▁( a ▁feature ▁dest ined ▁to ▁return , ▁mand ated , ▁dec ades ▁later ), ▁and ▁on ▁the ▁other ▁end ▁un block ed ▁the ▁ign ition ▁switch , ▁allowing ▁it ▁to ▁be ▁operated . ▁ ▁Starting ▁the ▁car ▁was ▁then ▁accomplished ▁by ▁pressing ▁a ▁push button ▁on ▁the ▁dash board , ▁another ▁feature ▁dest ined ▁to ▁return ▁with ▁the ▁advent ▁of ▁" sm art ▁keys ". ▁ ▁Although ▁starting ▁c ran ks ▁had ▁been ▁replaced ▁by ▁electric ▁star ters ▁for ▁dec ades , ▁Ford ▁cars ▁included ▁a ▁manual ▁starting ▁feature ▁until ▁ 1 9 4 8 ▁as ▁an ▁ant id ote ▁to ▁dead - b atter y ▁synd rome . ▁The ▁wheel - l ug ▁w rench ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁handle ▁( also ▁for ▁the ▁jack ) ▁and ▁the ▁jack ▁sh aft ▁with ▁bay on et - cou pling ▁p ins ▁could ▁be ▁inserted ▁through ▁a ▁small ▁hole ▁in ▁the ▁gr ille ▁to ▁eng age ▁a ▁bay on et ▁socket ▁on ▁the ▁forward ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁engine ▁c rank sh aft . ▁ ▁A ▁quick - and - e asy ▁tw ist ▁of ▁the ▁handle ▁was ▁sufficient ▁to ▁start ▁the ▁flat ▁head ▁V 8 , ▁and ▁the ▁bay on et ▁coupling ▁was ▁self - dis eng aging ▁for ▁safety . ▁▁ 1 9 4 1 ▁ ▁F ords ▁for ▁ 1 9 4 1 ▁were ▁much ▁more ▁modern ▁with ▁a ▁wide ▁body ▁that ▁nearly ▁covered ▁the ▁running ▁bo ards . ▁The ▁front ▁and ▁rear ▁f enders ▁were ▁still ▁pron ounced , ▁but ▁were