Rare '40 convertible restoration project

[Kube]

Okay, some of you guys seem to enjoy my pain so I'd thought I'd share my current project progress with you.
I wrestled this particular '40 out of the basement of a barn many years ago. While I typically complete most projects in a year or two, other things got in the way so this one has sat in the corner for most of the past nine years. I did manage to get a lot accomplished during those past years but now (finally!) I will be completing this restoration.
Some may have noticed the title of this thread, specifically the "rare". Why rare?
This is one of 111 - '40 Ford convertibles built with a factory installed Mercury engine. This one came with supporting documentation, the cowl tag, etc.
While it was quite rough when I'd acquired it, because of the extreme rarity, I simply had to have it. So, perhaps foolishly, I overlooked the monumental task before me.

My intention is to restore this car to the highest degree of quality and authenticity that I am capable of. That includes of course restoring it as the original "letter of build" clearly indicates.

My hope is to have this one ready for Dearborn, 2018.

I will make a number of separate posts this evening to bring this project "up to date".

Attached herein are photos of the vehicle upon purchase. I know, I know... "What was I thinking?"

[V8COOPMAN]

Originally Posted by Kube

Okay, some of you guys seem to enjoy my pain so I'd thought I'd share my current project progress with you.
I wrestled this particular '40 out of the basement of a barn many years ago. While I typically complete most projects in a year or two, other things got in the way so this one has sat in the corner for most of the past nine years. I did manage to get a lot accomplished during those past years but now (finally!) I will be completing this restoration.
Some may have noticed the title of this thread, specifically the "rare". Why rare?
This is one of 111 - '40 Ford convertibles built with a factory installed Mercury engine. This one came with supporting documentation, the cowl tag, etc.
While it was quite rough when I'd acquired it, because of the extreme rarity, I simply had to have it. So, perhaps foolishly, I overlooked the monumental task before me.

My intention is to restore this car to the highest degree of quality and authenticity that I am capable of. That includes of course restoring it as the original "letter of build" clearly indicates.

My hope is to have this one ready for Dearborn, 2018.

I will make a number of separate posts this evening to bring this project "up to date".

Attached herein are photos of the vehicle upon purchase. I know, I know... "What was I thinking?"

My God, you are really gonna have to get-on with some of that "anal-ness" I spoke about earlier to pull this one off, Kube. Just where in the heck do ya start with a mess like that? I'm kind'a convinced from your past performances that there's probably no doubt, you'll pull this one off just fine. DD

[swoopNZ]

The actual car looks pretty straight and original.
With a new floor installed it would be half-way there.
Good luck.
Chris.NZ.

[skidmarks]

It looks a lot better then some of the other "project" 40 convertibles i have seen for sale lately.

[Kube]

V8coopman, and SwoopNZ, Believe me, there have been PLENTY of times in the past nine years I have asked myself "Self, WTF were you thinking"? The answer nearly always came back very much not to my liking.
To kind of play "catch up" on this project I can tell all that nearly everything related to this car sans the body and paint is done. Engine, trans, well, the entire drivetrain are done. Highly detailed and awaiting installation. The interior panels, seats, dash, moldings, etc. are done. Steering column, steering wheel... the list goes on and on. There are literally 22 boxes cataloged and stored in my basement along with all the items too large to box. ALL of it is done - detailed and ready to install.
Through the years, while restoring other cars, I have managed to spend a few hours here and there on sub-assemblies for this project.
In reality, there is very little to do other than the finish body and paint. The hood and fenders already have the guide coat on them. Once the body is where I want it, I'll get the fenders and hood aligned and blocked out.
Oh, the frame still needs to be restored. I'll get that done before any paint work on the body.
The photos attached herein depict pretty much where the body currently is at.

[flatford8]

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That car looks like where the phrase "ambitious project" was started. Did come with the original engine?...... Mark

[Kube]

Originally Posted by flatford8

That car looks like where the phrase "ambitious project" was started. Did come with the original engine?...... Mark

Nope - the Mercury was long gone unfortunately.
On the fortunate side of things, I had a '40 Merc block and rebuilt it properly. Locating a pair of NOS high compression aluminum heads took a long time and lightened my wallet considerably. Still, the "build letter" specified those particular heads so another "had to have" item.

[meric42]

I must say how much I admire your tenacity and dedication to this important project. Many of us here in New Zealand start projects in similar or worse states than your '40. I look forward to possibly seeing it at 2018 Grand National meet in Dearborn next year.

[Kube]

The trunk lids on this model never seem to "look right". Yep, the design (in my opinion) fell short of what it could / should have been.
To make it to my liking, this lid was actually cut in to four sections. A little "shrink" here, a little "stretch" there and this one fits about as perfect as they get. It closes and latches under it's own weight from just an inch above the catch.

