1932 B-400 Ever Seen One?

[MattStrube]

I saw a 1932 B-400 in Milwaukee this weekend at goodguys and was it an awesome car. I was so awed with this car that I sat and talked to the guy for a good 10 minutes. It seems owners of the remaining 60 or so B-400s have a sort of a cult following. If you ever get a chance to see one, make sure to take a close look and soak up the "coolness" The car I was looking at was actually used to make the Bonnie and Clyde model for franklin mint from what the guys told me. I guess the bank robber Clyde liked the power of the 32's V8 so much, he wrote H. Ford a letter stating just that, even though Clyde stole the car and took it for a 3,000 mile "trip" and ditched it somewhere in KS. I have some pictures, but I'm at work so they'll have to wait till tomorrow morning. Matt

[40StudeDude]

Hmmmm, I always heard it was John Dillenger that wrote that letter to the Ford Company...no matter...guess a gangster is a gangster and does it matter who wrote the letter?

And yes, I've seen a B-400...

R-

[chromedRAT]

anybody got a pic???

[Mutt]

Yep.

[Mutt]

Streetrod

[fab32]

It was Clyde that wrote Henry Ford thanking him for building a car that could outrun most law enforcement. He said he always tried to steal a Ford 'cause they were the fastest things around.

Frank

[lurker mick]

Hell, they're so common around here, we have to kick them out of the way so we can get to the good Model A parts!!!

[Elmo Rodge]

400s are an all time favorite with me. Wayno

[chromedRAT]

ah cool, so it's like a cabriolet-sedan then. learn somethin new daily... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[tommy]

http://www.crimelibrary.com/graphics/photos/gangsters_outlaws/outlaws/bonnie/1a.jpg
.
Bonnie and Clyde

The windshield frame makes this either a cabriolet, sport coupe or a B-400. I think most people think it's a B-400. I've seen other pictures with their guns hanging on the headlight bar.

[MattStrube]

Is the Streetrod in red real? I also saw a fake one in Milwaukee too. Beware of the fakers. I think they look best almost stock. matt

[Gracie]

I bet that pompous Texas guy can tell ya all about them... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[MattStrube]

[ QUOTE ]
I bet that pompous Texas guy can tell ya all about them...


[/ QUOTE ]

????

[tommy]

There is a real nice resto-rod B-400 that shows up at The Shades of the Past run (Tenn)in early September. Lance Scorscic(I know I butchered his name) is building a gennie. It came from the same garage as my sport coupe.

[ABone312]

I think the pompous guy from Texas he is talking about is the guy that owns the SOCAL Speed Shop in Spring. He owns two B-400's. Another guy in Houston owns a B-400, also. Bruce's Rod Shop is doing some work on that one to take it from a resto to a traditional hot rod, last I heard.

[MIKE-3137]

Lurker, tell me that is a very old picture...

[SoCalCarCulture]

They're out there...

<img src=http://images2.fotki.com/v20/photos/9/9586/287470/DSC00804-vi.jpg>

<img src=http://images2.fotki.com/v21/photos/9/9586/287470/DSC00805-vi.jpg>

<img src=http://images3.fotki.com/v27/photos/9/9586/287470/DSC00806-vi.jpg>

<img src=http://images2.fotki.com/v21/photos/9/9586/287470/DSC00807-vi.jpg>

<img src=http://images3.fotki.com/v27/photos/9/9586/287470/DSC00813-vi.jpg>

<img src=http://images2.fotki.com/v21/photos/9/9586/287470/DSC00640-vi.jpg>

<img src=http://images2.fotki.com/v20/photos/9/9586/287470/DSC00641-vi.jpg>

<img src=http://images2.fotki.com/v20/photos/9/9586/287470/DSC00642-vi.jpg>

[MattStrube]

The red one is actually an A-400 built in 1931. And I think these cars are best left untouched with a little hop up V8.

[MattStrube]

There were about 5000 A-400s built in late 31. That guy used a 32 grill shell and a whole lotta billet http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

[bufordtjustice]

O man, that blue one does it for me....wow what a beauty.....I didn't really care for them before seeing that because they are kinda like the people with convertibles that leave their windows up and top down....just wrong....anyway...they are a pretty rare car but they are still out there as stated before. Thanks for the pics of em.....especially the blue one!

