The classic prewar Ford V8 has always been something that danced in the background of my life. My mother grew up in one, almost literally in that her family owned it from the time Mom was two years old until she was a high school senior. Later they became common collector cars – the Mustang or Camaro of the 1970s with a better selection of reproduction parts than almost anything else. And then there were/are the hot rodders. Prewar Fords were always one of their favored canvasses upon which to create something new and unique. Therefore, wherever old cars have been found early Ford V8s have been there.
But despite nearly a lifetime of constant (if minimal) exposure, I do not recall ever just happening upon one in ordinary, everyday life. Until now.
When you come upon a car in the wild the experience is completely different than in a museum, parade or show setting. When packed in with a bunch of out-of-the-ordinary cars, one more out-of-the-ordinary car becomes, well, ordinary. I enjoy looking at a prewar Ford but I also enjoy looking at a lot of other cars. They are interesting but I cannot really see myself as owning one.
My Mrs. and I were out on a meandering Sunday drive brought on by a combination of nice weather, no kids at home and a new-to-us temporary replacement for the trusty Sedona as it awaited a repair on a recall campaign. I was stopped near an intersection and saw an old blue coupe parked next to a gas station. Had traffic been any worse I would not have stopped but the way was clear to jump lanes and pull in near it. I had no way of knowing at that moment that I had stumbled onto a true gem.
Jason Shafer has proudly told us that he is the third in his family to own CC’s famous 1963 Galaxie 500. This little ’39 Deluxe coupe can boast two more owners in the same family than Jason’s car can. Purchased new in a nearby county it continues to start up and report for duty for the fifth member of the same family after nearly 80 years.
I am a sucker for a story of a car with a long term owner. One of these was the ’67 Mustang convertible bought new by the lady who still drives it. But that is hard to do with a car of this age. Even a very young first buyer would now be on the verge of the century mark, so a car that is passed down through the same family over multiple decades and generations is the next best thing.
As the owner filled the Ford’s tires with air he told me that he got it from his father a few years ago. He reports that other than a repaint at some point in its life, the car is almost all original, right down to the mohair upholstery under the blanket (which is there because his wife finds the seat fabric itchy).
We often joke about rusted, dented old cars that look like refugees from a junk yard as having “patina”. To me, *this* is patina. The hole in the door panel is in the place where five owners’ knees have rested in the narrow passenger compartment. The scratches in the Jefferson Blue enamel paint on top of the fenders is from buttons and belt buckles of those doing mechanical work on the car over the years. The grille from a 1940 Standard model (to replace one that got broken when it got smacked against something) and a replacement carburetor to stop a fuel leak are the kind of functional fixes that an original old car will pick up over the generations.
The 1940 Ford has kind of been set on top of the Ford V8 pecking order, but I have always liked the ’39. The grille was a little racier and the teardrop headlights (the last year before sealed beams took over the industry) were always a graceful detail,
as were the similarly shaped taillamps.
More on that grille. It is tough for the casual fan to identify Fords of the late 30s because of Henry Ford’s curious upselling strategy. Starting in 1938 the Ford Standard used the front end sheetmetal of the prior year’s Deluxe model – so the ’38 Standard looked much like the ’37 Deluxe, the 39 Standard looked like the ’38 Deluxe, and so on. So I had to ask if it was a ’39 Deluxe or a ’40 Standard. I would have eventually figured it out (the ’39’s floor shifter and top-mounted wipers would have been the most obvious clues) but the owner was kind enough to ‘splain it to me. For those who care the all-new styling of the ’41 Ford put a stop to that odd practice.
Ford was a popular car in 1939, although sales dropped substantially in 1938-40 because of the “second dip” of the Great Depression. If you ever wonder why we tend to see so many more ’36s than these it is because Ford sold nearly twice as many ’36 models as they did in 1939.
It certainly wasn’t the car itself that was the cause for low production. Ford finally joined the rest of the modern world with hydraulic brakes that year and also bragged about the engineering and science that went into making the car so smooth and quiet. And here you thought that didn’t happen until the 1960s.
