The answer is....... Whichever one crosses the finish line first and gets me back home in the evening less tired and pistolwhipped.
if you want a flathead car and have a budget of 5 to 8 grand after purchase price id like to present a third option. Id build an AV8. Buy an old restoration model A coupe and put a flathead and 40 Ford brakes in there. It'll have better seat of the pants sensation of speed and they hold their value well. I'm not debating the later Fords being hot rods or not buy the early ones definately are and are really really fun. Ive built em and driven em and theyre worth the price of admission. Good luck.
There are probably as many opinions on this topic as there are those people reading the replies....So here is my humble opinion. Actually, it's just a simple preference. 1946-1948 Fords are both hot rods and customs. The short doors are hot rods, and the long doors are customs. I reckon it's just the proportion of the top to the body. Actually, the '41 short door launches my rocket !! Same holds true for the '49 to '51. I guess the short tops just seem to scream Hot Rod !!
If you decide the earlier model is for you may I suggest this one. I drove this car when the previous owner built it, was a very solid driver. Current owner did a frame off. You could not build it for the price he’s asking. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/1946-ford-coupe-sedan-deluxe.1249038/
Just to stir the pot, there are many nice, and "hot-rodded", shoeboxes, but I don't believe I ever saw one that whispered "hot rod" in my ear.
It's a nice car, well crafted and,clearly its owner's joy. But, I am still waiting for the whisper. Of course, this is just MTC and matters not a whit.
Me too. There was an orange coupe here in town that was very nice and lit my fire for a postwar Ford.
Personally, I like both. Physically, they are both close to the same size. Both had a great series of flathead. Your budget is the key. You could find a really good driver of either for that budget. Don't get a builder...
Just checking, but doesn’t the shoe box have the better flathead, and the new bolt pattern- leads to faster and more wheel choices. I would think the 46 would weigh more. That would make the 51 the better hot rod, but my choice would be the 46. What do the boys have to say, they are a little young, but if they are going to invest time, maybe they should have a say. Now that you have both, they can each have one.
To me, this car is silly. Saw the Jay Leno episode with it, the first few minutes anyway. To each their own, but I don't like this car at all...
, Neither,48 is a street rod, the 49 is a shoebox. Hot rods have 3 pedals, no fenders and scare old people, children and dogs when coming down the street
Absolutely zero about that car fits this site, other than year it was built. Some ahole with more money than brains paid to have someone else build it. I just didn't find it impressive at all.
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