SPOT.
Photo of a Ford Model 48

Ford Model 48

820,000 sold in 1935: the Ford that took Chevrolet's sales crown.1

Researched November 9, 2026 from 38 sources

Also called

  • flatbackHot rodders and restorers use this name for Sedan bodies without an integral trunk.2
  • slantbackAnother hot rod and restoration name for the Sedan bodies without an integral trunk.2
  • trunk sedanA later informal name for the Touring Sedan body.2

At a glance

0100200
85 hpPower
0150300
195–201 N·mTorque
07501,500
1,162–1,370 kgWeight

The coral arc spans the family, from its mildest version to its wildest.9111213

Engine
1935–36: 3.62 L (221 cu in) flathead V8, 85 hp19
Layout
Front-engine, RWD; rigid axles, transverse leaf springs1
Gearbox
3-speed manual; 1936 second and top gears synchronized17
Built at
Ford factory, East Windsor, Ontario, Canada (1935)5
Units built
1936 calendar-year production: 791,81210

The story

For 1935, Ford's Model 48 moved its engine forward to make a roomier cabin, while Center-Poise seating placed all passengers within the wheelbase. The facelifted Model 68 followed for 1936.234

1935: Model 48 debuts with Center-Poise · 820,000 sales take Chevrolet's crown · Canada supplies the British Empire19351936: Model 68 adds a Club Cabriolet · 134.7 km/h at Brooklands · Six stainless-steel Tudor demonstrators · Insert main bearings replace poured ones19361937: The 1937 Ford takes over1937 Ford Model A (A): 1927–1932AFord Model 18 (18): 1932Ford Model 40 / Model 40A (40 / 40A): 1933–1934Ford Model 48 (48): 1935Ford Model 68 (68): 19361937 Ford: 19371937 Ford 1930194019501960197019801990200020102020
GenerationsBefore and afterMilestones123424252627
Show the numbers
YearWhat happened
1927–1932Ford Model A (A)
1932Ford Model 18 (18)
1933–1934Ford Model 40 / Model 40A (40 / 40A)
1935Ford Model 48 (48)
1936Ford Model 68 (68)
19371937 Ford
1935Model 48 debuts with Center-Poise
1935820,000 sales take Chevrolet's crown
1935Canada supplies the British Empire
1936Model 68 adds a Club Cabriolet
1936134.7 km/h at Brooklands
1936Six stainless-steel Tudor demonstrators
1936Insert main bearings replace poured ones
1937The 1937 Ford takes over
  1. 1935

    Model 48 debuts with Center-Poise

    The 1935 redesign lowers the body and adds Center-Poise seating; the Model 48 uses a 112-inch wheelbase and mechanical drum brakes.1

  2. 1935

    820,000 sales take Chevrolet's crown

    The redesigned 1935 Ford wins the sales lead over Chevrolet, with 820,000 sold.12

  3. 1935

    Canada supplies the British Empire

    The Model 48 is built at East Windsor, Ontario, Canada; the Canadian factory serves British Empire markets outside the British Isles.5

  4. 1936

    Model 68 adds a Club Cabriolet

    The facelifted 1936 Model 68 adds a Club Cabriolet with a fully framed windshield, weatherproof top and rear seat; about 4,616 are built.46

  5. 1936

    134.7 km/h at Brooklands

    The £250 six-seat Ford moves quietly through traffic and averages 134.7 km/h over a flying half-mile; its V8 is built at Dagenham.7

  6. 1936

    Six stainless-steel Tudor demonstrators

    Ford and Allegheny Ludlum build six stainless-bodied 1936 Tudor sedans to demonstrate the metal's durability.8

  7. 1936

    Insert main bearings replace poured ones

    Late in 1936 production, the 221-cu-in V8 switches from poured main bearings to insert bearings.9

  8. 1937

    The 1937 Ford takes over

    The 1935–36 family gives way to the 1937 Ford; headlamps move into the fenders and the three-window coupe leaves the range.12

Every generation

  • Ford Model A
    A1927–1932
  • Ford Model 18
    181932
  • Ford Model 40 / Model 40A
    40 / 40A1933–1934
  • Ford Model 48
    481935
  • Ford Model 68
    681936
  • 1937 Ford
    1937 Ford1937

Versions

11 versions worth knowing, with their power.

