By 1936, automotive tastes had shifted away from the great open cars of the previous decades.

While most manufacturers were discontinuing their true open models, characterized by a lack of roll-up glass in the doors, Ford continued to offer a diverse product line, which included six different open body designs.

Open cars had sold well for Henry Ford’s firm, and he was hesitant to discontinue them.

His gamble paid off as, despite what market trends may have indicated, and in a year when soft-top production at Chevrolet was less than 4,000, Ford managed to sell nearly 20,000 open cars.

Ford’s design for 1936 was essentially the same as the 1935 but a restyled front end gave the impression of a more significant facelift.

Styling cues which had begun with the debut the of V-8 engine in 1932 had been continually massaged with Art Deco influences.

A long, flat hood capped a sharp, V-shaped radiator with a body-colored housing and thin vertical chrome bars extending around the hood side...