Another “modern” feature was the use of a “battery condition” gauge in place of the ammeter that everyone else used back then. Essentially a voltmeter, they were considered quite useless in their day. Sort of like now (says the old Mopar guy who misses ammeters terribly).
The woodgrain dash was something that would eventually come back in style (and go out again). However, these old ones were applied to metal dashes by fancy paint techniques instead of the magic of plastic that would facilitate the next great woodgrain explosion. And the floor shift would get its day in the sun again as well. A day that seems not to have left us yet.
And note the South Wind gasoline-fired heater tucked up under the dash. My mother vividly remembers when one of these was installed in her family’s 1935 Ford sedan and how much warmer the car was in frigid weather.
Things that never came back were lovely, delicate steering wheels of this sort and windshields that opened. And cowl vents.
I asked the owner if he experienced the cooling issues that seem to plague these flatheads but he said that his runs just fine given the limited use that it sees. It is, of course, a tough old engine – because everything Henry Ford designed was tough. “Built Ford Tough” was a slogan that could have been used in 1939 if anyone had thought of it then. But in 1939 everyone knew that Fords were tough.
What they might not have expected was that Fords were economical and that they were smooth, quiet and refined. Those points were what the advertising and the brochure kept hammering into a public still steeped in the lore of Henry Ford and the Model T.
Unlike with many modern cars, this one was just full of fascinating details, so much more restrained and delicate than would become common in later decades. 1939 really was nearing the end of an era known for delicate and understated streamlined styling. Beautiful styling was no longer a novelty on a Ford. Since the advent of the Model A over ten years earlier, Ford’s stylists penned a long series of beautiful cars. I find it hard to top the 1939 and ’40 editions.
What is easy to see when you get up close and personal to a car like this as it sits at the filling station is what an appealing package it would have been in its day. As I heard the 85 horsepower V8 fire up (immediately, I might add) and motivate the old car out into traffic and away down the street I was struck by the way the graceful styling complimented the hardy mechanical pieces.
Would I have bought a new Ford had I been looking for a new car in 1939? I don’t know. There were many good choices at that point in history and few bad ones. The first buyer of this car probably did not guess that production would soon be interrupted by a world war and that his car would have to serve him until it was all over. It has turned out to serve him and those down his family line for a lot longer than that, with no end in sight.
Further reading:
Best looking Ford model the 39 coupe
So much nicer looking than the ’39 Standard Ford. This is the reverse of 1938, when the Standard (pictured) looked better than the Deluxe.
Good morning. Are the heads with the water inlets in the middle a factory item?
You stumped me and I had to do some looking. It appears that Ford used a new water pump design beginning in 1937 as well as heads with the water outlets moved to the center as in this car. The owner told me that this car is all original except for normal repairs through the years. It still has under 100k miles.
The chrome nuts or nut caps on the heads are not original, FWIW.
I agree. In the stretch from 1928-40 the 1938 DeLuxe (& 39 Standard) was the only design that just wasn’t quite there. I always felt sorry for the folks who bought a DeLuxe in 38, only to see this beauty come the nect year.
What a delightful old Ford. The original owner deserves credit for getting both a good color and a fantastic body style in the upscale trim. It’s obviously been well cared for all these years. No doubt a true sight to behold.
The body style is so well balanced but comes at such a steep price in cabin space.
It must be pointed out that South Wind Susie is humorously chock-full of innuendo – even the way her dress is hanging is suggestive. That’s another one that many likely thought didn’t come about until the 1960s (or 1970s).
Seeing this ’39 is almost (but not quite) enough to make me reconsider selling my Ford.
One thing that has occurred to me is how close this car is dimensionally to the 1960 Falcon. Overall length and width are quite close. The 39s wheelbase is 4 inches longer but that is only because the wheels are closer to the corners of the car. The 39 is about 450 pounds heavier which I would chalk up to thicker guage metals and the weight of the V8 engine over the Falcons more modern six. No wonder Ford buyers took to the Falcon so well.
Yes, South Wind Susie seems to have been selling more than one kind of heat. This looks like a postcard. The magazine ads I found were much more tame.
