History Intended Customer Base of 3 Window Versus 5 Window Coupes

Been watching people build hot rods all my life. Building 32-3-4 etc 3 window and 5 window coupes. Arguing over which looks the best.

Question is: Who were Ford's intended customer base for the 3 window and for the 5 window when these cars were originally built? Who were the 3 window coupes for? Who were the 5 window coupes for? I'm sure that Henry Ford wasn't thinking of hot rodders 20 to 90 years later and what they would like.

Canuck

 

I have read that Ford partly had the ladies in mind when he featured the suicide doors on the 3 windows to accommodate dresses whereas the 5 window was priced compe***ively with mostly 4 cylinder engines (model B).......

 

Suicide doors deflect bicycles nicely.

 

I thought Henry had the guys in mind when the ladies used the 3 window cars and exposed their ******* getting out

 

5W was Standard. 3W was Deluxe. Who, what, when why? Those guys are dead.

 

Who

were the coupes for??? Apparently us.

 

My Mother-in-Law, God rest her soul, thought this '36 3W was for a lady, when she bought it in the late-'30's.

 

Huh??

 

In '32, 5 window could be had in standard or deluxe trim, 3 window was deluxe
In '33, both 5 window and 3 window could be had in standard or deluxe trim
In '34, 5 window could be had in standard and deluxe trim; 3 window was deluxe

 

I wouldn't think that the "Standard" / "Deluxe" would be the deciding factor on what market would buy that model, especially when the differences were so minor (Upholstery cloth). My thinking was more along the lines of-- a pickup would be aimed at small farmers/business to haul light loads. A delivery would be aimed at businesses needing a secure delivery vehicle. 2dr and 4dr sedans would be aimed at similar markets, a requirement to haul numerous people with the final selection criteria probably what you could afford.

Canuck

 

In my life, owning any 32-34 Ford would be deluxe.

 

Its called 'covering the market'. and 'meeting customer demand'.
Most of Ford's compe***ors offered 3 window coupes, which many customers preferred, and ol' Henry & C0 wasn't inclined to allow these thousands of potential customers to be easily lured away from Ford dealerships.

 

Just a guess here. But the 3 window would be the cheapest closed car, suitable for single people and couples, and salesmen and business people who wanted a large trunk. The 5 window had a slightly larger p***enger compartment with small jump seats for children or occasional p***engers. I don't know why they bothered making two such similar cars, and after 1936 I don't think they did. The dropped the roadster about the same time, which was the cheapest model they made. Maybe the demand for roadsters and coupes was falling.

 

Jump seats in a 5 window? I don't think so...

Sent from my SM-G900T using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

After 1936, and well into the 50s, Ford did offer several different coupe variations, i.e. the opera coupé and the business coupe.

In 1938, and maybe other years there was the club coupe with a somewhat different roof profile, and the 46-48 had both long door and short door variants.

 

I don't know what market they were after back in the day, but I am sure glad that Henry made those coupes!

 

My 3W has awful blind spots in the back corners. Would a 5W conversion make sense?

 

Hey MAD, trade you for my 5 window?

Canuck

 

Thanks for the offer but I have way too many years and $ "invested" in my coupe. I kinda like it too.

 

NONONONONONO!!!! Would make much more sense to trade for an open car.