The Story of The 11 Stainless Steel Fords

"Jim Spanfeller" (awesomeaustinv)
09/03/2020 at 20:28 • Filed to: Show Cars

Everybody knows about Delorean and their stylish (if somewhat crappy) bare stainless steel-bodied cars. But long before that, there was Ford, Allegheny Ludlum, and some of the best show cars ever to actually be used.

It all started in 1935, back when Amelia Earhart made the first solo flight from Hawaii to New York, 20 Gerbils caught in Mongolia for research purposes became the ancestors from which all Gerbils in the U.S. are descended, toilet paper was finally being advertised as “splinter-free”, and Allegheny Ludlum Steel wanted to showcase the functional and decorative uses for stainless steel by building a car out of it.

So they phoned up Ford and basically said “Hey, wanna build some cars out of stainless steel?” Ford thought that sounded like a great idea, and promptly ruined a set of stamping dies making six 1936 Ford Deluxe Tudor sedans. But Allegheny Ludlum got their stainless steel V8 Fords, and sent one to each of their six regional sales executives, who would then give that car to the best salesman in the area to use for a year each year.

Although making the six cars ruined Ford’s stamping dies, these cars did end up being an extremely successful publicity stunt for both companies. Allegheny Ludlum’s salesmen drove these things A LOT, with all six of them going through several engines and racking up over 200,000 miles each before being retired in 1946.

In fact, the project generated so much publicity that in 1960, Allegheny Ludlum approached Ford again to see if they were willing to make more. Ford once again obliged, but this time they learned from their mistakes and waited until the entire regular 1960 production run was over before ruining their dies stamping out two 1960 Ford Thunderbirds.

And they really went all out on these things... Everything that could be made out of stainless steel was made of stainless steel. The body, the bumpers, the trim, everything. Even the exhaust pipe and mufflers were made of stainless steel, apparently. I wonder how well that holds up over time?

Seven years later, they did it again and made three stainless steel ‘67 Lincoln Continental convertibles, but that would sadly be the last time Ford and Allegheny Ludlum collaborated.

Still, it was a special enough part of both companies’ histories that nine of the 11 cars are still around (two of the ‘36 Fords were destroyed at some point). Most are in museums, although Allegheny Ludlum will soon sell a complete trio at auction, saying “they deserve to take their place in a significant collection or museum where they can be more widely appreciated in a collector car environment for generations to come.” So there’s a good chance these will continue to capture imaginations for years to come.

Which one would you want the most? :)

DISCUSSION (34)

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > Jim Spanfeller
09/03/2020 at 20:42

Aw man that Continental is tough. It’s been a while since I’ve seen a car with such a nasty attitude.

The T bird is cool too I guess.

Kiltedpadre > Jim Spanfeller
09/03/2020 at 20:47

Normally I’d be all over that Lincoln convertible, but I’d have to go T-bird. The more sedate styling of the Lincoln just doesn’t accentuate the over the top nature of the bare stainless steel body as well.

lone_liberal > Jim Spanfeller
09/03/2020 at 20:48

The Conti would definitely be the choice for me. Big convertibles from the 60s are a weakness of mine.

Jayvincent > Jim Spanfeller
09/03/2020 at 21:05

There’s a ‘36 ford on display at the Heinz museum in pittsburgh, I know I have a pic here somewhere...

Kinja'd!!!

MM54 > Jim Spanfeller
09/03/2020 at 21:07

One of the ‘36s and the continentals is in a small museum in Cleveland, I have seen them. They’re very cool.

ttyymmnn > Jim Spanfeller
09/03/2020 at 21:08

I’ll take the P-51. Thanks.

Jim Spanfeller > lone_liberal
09/03/2020 at 21:29

Especially when it’s a four-door convertible with rear suicide doors! You don’t see that every day.

Jim Spanfeller > ttyymmnn
09/03/2020 at 21:29

I should’ve seen this comment coming, lol.

Jim Spanfeller > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap
09/03/2020 at 21:34

The Continental in stainless has a very industrial, almost dieselpunk vibe to it I think. Whatever the case, it’s cool and I dig it. Although of course, the T-bird is my favorite :p

ranwhenparked > Jim Spanfeller
09/03/2020 at 22:00

Only 200,000 miles in 10 years? Salesmen must have spent a lot of time sitting at their desks in those days. Of course, WWII rationing may have played a role in the cars sitting a bit more for a period.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Jim Spanfeller
09/03/2020 at 22:08

The ‘36 is by far the most interesting and lovely of the trio. No sensible person could conclude otherwise.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
09/03/2020 at 23:27

Yeah the T Bird does suit the medium well but that 36 just wears it so well. And it ate a stamping die so not many cars can say they literally broke the mould.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Jim Spanfeller
09/03/2020 at 23:27

36 Ford for me. It literally and figuratively broke the mould.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/04/2020 at 00:07

You say it well when you say the ‘36 wears it well. All those curves...

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
09/04/2020 at 00:19

I don’t think the angular styling of the Continental does the medium justice because you expect boxiness with stainless steel. It’s the graceful curves that don’t compute and therefore make it brilliant.

MrDakka > Jim Spanfeller
09/04/2020 at 00:21

I always wanted a land yacht, so I’ll take the Lincoln continental and drive to Valhalla

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/04/2020 at 00:28

I personally think neither of the other cars are particularly attractive anyhow.

i86hotdogs > Jim Spanfeller
09/04/2020 at 05:31

The whole stainless steel ruining press dies was something I always knew, but never understood why. I assume it has to do with the composition. I believe stainless is less ductile than regular steel, so that must mean the dies are cracking or deforming?

