The Ford car was thoroughly updated in 1941, in preparation for a time of unpredictability surrounding World War II.

The 1941 design would continue in an aborted 1942 model year and would be restarted in 1946 and produced until 1948 when the more modern 1949 Fords were ready.

The two interior heaters were a "Southwind" gasoline burner, which had the advantage of keeping one warm in winter at drive-in movies (provided a small electric fuel pump was used), and a more ordinary hot-water type.

Ford vehicles had been V8-only since 1935, but dealer requests for an "economy" engine option prompted the introduction of a six cylinder unit.

Starting the car was then accomplished by pressing a pushbutton on the dashboard, another feature destined to return with the advent of "smart keys".

A quick-and-easy twist of the handle was sufficient to start the flat head V8, and the bayonet coupling was self-disengaging for safety.

The 1941 grille was a three-part affair with a tall center section bookended by twin kidneys low on the fenders and vertical bars all around.

The Super Deluxe had several amenities of higher quality over the base models, including more chrome, leather seats, and a wood-grain dashboard.

Production of the 1941 models was disrupted by a sudden labor strike in April 1941; Henry Ford, having resisted unionization well after the rest of the American automobile industry accepted it, finally gave in and signed a contract with the UAW.

The 1942 model year lasted only four months before the government ordered a halt to civilian automobile production starting on February 10, 1942.

The dashboard was changed, moving the radio from the top of the dash to low down, and the linear speedometer and clock were replaced with round ones.

Additionally, a large number of 1942 (and a few 1941) cars held in dealer stocks by government edict, to be doled out to essential users during the conflict, were Fords.

The 1946 Ford was identical to the 1942 model under the skin, though a heavy new grille with horizontal bars and red accents refreshed the styling.

[8] A 1946 woodie station wagon model was specifically selected by Jim Henson for use in the 1979 film The Muppet Movie.

In the 1984 film The Karate Kid, Mr Miyagi gives Daniel Larusso a cream-colored 1947 Ford Super DeLuxe convertible[9] as a birthday gift.

The wood-sided Sportsman convertible, supplied by the Ford Iron Mountain Plant, ended the year with just 28 built, and the all-wood bodies on the woody station wagons were replaced with steel for the 1949 season.

[11] Australian production recommenced in 1946 with V8 Sedan, Coupe Utility and Panel Van models released[12] and minor updates followed in 1947 and 1948.