Fords of the 1940s

Name: Fords of the 1940s Aluminum Radiator
Brand: Griffin Thermal Products

1940 to 1949 Ford Radiators

The 1940 Ford marked a turning point for Dearborn. After years of Henry Ford's stubborn insistence on mechanical brakes and transverse leaf springs, the company finally embraced hydraulic brakes across the entire lineup. That single change brought Ford in line with Chevrolet and Plymouth and gave buyers one less reason to shop elsewhere.

Styling was evolutionary but effective. The 1940 models wore a bolder grille with integrated sealed-beam headlamps, a new federal requirement that year, along with a cleaner body profile that would age well through the war years. Under the hood sat the familiar 221-cubic-inch flathead V8, now producing 85 horsepower, alongside the economy-minded 136-cubic-inch V8-60 rated at 60 horsepower. A six-cylinder engine would not return to the Ford car lineup until 1941.

The 1941 Ford was an all-new car riding a longer 114-inch wheelbase, six inches more than its predecessor. The styling was wider, lower, and considerably more modern, with fenders that began to merge into the body sides, a look that anticipated the fully enveloped designs of the postwar era. Ford introduced the new Super DeLuxe series at the top of the range, bringing features like a glovebox clock, passenger-side sun visor, and two-tone interior trim. The flathead V8 gained a modest bump to 90 horsepower.

Production halted in February 1942 as Ford's massive Rouge River complex turned to wartime manufacturing, building Pratt and Whitney aircraft engines, B-24 Liberator bombers, Jeeps, and M4 Sherman tank engines. By war's end, Ford had produced nearly 8,600 four-engine bombers at its Willow Run plant alone, with one rolling off the line every 63 minutes at peak output.

When civilian production resumed in July 1945, Ford initially offered warmed-over 1942 models with minor trim changes. These "1946" Fords were essentially prewar cars, but a car-starved public did not care. Dealers had waiting lists months long, and Ford moved over 468,000 units in the abbreviated model year.

The true postwar Ford arrived in 1949, and it was a revelation. Designed under the direction of George Walker and his team, the 1949 Ford was the first ground-up new design since 1941. It rode a new 114-inch wheelbase ladder frame, sat six inches lower than its predecessor, and featured fully integrated slab-sided bodywork that eliminated the separate fender lines of the prewar era. Independent front suspension with coil springs replaced the archaic transverse leaf setup that Henry Ford had clung to for decades. Available as the base Ford and the upscale Custom, the 1949 model offered body styles including two-door and four-door sedans, a coupe, convertible, and the wood-trimmed Country Squire wagon. Power came from the venerable 239-cubic-inch flathead V8 rated at 100 horsepower, or the 226-cubic-inch inline six producing 95 horsepower. Ford produced over 1.1 million cars for the model year, outselling Chevrolet for the first time since 1935 and pulling the company back from the financial brink. Today, the 1949 Ford remains one of the most popular platforms among street rod and custom car builders. Griffin Thermal Products builds exact-fit aluminum radiators for 1940s Fords, delivering the cooling performance these landmark cars deserve.

Available Radiators

36 products available for Fords of the 1940s

7-00097

Manual

21.00" x 25.25"

Overall

ExactFit Griffin aluminum radiator with a 21.0" x 25.25" downflow design and 2-row MegaCool core, built for efficient cooling in applications under 750 HP.

FlowDownFlow

Rows2-Row

Core Area399 sq in

Tube1.25"

Inlet1.5"

Outlet1.75"