[A bones]

Originally Posted by Kube

The trunk lids on this model never seem to "look right". Yep, the design (in my opinion) fell short of what it could / should have been.
To make it to my liking, this lid was actually cut in to four sections. A little "shrink" here, a little "stretch" there and this one fits about as perfect as they get. It closes and latches under it's own weight from just an inch above the catch.

I agree totally. I commend you for picking up what the manufacturer dropped the ball on.

I can still recall as a youngster thinking as how the forty coupe was the coolest thing ever made. I loved the tudor as well. One Sunday while pedaling my bike, as I rounded a bend I spied a convertible for the first time. In my excitement I approached the driver to see if he would be interested in making some kind of deal. Turned out he was just borrowing the car and took his two girlfriends for a ride but was now stuck with steam rising from the radiator.


Anyway, to shorten the story as I walked behind the car and viewed the trunk lid, I thought, 'a drop top is nice, but not the excellence radiated by the coupe'. Oh welll...

Kudos for tackling this hiccup. It certainly wasn't a small task.

[corvette8n]

I applaud you for bringing back history one car at a time.

[hotrodA]

Well done, Sir!

Keeping it with the Merc may have been a few $$ more, but it's the berries.

[Jason in TX]

I'm curious what a 1940 Ford convertible cowl tag say that tells you it had a Mercury engine. I know very very little about the 40s. That's really neat.

Also, do those aluminum heads say Mercury somewhere? 99T heads or something?

[Kube]

Originally Posted by Jason in TX

I'm curious what a 1940 Ford convertible cowl tag say that tells you it had a Mercury engine. I know very very little about the 40s. That's really neat.

Also, do those aluminum heads say Mercury somewhere? 99T heads or something?

The convertibles were to receive a tag on the cowl that indicated body number - nothing more. Some folks have told me their convertible never had one and had shown no sign of one. I can't argue with that. I can tell you that the convertibles were supposed to get a cowl tag.
The heads do not have Mercury upon them. They do have the "T" on the face of them, as do all 1940 Mercury heads. On the top "side" are the part numbers typical of all heads. these of course are 99AS 6049 and 6050.
I have documentation that dictates this was a special order car with the Merc engine.
If anyone is so interested, I would explain the process that was necessary to acquire a '40 Ford built in this fashion back in the day.

[Milt/Las Vegas]

Originally Posted by Kube

The convertibles were to receive a tag on the cowl that indicated body number - nothing more. Some folks have told me their convertible never had one and had shown no sign of one. I can't argue with that. I can tell you that the convertibles were supposed to get a cowl tag.
The heads do not have Mercury upon them. They do have the "T" on the face of them, as do all 1940 Mercury heads. On the top "side" are the part numbers typical of all heads. these of course are 99AS 6049 and 6050.
I have documentation that dictates this was a special order car with the Merc engine.
If anyone is so interested, I would explain the process that was necessary to acquire a '40 Ford built in this fashion back in the day.

We've discussed this before,but my 2 40 convs.never had cowl tags as near as I can tell.The one has holes for a tag,and the firewalls are different from each other.My 40 coupe has the same firewall as one of the convs.,but the firewall that is in the other is the same as the one you pictured a while back.
The engine in one has aluminum Canadian heads with a 4 barrel intake and headers.The modifications to the engine was done before 1968.

[Kube]

Originally Posted by Milt/Las Vegas

We've discussed this before,but my 2 40 convs.never had cowl tags as near as I can tell.The one has holes for a tag,and the firewalls are different from each other.My 40 coupe has the same firewall as one of the convs.,but the firewall that is in the other is the same as the one you pictured a while back.
The engine in one has aluminum Canadian heads with a 4 barrel intake and headers.The modifications to the engine was done before 1968.

There was an "early" firewall and a "late" firewall... both somewhat different from one another. No doubt one of your cars was an early build. That would explain the differences you note.

[Milt/Las Vegas]

Originally Posted by Kube

The convertibles were to receive a tag on the cowl that indicated body number - nothing more. Some folks have told me their convertible never had one and had shown no sign of one. I can't argue with that. I can tell you that the convertibles were supposed to get a cowl tag.
The heads do not have Mercury upon them. They do have the "T" on the face of them, as do all 1940 Mercury heads. On the top "side" are the part numbers typical of all heads. these of course are 99AS 6049 and 6050.
I have documentation that dictates this was a special order car with the Merc engine.
If anyone is so interested, I would explain the process that was necessary to acquire a '40 Ford built in this fashion back in the day.

The heads on one of my 40 convs.have C7RA6050B made in Canada and are aluminum.

[Kube]

Originally Posted by Milt/Las Vegas

The heads on one of my 40 convs.have C7RA6050B made in Canada and are aluminum.

Sounds like a much later engine than 1940.

[Milt/Las Vegas]

Originally Posted by Kube

Sounds like a much later engine than 1940.

The prefix would indicate 57,but I didn't think that heads were being produced that late.

[19Fordy]

"Kube": You are amazing.