  • Standard and DeLuxe

    Standard

    Standard and DeLuxe

    1935–1936

    85 hp
  • Tudor and Fordor Sedans

    Standard

    Tudor and Fordor Sedans

    1935–1936

    85 hp
  • DeLuxe 3-Window Coupe

    Standard

    DeLuxe 3-Window Coupe

    1935–1936

    85 hp
  • Cabriolet

    Standard

    Cabriolet

    1935–1936

    85 hp

  • Standard

    DeLuxe Phaeton

    1935–1936

    85 hp
  • Station Wagon

    Standard

    Station Wagon

    1935–1936

    85 hp
  • DeLuxe Convertible Sedan

    Standard

    DeLuxe Convertible Sedan

    1935–1936

    85 hp
  • DeLuxe Roadster

    Standard

    DeLuxe Roadster

    1935–1936

    85 hp
  • DeLuxe Club Cabriolet

    Standard

    DeLuxe Club Cabriolet

    1936

    85 hp

    4,616 built

  • Gläser Custom Cabriolet

    Special

    Gläser Custom Cabriolet

    1936

    85 hp

  • Special

    Stainless Steel DeLuxe Tudor Touring Sedan

    1936

    85 hp

    6 built

How to spot one

Look for

  • 1935: a V-shaped grille crossed by horizontal bars, echoed in the hood vents.12
  • 1936: a V-shaped grille filled with vertical bars.4
  • Freestanding headlamp pods.212
  • 1935 Fordor: flat windshield and S-curve fenders.22
  • 1936: large painted hubcaps with chrome centers and a stylized V-8 emblem.4

Year by year

  1. 1935

    Grille and hood vents carry horizontal crossbars; wheels are wire-spoked.1223

  2. 1936

    A more pointed hood, new fenders and a grille without horizontal crossbars mark the facelift.312

  3. 1936

    Artillery-style wheels replace wires, while the horns move behind the front fenders.4

  4. Late May–June 1936

    Dual wipers become standard on DeLuxe; wheel trim rings become standard on all cars after June 1.16

  5. Late 1936 engines

    Underhood: insert-bearing blocks may carry LB; some were unmarked, so a missing stamp is inconclusive.9

  6. 1935–1936

    US serial guide: Model 48, 18-1234357–18-2207110; Model 68, 18-2207111–18-3331856. The front frame stamp is underhood.2425

Don’t confuse it with

  • 1935 Chevrolet Master DeLuxe Sedan

    Look for Ford's S-curve fenders and less-rounded window outlines; Chevrolet's roof is all steel.22

  • Photo of a Ford Model 48
    Model 48
    Photo of a 1935 Plymouth DeLuxe Sedan
    1935 Plymouth DeLuxe Sedan

    1935 Plymouth DeLuxe Sedan

    Plymouth's passenger cabin is less rounded than Ford's; its windows are more rectangular.22