Your comparison of size with the Falcon is important, as there’s no doubt in my mind that a lot of Falcon buyers were older folks who were glad to see Ford get back to that size. Which explains why the Falcon’s sales came mostly out of the hide of the full size Ford. Loyal Ford buyers had no choice but to buy ever-bigger Fords until 1960. I specifically remember folks talking about that back in the day. “Ford had finally come to its senses”
The vastness of the 1960 Ford made that even more relevant.
That is a very good comparison to the Falcon – something that would not have readily come to mind.
Two things:
1) That dash is beautiful
2) That South Wind Susie ad…
I have been a Ford fan for decades and so agree with all the comments so far.
Though the size comparison to a Falcon is one I had never considered before, you have to wonder if anyone at Ford noticed that as well.
I have often wondered why these beauties don’t appear more often in movies and TV shows, I assumed such a terrific looking car would have been nearly ubitquitous(?) in the 40s, and now I know why earlier Fords are more common.
I hope a younger member of this family, when it is ready to be passed down, will cherish it. My uncle had a Model A that was his pride and joy but when he passed neither his son or grandsons wanted “that old car”. It went to his daughter who passed on about 5 years after her father.
I have often wondered why these beauties don’t appear more often in movies and TV shows,
My first thought is attrition in the 50s by guys, attracted to the V8, chopping them up into rods, making unmolested ones relatively rare. The ones I remember seeing are all 40s.
Three come to mind:
In “Class of 44”, the sequel to “Summer of 42” Hermie’s girlfriend drives a 40 Ford. There is a running gag about it as it rarely starts.
In “Tora Tora Tora” two Army fighter pilots commandeer a red 40 convertible to get the the airfield where their planes are.
In “Leave it to Beaver” one of Wally’s friends had a 40 convert. This one got quite a bit of screen time over the later seasons. It had glass packs on it so it sounded even better than it looked.
I remember Lumpy’s ’40. I also remember the episode where some of the guys hooked a chain around the rear axle and it pulled out of the car when Lumpy started to drive off.
Frank Bank, the actor who played Lumpy Rutherford died a few years ago. He claims to have slept with over 1000 women. Who’d have thought? I wonder if he knew South Wind Susie?
I also remember the episode where some of the guys hooked a chain around the rear axle and it pulled out of the car when Lumpy started to drive off.
Yup. That ep gave us a good look at Ford’s torque tube drive as the axle came out of Lumpy’s car.
For the last couple seasons, Wally had an early 50s Chevy that looked pretty scruffy, but was a good runner.
Before the Chevy, Wally dragged home this 36 Ford coupe. The Ford’s needs exceeded Wally’s ability. Wally made so much parting out the old Ford that he could pay the junkyard to haul the carcass away, recover the $25 he had paid for the car, and turn a profit.
Beautiful, beautiful car. That’s why I love late 30’s cars, all those great details. And not spoiled by currently fashionable fake patina or accessories.
Well done to that family for keeping it so original, and in use.
We’ll put, DougD. The ’39 is my favorite Ford, and this is an amazing example of an unrestored car.
Not a skerrick of ostentation in the design or details, yet even 80 years on, the whole is one swanky machine. Quite beautiful. And the worn edges of this long-loved and gently used example just seem to highlight the elegance.
Seems rather unlikely, but I did see just this car, albeit a sedan in light blue, quite often on my way to school, when it would have been 40 years old. It poked out of an asbestos shed at the back of a house belonging to an old couple on the corner block, and once in a blue moon, I saw it being driven. Long since gone except in memory, owners, shed, house and car all. But thanks to you, Mr C, 40-odd years on from when I saw it, I now know it was a ’39 and a Deluxe.
A wry thought on that South Wind heater. They may well have been sold downunder in colder parts, but the name would have to be changed – our southerly winds blow from the Antarctic, you see. Not quite what Susie wanted blowin’ up that skirt…
Australians pillaged hundreds of RHD American coupes from NZ, they are getting rare here,
Wonderful write-up — when reading this, I couldn’t help but thinking of my 96-year-old uncle, who still owns the Model A that his parents bought (used) in the 1930s. It’s in rough shape, but apparently his grandson and great-grandson are in the process of restoring it. Hopefully, someday they’ll have a piece of family history like this ’39.
