The 1932 Ford gathers more glory today, but the 1932 Chevrolet was more popular in its time and sold in greater numbers. That’s worth a closer look.

Five Window Coupe

The 1932 Ford, otherwise known as the Deuce after the final digit in its model year, is one of the most beloved and well-known cars in automotive history. But oddly enough, it wasn’t the most popular car of 1932, as far more Americans bought Chevys that year. What made Chevrolet the people’s favorite in ’32? That calls for some digging into.

The sales battle had been ongoing, as Chevrolet first took over the top spot in U.S. sales in 1928 as Ford shut down for six months to make the transition from Model T to Model A. Ford took back the crown in 1929 and 1930 as the Model A found acceptance, only to lose it again to Chevrolet in 1931. The ’32 Chevrolet was in large part a development of the ’31, but with a number of significant improvements.

The Stovebolt inline six introduced in 1929 received some important upgrades for ’32. While the displacement was unchanged at 194 cubic inches, the block was reinforced and the crankshaft was now counterweighted and pressure-lubricated. A bump in compression ratio, more aggressive valve timing, and a new downdraft carburetor increased output 20 percent from 50 hp at 2,600 rpm to 60 hp  at 3,000 rpm.

The three-speed manual transmission now included Synchro-Mesh on the top two gears, a General Motors innovation, and a controversial feature, Free Wheeling. An overrunning clutch decoupled the engine from the drive wheels when decelerating, allegedly to reduce fuel consumption and engine wear. But it also eliminated engine braking, which many drivers found unsettling, understandably. It was discontinued for 1935.

Styling changes for ’32 included a new oval radiator shell, arguably the most handsome ever on a Chevrolet, and chrome-plated teardrop headlamps. Another standout feature was the set of four cooling doors on each side of the hood, chrome-plated on the deluxe models. A GM styling signature in ’32, they were used across all five car brands. The Chevy’s overall look, supervised by Art & Colour Section chief Harley Earl, earned the name Baby Cadillac, as in a similar way, the Model A Ford was tagged a Baby Lincoln.

Deluxe Landau Phaeton

The multitude of body styles included three and five-window coupes, a cabriolet and a phaeton, a two-door coach and a four-door sedan, offered in standard, deluxe, and special deluxe trim. One of the rarest styles (and the most desirable, it’s said) was the Landau Phaeton, a sort of convertible Victoria (above). Only 1,602 were built.

Standard Coach 

For some years, Chevrolet had a practice of giving its model years model names: For example, 1931 was the Independence (EA) while 1932 was the Confederate (BA.) At the December 1931 introduction, prices ranged from $475 to $650. But when Henry Ford lowered his Model B prices, Chevrolet president Bill Knudsen responded with price cuts of his own, slashing the roadster to $445 and the coach to $490. A national ad campaign declared, “Looming larger every day as the great American value.”

As the U.S. economy plummeted toward rock bottom into the Great Depression, 1932 was a horrible year for the Motor City. Between 1929 and 1932, auto production fell 75 percent. At Chevrolet, reportedly the only GM division to run in the black in ’32, volume tumbled to 313,000 cars from 1.3 million in ’29. Even so, Chevrolet still managed to outproduce Ford by more than 100,000 vehicles—on the strength of its attractive features, styling, and pricing, fair to say. Chevrolet would hold the top spot for two more years before it was overtaken in 1935 by the Ford V8.