| The 1949 Ford was
revolutionary when it was introduced in the spring of that year. After the
second World War, Ford Motor Company had been producing only remodeled
designs of their 1942 automobile. Sleek and slab-sided with the trademark
circle in the front grille, the 1949 Ford broke from previous ideas of
design and engineering.
By the late 1940s, the
dominance of the Big Three was more apparent than ever. The 1949 Ford
symbolized the company's revitalization under Henry Ford II, who had taken
over for his grandfather in 1945. Modern management methods and
dramatically new products returned Ford to second place in sales.
Finding the company in total
disarray, Henry Ford II lured Ernest R. Breech from the presidency of
Bendix Aviation Corporation to be his executive vice-president and
implement the recovery of Ford. Henry Ford II also lured in a dynamic
management team to overhaul the company, including ten Harvard-trained
ex-Air Force officers dubbed the Whiz Kids.
Design
consultant
George Walker
Engineering
VP
Harold Youngren
Early clay
rendering
Richard Caleal
About our Car: This
1949 Ford sedan is serial number one - the first production 1949 Ford.
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