This particular Thunderbird (and its twin) rolled off the assembly line in Wixom, Michigan on July 11, 1960.

Its body, skin, bumpers, and grille are made of Type 302 stainless steel. The car also features the first stainless steel muffler made for a production vehicle which is made of Type 409, an allow in common used on exhaust systems today.
Both cars were used by Allegheny Ludlum as promotional vehicles, and were driven by company salesmen.

In 1999, Allegheny Ludlum donated a stainless 1936 Ford Sedan and a stainless 1960 Ford Thunderbird to the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania for display in the Senator John Heintz Pittsburgh Regional History Center. The Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania has loaned the Thunderbird to the Crawford Auto Aviation Museum, making the Crawford the only automotive museum in the world able to show a complete set of Ford stainless steel cars: Ford sedan, Thunderbird, and Lincoln.

Model: Thunderbird
Body Style: 2-door, hardtop coupe
Wheelbase: 119 inches
Brake Horsepower: 350 at 4400 rpm
Displacement: 430 cubic inches
Bore: 4.30 inches
Stroke: 3.50 inches
Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Location: Dearborn, Michigan
Original Factory Price: Not sold commercially

taken at the Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum

taken at the Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum

History of the Stainless Steel Car

In 1935, officials at Allegheny Ludlum Steel Division and the Ford Motor Company collaborated on an experiment that would become a legacy and a tribute to one of the most dynamic metals ever developed.

Allegheny Ludlum, a pioneer producer of stainless steel, proposed the idea of creating a stainless steel car to Ford. The idea took shape in the form of a 1936 Deluxe Sedan. That car became the centerpiece of a campaign to expose the public to the new metal and its many uses.

Allegheny Ludlum and Ford would later collaborate on two more stainless models, a 1936 Ford Coupe and a 1967 Lincoln Continental Convertible. Of the 11 cars originally built, nine are still in use.

The stainless steel cars were perfect vehicles for increasing awareness of the quality of the metal. And over the years, this quality has been shown in its stainless performance.

Of the six stainless steel cars that rolled off the Ford assembly line in Detroit in 1936, four exist today as living proof of the durability of stainless steel. One is on display at the Heinz Regional History Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

Each of the original six logged at least 200,000 miles in the hands of Allegheny Ludlum officials before "retiring" to private ownership in 1946. Thousands of additional miles have been logged on the odometers since, and the shiny bodies have outlasted most of their non-stainless steel parts.

The experiment was an unparalleled success on a number of levels. Public awareness of stainless steel's many uses increased with every city and state the cars visited. Through many years of active use, metallurgists and engineers were amazed at the superiority of the silvery metal.

Since 1960, when two stainless steel Ford Thunderbirds were introduced, they have been displayed throughout the United States and Europe.

The two Thunderbirds came off the Wixom, Michigan production line on July 11, 1960, and each has traveled over 100,000 miles, demonstrating the durability and timeless beauty of stainless steel.

With the exception of the body skin, bumpers and grille, which are made of T302 stainless steel, every other component is standard 1960 Thunderbird equipment. Also included is the first T409 solid stainless steel muffler released on a production vehicle. Both cars still have their original mufflers and T304 exhaust pipes after 25 years on the road!

The 1967 Lincoln Convertible was the last of the stainless steel cars produced by the Ford Motor Company and Allegheny Ludlum Steel.

Once again, the companies proved that stainless steel's enduring beauty is matched by its toughness.

As with all stainless steel there is no need for painting. The corrosion-resistant properties of the stainless eliminate the problems caused by rust.

Except for the vehicle's body, all other parts and equipment on the car are standard for the 1967 Lincoln Convertible. The vehicle's weight is just about equal to one with a standard steel body.

Three stainless Lincolns were built that year. Allegheny Ludlum Steel retains two and still uses them for customer visits and special events. A full set of Stainless automobiles (1936 Deluxe, T-Bird, and Continental) are on permanent display in the Crawford Auto Museum in Cleveland, Ohio.

Source: http://www.alleghenyludlum.com/pages/companyinfo/stainlesscars.asp

Image courtesy of the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum

The Saga of the Stainless Steel Fords

By Tom Benford

In 1935, company officials of the Allegheny Ludlum Steel Division and the Ford Motor Company collaborated on an experiment that was to become a legacy and a tribute to one of the most dynamic metals ever developed. Allegheny Ludlum was a pioneer producer of stainless steel and proposed the idea of creating a stainless steel car to Ford. The decision makers at Ford liked the idea and it became a reality in the form of a 1936 Deluxe Sedan. The Stainless Steel Deluxe Thirty Six became the centerpiece of a campaign to expose the public to the new metal and its many uses.

In all, six of these cars rolled off the Ford assembly line in 1936. Of the six, four still exist today giving testimony to the proof of stainless steel's durability. These stainless steel cars were perfect vehicles for increasing the public's awareness of the quality of the metal. One of these four survivors is on display at the Heinz Regional History Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

The top salesmen each year were given the honor of being allowed to drive them for one year. Powered by the standard 85hp Ford V-8 engine, they were reputed to be surprisingly smooth and quiet. Each of the original six logged at least 200,000 miles with Allegheny Ludlum officials behind the steering wheels before they were 'retired' to private ownership in 1946. Thousands of additional miles have been logged on the odometers since, and their shiny bodies have outlasted most of their non-stainless steel parts. A retired Allegheny Ludlum employee said that the dies were ruined by stamping the stainless car parts, making these the last of these cars ever produced.

Allegheny Ludlum and Ford later collaborated on two more stainless models. The next one was the 1960 Thunderbird, and two of these cars were produced as another experiment to further raise public awareness of stainless steel by touring it around the country. They both rolled off the Wixom, MI production line on July 11, 1960. The experiment was a success on a number of levels and public awareness of stainless steel's many uses increased with every city and state the cars visited.

Since 1960, when the two stainless steel Ford Thunderbirds were introduced, they have been displayed throughout the United States and Europe. With the exception of the body skin, bumpers and grille, which are made of T302 stainless steel, every other component is standard 1960 Thunderbird equipment. Also included is the first T409 solid stainless steel muffler released on a production vehicle. Both cars still have their original mufflers and T304 exhaust pipes after 49 years on the road!

Then, in 1967, three Lincoln Continental Convertibles were the last of the stainless steel cars produced by the Ford Motor Company and Allegheny Ludlum Steel. As with all stainless steel, there was no need for painting since the corrosion-resistant properties of the stainless eliminate the problems caused by rust.

Except for the vehicles' bodies, all other parts and equipment on the cars were standard for the 1967 Lincoln Convertible. The vehicle weight is just about equal to one with a standard steel body.

Source: http://www.secondchancegarage.com/public/stainless-steel-fords.cfm

The 1936 Ford Deluxe never looked as good in paint as it does here with the rich natural patina of stainless steel. Of the six originally produced, four still survive.

The smooth curves are obvious in this rear view of the stainless 1936 Ford and really show off the beauty of the metal, which competes very successfully for bling points with the chrome of the bumpers.

Two stainless 1960 T-Birds were built and toured extensively as part of the PR campaign to raise public awareness of stainless steel. They still look as good today as when they rolled off the assembly line (Photo courtesy of ATI).

Three 1967 Lincoln Convertibles were the last of the stainless steel cars produced by the Ford Motor Company and Allegheny Ludlum Steel. Allegheny retains two of them and they're still used for special guests and other promotional purposes. (Photo courtesy of ATI).