1939/1940 Ford convertible sedan

[Fancy Dancer]

I have just purchased this car; it is titled as a 1939 s/n 184989374 and body number 2559. But it looks mostly like a 1940. Wheels and brakes, front end, dash, column shift. The only 1939-type appearances are the rear fenders, and there are no quarter windows on the front doors.

Do I have the result of some hyperactive body shop guy who spliced two cars together?

I would appreciate any guidance. Thanks!!!

Dan Snyder

[paul2748]

I thought 39 was the last year of the convertible sedans. A lot of the front sheet metal interchanged so 40 parts might be on your car. The brakes might have been changed to get rid of the wide fives, again these were interchangeable

Your vin number should tell you of the year?? Isn't the 18 the year id?

[Milt/Las Vegas]

I thought all 40s vin#s started with I85,the 5 must indicate 40.

[roadster36]

Originally Posted by Milt/Las Vegas

I thought all 40s vin#s started with I85,the 5 must indicate 40.

Vin #s for 1939 started with 18-4661001 and ended with 18-5210701. Ford did not make any 4-door convertibles for 1940 and only made 3,561 of the convertible sedans for 1939. I have seen quite a few '39's with '40 sheet metal on them. They are nice cars. - Dennis

[roadster36]

Lots more room than a convert. coupe.

[G.M.]

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They made a few 1940 Mercury convertible sedans. G.M.

[Vic Piano]

If your body # is 3561, I would guess that that is the last one Ford Built because 3,561 Convertible Sedans were built in '39, the last year of production for the Convertible Sedan in the Ford line. As GM noted, Mercury built a Convertible Sedan (very small run) in '40 however, nothing body wise is interchangeable between the Ford & Merc. We have owned a ’39 Ford CS for twenty years, our cars body # is 1507. I’d love to see some photos of your car, if you can post them, please do. Vic

[jerry grayson]

Originally Posted by Fancy Dancer

I have just purchased this car; it is titled as a 1939 s/n 184989374 and body number 2559. But it looks mostly like a 1940. Wheels and brakes, front end, dash, column shift. The only 1939-type appearances are the rear fenders, and there are no quarter windows on the front doors.

Do I have the result of some hyperactive body shop guy who spliced two cars together?

I would appreciate any guidance. Thanks!!!

Dan Snyder

You would not have to be "a hyperactive body shop guy" to make the changes you describe. All that you mention are bolt on things.

[Joe KCMO]

In my experience, it was and continues to be very popular to update 1939 ford to 1940 Fords. Many items like headlights, dashes, fenders were changed for styling(Dash) and upgrades (sealed beam lights). Some things are more difficult, windshield wiperes above the windshield. A convertible is hybrid of both. I would think a floor shift would be a good indication of a 1939.

[TonyM]

Originally Posted by Joe KCMO

In my experience, it was and continues to be very popular to update 1939 ford to 1940 Fords. Many items like headlights, dashes, fenders were changed for styling(Dash) and upgrades (sealed beam lights). .

Don't know why. The 1939 styling is much more smooth and graceful. The 1940 grill and headlights looked tacked on -- and they are. To each his own.

[Fancy Dancer]

Here are some photos of my CS - obviously a work in progress!

[jerry grayson]

Originally Posted by Fancy Dancer

Here are some photos of my CS - obviously a work in progress!

Well it has to be a 39 as no 40 CS's were built. The serial number on the frame next to the steering gear will tell you about when it was built. The car has added 40 H/L buckets and bezels, 40 nosed hood and 40 deluxe grill, 40 dash and column shift and transmission. The fenders are the same for both years.What year taillights does it have? I would think that a person going to all this trouble would use 40 T/L's. It probably Was done years ago and he must have had a parts car.
It would be a neat car to use as is, but to return to original would require a parts car.

[jerry grayson]

Originally Posted by Fancy Dancer

Here are some photos of my CS - obviously a work in progress!

I forgot to add that it has 40 front bumper and arms and I would bet that it has a 40 rear bumper?

Fancy Dancer, neast car. I have two (2) 1939 Ford Convertible Sedans. One is body #2557 and the other is body #12. Body #12 for sale. This car date codes to 1938 manufacturing and is 100% complete and 100% original. Very interesting history for both of these cars.

[Bruce Lancaster]

And...all 221 inch Ford serials from 1932 through 1942 begin with "18", the designation for the engine series.
The large number following is just a sequence number, a certain range of which numbers correlate with the 1940 model year. There was an 18-1 serial number!
All '40's fall into the 5 millions, but the 5 doesn't mean anything except as part of the sequence, and 5's overlap into both 1939 and 1941.

VanPelt's excellent site gives numbers:

http://www.vanpeltsales.com/FH_web/f...ialnumbers.htm

...so dig down to your frame and figure out what your chassis actually is.
Car has column shift, so if it is still on a '39 frame the original serial is gone with the '39 trans, but it was repeated on the frame rail.
And yes, really neat car!

[aaron griffey]

That's a great idea, making a '39 into an otherwise nonexistant '40 convertible sedan.
There was a west coast retactable hardtop that was changed into an Edsle by chaging fenders & rear quarter panles,etc. I have also seen a "Cadillac" ElCamino.

[Joe/Ct]

I believe that the front fenders are '40, as is the front grill (a '40 deluxe). Also, the shift on the column indicates a '40, as the shift for the '39 was on the floor. I also believe tha the body is a '40 because the wipers on below, not above the windshield (as it is on the '39), although this may be just a pecularity with convertibles. Of course, the hood has been "altered", as it looks neither like a '39 or '40.

[sawzall]

I couldnt find one.. so I made one..



clem is right.. you can pack about 10 people in. on around it..

i have a friend with a merc conv sedan that convinced me to build this..

now I am hooked on 40's.

[Henryat1140]

That is really snaky looking!

How about some details? Was it a 39 Convertible Sedan to begin with and not a 40 four door?

What problems did you have to solve along the way?

Thanks

Henry

[barryfromvictoria]

all converts and wagons from `37-`40 had cowl mounted windsheild wipers