I had to laugh about the itchy mohair upholstery. When I was a kid, there was an old woman who lived in our neighborhood, whose house looked like it had been frozen in time for 50 years. One time I actually went inside there, with some other neighbors, and I sat on her couch. It was itchy and weird looking/feeling. Later I told my dad about the couch, and he said, “Oh, it’s probably mohair.” Of course, I asked “What’s a Mo?”
If you’re in a Mohair mood head for YouTube and listen to Charlie Rich’s 1965 song MOHAIR SAM.
I’m not sure I understand the device located to the left of the steering column. Is it just an aftermarket turn signal installation? What vintage would it be? I’ve looked and found a ’30s classic car (didn’t identify it) with a similar but not identical device.
Anybody knows about it?|
The Yankee Turnflex was a popular aftermarket turn signal system for cars that were not originally equipped.
Thanks, JP!
I didn’t even think of that; that 1939 cars would have no turn signals. I wonder when U.S. motor cars first had them? I have turn signals, but no →arrows←. The driver (yours truly) just has to remember ‘upstalk’ is turn right and ‘downstalk’ is turn left.
The first car to feature turn signals as standard equipment was the 1939 Buick.
My parents owned a 50 Plymouth Deluxe, a business coupe, that at some point had that turn signal device added to it….and they owned it in the very early 60s. So some time in the mid/late 50s turn signals must have become mandatory, at least in some states.
There was a time when cars only had 1 central brake light, and lights for the license plate weren’t always required, either.
Did you guys have to give hand signals for turns before turn signals came into common usage? We did in Australia, and I remember seeing them.
Ah, one word is sufficient here: “Beautiful”
This is just perfect. A great old car driven sparingly and repaired/updated pragmatically. Just how I like ’em.
Would I have bought a new Ford had I been looking for a new car in 1939? I don’t know.
Lots of competition that year. Would a brash, young, JPC be swayed by the V8? Or would he stop to take a look at a 39 Plymouth? Found this one in the now defunct Chrysler museum in Auburn Hills.
That 39 Plymouth may have been the best looking of the prewar Plymouths. It showed up in what may have been the closest to a 3 way parity the “low priced 3” ever got. 1939 production (per Wiki) was Chevy: 577k, Ford 487k and Plymouth 424k.
The new Studebaker Champion and probably the Willys were also in the low price class (though they were also somewhat smaller). As much of a Stude homer as I am, I probably would have been making a choice between Ford and Plymouth in 1939.
Despite their later popularity as collector cars, the 1939 and 1940 Fords were handily outsold by Chevrolet. And during the 1940 model year, there was a point where Plymouth almost knocked Ford out of second place.
This is a great find. I love 1939 and 1940 Fords.
The prewar Ford V-8s became collector cars relatively early. The Early Ford V-8 Club was formed in the early 1960s, if I recall correctly. Members were already looking for unmolested, original prewar Fords by that point. Prior to that, the only cars built between the two world wars that were seriously collected were the Duesenbergs, Cords and multi-cylinder, custom-bodied Cadillacs, Lincolns, Packards and Pierce-Arrows.
The inclusion of several “hot rodded” prewar Fords in the very early Hot Wheels line-up made them seem special to me as a young boy.
“Prior to that, the only cars built between the two world wars that were seriously collected were the Duesenbergs, Cords and multi-cylinder, custom-bodied Cadillacs, Lincolns, Packards and Pierce-Arrows.”
Don’t forget the Ford Model A that had been the most widely collected car ever built until the Mustang kicked it off its perch about 25 or 30 years ago. But yes, I remember when these V8s up through the 1940 model were big dollar cars for the right body style.
You’re right! I forgot about the Model A. That added to the Ford mystique at the time.
Ford had made all of these neat old cars that people actually collected – and my grade-school friend and neighbor who was a Ford fan ALWAYS reminded us of this. Most of us couldn’t visualize what a prewar Chevrolet or Plymouth looked like.