Greg

[ABone312]

I'm pretty sure that the blue one is the car that the SoCal guy bought. Can't be that many blue with tan top, dressed flathead B400's out there. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

[Muttley]

Another of Clyde. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

[SamIyam]

[ QUOTE ]
The red one is actually an A-400 built in 1931. And I think these cars are best left untouched with a little hop up V8.

[/ QUOTE ]
I know a guy in Modesto, where I grew up, that has an A400... in pieces.
Sam.

[MattStrube]

Hey that's where I grew up. What's the guys name, I might know him.

[jambottle]

the red one at louisville was a conversion of a 2dr sedan .it was done by a friend of mine from
manitoba canada.he is doing one now for the owner of cornhuskers shop.he had a 34 2 dr converted
into a b400 for sale in the swap meet.ford never made a 33-34 b400.
chris

[LOUDpipes]

Here is one. You propably seen this one before. It has Offenhauser motor. The blue one was once in the same garage in Stockholm with his one before Erik Hansson bought the blue as a total project.

[LOUDpipes]

another angle

[a/fxcomet]

[ QUOTE ]
I think the pompous guy from Texas he is talking about is the guy that owns the SOCAL Speed Shop in Spring. He owns two B-400's. Another guy in Houston owns a B-400, also. Bruce's Rod Shop is doing some work on that one to take it from a resto to a traditional hot rod, last I heard.

[/ QUOTE ]

Did Gracie have an operation?

[HOTRODPRIMER]

Tom at Southern Rods owns a real B-400,,,,He had the car at Piegon Forge,Tenn. last year,,,,,,,,,,,HRP

[Petejoe]

I guess Bonnie and Clyde actually stole many cars in the bank robbing sprees. I don't know why the 32's were associated with the Barrows though. This is the original car they were killed in. Located in a Casino in Nevada.
Heres the pic a 34 sedan.
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Olympus/4172/PIC/dcar5.jpg

[flamedcoupe]

It was Clyde that wrote the letter to Henry Ford and it is in the Henry Ford museum on display in Dearborn.

[tommy]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm pretty sure that the blue one is the car that the SoCal guy bought. Can't be that many blue with tan top, dressed flathead B400's out there. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

[/ QUOTE ]
.
Unless the blue one is a freash rebuild there is another So Cal B-400. I want to say Washington blue. It's running a pre-war Eddie Meyer equipped flatty. There are some pictures on DRD57's photo page. If I only knew what year and what event. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

There is a really cool highboy B-400 clone built from a 2 dr sedan in Pennsylvania. It was done about 15 years ago. A red oxide high boy with red 35 wires running a flatty. It's pretty accurate since he had a cherry gennie to get the measurements off of. A perfect HAMB car.

[RocketDaemon]

The blue one was built in sweden and sent over when scandinavian street rods moved from sweden to california.

[Deuce Roadster]

.


I never really cared for the B400.

It is/was the lest attractive 32 Ford made in my book.

I had a guy tell me where one was laying about 25 years ago. I went there and sure enough.it was there. V8 and all there but a little rough. I had just bought my 32 roadster so at a $1000 dollars for the B400...I passed. Had the ca$h in my pocket.

<font color="red"> STUPID </font>

Hindsight is 20/20........ http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Gotgas]

What's the deal with the tacky builds? The red A400 with the digital dash BS, and this one with the mexican flea market wheels.. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif YECH

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/image_uploads/526441-IMG_2351.JPG





I'd take a deuce roadster over one of those any day. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[RocketDaemon]

the lilliac is a swedish car aswell, seen it in person its AWESOME, it got an offy 4 banger engine http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
sounds cool as hell......

guy who built/owns it lives 5-10 mins away from me

[Mutt]

Those mexican flea market wheels are E.T. III's.


Mutt

[Gracie]

Nope... the Pompous Guy knows who he is...

Private joke...

