1938 Deluxe

[Bazooka Joe]

Seen a person advertising what looked like a 39 Ford Standard Coupe body with a 38 Deluxe front clip. The person was adamant his car was a 38 Ford Deluxe. He said they ran out of 38 bodies later in the production year and used early 39 Standard bodies. The Dash looked like a 39 Dash but was modified. The car looked like it has been Hot Rod somewhat. Never read of Ford using a 39 Standard body as a stop gap for 38 Deluxe coupes?

[flatford8]

I talked to a man with a ‘41 Tudor Sedan...... he insisted it was a ‘40..... his reason ??....40’s are worth more!!!!..... Mark

[corvette8n]

That's why you have to look at the numbers on the frame. I had my son look at a '46 Ford at a dealership, I asked the salesman if the numbers matched the title he sent me a picture of the frame, you could clearly see it was cut out from another car and welded on top of the frame. I passed on that one.

[V8COOPMAN]

This one is a 'no-brainer', even for a 12 year-old Girl Scout. 1937 and '38 COUPES are a two-year-only body, Standard or Deluxe. 1939 and '40 COUPE bodies, Standard or Deluxe have an entirely different turret and trunk line than '38 Ford COUPES, Standard or Deluxe. You can look at the slope below the two windows down into the trunk on either one and see the difference right away. 1938s actually have a seam in the body below the two rear windows. The '39 is a smooth, gradual transition. DD


1938 Coupe





1939 Coupe











………….

[rockfla]

"THAT was his tale, I'm sitting on mine!"

[Bazooka Joe]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Originally Posted by V8COOPMAN

This one is a 'no-brainer', even for a 12 year-old Girl Scout. 1937 and '38 COUPES are a two-year-only body, Standard or Deluxe. 1939 and '40 COUPE bodies, Standard or Deluxe have an entirely different turret and trunk line than '38 Ford COUPES, Standard or Deluxe. You can look at the slope below the two windows down into the trunk on either one and see the difference right away. 1938s actually have a seam in the body below the two rear windows. The '39 is a smooth, gradual transition. DD


1938 Coupe





1939 Coupe











………….

Thankx for researching, but that was not the question.

[Bazooka Joe]

Originally Posted by corvette8n

That's why you have to look at the numbers on the frame. I had my son look at a '46 Ford at a dealership, I asked the salesman if the numbers matched the title he sent me a picture of the frame, you could clearly see it was cut out from another car and welded on top of the frame. I passed on that one.

In this case wouldn’t a 39 Standard Coupe fit on a 38 frame. As this person was advertising a 38 Deluxe, but it had a 39 Standard body and 38 Deluxe front clip. He was adamant it was a 38 Ford. Is there numbers on the body also. Would the number on the frame say what year the frame was built and used for that year?

[Kube]

Originally Posted by Bazooka Joe

Seen a person advertising what looked like a 39 Ford Standard Coupe body with a 38 Deluxe front clip. The person was adamant his car was a 38 Ford Deluxe. He said they ran out of 38 bodies later in the production year and used early 39 Standard bodies. The Dash looked like a 39 Dash but was modified. The car looked like it has been Hot Rod somewhat. Never read of Ford using a 39 Standard body as a stop gap for 38 Deluxe coupes?

Joe, The guy selling this car is full of sh--. I rarely swear, but gosh, this one takes the cake.
Ford DID NOT use '39 bodies to complete '38 Fords. No how - no way.
Walk away from this "deal". The guy selling it is either a crook and / or just plain ignorant.

[Kube]

Originally Posted by Bazooka Joe

In this case wouldn’t a 39 Standard Coupe fit on a 38 frame. As this person was advertising a 38 Deluxe, but it had a 39 Standard body and 38 Deluxe front clip. He was adamant it was a 38 Ford. Is there numbers on the body also. Would the number on the frame say what year the frame was built and used for that year?

No numbers on the body.
The serial number on the frame would tell you what year the frame is OR what number was stamped in to that frame at a later date.

