Quote:
Originally Posted by 77Birdman
Does anyone know the total production of the town car? I have seen a few restored examples in print and there may have been a link or 2 on here regarding one in very rough condition that needed restored. I have yet to see one in person I think. Very neat, attractive auto. I suppose it was marketed for the executive that didn't want to seem to ostentatious.
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1928 - 89
1929 - 1013
1930 - 96
Total of 1198
The initial prototype town car was bodied by Lebaron, one of those survives today in original condition (minus a 70's era repaint).
The cars were marketed as a mid-price luxury vehicle and most of the advertising that Ford did for the Town Car was aimed at women. The cars did not sell very well. Before the stock market crash most people probably looked down on it as "just a Ford" and after the crash the town car body style quickly fell out of favor as it seemed to be an extravagant show of wealth in a tough time. There are stories of dealers who had these cars forced onto them constructing a roof above the driver and removing the partition as it was easier to sell as a Fordor than a chauffeur driven car.
Town Cars were sold at Ford Dealers as well as in Lincoln showrooms alongside those cars.
Due to low sales Ford cancelled the contract it had with Briggs for bodies and refused to take delivery of already completed bodies. Some pictures exist of these unused Briggs bodies repurposed onto other makes' chassis, I believe the photos I saw were on a Chrysler chassis.
The 1930 Town Cars were just '29 bodies adapted to fit a '30 cowl and doors and were really just trying to use up the bodies Ford had on hand.
This image shows how far a Town Car could fall in 4 short years. The image, dated 1933, shows a rough and beaten Town car that looks to have been converted to a delivery vehicle.
DW-1933-12-30-138-02-X3.jpg
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