1947 Ford Sportsman - $174,900 - Orange Village, OH - Ford’s most interesting models often evolved from special cars built for “the family.” There was the Lincoln Continental, of course, which was born from a one-off custom built for Edsel Ford to drive in Florida. Then there was a certain wood-bodied Model A Roadster, which was used by Henry Ford II to drive to the beach on Long Island.
After World War II, “Hank the Deuce” had Bob Gregorie, who had designed the original, draw up a 1946 version with the help of his head illustrator, Ross Cousins. A wood-bodied convertible would be just the thing to pull customers away from those pesky Plymouth and Chevrolet dealers; while few would be sold, their ability to get customers in the door would be priceless. Thus, the Sportsman was born.
Sportsmans were built at Ford’s Iron Mountain body plant in Michigan, using standard convertible bodies that were fitted with sedan delivery fenders and taillights. The bodies were beautifully built and crafted of the finest maple, birch, and mahogany harvested from Iron Mountain’s rich forests, with each maple piece carved from solid wood. The seats were upholstered in genuine leather facings in tan or red and included French stitching. The front floor mats had color-keyed carpet inserts. Standard equipment included hydraulic window lifts, leather upholstery, and dual visor vanity mirrors.
The first Sportsman was delivered to film actress Ella Raines on Christmas Day 1945, just three months after Henry II took over as company president. Another 1,208 followed for 1946, plus 2,250 in 1947, and 28 for 1948 (reserialed 1947s). All in all, the Sportsman accomplished its mission, and today it's a Ford to remember and cherish, a handsome reminder of a unique period in American automotive history.
Presented in Pheasant Red with the distinctive and attractive wood panels and framing; the Sportsman displays a maroon-toned interior and a rich and complementary tan canvas soft-top with matching boot cover. Among the equipment and features found on this outstanding example are the optional cabin heater, power windows, bumper guards, dual side view mirrors, factory Ford-script spotlight, amber fog lights, sun visors, clock, AM radio, Firestone wide whitewall tires and color-keyed steel wheels with factory “dog dish” style hubcaps. There is a matching spare in the well-presented trunk along with the jack mechanism. This represents an excellent opportunity to acquire a wonderful example of the 1947 Ford Sportsman Super Deluxe Convertible; it is the essence of the legendary Ford Sportsman, presented in exceptional condition.