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History Sectioned 1940 Ford convertible Original 1950's Custom

Discussion in 'Traditional Customs' started by Rikster, Jan 2, 2008.

  1. Rikster
    Joined: Dec 10, 2004
    Posts: 5,795

    Rikster
    Member

    I'm having way to many sleepless nights lately... but for one thing they are very good... finding good stuff on the internet, while browing is searching for old custom car photos in the early morning hours.

    Last night I came across this site where a guy has a tribute page for his Dad's 1940 Ford he built in the early 50's

    A great story and they think the car is still around and are still searching for it. At one point they found it, but could not afford to buy it back and restore it back to its original condition...


    Here you can read the rest of the story...

    Sectioned 1940 Ford Convertible

    Small fuzzy photos... but look at this beauty.

    [​IMG]

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    kidcampbell71 likes this.
  2. PeteFromTexas
    Joined: Apr 4, 2007
    Posts: 3,837

    PeteFromTexas
    Member

    That is really nice. It's good to see a great car built by a regular joe.
     
  3. publicenemy1925
    Joined: Feb 4, 2007
    Posts: 3,187

    publicenemy1925
    Member
    from OKC, OK

    That ride is as sweet as candy.
     
  4. loggy
    Joined: Aug 3, 2006
    Posts: 282

    loggy
    Member

    Looks like it was a real nice job too,good luck to them in relocating it.....tho i guess now lotsa folks'll be keeping an eye out!
     

  5. 40FordCustomConv
    Joined: Apr 22, 2012
    Posts: 15

    40FordCustomConv
    Member

    I wanted to resurrect this 4 year old thread by Rikster to provide you with some NEW information!! I am the person who developed the tribute page years ago. The 1940 Ford convertible custom was my dad's car that he built in the early 1950's. My dad sold this car in 1954 to build the house that I grew up in. My dad went home to the with the Lord when I was 19 months old...so I did not get to know him.

    The biggest news is that THE CAR HAS BEEN FOUND!! A gentleman in the area purchased the car 6 years ago and began restoration to put the car back to the way he remembered the first time he saw it in 1958. I scanned my dad's journal that he kept while building the car and provided a copy to him. He's now working to restore it back to the way my dad originally built it. I do need some help if anyone can...

    I've been working to write an accurate history of the car from 1951-54 when dad built it and sold it. The gentleman who now owns the car is working on the history from 1958 to present. My uncle told me dad ordered plans out of a magazine on how to cut the body, roof, frame, etc to build this car. I'm thinking it could've been plans developed after Valley Custom built their 1940 Ford convertible custom in 1948. Would anyone know of what magazine this was published (around 1948-50) or have a copy of these plans?
     
  6. otas
    Joined: Aug 9, 2007
    Posts: 184

    otas
    Member

    Good luck man. One of my all time favorite cars. I've restored 2 of them. The one in my avatar was my first. Your dads car was way cool.
     
  7. cracker head
    Joined: Oct 7, 2007
    Posts: 968

    cracker head
    Member

    Awesome! Please keep us updated.
     
  8. Hoodlum Rocky
    Joined: Oct 24, 2007
    Posts: 62

    Hoodlum Rocky
    Member

    that is a great car glad to see it will be brought back to its former glory for all of us to enjoy. Im sure your day would be a happy man.
     
  9. Rikster
    Joined: Dec 10, 2004
    Posts: 5,795

    Rikster
    Member

    That is really great news that the car has been found. And even better that the current owner is going to restore it how it was original intended.

    I hope you will be able to share some recent photos on here soon.
     
  10. FlynBrian
    Joined: Oct 5, 2007
    Posts: 761

    FlynBrian
    Member

    Thats great! Glad the 40 vert was found and is being resurrected. Your Dad is smiling.
     
  11. Great looking 40!
    2X What Rik said.
     
  12. bonez
    Joined: Jul 16, 2007
    Posts: 3,487

    bonez
    Member
    from Slow lane

    Never seen this one, and gotta admit is real kool. Too bad its not in your garage man.
    Hope the new owner will share pics with you/us.
     
  13. Cyclone Kevin
    Joined: Apr 15, 2002
    Posts: 4,223

    Cyclone Kevin
    Alliance Vendor

    You need to figure out a way to get your dads car back where it belongs! Perhaps you and the current owner can work a deal out. Especially since you are providing info that is vital to its accurate restoration.
     
  14. pimpin paint
    Joined: May 31, 2005
    Posts: 4,937

    pimpin paint
    Member
    from so cal

    Hey,

    On the subject of what magazine published had plans on ''how to chop body ,roof, frame etc.'' I can't recall , but in the 1952 issue of "How to Build Hot rods " a Fawcett book, Neil Emory& Clayton Jensen did an artical on '' Z-ing '' & "Channeling'' of '37-'48 Fords. Perhaps they did other articals for this publication in this era? The magazine "Mechanics Illuatrated" did a artical in which they sold plans on how to build a hot rod from a cut down '32 ford frame, but no mention of a '40 Ford. Maybe they too, sold other plans on cutting a '40 Ford?