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[klazurfer]

Quote : "Here is one. You propably seen this one before. It has Offenhauser motor. The blue one was once in the same garage in Stockholm with his one before Erik Hansson bought the blue as a total project." end-O-Quote ...
Well , If I was lucky enuff to have a Offenhauser-engine , Would a B400-Bodied car be a sane place to put it ..??... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif... ? Don`t think soo ... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif
If I had a pair of doors &amp; a deklid from a real deuce roadster , and the rest was from Brookville, Would that make it a restored Ford body , or would it be a Brookville-body with some Ford parts added ? .. Could a `32 Tudor be turned into a B400 if you had the skills &amp; a few B400 parts ??? YES ,.. Nice workmanship ? Sure as hell ! Is it a B400 .. NOPE..Sad shit.. You figger it out ..
BTW .. if I should be able to buy the only B400 in Norway ( That I know of ) , Will I consider it "Hot Rod" material ?? Nope ! , .. I will consider it as a LOT of $$$ My 2C...

[klazurfer]

Psychodaemon.. Go back a bit .. Take a close look at that "lillack" B400 .. Are you sure you think it is Awesome ??? In my opinion , it is awfull !!!

[Smokin Joe]

Back in the 70's just about every gas stop in Nevada had "THE BONNIE AND CLYDE DEATH CAR". http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Any old junker would do. Didn't even need to be a Ford. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[SamIyam]

[ QUOTE ]
What's the deal with the tacky builds? The red A400 with the digital dash BS, and this one with the mexican flea market wheels.. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif YECH

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/image_uploads/526441-IMG_2351.JPG

I'd take a deuce roadster over one of those any day. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

You're a dumbass, and obviously don't know anything about traditional hot rodding. Halibrands and E.T.III's "flea market" wheels... that's rich!

And at least the guy isn't driving around in a '99 Ford Ranger... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Sam.

[klazurfer]

Hey SAM .. "at least the guy isn't driving around in a '99 Ford Ranger... "... Are you sure about that ?... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Petejoe]

[ QUOTE ]
Back in the 70's just about every gas stop in Nevada had "THE BONNIE AND CLYDE DEATH CAR".

[/ QUOTE ]
Well this car is purported to be the real one.
Even has Bonnis still in the 34 ford.

http://texashideout.tripod.com/hintonpic.jpg

[mr57]

Just for the sake of argument, I am going to say that there is something about the lilac 32 that isn't right. Maybe it's the wheels, nice but not right with the fenders maybe??
A black top would be better with that color, maybe lose the fenders, or maybe put the stockers back on? Tuck the taillights in a bit? Change the color.
I think that, in this case, the sum total of the parts is not worth the final effort. Then again, opinions are like armpits, everyone has two, and mostly, they stink...

[Bruce Lancaster]

I'd say the problem is the visual bulk of the expanse of top upstairs. And no, a chop wouldn't help--this thing needs the fenders to balance it out visually. Those things are interesting and strange, but definitely the ugliest deuce!
Best deuce controversial statement: roadster, CC pickup, tudor.

[Mr 42]

The Lilac B400 has black fenders becuse its driven in the winter in Sweden!

Regarding the Blue one it may have been sold thru So-Cal Erik works for them Assembling 23 roadster Brockville roadster bodies.
I dont know how much parts are real B400 in it. But i know Erik had a lot of rusted out B400 parts to restore.

Im sure there is a lot of cars at Pebble beach with less original parts in than Erik's B400.
Here is some picture from the buildup, as you see the engine of choice have changed.

[Mr 42]

Another one:

[Mr 42]

And another one.

[Mr 42]

Last one, make up your own mind.

[InPrimer]

Sorry to burst your bubble, but I saw the Red A 400 and I talked to the owner(nice guy) where you get off calling it tacky? where is your 400?, keep stupid comments to youeself Its a fuc&amp;&amp;&amp;%$n gouregus car!

[Gotgas]

[ QUOTE ]
You're a dumbass, and obviously don't know anything about traditional hot rodding. Halibrands and E.T.III's "flea market" wheels... that's rich!

[/ QUOTE ]
LOL, well from that angle they look like a twelve dollar set of 10" wide Primes on 235/70 Tiger Paws. And of course I'm a dumbass, how do you think I found this place? http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
[ QUOTE ]
And at least the guy isn't driving around in a '99 Ford Ranger... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

[/ QUOTE ]
Well ya got me there. Looking to rectify that soon with a traditional rod. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

[Swedester]

if I´m not mistaken, Eriks 32 400 used as many original ford parts as possible, just because it´s such an unusual body style these days,oh, and check out the engine in it if you get a chance,pretty kool stuff hiding there.especially the magnetos(yes,there´s two of them)
/ Vince

[willowbilly3]

You gotta love 'em because they are old Fords and rare. The way they look with the top down just doesn'r do it for me though. I think the Vicky is a prettier car all around.
Thanls guys for shating the pictures.

