Following World War II, Henry Ford II had designer Bob Gregorie and head illustrator Ross Cousins draw up a 1946 version of a wood-bodied Model A roadster that “Hank the Deuce” had used on the beach in his youth.

It was decided that a wood-bodied convertible would be just the thing to draw in customers off the street, serving as a “halo car” for Ford dealerships; while few would be sold, their ability to pull attention would be priceless.

The Sportsman, as it was dubbed, was built at Ford’s Iron Mountain plant in Michigan, using standard convertible body shells fitted with sedan delivery fenders and taillights.

The outer bodies were beautifully built of the finest maple, birch, and mahogany, with each maple piece being carved from solid wood.

The seats were upholstered with genuine leather facings and included French stitching, while the front floor mats had color-keyed carpet inserts.

Power windows, including the rear quarter panes, were standard equipment Ford built the Sportsma...