This is the 1936 Ford Coupe built for and owned by Allegheny Ludlum Steel. I was attending our open house and then was featured in a local parade with over 100 of our salaried, hourly and retired employees walking alongside. This is 1 of only 4 in existence and is the only one currently in running & in roadworthy condition. The car is in exceptional condition, with the interior and even the frame looking great. All 4 cars each had over 200,000 miles on them before they removed them from service.

These cars were built for Allegheny as promotional and marketing projects. The top salesmen each year were given the honor of being able to drive them for one year. The v-8 engine (max 85 hp) ran like a sewing machine and was surprisingly smooth and quite. I thought this was a much better looking automobile than the Ford Thunderbird that visited us last year. FYI, the car was insured (we were told) for the trip to Louisville via covered trailer for 1.5 million dollars.

We were also told that the dies were ruined by stamping the stainless car parts, making these the last of these cars ever produced.

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

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).

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 1960 Thunderbird 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

Mecum Auction

Restored by Lon Kruger, one of the world’s best restorers. The car utilizes the standard 221/85 HP flathead mated to a 3-speed manual and working Columbia overdrive, and has been driven just 18 miles since its restoration. The only privately owned example, it won 2 trophies at the Early V8 Club Auburn 2009 event, First Place at the 2009 Hershey AACA event and was nominated for the 2009 AACA Car of the Year.

Source: http://www.mecum.com/auctions/lot_detail.cfm?LOT_ID=CA0810-96520&utm_source=delivra&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CA0810_072610_S90

SIA Flashback BONUS – by way of Dearborn

As mentioned in an earlier post, my recent 10-day trip actually started in Dearborn, at the Early Ford V-8 meet. To say it was a hot morning could not be stressed enough. After an air conditioned flight and a half-hour drive in an air-conditioned rental, it took several minutes for my camera lens to de-fog after quickly stumbling upon an ultimate Ford rarity right near the small swap meet zone.

Yup – one of the stainless steel bodied 1936 Ford two-door sedans. The proud owner, Ed James, barely had time to catch his breath between the litany of questions that was bombarding him; he had just purchased the car two weeks prior to the meet from an estate sale. According to Ed, the famed Ford had been in the hands of a dentist (who had owned that car since 1960). When he had passed away at age 72, the car was left to his son, and is to date the only stainless bodied Ford still in private hands. As of the meet, Ed did not have any concrete plans for the car, and for the moment, it does not have the ability to run under its owner power; though it is complete. Of the six that were produced by Allegheny Ludlum, only four are known to still exist. Walter Gosden authored a three-page article in SIA #60 (December 1980), which outlines more of the history – we’ve included it below.

Written by Matt Litwin
August 5th, 2008 at 7:05 am
Hemmings Blog