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
09/04/2020 at 10:47

I think the T Bird and ‘36 Deluxe Tudor Sedan do wear it well but I’d have to see them in person.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/04/2020 at 11:00

IMO, t he ‘36 highlights the material much more effectively than the other two. So the material, combined with the compound curvature of the body, make a whole greater than the sum of its parts. The ‘36 is a stainless steel car, whereas the other two are simply cars made of stainless steel. I think this is a distinction that would also apply in architecture.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
09/04/2020 at 11:14

Kinja'd!!!

From the rear especially I think the T Bird can be classified as the same. It’s not quite as beautiful in terms of manipulating the medium in unexpected ways (you don ’t have curvaceous fridges) but I do agree with you on the 36.

And while the Continental doesn’t take full advantage of being able to ruin a stamping die while being made out of bend resistant stainless steel it does look pretty good. It’s just not a masterpiece compared to the others.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/04/2020 at 13:28

The rear is definitely more attractive than the front on the T-bird.

With the stainless, there’s no paint. The paint does more for the Continental than it does for the Tudor Sedan. Painted, you notice less the curviness of the ‘36. It’s a stainless steel car, rather than a car made of stainless steel.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
09/04/2020 at 13:34

That’s some sound logic. It’s part of the reason the Conti looks so good in black. It accentuates the lack of curviness. The ‘36's beauty comes from its gentle compound curves and paint can hide that.

And I never was quite sold on the cat-like front end of that T Bird but the rear is very nice.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/04/2020 at 13:37

That ‘36 truly is beautiful in stainless and the more so to me each time I look at it.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
09/04/2020 at 13:39

Silver is my least favorite color but stainless skirts around that classification. Mmmmmm.

Jim Spanfeller > ranwhenparked
09/04/2020 at 16:58

Also, standards for what was considered high mileage were very different back then (they did say each car needed its engine replaced at some point) , and without many highways or interstates travel would’ve mostly been done on back roads and taken longer. In a way, 200,000 miles back then was a lot more than it is today.

Jim Spanfeller > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/04/2020 at 17:03

Silver paint cannot capture true silver like stainless does...

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Jim Spanfeller
09/04/2020 at 17:09

Agreed. The biegey silver that every other CUV is painted is designed to prolong washing intervals and not show scuffs from rubbing up against poles etc.

But stainless has a real character to it. It has a texture that isn’t obscured by the blending of shadows on its surface. It’s got real character to it that can accentuate the impressions of the lines of a vehicle.

ranwhenparked > Jim Spanfeller
09/04/2020 at 17:55

Reps probably covered smaller territories, too. I know just in my company, we had 5 territories in my state 7-8 years ago, and there’s just 2 of us now. I’ve driven 10,000 business miles just since the lockdown ended at the end of May, and that’s with WFH one day a week and a week vacation in August. 30k a year is about normal, we replace our fleet vehicles at 3 years or 90,000 miles, and with modern Fords the way they are, a lot of them need at least 1 new transmission during that.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/04/2020 at 17:59

Yes. All of that.

Jim Spanfeller > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/04/2020 at 21:52

Is that poles as in cylind rical columns, or poles as in people from Poland?

I, for one, have tremendous difficulty preventing my Thunderbird from compulsively rubbing herself all over Polish people and it wreaks havoc on the paint (not to mention that it results in numerous complaints), so this silvery beige paint might be just what I need!

Also, I totally agree with you on the stainless steel.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Jim Spanfeller
09/04/2020 at 21:59

I laughed for about a solid a minute right there. You just made my night. Of COURSE it it Polish people, but I can understand the confusion as forgot to capitalize Pole. Yeah, of course there are a lot of complaints but Karens simply don’t care to call off their CUVs. I heard that the class action lawsuit over that one particularly bad incident might just end up with a payout to every Polish-American. It would only be $3.50 except for the original claimant, so I’m not convinced it is worth it.

Ha, the idea that a car might of its own volition rub up against a mean old pole is just crazy. Those things aren’t nearly as soft and squishy as humans. Some even have spikes on the side to prevent such a thing. Silly.

I heard some Poles have resorted to wearing jackets with metal studs on them to discourage such behavior and I wonder it took them that long.

Jim Spanfeller > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/04/2020 at 22:12

Can’t beat good ol’ Polish pheromones for attracting cars! You just have to give off the right scent, and it’s like a car magnet. Unfortunately for the Poles, they don’t appear to be able to control this, which often results in unwanted automotive attention. Rumor has it Jay Leno figured out how to make a Pole Cologne which partly explains how he was able to attract so many vehicles... I’ve had to ban Phoebe from ever visiting that infernal garage because the man’s too darn irresistible and I just don’t think I can trust her judgement. It’s a scary and dangerous world for a car out there...

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Jim Spanfeller
09/04/2020 at 22:54

I hope Geoff has been behaving back home. He’s been taken for errands quite a lot and Kroger shoppers aren’t known for being irresistible but I still worry. Wouldn’t want that beautiful autumn metallic paint to get scratched up on a motorized shipping cart.

Word is cars can sense Leno's irresistible scent from e states away and that's why Cali has such amazing cars.