The overall styling was sub-par. So far as I've been able to find, no claims have been made regarding any aspect of the design. Ford's styling chief Bob Gregorie said that he was busy getting the styling department organized at the time the '37 was designed, so he could not be blamed. Credit is usually given to the styling staff of Briggs Manufacturing, a supplier of car bodies to Ford in those days. The studio dealing with production car design was headed by Ralph Roberts, formerly of LeBaron coachbuilders. Under him were Phillip O. Wright, Holden "Bob" Koto, Al Prance, and a few others. These were very good designers. Yet none seems to have claimed credit for the '37's front ends.
That said, I really like the design of the front end of 1937 Ford passenger cars. But not the awkward-looking part aft of the firewall/cowling on the sedans.
What impresses me is the sculpting of the fenders and catwalks that are contrasted by the sharp frontal part of the hood and grille. The especially nice feature is the design of the headlight assemblies and their blending into the catwalk zone.
Ford's main competition. General Motors headlights were not blended into fenders until the 1940-41 model years.
Pierce-Arrow's design signature for decades was headlights placed atop fenders. The car shown here represents the firm's final design.
The redesigned 1937 Willys featured fender-mounted headlights. All other American cars save Lincoln-Zephyr and Cord had headlights mounted in the general mode of the Chevy pictured above.
The "streamlined style" 1936 Lincoln-Zephyr's frontal styling was borrowed to some degree by the 1937 Ford. Gregorie was responsible for the Zephyr grille design. And likely for the rest of the front, though I have no evidence.
Compare the front of this car to that of the Lincoln-Zephyr. Hoods, grilles and front fenders are quite similar. The main difference is in the Ford's catwalk placement of headlight assemblies, though the lens and chrome surround designs are essentially the same.
Close-up view showing the sheet metal sculpting of the fenders/catwalk/headlight zone.
Frontal view. Note the crease atop the fender's form. This crisp feature is echoed by the grille and the pointed bottoms of the headlight assemblies (that also echo the grille's plan-view shape).
High frontal view showing the blending of the headlight assemblies into the catwalks. Very nice sculpting.
Another view of the same car.
The catwalk zone viewed from the rear.
Given all the similarities of the front ends of the Ford and Lincoln-Zephyr, I suspect Gregorie was responsible for the styling -- directly or indirectly.
It's odd that GM was the company with the first styling (Art and Color in 1927) department but Ford was ahead with the headlight placement and really beauty of their often delicate and carefully done designs through the 30's. Did some people at Briggs just design everything and then Henry said "looks OK to me"?
ReplyDeleteBut then they also had Model T solid axle front suspension while everyone else went to "knee action" etc. independent suspensions not to mention "floating power" engine mounts. That had to be noticeable. On the other other hand, a V8 is a V8.