    Good luck


    " Life ain't no Disney movie "
     
  15. Hope to see more as this restoration continues. Great story.
     
  16. 40FordCustomConv
    Joined: Apr 22, 2012
    Posts: 15

    40FordCustomConv
    Member

    Thanks for all of the replies! I'm very pleased that dad's car has been found and is being restored back as the custom he built in 1951-53. I need to update my tribute page with the new information as well as correct some minor typos in the tribute article. I want to respect the new owner's story so I will share information when he is ready. He is extremely appreciative of the information I have provided...he was shocked to learn about my dad's journal about the build of this custom. The new owner has been chasing this car since 1958. Considering I was not born until 1963, he's been chasing it longer than I have.

    I do have some pictures and he has a complete photographic history of the car from 1958 as well as the recent restoration. We're working together to write a complete story of this car. Here's a few pictures. Dad's 1940 back in 1953:
    [​IMG]
    Here's what Dad's 1940 looked like when found in a barn 6 years ago:
    [​IMG]
    Here's a picture taken last fall of Dad's 1940:
    [​IMG]
    The plan is for the car to be completed by the end of May 2012 and be unveiled at an annual car show here in Kingsport. The car has created quite a bit of interest as there are many guys still building hot rods and customs who remember this car back in the day!!

    The piece of the puzzle I'm current searching for is the magazine article and plans that showed dad how to cut and section the car so everything would fit.

    Thanks you all on HAMB for the information and encouragement!
     
  17. F&J
    Joined: Apr 5, 2007
    Posts: 13,222

    F&J
    Member

    Wow... how cool is this thread.

    Thanks for posting.
     
  18. mazdaslam
    Joined: Sep 9, 2004
    Posts: 2,524

    mazdaslam
    Member

  19. 1951Streamliner
    Joined: May 15, 2011
    Posts: 1,875

    1951Streamliner
    Member
    from Reno, NV

    Awesome thread and story.

    Hope the man restoring it is very faithful to how the car would have been, with interior, tires, etc.. all the little things that bring the car up to a whole new level.

    Excited to see it unveiled!
     
  20. 40FordCustomConv
    Joined: Apr 22, 2012
    Posts: 15

    40FordCustomConv
    Member

    OK...just one more pic...this one was taken about a month ago...
    [​IMG]
     
  21. 1951Streamliner
    Joined: May 15, 2011
    Posts: 1,875

    1951Streamliner
    Member
    from Reno, NV

  22. deto
    Joined: Jun 26, 2010
    Posts: 2,620

    deto
    Member

  23. customcory
    Joined: Apr 25, 2007
    Posts: 1,831

    customcory
    Member

    Thats going to be so nice, Tennesse car too it looks like.
     
  24. Smokey2
    Joined: Jan 11, 2011
    Posts: 919

    Smokey2
    Member

    Three Passages, Quotes, Messages, Etc., Etc. !!!!!!!!!!!
     
  25. Rikster
    Joined: Dec 10, 2004
    Posts: 5,795

    Rikster
    Member

    WOW... thanks for those new photos.

    This is really fantastic. The photo of when it was found is really incredible... I guess thats the dream of every Custom Car enthusiast on here to walk into a barn and find an amazing old Custom car like your fathers sectioned Ford.

    And the restoration photos look amazing as well. It is very lear that this car has found the right new owner.
     
  26. This whole story is just blowing my mind! Is the restoration still on schedule for late May completion? I grew up in the 50's in East Tennessee and it was very unusual to see a car with this level of well done modifications. Most guys were understandably more into add-ons from J.C. Whitney or Honest Charlie. The only other car I remember with this extensive degree of mods was a sectioned shoebox Ford that always sat outside a gas station in Newport, Tn. There were lots of talented welders/ fabricators in the area, but most used their skills to build dirt track cars.
     
    kidcampbell71 likes this.
  27. Wellsville
    Joined: Apr 19, 2001
    Posts: 97

    Wellsville
    Member
    from Sweden

    Thank YOU for the info about your dads old car,, Really interesting,, :)
     
  28. Just stumbled upon this post. That car is beautiful and the restoration work look like it's moving in the right direction. It always amazes me that someone will leave a car like that in a falling down barn to die. Glad it was found. Keep us updated!
     
  29. yetiskustoms
    Joined: May 22, 2009
    Posts: 1,932

    yetiskustoms
    Member

    very cool! thanks for posting
     

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