My wife wants a 40's Tudor sedan. But she doesn't want a complete builder project, she wants a driver with a modern V8, automatic, and a decent paint job, all at a bargain price. I'm cheap, but she has me beat, LOL! I pass this place 3-4 times a week, it's a retired used car dealer who buys and sells a lot of HAMB friendly stuff. I've seen some nice stuff there, and some junk as well, but I've never stopped to look around. It's on a 4 lane, and in the truck I'd have to park on the shoulder and cross it on foot. Not really a good idea as the speed limit is 65 through there, I'm not ready to become road kill! I usually go north up that way, and go back via I 65. Wednesday, I decided since I got unloaded early and had a little extra time, I'd go back that way and stop on his side of the road. I'd spotted a nice looking {from the road}.37-38 Chevy { turned out to be a 38 Pontiac}, and a 40's Tudor, but I couldn't see the front of it so wasn't sure what year, turned out to be a 39 Standard. The Pontiac was somebodies start to a street rod, has a slick paint job, but absolutely no interior other than a set of nasty bucket seats up front and a rear seat frame, no glass save what looked like a couple of door glasses in cardboard laying on the back seat frame. It was five lug, so I suspect it had a rear change and maybe a front clip. After a short look, I wasn't interested. The 39 Standard has a 289-302 with an automatic in it, tilt Ford column, 8" or 9 ' rear, I didn't get down and look close, and a serviceable interior that looked like it was old but might clean up. Either the rear end is too wide, the wheels have too much offset, or a combo of both. Front supposedly has disc brakes, it did have a dual master cylinder with a hanging pedal setup. Grille was missing the center, and the hood latch was missing. Unknown when it was last on the road, he said he hadn't even tried to crank it. I was tempted to make an offer, but decided to wait until she could see a pic of it. Good thing I did, it was a little rougher than she wants. Women! I thought it would be a good start, but she didn't see it that way. The other car that caught my eye was this Packard wagon. Yes, Packard wagon, a woody! It was probably 90% there, but rough. Some of the wood was missing, some was in the back seat. Would take a cabinet maker to put it all back, but restored that would be a $100,000 car easily. Too much work for me for sure, but cool nevertheless.
Both the Chevy and the Ford don't look too bad. Didn't hear a price - would bet that 39 Ford would be more appealing to the wife with different wheels - and or different lamps on the front - any one here can do just a little photo shop - keeping price in mind ?
Price was reasonable, $7500 on the 39. Might get it for less. For sure, the wheels on it would have to go. The lights would look better with the teardrop covers on them.
I'm sorry.... All those Jokers are rough...rough as cobs. ^^^ I do believe that's a poorly done frame swap... 7500, he's smoking crack. You can find much much better. Less than 2 years ago there was a good running original '40 Coupe that went for less than $8500. It was good car. I inquired about it and tried to get it but it did not work out.... That running 40 Coupe started at 20K then 15K then 12K then 10K finally 8500 was the last listed price. It seems like it went for 7500-8000. Seems like a HAMBER from Nashville bought it.
The front end looks too high and narrow on the FORD....something is screwed up....the Pontiac looks like the rear half of the rear fenders have been molded in but not the front....shop the HAMB and wait grasshopper!!
I’m digging the 39. The deal breaker would be the chassis. Modified original stuff or poorly done upgrades like a subframe graft. The worst part about buying a project where we live is almost all are poor attempts at a street rod. If ya want a second opinion, I could look at em with ya after this week.
https://jxn.craigslist.org/cto/d/spring-arbor-original-1946-ford-super/7321323204.html Come to Michigan. 12.5 asking price. Good looking start. Coupe though.
Thanks Anthony, but she didn't like either well enough to look at them further. Both are too much work for what she wants. As slow as I am, she wouldn't get to drive one of them until she was too old to drive....
Good looking coupe! But it doesn't have a later model small block Ford or Chevy or automatic trans, two things she has to have and I don't have time to change.
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