apr 2017 Thank you all for your information. 3w2 - I have to admit I am slightly confused by your statement "In the case of open cars such as yours where Ford did not manufacture the bodies themselves, those exports were in the form of SKD (slightly knocked down) kits wherein the bodies were completely finished, including upholstery and top." I am sorry but I am not following. So Ford made my body / upholstery / top in the US and then exported it down to Argentina for completion (SKD), or are you saying the body parts were likely produced in Argentina and assembled with parts that Ford had shipped down to Argentina in "Knock Down" kits? Or a combination of both? Thank you I am just trying to get a better understanding. I did purchase the book mentioned in an earlier post but I have not received it yet. 3w2 04-18-2017 @ 6:22 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 836 Joined: Oct 2009 Sorry for the confusion. That Ford did not make the open car bodies does not mean that they were made outside the U.S., but rather by one of Ford's U.S. suppliers such as Murray or Briggs. (Alan will know which in the case of a '38 club cabriolet.) That body builder supplied all of Ford U.S.'s requirements for that body type, be they destined for export or for domestic sale. SKD kits required only minimal local assembly as they included finished bodies. There is a fundamental difference between manufacturing and assembly and local operations such as that in Argentina at that time were strictly assembly operations and did not manufacture anything (i.e. create components from raw materials such as casting, forging, machining, and stamping sheet metal). This message was edited by 3w2 on 4-18-17 @ 7:53 PM ford38v8 04-19-2017 @ 12:11 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 2759 Joined: Oct 2009 Reports of very poor working conditions, as well as a crippling labor strike at Briggs prompted Henry and Edsel to pull back from outside suppliers Briggs and Murray, therefore the 1938 model year is not all that certain as to where the open bodies were manufactured. Chances are that some body stampings were made at Briggs, but then assembled at either Ford or Lincoln. I have no information on whether Murray made any '38's or not. Budd had no contracts for open bodies. You'll be able to read this in the "1938-'39 Ford Book, which should be in your hands soon. Alan 3w2 04-19-2017 @ 7:08 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 836 Joined: Oct 2009 Alan, Per pages 2-11 and 4-41 of the referenced book seem pretty clear that the open car bodies were still outsourced and not brought in house (at the Warren Avenue Lincoln plant) until the 1939 model year.

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