Ford unveils V-8 power

It’s strange to think back now and realize that as the 1930s dawned, Ford was in a rather precarious situation, Depression notwithstanding.

Henry Ford built his fortune and his reputation on low-cost, sturdy cars and trucks for the masses. But by the late ’20s, the company had stagnated. It didn’t help that Ford produced the Model T for almost 20 years without any significant upgrades or enhancements. But he’d also steadily cut the price as production efficiencies increased. Over time, the outdated styling and technology worked against Ford. It’s cars and trucks were seen as dependable, if not particularly desirable modes of transportation. Basically, you bought a Ford if you couldn’t afford anything else to drive.

By 1930, Ford had introduced the modern Model A – just in the nick of time. If Model T production had continued for another couple of years, Ford would have been in a dangerous position when the stock market crashed in 1929. But the Model A was a hit. So much so, that Ford was able to invest heavily in the design of a revolutionary V-8 gas engine and

introduce it at the height the Depression.

The new engine was the perfect combination of power and affordability. In short order, Fords went from being perceived as antiquated and instead were seen as “hot” cars. Clyde Barrow of Bonnie and Clyde fame even wrote Henry Ford a letter while on the run from the law, praising V-8 Ford V-8′s as his preferred  get-away car.