And, of course, Hot Wheels – the arbiter of what was “cool” among the elementary school set – had included several customized, prewar Fords in its line-up.
This is a ’40 Standard coupe, not a ’39 Deluxe. The grille is painted with a chrome center bar whereas ’39 Deluxe are all chrome trimmed, plus other carryover features.
I mentioned in the text that the grille was a replacement after the original one was broken. That was what threw me for a moment when I first saw it.
Assuming the headlights are original, that’s a 39 Deluxe.
Count me in as another fan. These embody all off the best qualities of the classic Ford approach to designing and building cars.
I’m not a purist though, and would be happy with one that had a few subtle but tasteful mods, like a dual exhaust to enable a deeper enjoyment of that distinctive flattie sound, a wee bit of rake and slightly bigger tires on the back.
But this one is an absolute gem, both in its provenance and condition.
Beautiful car with a wonderful history, well written and photographed. I’m not knowledgeable about the subtle differences between models and years in this period – this will probably always be a “40 Ford” to me, but it’s interesting to learn the details. I vividly remember a gray ‘39 or ‘40 Mercury that parked at the end of our block when I was a young teen that was also a stunning car. It was about 30 years old then and far more interesting than an ‘88 Taurus would be today.
My similar surprise, just yesterday as I arrived at work: a 1926 Oldsmobile! This was also well preserved and unrestored except for paint…and it wasn’t concours-quality, just an ordinary cheap repaint kept nice-looking (though again, not concours-glossy) with copious applications of wax and elbow grease. The engine and mechanicals had needed repair (I didn’t know that its transmission was removed by taking out the seats and floorboards and lifting it up, and out a rear door!) but it was in running condition to where the owner even occasionally took it to go shopping at the hardware store, but NOT on the freeway. Back roads only, and even there he drives far to the right to let the impatient who drive at 75 in a 50 speed limit overtake him.
Pix to come in the Cohort (not downloaded from my phone yet).
The stories he told about the mechanical work were fascinating. By the time he was done, I was late for work. No worries…my boss was out there looking it over, too.
The only visible exterior visible deviation was a nice chrome exhaust tip. “I did that to fool people into thinking there is a small-block Chevy in it…” But under the hood is a glorious black original engine (with aluminum pistons inside to make things easier on the bearings) with “Oldsmobile” cast in script on the left side of the block.
Those old cars from the 20s are really rare (except for Fords). The wood-structure bodies and lack of widespread parts support have done so many of them in. It is good to hear that this Oldsmobile is still Merrily on the road.
The wood-structure bodies and lack of widespread parts support have done so many of them in.
Yup. Each year, Greenfield Village hosts the “Old Car Festival”. The commentators at the pass in review note the herd of late Model Ts, and the rarity of 26-27 Chevys, even though by 27 Chevy was outselling Ford. While the T body was all steel, Chevy was still using wood framing and over the years, the Chevys literally fell apart.
Ha! Some things never change. As an owner (or cars that my parents had owned), a 1980 Monte Carlo, 1984 Olds Cutlass and 2000 Z24 Cavalier had shown that the Chevys literally fell apart. Now that is what I call a heritage! 🙂
By the way, these Fords were not only the same length as a Falcon, they’re about the same as a current Honda CRV. Clearly a sweet spot for many American drivers.
“By the way, these Fords were not only the same length as a Falcon, they’re about the same as a current Honda CRV. ”
I had not thought of this. An excellent point as that is a very popular size these days.
An even more interesting comparison would be the overall height – and seat height in particular – of this Ford and the Honda CR-V.
These comparisons are intriguing – I’d assume the Falcon and CRV have more interior space?
My first thought on seeing the Ford in profile was they had designed it then thought “Oh, probably they’ll want a passenger compartment too”.
