Book Review: '40 FORD - EVOLUTION * DESIGN * RACING * HOT RODDING

’40 FORD - EVOLUTION * DESIGN * RACING * HOT RODDING
By Joseph P. Cabadas
In cooperation with The Henry Ford
Published by Motorbooks, an imprint of MBI Publishing
$35 US - www.motorbooks.com

A Book Review
By Steve Purdy
TheAutoChannel.com
Detroit Bureau

At first blush it seems odd to base an entire book on one model year of automobile. But, just browsing through Joe Cabadas’ book ’40 Ford, we immediately realize, it is not odd at all and not just about that one model. In fact, it’s a fun, informative, entertaining read even if you’re not deeply into automotive history.

Cabadas takes great care in setting the stage, and putting into context, the car that represented its time so well and has endured as an icon for all these years - more than 70 years since its introduction.

To set the stage it is necessary to understand the dynamics of the Ford Motor Company, its domineering founder, his talented but oppressed son, culture and influences of the 1930s, and all the other factors that led to the development of the 1940 Ford car and all its derivatives. Cabadas, though his exhaustive research at The Henry Ford, the Benson Ford Research Center and the National Automotive History Collection at the Detroit Public Library, as well as extensive interviews with other historians and people who know the details, tells the story colorfully and completely with both words and images.

One would be drawn to the book in a book store initially by its striking cover – the front half of a lowered, bright red, shiny ’40 Ford with flashy wide white-wall tires against a background of bright blue steel with a patina of rust spots. Kudos to whomever designed that cover.

But, inside you’ll find hours of entertainment and good reading with a wealth of photos, both color and black and white extensively captioned, often with full sidebar stories, filling 153 pages (excluding the excellent, helpful Bibliography and Index) of this hard-cover, large-format, coffee table book.

You’ll read about the labor struggles that were a huge part of the automotive stories of the 1930s. You’ll read about how Edsel Ford struggled to modernize products against Henry’s recalcitrance. You’ll read about the Federal government’s efforts to force stubborn Henry into accepting the unions. And, you’ll read about all the styling and design developments that led up to the ’40 Ford. All that sets the stage for a complete, detailed chapter on the ’40 Ford itself.

The international influence of the ‘ 40 Ford is covered as well. We sometimes forget what an international company Henry had established and how products had to be adjusted for other markets. For example, in Britain automobiles were taxed on horsepower, discouraging the kind of cars built in the US. So British Fords had to be smaller and more anemic performers. Cabadas fleshes out this story thoroughly including other European products.

Finally, we read about moonshining, racing, hot rodding and customizing – how the style and design of the ’40 Ford not only made it the choice of those who want, or need, to go fast, but those with an aesthetic need as well.

We find so much history and detail about the Ford Motor Company in Cabadas’ narrative that if you just want to know about the ’40 Ford and nothing else, you may be disappointed. But if you want to enjoy and understand the surrounding history and culture you’ll love it.

Put this one on your holiday list.