For 1952, the game-changing 1949 Ford received its first major redesign. “Newest car under the sun,” Ford declared. Here was the “ablest car on the American road.”
Ford joined the ranks of the modern carmakers in 1949 with its first truly new car in a generation. For 1952, the ’49 package got its first major update, one that included striking new exterior sheet metal. Ford stylist Bob Maguire and crew embraced a jet-age aircraft theme with simulated turbine intakes for the parking lamps, more stylized air intakes in the quarter panels, and tail lamps that suggested rocket exhausts.
The chassis was updated as well, with a revised K-bar ladder frame and improved springs, dampers, and suspension geometry. The wheelbase was stretched one inch to 115 inches and the track was widened from 56 to 58 inches to improve ride stability and cornering. Ford engineers originally planned to incorporate their advanced ball-joint front suspension in ’52, but the feature was held back until ’54, reportedly due to cost constraints. Only Ford’s premium Lincoln division got the ball-joint setup that year.
The big stories at Ford engineering for ’52 included an all-steel body for the station wagons and the Mileage Maker six-cylinder engine. A far more modern powerplant than the familiar flathead V8, a 20 year-old design, the new 215 CID six featured a deep-skirted block, overhead valves, and a nearly square bore/stroke ratio. While the V8 carried a greater horsepower rating, 110 hp vs. 101 hp, Motor Trend magazine reported that the six was actually quicker on the stopwatch, no doubt due to its lower and broader torque curve. Either engine could be paired with the optional Fordomatic automatic transmission. introduced the year before.
Ford’s first all-steel station wagon came in multiple flavors: two-door Ranch Wagon, (above), four-door Country Sedan, and the deluxe Country Squire. The top-of-the line wagon sported simulated wood side trim in 3M Di-noc vinyl film, and somehow, thanks to the power of consumer demand, fake wood became a Country Squire tradition at Ford that lasted all the way through 1991. (See our Country Squire feature here.)
The model line for ’52 was expanded from two trim levels to three with flashy new names. At the bottom was the bare-bones Mainline, with the Customline in the middle and the Crestline on top. The Crestline was available only in the the glamorous Sunliner convertible, Victoria hardtop, and Country Squire body styles. However, by far the biggest seller in the Ford lineup for ’52 was the Customline four-door sedan, demonstrating that practical family haulers continued to be the automaker’s bread and butter.
