Motion Pictures Why the '40 Ford?

I love my 40.... next I want a coupe

 

I've always liked the '40 but still prefer the '39 Deluxe. Just a personal thing.

 

The 40 is one of my favorites as well. Hardly been a car that has had a greater following.

 

Possibly the only body style that looks good with a "flamed" paint job.

 

Better stop doing that,I bet you stay black and blue! HRP

 

It truly is the perfect car. You can build it Hot Rod, custom or drag....I'd even be happy with it bone stock.

 

Some with four doors and projects, but coupes are still holding their own
But,,, and Ryan know this, trucks the once ugly step child are going into the stratosphere. I have seen CL where coupes are cheaper than trucks.... go figure.....

 

Ford just got that one right ! I loved them since I was kid.. I'll own one someday... I still remember being in high
school .. The neighbor up the street had a 40 Ford pick up ( hot rod sbc, and four speed) Wanted it for my first high school car.. Dad being a insurance adjuster , nixed that idea.. $1500 dollars..

 

View attachment 3695850 A 40 is a 40!.....Even the Sedans.... View attachment 3695850

 

I can still remember back to when I owned my 39 Std. I had a bad case of 40 Ford envy, but it wasn't because of any major issues. I had one tail light, they had two, the 40 dash was prettier, the grill of the 40 deluxe was to kill for, and the sealed beams on my buddies car actually made it possible to see at night.
Both are beautiful cars, I can still remember lovingly wrapping a wet rag around the fuel pump to stop my car from vapour locking.
Bob

 

I got an AMT Model Kit, when I was 12, and applied the "Black Jack" decal that came in the box.

 

I love 40 Fords. I’ve owned four Deluxe models and I think they are the most beautiful design that ever came out of Detroit. The way the grill and hood flow into the fenders is fantastic! This is a Fordor I’ve owned since 1976.


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Take a look at the headlight trim in the video. The deluxe actually has what looks like chromed standard trim ring and parking light. I wonder if the film was made with a prototype car and the one piece deluxe headlight trim was not available yet. The license plate is pretty cool: a 1940 Michigan plate the reads FM-19-40. Ford Motor 1940

 

Some how - as we think of the older guys that saw these come out brand new - but sadly would be going off to that great war - would one of these 39/40 coupes (that back trunk curve) still be a desire to share or keep around awhile for others to enjoy years later ? Maybe - much like most of us - a share of a love for those curves....either in a 39 or 40.....keeps one going maybe until we own one someday....just thinking......

 

............................Makes you feel like a teenager all over again.

 

I bought this one in 1962 at age 15 for $300 .

 

For me it was 1958, I was 8 years old when my neighbor owned this 40 Deluxe Coupe, I fell in love with the car and body style. I like a lot of other pre 48 Fords but the 39-40 has always been my favorite.

Now to answer the original question, I think that the main reasons the 40 was chosen over the 39 is that the windshield no longer was hinged (didn't leak) and most guys seemed to prefer the sealed beam headlights (chromed Headlight doors) along with the deluxe grill. The 40 dash also seemed to be preferred over the 39. I don't think the column shifter was a big draw as it seemed like most Hot Rodders swapped the trans out for the 39 floor shift. The wheels are another big change that was made. I think most Hot Rodders preferred the smaller lug pattern.

It seemed like most people chose to convert their 39's to 40 deluxe sheet metal until the mid nineties but since then I have noticed a trend towards keeping 39's as 39's. I now appreciate the 39 and own two of them. But even though it took me 60 years I now have my own version of my neighbor Terry's 40 coupe to look at every day and enjoy driving whenever I can.

 

Gee, thanks!

 

Hey Jive Bomber ...............THIS IS WHY!!!!
Coolest 40 I've ever seen, might could do the same with a 39 also. Buil in rhe 50's, lives in Lacy Washington by Olympia. I dream of owing this car but it ain't for sale.

 

here is Dan Hay's Varmit.... it's been a busy 5 months since I bought it...

 

Holy shit! That looks good. The gold wheels put it all together.

Nice work. -Abone.

 

My new beater about half done.



-Abone.

 

Is that ride height, front looks kinda iffy for turning clearance but it sits perfectly.
Friend had a 34 that sat just like this, it was a driver at that ride height.

 

It could also be that, frankly, the next eight years were kinda boring. Compare the '40 to any of the postwar Ford's, which were essentially the same car technologically, and its a no-brainer.

Guys fought a goddamned war to come home and see that Ford had restyled their car into an appliance...

 

The front end just has the perfect look. I kinda like a '39 with the wipers from the top. The best fat fendered nose IMHO. Added bonus, trucks carried it a little longer. The coupes are bigger inside than a Willys. Sedans and deliveries are Trosley material. So many other vehicles from the era are similar in shape, but these are ''it''.

 

Looks like the Varmit got fitted for a tuxedo! Looks great!

 

If you haven't swapped the radiator out, which it appears that you haven't, that is the original one that came out of my '40 deluxe coupe. The front spring is a "narrow" Posie's spring that I donated to the project, too. ;-)

The sedan is looking great!

 

So...since this seems to be the '40 Ford confessional, I'll spill my guts.

My infatuation with the 1940 Ford began in August, 1970, after dad picked up his slides from the Peoria Street Rod Nationals. That was the first time I had seen photos of Gene Sonnen's '40 coupe, and I was hooked. Shortly after that, my uncle hauled off a '40 Deluxe Coupe from a garage in south St Louis, and told me it was going to be for me.

My dad isn't a hot rod builder, just a hot rod driver, so it took me until 1995 to get the coupe on the road, and provided LOTS of time to dream about it. Dad was always supportive of my progress with it, but since most of the work happened on it after I was married and living 200+ miles away from his house, he didn't get to participate in the build. On the other hand, he's been my shotgun rider on MANY adventures in the coupe, so that's been a blast.

The '40 stake truck was also purchased by the same uncle, back in the mid 70's, and is the vehicle I learned to drive a standard transmission in. After MANY years of waiting, I became the caretaker of it in 2012. I gave it a stance adjustment, rewired it, put 20,000+ miles on the flathead, and swapped it for a 283 a couple months back.

I drive the daylights out of both of them, and today makes day 261 so far, out of the 299 days of 2017, that I have spent time behind the wheel of either the coupe or the truck.

I did have a '40 MorDor sedan, last year, for a few months. It was an old '70's build that sat like a 4x4 and needed some love. I gave it a stance adjustment, rewired it, fired it up and drove it quite a bit last July and August, including a run to Evansville, IN for the Frog Follies and a run to KCMO for the Greaserama. Sold it last September.

I'm definitely hooked on '40 Fords.

 

^^^^^^^^^^ neat pics.........

 

How about an Aussie '40 Sloper.