Ford Model 18 V8.
The "V8" legend on this Ford's hubcaps signify that this is the eight-cylinder version of the Model B, introduced in 1932 and produced until 1934. Whereas the standard Ford Model B was powered by a four-cylinder engine based on that in the earlier Model A, the Ford Model 18 - or Ford V8 as it was more often referred to as - came with a new flathead eight nestling beneath its bonnet. Bar a few details, such as the legend on the hubcaps, Model Bs and the 65bhp Model 18s looked virtually identical.
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Four people are shown stood with the Ford. A lady and a hatted gentleman pose alongside the car, while two children are peering out from the sunroof, the lad wearing a chauffeur's cap. The photo is undated but is presumably from the mid-1930s, the car definitely doesn't look in showroom-fresh condition that's for sure.
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Model Bs and 18s were available in a huge number of body styles. The car shown above is a four door saloon, but had the gentleman owner felt like cutting a dash in the British countryside, he could have opted for a roadster, a two-door cabriolet, or one of the coupes on offer, to name just a few. Tradesmen may well have plumped for practicality and signed on the dotted line for the panel van version instead.
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The launch of the Model 18 introduced the American car-buying public to the appeal of a mass-produced V8-powered automobile, and the popularity of the V8 engine continues to this day. Many Model Bs and Model 18s have attracted the attentions of the hot-rodding fraternity, so finding a good original Model B - coupe or roadster especially - can take some detective work.
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Return to Page 12 in the vintage and classic car gallery.
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Photos of V8 Fords from the late 1930s can be found on this page of the gallery.
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