Ford’s most interesting models often evolved from special cars built for “the family.” There was the Lincoln Continental, of course, which was born from a one-off custom built for Edsel Ford to drive in Florida. Then there was a certain wood-bodied Model A Roadster, which was used by Henry Ford II to drive to the beach on Long Island.

After World War II, “Hank the Deuce” had Bob Gregorie, who had designed the original, draw up a 1946 version with the help of his head illustrator, Ross Cousins. A wood-bodied convertible would be just the thing to pull customers away from those pesky Plymouth and Chevrolet dealers; while few would be sold, their ability to get customers in the door would be priceless. Thus, the Sportsman was born.

Sportsmans were built at Ford’s Iron Mountain body plant in Michigan, using standard convertible bodies that were fitted with sedan delivery fenders and taillights. The bodies were beautifully built and crafted of the finest maple, birch, and mahogany harvested from Iron Mountain’s rich forests, with each maple piece carved from solid wood. The seats were upholstered in genuine leather facings in tan or red and included French stitching. The front floor mats had color-keyed carpet inserts, and power windows were standard.

The Sportsman retailed for about $500 more than a standard Super DeLuxe Convertible, and it lasted for two years, with a handful of leftovers being retitled and sold in 1948. It was, in the end, the Ford GT of its time. As the company had planned, it was never a volume seller, but it was the brightest of halo cars, drawing customers into showrooms and serving as an example of the best that the company could produce.

The Sportsman offered here, from a prominent private collection, is finished in beautiful Pheasant Red with maroon-toned interior and a rich tan canvas soft top with matching boot cover. Well optioned and accessorized, it is outfitted with the cabin heater, power windows, bumper guards, dual side mirrors, factory Ford-script spotlight, amber fog lights, sun visors, a clock, an AM radio, and color-keyed steel wheels with factory “dog dish” hubcaps and Firestone wide whitewall tires. The well-presented trunk contains a matching spare and jack mechanism.

This would be a lovely car to drive and enjoy, as one of the few “woodie” convertibles ever built and an icon of post-war Americana.