Low, Wide & Hard to Get

On a gold-draped stage in the Waldorf-Astoria's grand ballroom, the shiny new Ford makes its bow this week. It is a sleek, square-cut car only 5 ft. 3 in. high and completely redesigned from grill to luggage compartment. With seats eight inches wider than the 1948 models, more luggage space, 20 square feet of windows and a new-fangled heating and ventilating unit, the 1949 Ford has an optional six-or eight-cylinder motor. The traditional (and hard riding) transverse springs have been replaced by coil springs in the front, leaf springs parallel to the frame in the rear. Price of the '49 Ford: $1,163 and up, f.o.b. Detroit, an average increase of 8.7%.

By June 18, when the cars go on display in dealers' showrooms, Ford expects to have production up to 3,786 a day. Even at that, said Sales Director J. R. Davis, it will be 1950 and perhaps 1951 before the average customer will be able to get immediate delivery from the average dealer.

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