Hot Rods It's Nice to Win one Every Once in a While

As most of you can relate, oftentimes this hobby is just one opportunity after another to bash one's head against the wall and foolishly throw away money.

But every once in a while we get something right. This summer I bought a 39 Ford Sedan from a Hamber, and I'm really happy with it overall. Of course it needed some things, some of those being maintenance items and others personal preference. I set about to lower the stance a little and it kind of snowballed, but it's done now and I love it even more! Everything I did improved an already nice car.

So to start with: Here's what the car looked like when I bought it:


Pretty cool ol bird, SBC hooked to a 39 box and banjo. Trans and rear end had been recently gone through as well as Lincoln Brakes added up front. But, needed an altitude adjustment. It had a stock rear spring, Posies front spring with a stock axle. The car came with a Posies rear spring so that means all I needed to do was install the rear spring and a dropped axle and that's all..... hahaha. You know how that goes.

So I contacted Nostalgia Sid, and he didn't have a core axle to drop, and I didn't want the car to be blown apart for weeks waiting for Sid to drop it... surprisingly, stock axles are getting a little scarce! Finally sourced an axle for Sid to drop so I could do a "quick" axle swap.

I got her blown apart and found the motor was leaking like a sieve. So I guess I better put on a pan gasket... but wait! The biscuit style motor mounts are collapsed and the engine is riding on the crossmember! Better fix that too. But wait again! Now that the engine is raised up of the crossmember the fan hits the upper radiator hose... hahaha.. I look over on the shelf and I just so happen to have a 1" smaller fan in stock.. The Lord provides. Here are several pics of the adventure... on a side note, the engine looks really clean inside.






The dropped axle dropped it too much, the tires would barely turn with those 600 16s. So I had another 37- 40 front spring laying around so I robbed one leaf out of it to raise it back up so the wheels would turn. I don't have the coin at the moment for 550 16s. Of course I like 'em low but at some point I may need to turn. Or do 50 point turns forever.

Dropped axle with spring as it was:


After adding a leaf, actually 2 leaves, because one small leaf was clamped below the main leaf.


So, I added a Pete & Jakes front sway bar, new Bilstein front shocks (old shocks were junk) adjusted the slop out of the steering box and man this thing drives really good (for an early Ford with bias plys) The drop was only a little over an inch in the front and 1.5" in the rear.

I could buy 550 16's for the front and pull that leaf out that I added, but that's expensive and I don't think it needs it.

Long story long, everything I did to this car vastly improved it. It's nice to win one every once in a while.

 

Looking great. 39 Fords were the nicest looking fat fendered cars in my opinion and you have a really sharp looking one there.

 

gorgeous car! What is the part number for the Bilsteins?

 

Looks great Dan. I think the improvements were justified.

 

I think there is a non-chrome version that is cheaper, but I needed them quickly and Summit is right down the road from me.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/bsn-f4boa0000788

 

Wow is that thing ever sweet!
Great job.

 

Congratulations, the car was nice when you got it but what you have done is improve it, beautiful car. HRP

 

Nice cruiser!!
Sidenote: @HOTRODPRIMER I see by your avatar that you're getting better looking in your old age!
Back to regular programming

 

Despite it being a long road for an inch and a half, that bit really makes a difference. If I was going to have a '39 Ford 4 door, this is exactly what I would want it to look like. Are those Oldsmobile bumpers? They're great.

 

The cars looks and sits great Dan!!!!
Nice work, it really looks good

 

Too bad Sid is so far away from me, I just walked out back ,to my mini-junkyard and counted 5- 37-40 axles, most with wishbone and spring still attached.

 

Absolutely perfect. Well done!

 

Yessir, 40 Olds bumpers. Thank you! And yes, I never thought an inch drop would have such a dramatic effect.

 

It’s not that far. Just load up and you’ll be here by midnight.

 

Nice win. Great looking rod.

 

Very Nice to Very Nicer!

 

Yep, you know what I think Dan. Very cool family cruiser!

 

Subtle changes but oh so effective. Great job Dan!

 

She’s a beaut!

 

Nice job, glad it turned out well for you. Now, since you've got all this experience, why don't I bring you my '46 Merc 4 door and turn you loose on it? You can just call me when it's done, okay?

 

That's a beautiful Sedan! All the work was well worth it!

 

White running boards?

 

Well done that's a dam nice 39 you have there , I'm a 39 owner myself

 

I do like white running boards, but usually on other people’s cars.

 

Fun fact: this car was in Hop Up in 2002, but it looked much different. I seriously considered putting it back as a taildragger. If the PO hadn’t sold the skirts off, it might’ve happened.

 

Really nice more door Dan! Hope you have a lot of fun with it.

 

Beautiful. Well done!

 

That’s no junkyard, Hell, looks more organized than my shops are.

 

Nice! I mush prefer it without the skirts. The pinstripes are a nice touch too.