Hot Rods Let's have our own 84th anniversary event for the 40 ford...

Nice car, although I think I'm over 1950's-style pinstriping, even in small doses.

Did you notice that both wheel wells have been radiused to the car's tire sizes and stance? I've done that on my own '40, but it's kind of anti-custom: it becomes much less noticeable that the car has been lowered. I still think it's a good thing to do.

 

Barn fresh fordor for sale at the Sping Dust off swapmeet Sunday in Brunt Hills N.Y.

 

I'd be ok with being seen in that ^^

 

So just curious Mr. Palmer, how much wads the asking price on the More Door Sedan?

 

$7,800 was the asking price with a reman Flattie.
Try buying a used car for that!

 

Really interesting car, he actually channeled it but didnt move the fenders up. I'm still loving the fifties style pinstriping, but I am really over big headlights on pre-35 cars. I never liked them in the first place, they have no place on period hot rods in the first place, but its to the point where they set my teeth on edge...

 

Sorry about the shitty quality, this was from a small photo, but I have never ever seen a set of Foremost Indys on a '39/'40 before, thought it was kinda cool.

 

I have a question, does anyone know if a '40 hood will fit on a '39? Does it match up with the cowl and hinges? Will it match along the top of the fenders? I realize the front of the hood is shaped different, thats the whole idea here...

 

George I wholeheartedly agree about big headlights on pre '35 cars.
In the 40s and 50s, halogen bulbs and such didn't exist, and most of the old lights with reflectors, bulbs and lenses separate were as the old saying goes "So dim you gotta strike a match to see if they're burning".
As a consequence most hot rodders did some sort of conversion to sealed beams once they could find a way to install them. Many were done with kits from such places as J. C. Whitney, etc. That's also when King Bee and Deist lights came out and were very popular. The '32 3wdw I bought had even smaller seal beams that were off a WWII Jeep, the cup assembly was much like a King Bee or similar, with a "stem" to mount them the same way, and on a Jeep they were recessed into the open in the grill face, and mouneted by the "stem". They were sealed beam, but smaller diameter, and damn hard to find. 6 volt only. Mounted just like a King Bee or such.

 

I have a set of 6" King Bee 98-99 driving lights, going to put seal beams in them and use them for headlights on my coupester. 7" Arrows are nice on full-fendered cars. Those big ass stock lights that are trendy now on so-called "traditional" hot rods are just flat-out starting to grate on my nerves, and they stand out like a sore thumb, especially on a chopped car. And now the latest "cool trend" is to add a JC Whitney accessory driving light to boot! CRIPES, Its a hot rod, not a goddam parade float. Somehow the original hot rod ethic has gotten lost in translation...But hey, thats just my opinion...
Some guys cant seem to make up their minds if they are building a fifties hot rod, or a seventies resto-rod...

 

Not to bad if you can drive it home.

 

As far as I know the 39 deluxe and 40 standard hoods are interchangeable (shape wise) The latching mechanisms are different though. 39 Deluxe cars had two different latch mechanisms. A 40 Deluxe hood would fit the cowl and fenders but not the grill of course. It was an still is pretty common to see 39 front ends exchanged for 40 Deluxe.

 

Thanks Sam. You think the '39 deluxe and '40 std hoods are the same in this area? It looks like the '39 hood curves more gradually, and the front of the '40 hood goes straight up and curves back at a tighter radius at the top. Or am I all wet, and this is just the '40 photos I am looking at? I want to fill and peak the hood, and I think the tighter radius lends itself to this better.

'39

Hood on my '39 with the stock trim in place...look at the way the front of the hood curves back...

'40 Std.


This is the hood I am trying to clone...


I think I should be starting with a '40 Std. hood??? Thoughts, anyone??

 

Oh, and check this out...Sweet mother of God...
http://sleemansclassiccars.com/1939_Mercury_Coupe.html

You may not want to open this link if you have a weak constitution, what has been seen cannot be unseen...

 

That is just sick and I don't mean that in a good way.......

 

^^I DID warn you

 

Comparing the hood ornaments is a good idea. Let me think on that, I was thinking in terms of keeping my hood, and looking for a '40 std hood to work. yes, my hood is the same on the other side... The hot rod gods have been very good to me...
anyone else want to comment on whether there is a difference in the radius at the top between a '39 deluxe and '40 standard hood? I don't have a '40 hood to compare directly, it could just be an optical illusion.

 

Now that we're getting into the parts, pieces and procedures on the '40, I'm going to ask a question.
My 40 dlx has Drake wipers. they worked when I checked them before buying, and in the first rain I got caught in here in GA, that is for about 10 mins. Then the right quit working and afterwards the left also quit.
I've been getting by since with Rain-EX, and have been OK. I'm too big, old and stiff to spend much time under that dash with the seat in. So for now I'm waiting till I can take the seat out, because I also need to tweek a bit on seat track latches. Right now my son is in up to his neck in an OT Mustang floor and other body rust repair, Add in my Hiboy and the shop is full, with the '40 locked up elsewhere.
So, anybody got Drake wipers and can comment on what to look for?

 

Killer Kandy Koated Kruiser......

 

I'll send you a PM.

 

Rake.

 

Sled.

 

Prime Evil.

 

Level playing field.

 

Gonna keep this alive. Ok, its a '39...

 

^^the T&R dash is pretty cool, gets the gears turning.

 

The T&R dash,forerunner to the tweed covered instrument panels of the 90's.

 

@gbrown captured this shot of my '40 coupe before the start of our 3rd Annual SWMO Hot Rod Hundred Reliability Run. If you'd like to see more of his photos from the run, they are here: http://bit.ly/1UpE9zX (but not all '40 Fords)

 

Greg Potter brought his survivor '40 coupe out to run with us, too. His dad built it back in the early 70's, and was a member of the RodTiques, up in KCMO.