Saving a '40 Coupe, and moving beyond a bad start

It's been awhile, the paint "process" slowed things wicked! Here are a few pictures taken today... sharp eyes will notice a few '40 ford "issues": The 39 ford one piece windows, the '35 wire wheels, the painted deluxe headlight rims

 

Very nice work indeed. Looks great.
No droopy door handles either.

 

Great work, i thought my 39 Merc coupe was a major project but if i see your car it almost looks easy.
Would be a great car finished.

Hennie

 

Love the color Pat!

 

It's a little lighter hue than the Plymouth, but I like both colors!

I would've gone with the medium green ford color ..but believe or not my neighbor has one that color...!

 

Just one step at a time, you can't look at the whole thing at once since it can be overwhelming, I think it's why some projects stall... , just one step at a time...

 

Man you are getting close now Pat! Nice work!

 

ok guys..its been a long time... I sold the car... but here are my last set of pictures

 

It was running, and the Walt Dupont built Mercury Flathead sounded great...

the new owner has sold the flatty, the axles, the t5 conversion, and is going the 350/350, mustang II, 8 inch Ford route

 

I know everyone is different but after years of blood and sweat, theres no way I would sell it.

 

Well I thought maybe you gave up on it. Good to see you got it finished. You performed a miracle saving that coupe. I also would have had a hard time parting with the car after all that work. .... thanks for sharing the finished pictures.

 

What's next???

 

I'm feeling a little sick!

 

well it was kinda like this... would I drive it that much? I was already afraid I would scratch it every time I walked by it or did anything in the garage.. would I feel comfortable driving it at all without worrying about it, did I "need" two flathead powered fords to run and maintain... my chopped 31 will always be mine, and will never sell it until I know I will never drive it again.

and to be honest I was burned out on the 40, where before I would spend hours at a time on it, it became a struggle to work on it at all.

I got what I asked for it, more than what I had in it (labor not included ! LOL! ), sold it the next day after I listed it on CL

Projects: I still have the COE, and I'm now working on a '71 firebird formula 350 (another basket case), my dream car in high school, and a total departure from early fords. The build quality on cars of the early 70's is shockingly poor, I've never seen gaps between body panels up to 1/2 inch wide before. They used A LOT of seam sealers then...

And in the end....Perhaps I like building them a lot more than keeping them...

 

OMG no!!!! Oh well, at least it didn't go up in flames!!!

 

Well not yet ! No plastic gas tank this time!

 

Well we need guys like you in this hobby! There are enough people out there that can't save a car like you did and because of you will be able to enjoy the hobby. Well done Pat and carry on.
Sam

 

Now I don't mean to be too gooshie here.. but many thanks to you Sam! Your thread was an inspiration for me, and I used so many things learned from your efforts to aid me in mine. And there were so many others I should thank that enabled me to get as far along as I did. Many guys on here and on the ford barn gave me measurements, that were critical in resurrecting that 1940 POS, and others simply cheered me on! That's what these forums are all about, I would get stuck on something, how did something fit, what parts were missing, and all I had to do was open one of these two forums, ask the question and within days I'd have the answer, and sometimes in mere hours.

So thank you Sam and all those that contributed.. I may not have the 40 any longer, but the guy I sold mine to is building his dream, a dream he has waited for for a long time.

.. there is another one of Henry's '40 coupes on the road