For Sale at Auction: 1947 Ford Sportsman in Auburn, Indiana

The 1947 Ford Sportsman Convertible stands as one of the more distinctive and desirable expressions of the classic American "woodie," a body style rooted in the earliest days of automotive coachbuilding. Originally, wood-bodied automobiles evolved from horse-drawn "shooting brakes," where hardwood construction formed the passenger compartments. By the 1930s and early 1940s, American manufacturers, Ford chief among them, had refined the concept into stylish station wagons and specialty vehicles that combined utility with craftsmanship. Following World War II, automakers faced an eager public but limited resources, often relying on prewar designs to resume production. To inject excitement into its showrooms, Ford introduced the Sportsman in 1946 as its only truly new postwar offering, a glamorous wood-bodied convertible intended to draw attention and elevate the brand's image. The idea originated with Henry Ford II, who commissioned designer E. T. Gregorie to create a stylish, beach-inspired car using traditional wood construction. The resulting prototype proved so popular that it quickly entered limited production. The Sportsman's construction was both beautiful and labor-intensive. Built at Ford's Iron Mountain facility, each body utilized hand-fitted maple framing with mahogany and birch panels mounted to a steel structure. This craftsmanship, combined with upscale features like leather upholstery, power windows, and Ford's dependable flathead V-8, placed the Sportsman at the very top of the Super Deluxe range and at a price significantly higher than a standard convertible. Produced in limited numbers, the 1947 Sportsman remains exceptionally rare today. Its combination of hand-built artistry, postwar optimism, and exclusivity made it one of the most coveted automobiles of its era. More than just a car, the Sportsman represented a return to luxury and leisure in America, capturing a moment when craftsmanship and style briefly took center stage before steel construction would ultimately replace the traditional woodie. According to *The V-8 Album,* the Early Ford V-8 Club of America official book, this is 1 of just 3,525 Sportsman Convertibles produced over the short three-year production run. Appearing to be a largely original example, this Sportsman was a former resident of a noted woodie collection located in New Hampshire. Finished in Garnet Red with nicely varnished wood paneling, it features a power operated tan Haartz convertible top, matching boot, a Ford script clamshell exhaust cover, and Ford script hubcaps with color-matched beauty rings wrapped in wide whitewall tires. Inside, the Bakelite steering wheel and dash present well, and features power windows, a clock, a Philco AM radio, and an under-the-dash heater. Equipped with a classic 239-cubic-inch flathead V-8 that produces 100 horsepower, and a three-speed manual transmission, it offers reliable and sufficient performance for which these flathead engines are known. One of the more desirable wood-bodied automobiles of both the prewar and immediate postwar era, this 1947 Ford Sportsman Convertible offers a unique blend of craftsmanship and open-air enjoyment and remains a rewarding car to drive and tour. * 1 of just 3,525 Sportsman Convertibles produced over three years
* Flathead V-8 performance and reliability
* Formerly part of an East Coast woodie collection
* One of the more desirable wood-bodied Fords from the prewar or postwar era

The 1947 Ford Sportsman Convertible stands as one of the more distinctive and desirable expressions of the classic American "woodie," a body style rooted in the earliest days of automotive coachbuilding. Originally, wood-bodied automobiles evolved from horse-drawn "shooting brakes," where hardwood construction formed the passenger compartments. By the 1930s and early 1940s, American manufacturers, Ford chief among them, had refined the concept into stylish station wagons and specialty vehicles that combined utility with craftsmanship.

Following World War II, automakers faced an eager public but limited resources, often relying on prewar designs to resume production. To inject excitement into its showrooms, Ford introduced the Sportsman in 1946 as its only truly new postwar offering, a glamorous wood-bodied convertible intended to draw attention and elevate the brand's image. The idea originated with Henry Ford II, who commissioned designer E. T. Gregorie to create a stylish, beach-inspired car using traditional wood construction. The resulting prototype proved so popular that it quickly entered limited production.

The Sportsman's construction was both beautiful and labor-intensive. Built at Ford's Iron Mountain facility, each body utilized hand-fitted maple framing with mahogany and birch panels mounted to a steel structure. This craftsmanship, combined with upscale features like leather upholstery, power windows, and Ford's dependable flathead V-8, placed the Sportsman at the very top of the Super Deluxe range and at a price significantly higher than a standard convertible.

Produced in limited numbers, the 1947 Sportsman remains exceptionally rare today. Its combination of hand-built artistry, postwar optimism, and exclusivity made it one of the most coveted automobiles of its era. More than just a car, the Sportsman represented a return to luxury and leisure in America, capturing a moment when craftsmanship and style briefly took center stage before steel construction would ultimately replace the traditional woodie.

According to *The V-8 Album,* the Early Ford V-8 Club of America official book, this is 1 of just 3,525 Sportsman Convertibles produced over the short three-year production run. Appearing to be a largely original example, this Sportsman was a former resident of a noted woodie collection located in New Hampshire. Finished in Garnet Red with nicely varnished wood paneling, it features a power operated tan Haartz convertible top, matching boot, a Ford script clamshell exhaust cover, and Ford script hubcaps with color-matched beauty rings wrapped in wide whitewall tires.

Inside, the Bakelite steering wheel and dash present well, and features power windows, a clock, a Philco AM radio, and an under-the-dash heater. Equipped with a classic 239-cubic-inch flathead V-8 that produces 100 horsepower, and a three-speed manual transmission, it offers reliable and sufficient performance for which these flathead engines are known.

One of the more desirable wood-bodied automobiles of both the prewar and immediate postwar era, this 1947 Ford Sportsman Convertible offers a unique blend of craftsmanship and open-air enjoyment and remains a rewarding car to drive and tour.