The designation Ford Model B, like Ford Model A, was actually used for two different automobiles. The first was produced in 1904-05 and is among the earliest Ford Motor Company products. The second Model B was an improvement of the second Model A and entered production for the 1932 model year.

Strictly speaking the Model B was a four-cylinder car, but it was at this time that Ford began producing a very similar car with Ford's new Flathead V8 engine. The V8 was marketed as a Model 18, though it is commonly called the Ford V-8 today, and was virtually indistinguishable from the Model B. Until this time, Ford had always produced only one basic car at a time.

Today the 1930s Model B is a highly collectible car that people will pay thousands to restore, but when they were first getting old the Model Bs and V-8s were frequently altered into hot rods.

Deuce coupe

Deuce coupe is a slang term used to refer to the 1932 Model B coupe. In the 1940s, the '32 Ford became an ideal hot rod. Hot rodders would strip weight off the readily available cars and soup-up the engine.

In 1963, The Beach Boys released an album titled "Little Deuce Coupe." The band's song with the same name only heightened the popularity of the car.

In 1973, George Lucas filmed "American Graffiti." The character John Milner (played by Paul Le Mat) drove a yellow deuce coupe. This film is credited for introducing the old style hot rod to a new generation.

External link

• Discussion of Model B and V-8 engines