Art & Inspiration A very special Fathers Day---39 Ford cabriolet!!

Just to think......All I got was ice cream and I even had to drive to get it. Anyways.......great story.

 

great story and moving video good job

 

Great story! IMO, Ford's best styling effort. If they only had a trunk.
Think that I will forward to my son......... hint, hint..

 

Great story! Did you notice those horns on the firewall? A blast from those horns should get the attention of a texter.

Wescott put a trunk in the version I have owned for many years. Although it is very convenient I would gladly give it up for a real steel 39.

 

The Happy Father is working to get the water pumps and coil off to Skip Haney if he hasn't already. I gave him a pair of pumps to send to Skip. Needless to say, he is very happy about the car and is working away to get riding.
I'll share updates as they become available.

PS to 39guy: I'd like one of those Wescott trunks on my 36 cabriolet!!
That certainly was another great innovation by Wescott.

 

I must have raised my girls wrong,it's me that buys them cars. HRP

 

Last night our car club had a meeting at the garage of the Father with the new 39 cabriolet.
The good news is he got it to start. The bad news is that after about a minute something inside made a noise and he immediately cut it off... extent of the bad news is yet to be fully determined.
They got one head off but the other really likes how it sits so we're still working to coax it off the studs... patience, Grasshopper.

Here's the car with the happy special Father beside it.

Engine under analysis.

Another interior picture.

Mileage at 81,285... at least!

How many of you have seen a genuine 1939 Ford radio?

Virginia IS for lovers!! Especially of old Fords!! It was on the car from who knows when.

Even with one head off, two of our club members took the car for its first "drive!"

Next thing I know; they are rummaging through the glove box!! The smokes looked a bit stale!

In the distance you can see the large TWO car (nose to tail!) garage.

What's better than a driveway full of old Fords?

More updates to follow as available.

I'm STILL grinning about getting to help make it happen!!
Happy Al

 

A few more pictures taken by the Special Father:

First, and most importantly, Special Father had already cleaned the frame rail in front of the firewall for a pretty good ways but found no trace of a number. Being the kind, helpful pal I am; I continued cleaning the frame rail, with some assistance from Shadow(he found the wire brush!), I found the number all the way up the frame rail as it goes across the front cross member.

Special Father reported to me later that the number MATCHED the title... we knew it would.

Shadow on the left, Bob in the glove box.

Not sure what was just said but I suspect Gene, on the right, just told a funny... Bob, on the left; and Bob, in the middle, seem to be having a bit of trouble believing Gene.

More rummaging by the Bobs with supervision by Shadow, Randy, and Gene.

Everybody wanted to make the meeting to see Special Father's new 39 cabriolet!!
Pretty weather, several of the guys went by the Dairy Queen to eat at the usual Thursday night car gathering at the DQ before the meeting, and many drove their hot rods. I think we had 8 or 9 hot rods.
We've been doing this since July 3, 1974. Nothing special... just having fun with old cars and trucks.

 

Patiently waiting for one of my sons to step up, lol. Cool story.

 

I haven't seen that many guys wearing sandals in a picture since da Vinci!

 

Since this thread resurfaced today I might as well report that the Special Father has had the engine out and over to the machine shop for some time and the engine is gradually coming together. I'm hoping it gets back home soon!
I'll pester the Special Father for a better update.
Thanks for all the interest and kind words about this cool story.
Al

 

That's an awesome story and car! Love reading stories like this!

 

It has been a loooong while but I'm pleased to report my pal and his son have managed to get the original flathead engine rebuilt and reinstalled in the car. In addition the complete brake system and fuel system have been refurbished and a fair amount of the wiring has been addressed.
Today is a big day because another club member, known on here and many other places as "Bobby Built," generously took the car over to our favorite muffler shop to get pipes on it along with a few enhancements recommended by our favorite pipe magician at Auto Muffler King in Newport News, VA.
The car sounded sweet when it fired up but my new black lab puppy was not amused!!
I had to hustle him around to the front of the building where he was much happier.
I'll share some pictures when I get them but I wanted to report this major step to let y'all know.
We will be riding soon!!

 

Here is Tim and Bob and Bobby Built getting ready to put it on the trailer.

They got it loaded and met me at the pipe shop.
I brought along a consultant.
As stated earlier, the consultant decided I wasn't needed to get it off the trailer and into the shop!!

Here is the Special Father with his cabriolet in the pipe magician's shop.

The picture taker caught him off guard because I can assure you he was smiling from ear to ear most of the time!!
Hopefully we will get it back next week.
Stay tuned.

 

The old cabriolet had fallen victim sometime in the past to some less than perfect torch work to some chassis cross member pieces.
The magician fabricated some great replacement pieces and got it looking great and strong as ever. His skill and craftsmanship is amazing to me.
Special Father couldn't believe it when he went to get it!!
Here it is ready to load.
I'm on the left; the magician is in the middle... with his shield!; and Bobby Built on the right did an excellent job of handling transportation of the car back and forth to the shop.
Does Special Father look happy or what?!!
I'm ready to go riding!!

 

Great car, great story!

 

Great story, Al!

 

Three cool guys and The Magician! Another one saved.

 

It's been a long time coming but I finally caught the Father's Day Special at a car show today in Drivers, VA!
Bob and his son, Tim, and his grandson, Hayden!, have been driving and enjoying the car for some months.
It was a treat for me to see it... such a neat car and excellent people made all the right moves and did all the right things.
Happy Al

 

Forgot to also honor my pal, BobbyBuilt, by pointing out the 1936 Ford cabriolet next to the 39. You remember Bobby handled transportation to get the 39 back and forth to the magician's shop. Bobby built the neat cabriolet that has won numerous awards from a three window!!
And he did one heck of a job! It is well travelled, too. Bobby believes in building them to drive and he also believes in driving them!