Fireman Bill Brannan has a brand-new 1935 Ford, and he’s going to drive it like he stole it in this Ford promotional short. Lots of fun, check it out.
This old Ford theater short employs a cute gimmick to catch the fickle attention of 1935 moviegoers: A fireman jumps into a brand-new ’35 Ford DeLuxe three-window Coupe and proceeds to beat the whee out of it, ultimately getting himself pulled over by a policeman on a motorcycle (Harley-Davidson VL, we believe). It’s a clever way to show off the features and design of the Ford V8, which received all-new sheet metal and an improved chassis for 1935.
Among these features, we get a detailed look at the new instrument panel for 1935 with its elaborate center trim. (Though it’s not shown here, the tuning dial for the optional radio slipped into the round opening normally occupied by the ash tray.) A crank-out windshield provided effective summer ventilation, while the longer, wider body design provided greater hip and shoulder room. Ford sales were brisk for ’35 with more than 820,000 deliveries, outselling rival Chevrolet by nearly 300,000 units. America was gingerly climbing out of the depression, as reflected in the cheerful tone of this promotional reel. Video follows.
The early 30s was the time for Ford to shine in the syling department. They all looked great although the ’35 is my favorite, especially if it was a 5-window or a roadster/cabriolet. For me, the styling all came together then. Mind you I sure wouldn’t turn down anything Ford produced back then.
I’m sure that’s a VL Harley Davidson. Those forged fork legs give it away, as to the era anyway. The 45 also used a forged front end but police didn’t use them–too small. H-D started building the ohv Knucklehead in ’36, and it brought out the flathead U-series shortly after that.
I remember as a three year old going with my dad to pick up his new 1935 Ford Sedan Delivery at Stark Hickey Ford on Grand River and Maplewood in Detroit. This was our family car until we got a second car – a 1940 Ford “Opera Coupe” in June, 1940. My dad used the Sedan Delivery in his business as a house painter until he replaced it with a new 1951 Chevrolet Sedan Delivery.
The film boasts about opening the windshield for ventilation – well, my dad couldn’t afford a heater when he bought the ’35 so, on frosty winter days, the windshield was so full of ice, he’d crank it open as far as possible to see under it to drive. I still remember those icy blasts from the days he’d drive me to school when it was too cold or too much snow to ride my bike.
My dad would sometimes let me drive it to high school where I was the envy of all the other guys. I got my Michigan driver’s license when I was 14.
Ford had some great stylists back then, not like the bellybutton cars of today. Would love to have one of those 35 coupes!