Barn Find 1940 Ford

[charles in east texas]

Originally Posted by Art Maurice

After looking at it again, it looks like an 85. Sorry about that, my eyes are not what they used to be...

The 60s usually were in standard 2door sedans. Charlie

[Fredb_]

ChopTop, looking at your album, yours is about the same that my 38 was when I found it. Your engine is in a little better condition, but I'm afraid I would have a hard time restraining myself from tearing it apart, arresting all the rust and replacing some parts. if she's free of bondo you've got a very nice car to build on! I'd keep it stock and run a flathead, but that's just me.

[blucar]

Advise and/or opinions are like armpits, everyone has them.. I guess I fall into the general category, except with years of experience in my favor.
In 1952, I stumbled onto my '36 Ford coupe, sitting in a back yard with weeds up to its door handles.. The original owner had purchased a new '52 Ford, parking the '36, which only had 51K on the odometer.. The owner had intentions of junking the car because he felt the mechanical brakes were unsafe in modern traffic..
I had known about the car since I was in the seventh grade in 1948, the owner was a teacher at my school... I can clearly remember me and my buddies drooling all over the black coupe when the teacher drove it to school..
I needed a car very quickly, I had a '41 convt that had lost the engine, cracked block. I promptly got rid of the mechanical brakes in favor of hydraulics, I installed a '41 column trans, cleaned the car up and put it on the road.
For many months I would sit with my buddies at the local hangouts, talking about all of the modifications I was going to do to the car.. i.e. chop the top, install a '41 Packard grille, lower the car, hop up the engine, etc...
Fortunately, school, work and a shortage of money delayed most of my plans. I did install '40 Chevy headlights and '37 DeSoto bumpers. Of course the hydraulic brakes required the use of '40-41 wheels so flipper disk hub caps were in order.
Moving forward to 1954, I was out of high school and out of work.. My Ford had a 103K on the odometer, with only a $35.00 valve job during the 50K plus miles I had driven it.. I needed a job so I threw everything I owned into the car and headed south from Idaho looking for work..
Found work in Salt Lake City, promptly had a 59AB engine built for the car, added some goodies to the engine build and installed it, Sweet sounding/running engine.. Got a job offer in Vegas, hit the road again.. Two years in Vegas, upgraded the suspension to a 2"dropped front axle, and a '46-46 Columbia modification to the original '36 Columbia.
Two years in Vegas, time to hit the road again for California.
In 1956 I got drafted into the Army, put the car in storage in LA.. Getting out of the service I got the Ford out of storage, adding air to the tires and a new battery I drove it home.. Come Monday morning me and the Ford went to work...
Within a few short weeks the engine broke a piston, I had to park the car for a while to recoup my finances, and make some plans.. Everyone advised me to discard the flat head in favor of a small block Chevy... Everyone was doing it.. I talked to a lot of people, SBC was all they could think about.. I finally talked to a machinist that specialized in building engines for stock car racers.. He told me he could rebuild my flat head, making it better than and SBC.. I took him up on the offer..
The 59 AB was rebuilt, with some improvements, one of which was lowering the compression using stock, modified 59AB heads in lieu of the Offie heads it had..
Shortly after getting the engine running a new black paint job with apple green pin stripping was done..
Fast forward to the present.. With minor repairs and maintenance the Ford is still as it was in 1960-61.. Many people hate me, I have an old school car that I have owned for over sixty years.. Did I set out to do what I did, no, things just worked out that way.
Through the years I have found that garages, back yards and the junk yards are full of people dreams, that they had every intention of finishing, they just never got around to it. Then with the passage of time, many of the parts that were removed from their dream car disappeared, leaving a project that will never be completed..
I would suggest that the '40 barn find should be made to run as well as possible, utilizing the original components. Then just sit back and enjoy it for awhile while you access just what you really want to do with the car. Once you start cutting it up, the die is cast, and another survivor bits the dust...

[41ford1]

In one of the picture captions you stated it runs for a few seconds. I assume it runs on what is poured down the carb. Just sort out the fuel system. You might have a good runner. The under hood pics look good. It will be a lot easier than getting an updated power system in there. Good luck with it. Nice find.

[35cab]

Nice tudor, I had a 40 standard, fixed it up as I drove it, flushed out the fluids, replaced the tank, changed it 12 volts, rebuilt steering box, installed a dropped axle, re furbished the springs, re did the brakes and lines all over a 4 winters. It sounds a lot but all were easy jobs even to a klutz like me and none of it meant long periods off the road.
It was a lovely car to drive, handled really well, reliable, wish I had not sold it!
It is your car and you must do what you want with it, just offering the option of a less radical set of options, 40 Fords can be really civilised cars, whatever you do enjoy it. I look forward to seeing how it progresses.

