help identifying 40 ford convertible

[deuce_roadster]

My friend who did the wood on my woodie also has a 40 woodie he brought up here to Washington from California. His Cal title has for the vin 81A-6050 which most of you will recognize as the part # for the left hand head!

[deuce_roadster]

Yeah, 95% of that cowl is the same as woodie, the dash fits both convertible and woodie.
Regular passenger cars are different. They took the cowl from a convertible.
Would be cool as is or restored if you can find the missing parts. A 39 convertible would have to be the donor.

[Kube]

Originally Posted by maneri

1940 dash for woody/convertible different than closed car dash pics??

The most notable difference is the width and the ends.
The open car dash is about 3/4" wider than the closed car dash.
The ends on an open dash curve upward much more so than the closed car dash.

[turbotank]

Originally Posted by mhsprecher

Fascinating thread and mystery solved. What are you going to do with it. Restore it, I hope.

yes this car is getting the double wammy restoration

[Gumpy]

Would be worth it to restore, great conversation piece thanks for sharing!

[turbotank]

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Originally Posted by Gumpy

Would be worth it to restore, great conversation piece thanks for sharing!

yes it has one hell of a story now ahhahahaha.

there is 21 years of its life i cant account for. i may do some more digging but were talking about someone who could be in the upper 90's by now

[Bill]

I recall seeing a picture of a "40 conv. sedan" in one of those Peterson magazines that were issued from time to time back in the 70/80s.I believe they called it a model that Ford never built. I have that book in my pile here. Now I have a reason to go look! Anyone else out there remember that? Bill

[turbotank]

Originally Posted by Bill

I recall seeing a picture of a "40 conv. sedan" in one of those Peterson magazines that were issued from time to time back in the 70/80s.I believe they called it a model that Ford never built. I have that book in my pile here. Now I have a reason to go look! Anyone else out there remember that? Bill

id be interested in that

[TJ]

Originally Posted by Kube

Ya know, I am going to follow this (interesting) thread and hopefully, no one will mind if I chime in here and there.
At this moment, I would like to comment on TJ's post:
TJ has very accurately pointed out how easy this car could have been created and also how easy it would have been to acquire the "paper" shown along with this car.

I like his "urban legends" comment. That reminds me of all the stories of the cars that came out of California museums. Must be thousands of car museums for that many cars to have been stored out there

As a followup, Lorin Sorensen did a book on the Ford Shows which included many of the World's Fairs. There was nothing in those books (photos or otherwise) showing a '40 convertible sedan. Lorin was a '40 guy and my wife worked for him typing many of his books and other publications. I'm sure if there was a '40 convertible sedan he would have written about it.

[39topless]

Originally Posted by V8COOPMAN

Where do you get so much invalid info? No 1940 FORD Convert Sedans! DD

Dear DD,
I am highly offended by your suggestion that I am an invalid. I may not be like I once was but I can still do for myself quite nicely.

[1942deluxe]

39topless, at least he didn't suggest you had reptile dysfunction.

[Milt/Las Vegas]

Originally Posted by Kube

The most notable difference is the width and the ends.
The open car dash is about 3/4" wider than the closed car dash.
The ends on an open dash curve upward much more so than the closed car dash.

Is the open car dash different in the speaker grille area?

[Milt/Las Vegas]

I remember reading some place that is was not all that uncommon for ford to use the same serial number on 2 different years.Anybody want to weigh in on that?I have a 40 coupe and 2 40 convs.and none of them had a body plate with the serial number on them.

[deuce_roadster]

Radio opening is the same on regular and conv/woodie dash.

[Reisterstown Ray]

I have a Ford and Mercury Chassis Parts and Price List catalog. It covers 1938-39-40-41 passenger cars and trucks. Copyright 1941 Ford Motor Company Dearborn, Michigan. Under 1940 Passenger Car Body types it lists Body Type 09A-74 Name Convertible Sedan [116" wheelbase]. This catalog is not a reprint, but a well used original. While a convertible sedan is listed I guess it is not proof it was ever manufactured. RR

[Kube]

Originally Posted by Milt/Las Vegas

Is the open car dash different in the speaker grille area?

The only differences between the open and closed car dashes I had pointed out in a previous post. No other differences.

[Kube]

Originally Posted by Reisterstown Ray

I have a Ford and Mercury Chassis Parts and Price List catalog. It covers 1938-39-40-41 passenger cars and trucks. Copyright 1941 Ford Motor Company Dearborn, Michigan. Under 1940 Passenger Car Body types it lists Body Type 09A-74 Name Convertible Sedan [116" wheelbase]. This catalog is not a reprint, but a well used original. While a convertible sedan is listed I guess it is not proof it was ever manufactured. RR

That's the Mercury (116"wb)

[Kube]

Originally Posted by Milt/Las Vegas

I remember reading some place that is was not all that uncommon for ford to use the same serial number on 2 different years.Anybody want to weigh in on that?I have a 40 coupe and 2 40 convs.and none of them had a body plate with the serial number on them.

The body plate does NOT reference the serial number. It only references the body number.
Your convertible had a plate on it when built. They often have gone "missing" through the years following.

[V8COOPMAN]

Originally Posted by Reisterstown Ray

I have a Ford and Mercury Chassis Parts and Price List catalog. It covers 1938-39-40-41 passenger cars and trucks. Copyright 1941 Ford Motor Company Dearborn, Michigan. Under 1940 Passenger Car Body types it lists Body Type 09A-74 Name Convertible Sedan [116" wheelbase]. This catalog is not a reprint, but a well used original. While a convertible sedan is listed I guess it is not proof it was ever manufactured. RR

Originally Posted by Kube

That's the Mercury (116"wb)

Kube is correct, as usual. The "9" in 09A-74 refers to Mercury, where-as the "1" in 01A- refers to Ford production. DD

[maneri]

heard once that if a model year was left over to the next year--- that the next year date went on the title like late 1929 sold in 1930 was titled a 1930