Prices

Value today $9.0K–$33.3K1133

Price when newAuction saleValue todayPrices on a log scale
$100$1K$10K$100K$1M 194019501960197019801990200020102020 Value today: $9,000–$33,250 1935 · $510 · US base, Standard Tudor1935 · $570 · US base, Deluxe 3-window1935 · $580 · US base, Phaeton1935 · $670 · US base, Station Wagon1935 · $750 · US base, Convertible Sedan1936 · $510 · US base, Standard 5-window1936 · $560 · US base, Deluxe Roadster1936 · $590 · US base, Deluxe Phaeton1936 · $675 · US base, Deluxe Club Cabriolet1936 · $780 · US base, Convertible Touring Sedan 1935 · $510 · US Standard Tudor base price, 1935 model year 2012 · $396,000 · 1936 Gläser Cabriolet, 154 mi since restoration, Dingman Collection2015 · $35,750 · 1936 Cabriolet, older restoration, Auburn Spring2024 · $26,000 · 1935 Deluxe Phaeton, 2,500 mi shown, TMU, BaT2024 · $42,900 · 1936 Model 68 Cabriolet, Hershey2024 · $40,320 · 1935 V8 Deluxe Roadster, Pebble Beach Auctions2025 · $52,500 · 1936 Deluxe 5-Window Coupe, 7k mi shown, TMU, BaT2026 · $29,501 · 1935 Deluxe Roadster, overdrive, 13k mi TMU, BaT2026 · $9,000 · 1935 Tudor, Sharp heads, 42k mi TMU, BaT2026 · $33,250 · 1936 Deluxe 3-window, front discs, 85k mi TMU, BaT2026 · $9,600 · 1936 Model 68 Tudor Sedan, 87k mi shown, BaT $396.0K Dingman Collection, 2012
111315182028333435363738
Show the numbers
YearPriceAmountDetail
1935Launch price$510US Standard Tudor base price, 1935 model year
1935Price when new$510US base, Standard Tudor
1935Price when new$570US base, Deluxe 3-window
1935Price when new$580US base, Phaeton
1935Price when new$670US base, Station Wagon
1935Price when new$750US base, Convertible Sedan
1936Price when new$510US base, Standard 5-window
1936Price when new$560US base, Deluxe Roadster
1936Price when new$590US base, Deluxe Phaeton
1936Price when new$675US base, Deluxe Club Cabriolet
1936Price when new$780US base, Convertible Touring Sedan
2012Auction sale$396,0001936 Gläser Cabriolet, 154 mi since restoration, Dingman Collection
2015Auction sale$35,7501936 Cabriolet, older restoration, Auburn Spring
2024Auction sale$26,0001935 Deluxe Phaeton, 2,500 mi shown, TMU, BaT
2024Auction sale$42,9001936 Model 68 Cabriolet, Hershey
2024Auction sale$40,3201935 V8 Deluxe Roadster, Pebble Beach Auctions
2025Auction sale$52,5001936 Deluxe 5-Window Coupe, 7k mi shown, TMU, BaT
2026Auction sale$29,5011935 Deluxe Roadster, overdrive, 13k mi TMU, BaT
2026Auction sale$9,0001935 Tudor, Sharp heads, 42k mi TMU, BaT
2026Auction sale$33,2501936 Deluxe 3-window, front discs, 85k mi TMU, BaT
2026Auction sale$9,6001936 Model 68 Tudor Sedan, 87k mi shown, BaT
2026Value today$9,000–$33,250

The rest of the story is in the app

The full file tells why each version matters, the legend behind the car and what to check before buying one.

  • Versions

    • Why each of the 11 versions matters

  • Legend

    • 14 stories from its legend
    • “The street coupe that ran 226 km/h”
    • “Monte Carlo victory for a Ford V8 Special”

  • Generations

    • The story of each of the 6 generations

  • Market

    • 6 things to check before buying one
    • Where prices are heading, and why
Read the full file in SPOT

SPOT is free on iPhone. Full car files come with SPOT Plus.

Sources

Every fact on this page links to the source it rests on.