[Shu47]

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I start by saying it is your car and you can do what you want with it. So take no offense and I won't get pissed if you rod it but I vote with the crowd to leave the flathead in it and get it running and then drive it as often as possible.

[Fredb_]

Blucar,
I like your story, thanks!

[Art Maurice]

Thanks Charlie, I should know that, I don't think they offered V860 in Deluxe models.

[ChopTop79]

I did not expect that I would get too many pats on the back from this website when I joined it, but that being said I take criticism and personal opinions quite well. My father and I already have had a few arguments over what should and should not be done to my car. I do intend to get the flat head running, as I’ve never had one apart before. And I’ll most likely use it to pull the car around the yard some, but I doubt it will ever see the road. I’ve already had people lining up to buy the parts off the car but I couldn’t part with them. I’m going to clean them up and paint them and use them for decoration for the new shop. I will keep posting here for sure and looking around for parts and references. I appreciate all the comments and opinions and I don’t get pissed off at anyone over opinions. As mentioned above though, I will build the car as I want it. Ford already built the car as they wanted it in 1940, and now it’s my turn J

[LuckyFordGuy]

Nice car keep the flathead you will love welcome rog

[Gumpy]

Hows that project coming along, merry christmas!

[39topless]

Why not build a "Flathead" hot rod? Lots of speed parts for sale new and used, add a Columbia OD etc. Cost would be a lot less and, in the end, you would have a much more valuable car. Good luck.

[chap52]

Awesome find. Welcome to the Forum, you are in the right place. Get it running and drive it. I've been working on my truck for nine years. But I am now 69 years old...wish I started at 30.
Enjoy the adventure.

[Ken/Alabama]

Get er running then make necessary repairs such as wiring,brakes and drive it. The worst thing you can do to that car is change anything. Just my opinion

[Dave in WY]

ChopTop79, A REAL nice 40 you have there. My 2 cents worth here. I have a 40 Tudor Deluxe that was hotrodded back in the 60s. I bought it the first time in 73, sold it in 75, and found it, and bought it back again in 85. I spent 4 1/2 years completely rebuilding it into a Resto Rod. I love Original, but wanted to be able to drive it anywhere, and not worry about getting stuck someplace waiting for parts to arrive. I did my best to not destroy anything, so a Flathead could go back in it, but we both know that more than likely won't happen. Yes, it has a Small Block Chevy, and I really enjoy the car. In 25 years, it has never let me down.
My point here is, you have a GREAT stock 40. If you rod it, it will never be stock again. Why not keep this one stock, and find yourself a different 40 that's either been rodded or isn't all that original. There are PLENTY of those kinds of cars out there. If my 40 had been original when I first bought it, it would have stayed that way, and I would have found another car to rod. Too good of a car to rod it. Just my opinion.
Dave

[Gumpy]

Chop top, I think making a stock driver out of this would cost alot less money in the long run, unless you already had the componets and could build outright....flatheads will get up and go fast!

[burner31]

Good job, saving the car from a slow and certain death by rust.
If I may be so bold...what did you pay for your barn find?

[38 Ford Guy]

Glad to see a young guy into the hobby and interested in driving the car. I have cars both Retro Rod and Street Rod. I like both and drive them anywhere. Just drove my Flathead Powered Cabriolet to the LA Roadster show this summer 5000 miles round trip no problems. However, it has an S10 5 speed and a 9 inch Ford rear end. If you put an overhead valve engine in it is up to you. Do your research as Fords Overhead Valve engines typically require cutting the firewall to get them to fit. Small Block Chevy almost bolt up with no mods to firewall. Good luck and enjoy the car and the work you do to it. Lots of fun!!!

[WRA]

Cool car to leave as is, world has too many restored and modified 40's

[Graeme / New Zealand]

It's your car and you choose the path you wish to follow but here's food for thought. Take any number of Hot rod magazines today and you will see there has been a resurgance in interest in flathead motovation. Down here in NZ they're making a comeback too. I had an old 99A block I was going to chuck out may years ago when I got out of v8s for a while. The only thing that stopped me was the bulk of the lump, so it sat in my shed while I persued an interest in British cars. Like "dug-out Doug" I did return. I'm glad I kept it. So if you are tempted to modify the car go with your gut instinct and save the old stuff and don't be tempted by those who are lining up for "stuff" off your car. The fact that people wants this "old stuff" says something.
GB