1947 Ford Super DeLuxe Sportsman Convertible

While almost all Ford woodies are popular and admired, the most revered and desirable of them all is certainly the Sportsman convertible. T. 'Bob' Gregorie and Lead Illustrator Ross Cousins, drawings began in 1945 and the first Sportsman was completed in December of that year, presented to actress Ella Raines on Christmas Day.

This particular 1947 Ford Super Deluxe Sportsman Convertible dates from July 1947, meaning it carries the lovely spring updates: new round parking lamps below the headlights, new hubcaps, and elimination of the red accent. Before the Grand Rapids Classics Auto Museum welcomed it in 2023, this Super DeLuxe resided in the world-renowned Lee Anderson collection — whose most recent accomplishment was winning Best of Show at Pebble Beach — and before that in the widely known Richard L. Burdick Collection of San Marcos, Texas, where it was beautifully restored.

The maple, birch, and mahogany wood were expertly restored and varnished to a wonderful shine. The Maize Yellow paint is eye-catching yet subtle, combining nicely with fine red leatherette upholstery. Features include power windows, a power convertible top, electric clock, radio with cowl-mounted antenna, heater, driver's side spotlight, fog lights, bumper end extensions, and the optional Columbia overdrive rear axle for modern-day speeds.

Today it is 1 of fewer than 100 believed to have survived out of the 2,274 built in 1947.