38 ford 2- door sedan

[robert shreveport]

I don't see much about the 38 cars, are they desire able? read about 39-40's.

[ford38v8]

That's like asking a guy if a woman is desirable.
Depends on the guy's preferences.
I think my '38 is desirable.

[JSeery]

Interestingly enough there are a lot of 38 owners on here, I am one of them. At one time it was not considered a very desirable body style by some folks. It has always been one of my favorites, but as ford38v8 said above, beauty is in the eye of the beholder (or something like that).

[40cpe]

In the 50's when I became interested in old cars, the '37 and '38 Fords were considered "ugly ducklings". The hawkbill hood '39 standard was unpopular, too. I think as cars got more scarce, those models became more accepted. I agree that the beauty up to the beholder, but any Ford of the thirties that is sound and relatively original is worth looking at today.

[swoopNZ]

A 38 standard coupe looks better than any 40 deluxe and almost as good as a 39 standard or deluxe.
As long as it has the stainless trim on it.
IMHO.

[35fordtn]

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Swoop, I too find a 38 Standard coupe very attractive. Some people cringe at the thought of a 1938 Standard being desirable, but I really like the looks of the front end at least

[sidevalve8ba]

I too am a fan of '38 Standard coupes. The look just appeals to me.

[38 coupe]

Another reason you may not hear much about 38s is they are pretty rare compared to the other year Fords. 1938 was the second worst year of the depression, the only worse year was 1932. Ford didn't sell anywhere near as many new cars in 1938 as in the years before or after. Add in the lower survival rate due to the lack of popularity in the 40s, 50, etc. and the number of 38 Fords left is pretty low.

I like mine:

[1931 flamingo]

I've got to go along with 40cpe. Years ago a 37 to me was ugly, and not much exposure to 38 or 39 stds. As the supply of 40's started to "dry" up I think many turned to the "ugly ducklings". I've been looking for a 40 coupe (had one with an olds in it 69-72) but the more 38-39's I see I could go that way also. Funny how your likes/dislikes change over the years. back in the mid 60's I did have a 37 coupe.
Paul in CT

[skidmarks]

Of any 38 fords......38 standard coupe is my favorite but finding a nice one is hard.

[Ford Freak]

^^ What skidmarks said ^^

[robert shreveport]

I looked at a 38 2-dr. sedan today for 6,000. Didn't run, had a banjo steering wheel on it. Also looked at a 39 Deluxe 2-dr. sedan for 12,000 also didn't run. It had the banjo steering wheel on it that was in perfect condition. I looked at JSEERY's profile at his 38 2-dr. sedan and his steering wheel looked different than the two I looked at. Did the banjo come on deluxes only. How do I identify a 38 deluxe versus a std. and the same question for the 39's. Thanks for all replies so far men.

[40cpe]

Banjos came on Deluxe only. The '38 Deluxe has a hawk-bill hood, while the standard had a hood that was flat where it met the side panels and grille.

The '39 standard's hood was hawk-bill and had side panels while the '39 Deluxe had a hood that came down to the fenders, with no removable side panels. There are many other differences, but these are the obvious ones.

Google for these models (images) and see many examples.

[JSeery]

Are you referring to how to tell the steering wheels apart or the body styles? The body styles are night and day in the 38 2dr sedans. The standard is a humpback and the deluxe is a smooth back. The grill work/hood on a std. is straight with the hood on a level line. The deluxe is more or a bird beak shape at the front. And many more differences. As far as I know the std. did not come with a banjo steering wheel, but do not know if it could have been added as an option.

[robert shreveport]

the 39 today that was a deluxe had deluxe wrote on the hood with banjo wheel. Did the deluxes have 2 wipers and std's have only one? The 38 had the banjo but don't remember if the hood had the deluxe writing or not. I do remember the 38 car had a clock also and the banjo wheel that was broken some. Does having a clock have any meaning?

[robert shreveport]

JSEERY in your 4 pictures I see the 1st 2 pictures the hood slots are not broken up like the last 2. The last 2 pictures have a void or steel area sepaerating the vented areas on the hood.
I was trying to differientiate the steering wheel differences and also just how to tell a 38 deluxe and std. apart from each other and the a 39 deluxe from a 39 std.

[robert shreveport]

40cpe what you said about the 39 hood I believe I understand now. The std's hood was hawk bill and had side panels the deluxe hood came all the way down to the fenders with no side panels. I don't understand what you mean about the 38 std. had a hood that was flat where it met side panels and grill.
I believe both cars I looked at today had the hood that was solid with no removable side panels. I know for certain the 39 deluxe the hood was one piece.

[JSeery]

A 39 deluxe hood IS one piece, the 39 standard is similar to the 38 deluxe, what 40cpe referred to as hawk-bill with side panels. The 38 standard has the flat hood with the side panels. You can't find body styles that look as different as the 38 std and 38 deluxe and then again the 39 std and the 39 deluxe. I believe these are the most distinctive model difference in the Ford of the 30s and 40s.

[petehoovie]

The '38 Standard is GORGEOUS as compared to the '38 Deluxe or the '39 Standard...JMO

[JSeery]

Originally Posted by petehoovie

The '38 Standard is GORGEOUS as compared to the '38 Deluxe or the '39 Standard...JMO

I agree! Guess that's the real answer (at least to a 38 std lover).