I can tell you, tonito, that my 2-door ’64 Falcon has plenty more interior space than what I see of the ’39. I don’t have to rest my knees against the door when driving the ’64, for one thing. There’s just more room to move around and the windshield is further away from where I sit than it is from where the driver on the ’39 would sit. I’m 6 ft/ 215 lbs and have no trouble navigating in and out of the Falcon. Lotsa room for a “compact”. 😀
Despite the lack of interior space that ’39 Coupe is one cool product from FoMoCo! I like how you mentioned, J P, that after almost 80 years the car is still “reporting for duty”. I hope it stays a lil’ busy. You can almost hear the car saying “Yes, I may be almost 80 years old but don’t ignore me! I’m still here to get your groceries, buy your hardware and am ready to take you for a nice trip to Longhorns for lunch.”
Gotta luv those ‘V 8’ hubcaps, too.
That was the packaging advantage of the envelope body that went out to the full width of the car starting in 1949. The older cars with bodies that were inset quite a bit from the outsides of the fenders (like from the beginning) had quite narrow bodies. A Model A was good for only two comfortably in front, maybe a little kid in the middle if everyone was skinny. But what this 30s model lacks in width it makes up for in height with a taller roof and a higher seat that adds legroom. If this was a sedan I guarantee that the back seat would be more roomy than the one in your Falcon. 🙂
We did a comparison of a ’49 Plymouth wagon and a 2017 RAV4 here:
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/history/mini-comparison-1949-plymouth-suburban-wagon-and-2017-toyota-rav4-almost-identical-dimensions/
I have been waiting for an opportunity to tell this story, and this seems like as good a time as any.
In 1951, my parents and I took our (first) western camping trip. Our car was a 1949 Plymouth wagon, similar in profile to this, but a woodie. Can’t begin to tell you exactly what model.
We took off from Columbus, Ohio, in mid-July, with my parents in front, my 7-year-old self behind them, and the cargo area loaded with camping gear and luggage. I remember a borrowed canvas tent with no floor that must have weighed 100 pounds.
My father was a Lutheran pastor, and was a man with a profoundly scientific bent. He was an amatuer astronomer, crafstman, sailor and painter, and had a wonderfully analytic mind.
These were the days of no A/C, wide open windows, and canvas water bags hanging from the front bumper (for evaporative cooling.) We were in the middle of nowhere (Wyoming, maybe) on a desert two-lane, when the car started accelerating, and Dad let out a yelp. The accelerator pedal had dropped to the floor unbidden, and we were sort of out of control. Dad managed to reach down and grab the pedal, then hook a toe under the pedal to regain some control.
Dad nursed the car along like that for several miles, until a service station appeared in the distance. We limped into the station….closed! Not a soul around.
Dad popped the hood and quickly diagnosed the problem….broken throttle return spring. But what to do? Well, he discovered that the screen door on the front of the service station had a door closing spring. With the few tools we carried (didn’t everybody?) Dad fashioned a new return spring from the door closing spring. Worked perfectly.
Being a man of honor, he wrote a note of explanation, enclosed a $5.00 bill, and stuck it in the door.
The throttle return spring served us for the rest of the trip. But Dad bitched that it took more accelerator pedal effort to maintain highway speeds, no trivial matter in the pre-cruise control days.
One of the formative moments of my soon-to-be motorhead mind.
Thank you for this, I was wondering what recent vehicle was of a similar size.
Our local Elementary School had a casual show put on by an Antique car club, and was fascinating as it was mostly brass era (pre WW1) cars that they drove regularly. Not a trailer to be seen! I think the newest was about a ’27 Ford T. Absolutely amazing stuff!
Found some pix. Such a rare thing to see and hear these cars, and not be standing in a museum!
Another
Thanks, JPC—great to see this car still on the road, with another family member willing to be its custodian. Thanks also for explaining to me why I could *never* get the correct year for late-1930s Fords.
Unbeknown to me, the South Wind heater was made by Stewart-Warner; same initials, so I’ll guess that’s no coincidence.
An ad for the full 1939 line–with a hat tip to the artist of the day:
AFAIk there is a manufacturer in Michigan (or Canada?) who ist still building this V8 Fords from original stock parts. About 15 years or so ago I saw one of these at the Frankfurt IAA and it was quite a stunner. Especially when you could see how the engine bay really did look like in the 1930s without all that aftermarket chrome and colors.
