History In a argument with my buddy about custom vs hot rod 40 coupe’s

Smooth^

 

Your coupe is perfect is but damn... that motor is beautiful.

 

I call my '39 a Hot Rod..SBC, 3 deuce, 4 speed.

 

Damn this thread, now I want a 40 Ford. We'll just go ahead and add that to the list...

I like Norris' best, beautiful car, gotz him a flathead, perfect. I'm not personally interested in speed really, so a gasser style 40 wouldn't appeal to me, but this is a great thread to see many examples of what guys do to their cars in one place.

 

Love your car....can't beat Torque Thrusts on a '39 or '40!

 

My preference is the rear view, McCarty’s says it all.

 

This is a friends 40, sort of a hot rod Rides on pretty much stock suspension, upgraded brakes, 409 SBC and five speed. Built from a pretty rough hulk.

 

Always loved the Hollywood Knights 40' Coupe, including the Tony Nancy dig.

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agreed Steve.

 

MTC - every custom 40 looks goofy to me. Most 40 hot rods look pretty dang delicious.

 

My old 40. Was building a custom, but the next owner finished it as a hot rod.

 

Man, that car has some perfect bodywork and paint. Like a black mirror.

 

I may go against the grain here, but I think sectioned 40's look awkward.

 

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Question is kind of like which are better blondes or brunettes? No right answer it's all in what you like. I like all 40's

 

1959 Riverside Raceway

Hello,

In our neck of the 50s-60s time period, the standard was to build up a hot rod with a fast motor, do some eye catching accessories and make it run like there was no tomorrow. Most took off their hubcaps and ran the car as is at the local dragstrip. The street legal coupes and sedans were made for dual purpose driving. Build it, drive it to work, and then race it on Saturday, standard operating procedures. Even stock appearing hot rods got in on the action.

Some did it to impress their girlfriends and others just like going fast without any limits, other than a ¼ of a mile. When my brother and I were at the late December drag race event at the Riverside Raceway, there were the top racers from all over the country. But, the local racers also brought out their own builds and raced alongside the big names.

Jnaki

Most of the hot rods present in this time period were street driven for daily grinds. The custom versions were not daily drivers unless the custom build was a shop car for advertising. If and when a local car show or rod run was advertised, then those custom cars came out to enjoy what was offered. But, for the most of the time, the street legal hot rods that we have all come to enjoy and build were the main ones on the daily trips of our own neighborhoods.

@Moriarity has one fine build and most would like their build to look like that 40.

As a teenager, there was a 1940 Ford sedan that looked as good as it ran, with Buick power, LaSalle trans, and lots of quickness. The motor was almost one of a kind as most newer v8s were SBC motors. But the style and build of this Red painted 2 door sedan was a daily driver to work and school. It was a great looking build. Picture a Red, 2 door sedan, slight Cal Rake stance, blackwalls, chrome wheels and pure white tuck/roll cruising into the local drive-in restaurant parking lot for a Friday/Saturday night adventure.

 

Hot rod? Kustom? I just call it cool.

 

Just my opinion. But you can't beat the stock lines of the '39/'40 Ford coupes! Do whatever you want for engine, trans, suspension, etc., but I prefer the stock looking bodies with a nice stance.

 

Yes I agree with you but the body has to include the hood.
A 40 running around without a hood just looks wrong.

 

I see yours at Redenck Rumble. I love that car. I want to get my running boards upholstered as soon as I find the right person around Nashville to do it

 

I have always wondered if 40 Ford convertibles would look better without the stainless
trim around the windshield?

Anyone have a photo?

 

This is the only 3 window custom that was worth doing, but it's just different ; not better.

 

joel: You are correct about that 3 window 40 Ford.
There's something about the shape and flow of the roof line that
makes it look awkward.

 

Lots of old cars need major body mods to correct the proportions, to make make the look good. The pictures in this thread prove that a 40 Ford coupe is not one of them.