See all 38 sources
  1. Ford Model 48 - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org
  2. MCG Spotter's Guide to the 1933-36 Fords - Mac's Motor City GarageMac's Motor City Garage macsmotorcitygarage.com
  3. 1936 Ford Deluxe Phaeton: Fading Beauty autoweek.com
  4. 1936 Ford - Kustomrama kustomrama.com
  5. Powerhouse Collection - 1935 Ford V8 De Luxe model 48 sedan collection.powerhouse.com.au
  6. ebay Find: Rare 1936 Ford Club Cabriolet Partial Restoration streetmusclemag.com
  7. THE 1936 V8 FORD April 1936 - Motor Sport Magazine motorsportmagazine.com
  8. Model A Ford Garage ~ Stainless Steel 1936 Ford Tudor Sedan fordgarage.com
  9. Flathead Specifications: 1932to38 V8 vanpeltsales.com
  10. Artifact thehenryford.org
  11. No Reserve: 1935 Ford Model 48 Tudor Sedan for sale on BaT Auctions - sold for $9,000 on July 16, 2026 (Lot #252,703) | Bring a Trailer bringatrailer.com
  12. 1936 Ford Deluxe Wagon - AutoRestorer autorestorer.com
  13. Early Ford V-8 Club of America/Region 11 socalefv8.org
  14. 1936 Ford Coupes for Sale: Prices, Models and Buying Tips thearsenale.com
  15. 35FordTest socalefv8.org
  16. 1936 Ford Deluxe Cabriolet fordv8foundation.org
  17. 1935 Ford DeLuxe Phaeton | The Charlie Thomas Collection | RM Sotheby's rmsothebys.com
  18. 36-Years-Family-Owned 1935 Ford Model 48 Deluxe Roadster for sale on BaT Auctions - sold for $29,501 on June 30, 2026 (Lot #250,239) | Bring a Trailer bringatrailer.com
  19. Supercharged 1935 Ford Deluxe Coupe and 1936 Ford Deluxe Roadster Take Different Hot Rodding Paths hotrod.com
  20. 1936 Ford Custom Cabriolet by Gläser | The Dingman Collection 2012 | RM Sotheby's rmsothebys.com
  21. Ford V8 Museum fordracing.com
  22. Car Style Critic: 1935 Chevrolet, Ford and Plymouth Sedans Compared carstylecritic.blogspot.com
  23. Model A Ford Garage ~ Early V8 Ford Brake Drums fordgarage.com
  24. Early Ford Serial Numbers For Cars and Trucks Manufactured for the USA Market from 1932 to 1953 vanpeltsales.com
  25. Ford Model 48 & 68 V8 (1935-1936) For Sale - BaT Auctions bringatrailer.com
  26. Ford Model A (1927–1932) - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org
  27. 1932 Ford - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org
  28. 1936 Ford V-8 | Auburn Spring 2015 | RM Sotheby's rmsothebys.com
  29. Honours - Automobile Club de Monaco acm.mc
  30. Follow the Dust Trail digital.modernrodding.com
  31. 1936 Ford Coupe - Jack Calori | 3 Dog Garage 3dog.org
  32. Dick Tracy by Ertl – Mike Pigott's Diecast Toys & Models mikepigottsdiecasttoysandmodels.wordpress.com
  33. No Reserve: 1936 Ford Model 68 Deluxe 3-Window Coupe for sale on BaT Auctions - sold for $33,250 on August 3, 2026 (Lot #255,651) | Bring a Trailer bringatrailer.com
  34. 1936 Ford Model 68 Tudor Sedan for sale on BaT Auctions - sold for $9,600 on May 8, 2026 (Lot #241,581) | Bring a Trailer bringatrailer.com
  35. 1936 Ford Model 68 Deluxe 5-Window Coupe for sale on BaT Auctions - sold for $52,500 on May 8, 2025 (Lot #190,857) | Bring a Trailer bringatrailer.com
  36. 1935 Ford Model 48 Deluxe Phaeton for sale on BaT Auctions - sold for $26,000 on November 12, 2024 (Lot #170,347) | Bring a Trailer bringatrailer.com
  37. 1936 Ford Model 68 Cabriolet | Hershey 2024 | RM Sotheby's rmsothebys.com
  38. 1935 Ford V8 Deluxe Roadster | Gooding Christie’s goodingco.com
  • en.wikipedia.org
  • macsmotorcitygarage.com
  • autoweek.com
  • kustomrama.com
  • collection.powerhouse.com.au
  • streetmusclemag.com
  • motorsportmagazine.com
  • fordgarage.com
  • vanpeltsales.com
  • thehenryford.org
  • bringatrailer.com
  • autorestorer.com
  • socalefv8.org
  • thearsenale.com

Photo credits

Other car files