I think that would be Timmis Motor Company:
http://timmismotor.com/timmis-ford/index.html
This late-1930s ad helped me see how these work(ed):
It was pretty ingenious, really. The idea of engine vacuum 1) pulling the gasoline in for burning and then 2) sucking the exhaust gas into the engine manifold was elegantly simple. I once found a new old stock one of these in a box in a thrift store in the mid 70s. I should have bought it because I probably could have resold it in the car hobby.
And they were very effective. I had one in my stripper 1937 Buick Special 2-door sedan, and would drive the car regularly right up until the snow season started. If anything, it heated the interior of the car faster than my psrent’s Current Chevrolet’s.
I’ve always thought that the 1939 Deluxe and 1940 Standard coupes are the best-looking early Fords although I’ll admit to liking them all.
I actually owned a 1940 Standard coupe in my late teenage years, which happened in the late 1950’s. It had a stuck engine; I bought it from a neighbor knowing that. His kid had also removed some of the chrome trim but the original black paint was largely intact. Luckily for me, another neighbor kid had recently wrecked his 1949 Ford coupe, so I was able to obtain a good-running flathead motor for cheap. I bought a pair of 1940-48 water pumps (which doubled as motor mounts) and a new clutch and bell housing, and with the help of my father’s wheel-tractor-mounted hydraulic backhoe I swapped the ’49 motor into the ’40 all by myself.
When I had the motor completely bolted into the ’40 and was ready to hook up the wiring harness, another neighbor kid made me an offer on the car. I thought about all the work it still needed, how long it had sat on its tires, and how busy my college schedule was, and I sold it to him. It’s one of the many cars I wish I’d had the wherewithal to keep.
Oh man, the 1939 Ford Coupe. This car represents the best of the speakeasying, bathtub bourboning, women rights championing of the Prohibition AND the Depression. Combine this Ma and Pa Joad attitude with some wariness about that little European war and you have quite a combination. Simply slide on into the mohair upholstery and just FEEL the smell of chewing tobacco waft up from the never-before-examined seat cushions! It’s a blast!
Great car with a great story.
I will say I’m the oddball who prefers the shape of the sedans over the coupes.
What a beautiful old Ford coupe!
In the 70’s, there was a man who owned a ’40 convertible and occasionally drove it on a nice summer Sunday to the church attended at the time by my family. He had inherited it from his father. It was maroon with a tan top.
Later on in the 70’s, I found a ’40 2-door sedan for sale, painted orange with a black interior. It had a ’62 Corvette 327 and trans swapped in, and a Chevy rear end. The guy was asking $2500 for it; I couldn’t come up with the money…..
Christmas Story 2 revolves around one of these (It’s actually a Mercury 8) It is by far the best part of the movie.
Curbie nominee for Find of the year, as far as I’m concerned. Just perfect.
What a great old car and great family story. The closest I can come to this from personal experience involves another 1939 car–a La Salle coupe that I saw at an antique store (naturally!) in Carmel, California in 1987. The car looked brand new, and I met the owner, a charming elderly lady who said she had owned it since it was new. It was then 48 years old–a big deal in the ’80s! Today, a 1970 Corvette is 48 years old, and far from looking ancient. I’ve often wondered if this kindly old woman left her prize La Salle to a favorite niece or nephew. If she were alive today, she’d be well over 100 years old. Probably closer to 110. As you said, second only to a one-owner old car is one that has been passed down through the generations. To find one in such original condition, without a pretentious over-restoration and trailer-queen status, is truly remarkable. That was quite a find, J.P.!
Nice car and nice story. Those interior heaters were a neat idea. I’ll bet South Side Suzy was a bit hit with the troops in WW2!!
“big hit”
Got to drive a ’40 Ford Fordor once. It was in 1987 and it belonged to my best friends dad. He’d bought it a few years earlier fresh from a full restoration to exact original condition, didn’t even have turn signals.
Had the flathead and a column shift.
And a radio.
The tranny was not synchronized and shifting was a black art. I felt like a heel grinding the gears on that lovely dark green car.
Slow. But surprisingly nice ride and decent handling, steering and braking.
It was fun.
It remains the oldest car I’ve ever driven.