[hudsoncustom]

They sure are nice cars.

It was Clyde Barrow that wrote the letter mentioned earlier. In fact, if you go to the Henry Ford Museum in Detroit, you can see the actual letter and read it for yourself. It is in a glass case in Henry Ford's office. I have a pic of it around here somewhere....
Clyde thought the Ford V8's were great cars...So does everyone else...

[Bruce Lancaster]

They were on both side of th caper--I have a photo at home said by the Ebay person to be a pic of a Sheriff involved in the final pursuit standing in front of his '32 V8 Sedan.

[oldchevyseller]

1932 Ford V-8 B-400 Convertable Sedan





Used as the backdrop to many of the popular photos taken by Bonnie and Clyde, it was
one of the three vehicles in use by the Barrow gang during the Joplin hideout raid.
It was one of 1105 B-400 convertible sedans built in 1932. The Bonnie and Clyde B-400
was registered to R.F. Rosborough of Marshall, Texas. Stolen in late 1932 and believed
to have been abandoned shortly after the Ruston Caper. After the Barrow gang's Joplin
escape, Detective Ed Portley began an investigation into this fancy Barrow automobile.
The sheriff at Carey, Kansas answered Detective Portley's all-points bulletin stating that
at around six p.m. on April 13th, while making his rounds, he spotted a dark colored mud
spattered 1932 Ford turn south off of the dirt road leading from Joplin. It was traveling
through Carey at a speed of 40 mph and accelerated to 60 as it headed toward Oklahoma's
Cookson Hills. After Mr. Rosborough got his prize vehicle back, it had an extra 3,000
hard driven miles added to it's odometer and was minus it's tags. He then traded it in
on a new 1933 V-8 Coach.

[oldchevyseller]

[kustombuilder]

this one is in a friend's garage. i believe he is gonna do some metal work on it for the owner. i just HAD to take some pics when i saw it...

[Byron Crump]

[ QUOTE ]
Nope... the Pompous Guy knows who he is...

Private joke...

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]


So, who is this pompous guy? http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[Gracie]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Nope... the Pompous Guy knows who he is...

Private joke...

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]


So, who is this pompous guy? http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Hey finally! Mr Pompous! Please enlighten us silly non-Texans! Is a B-400 a 5 window? I count 5 including the windshield...

I love Mr Pompous! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

[RPW]

Engine shot of Lars Hubers B-400.

[willowbilly3]

WOW!! That engine is a jaw dropper.

[Flat Ernie]

Never have cared for the lines of the A400/B400/Sedan Converts, but I don't like pheatons either. Doesn't take away from the build quality &amp; engineering in some of the pics in this post though!

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

[MattStrube]

For all you na-sawers of the B-400, you are smoking crack and all your taste is in your mouths.

[RocketDaemon]

[ QUOTE ]
Psychodaemon.. Go back a bit .. Take a close look at that "lillack" B400 .. Are you sure you think it is Awesome ??? In my opinion , it is awfull !!!

[/ QUOTE ]

i have seen it in person, and studied details on it
sure its not exactly how i would have built it,
even if it is not totally my cup of tea some details, i still can apritiate the craftmanship and a fact that its an really well built hot rod,
in my eyes, that is an awesome car,

[MattStrube]

Finally here it is

[Deuce Rails]

[ QUOTE ]
It was Clyde that wrote the letter to Henry Ford and it is in the Henry Ford museum on display in Dearborn.

[/ QUOTE ]

But the handwriting doesn't match a letter Clyde wrote to his mother...
http://www.snopes.com/business/consumer/barrow.asp

[Roadsters.com]

http://www.roadsters.com/B-400.jpg

http://www.roadsters.com/B-400_tub_1.jpg

http://www.roadsters.com/B-400_tub_2.jpg

These pictures were sent to me by a friend in Nevada.

Dave
http://www.roadsters.com/

[alchemy]

Dave, is that Doug Clem's?

[Roadsters.com]

Yes, the B-400 and the phaeton are both Doug's.

http://www.roadsters.com/B-400_Tom_R.jpg

Here's another B-400, from a friend in Wisconsin.

Dave
http://www.roadsters.com/