It was quite common to replace a damaged front clip with one from a different year. You must realize that when these cars were simply "old used cars" and there bunches of them in salvage yards, it was most practical to get some parts that fit to repair the damage. Little consideration was given to "correct".

[mercman from oz]

Here are some good side by side comparison photos of the two model Coupes in discussion, the 1938 Ford Deluxe and the 1939 Ford Standard. The differences in the rear body work are obviously very different and easily visible in these side by side shots of the two models.

[Kube]

Originally Posted by Bazooka Joe

Seen a person advertising what looked like a 39 Ford Standard Coupe body with a 38 Deluxe front clip. The person was adamant his car was a 38 Ford Deluxe. He said they ran out of 38 bodies later in the production year and used early 39 Standard bodies. The Dash looked like a 39 Dash but was modified. The car looked like it has been Hot Rod somewhat. Never read of Ford using a 39 Standard body as a stop gap for 38 Deluxe coupes?

Just want to say Joe... perhaps it doesn't matter to you if this is a '38 or a '39. If not and the title is clear and matches the frame, the price is acceptable to you - go for it.
Just be assured there are no Ford built 39 Fords with a '38 body. So pay for a non-stock, modified car.
Any photos you can post?

[Bazooka Joe]

Originally Posted by Kube

Just want to say Joe... perhaps it doesn't matter to you if this is a '38 or a '39. If not and the title is clear and matches the frame, the price is acceptable to you - go for it.
Just be assured there are no Ford built 39 Fords with a '38 body. So pay for a non-stock, modified car.
Any photos you can post?

Thankx for the response, I never said I was buying the car, as I’m happy with my 39 Deluxe which I’ve own for 50 years. I feel I know a little bit about some model and years designation, of Fords lol. I just seen it advertised as a 38 Deluxe with a 39 Standard body. Mentioned that to him and said you may want to changed the listing to reflect the correct car you have. He was adamant that he was correct. I never heard of changing body’s either and researched it. Could not find nothing about it. To make matters worst another person came on the Ford site and backed him up and said mine is also a 38, by showing his 38 front clip car with 39 Standard coupe body car!

[Kube]

Originally Posted by Bazooka Joe

Thankx for the response, I never said I was buying the car, as I’m happy with my 39 Deluxe which I’ve own for 50 years. I feel I know a little bit about some model and years designation, of Fords lol. I just seen it advertised as a 38 Deluxe with a 39 Standard body. Mentioned that to him and said you may want to changed the listing to reflect the correct car you have. He was adamant that he was correct. I never heard of changing body’s either and researched it. Could not find nothing about it. To make matters worst another person came on the Ford site and backed him up and said mine is also a 38, by showing his 38 front clip car with 39 Standard coupe body car!

Joe, It's very difficult to fix "stupid".

[Bazooka Joe]

Originally Posted by mercman from oz

Here are some good side by side comparison photos of the two model Coupes in discussion, the 1938 Ford Deluxe and the 1939 Ford Standard. The differences in the rear body work are obviously very different and easily visible in these side by side shots of the two models.

Nice cars Thankx for sharing

[uncle buck]

Thanks guys for the pictures and education here. I just learned a lot on easy identification between the 2 models. While very similar , I never knew how to identify between them. Can you tell me whether the fenders are the same between 38 deluxe and 39 standard? I have a pair of front fenders hanging in my barn marked 38 deluxe and have been wondering if they would fit a 39 standard also.

[tubman]

There was a guy (I think on the H.A.M.B, or maybe here) who had a Model "A" roadster on '32 rails. The guy insisted that it was original Ford and that the factory "used up" the remaining Model "A" bodies in early 1932. No matter what anybody said, he was not to be deterred.

"Kube" is right. "you can't fix stupid" I'll be a little more forgiving and say "Ignorance is Bliss".

[Kube]

Originally Posted by tubman

There was a guy (I think on the H.A.M.B, or maybe here) who had a Model "A" roadster on '32 rails. The guy insisted that it was original Ford and that the factory "used up" the remaining Model "A" bodies in early 1932. No matter what anybody said, he was not to be deterred.

"Kube" is right. "you can't fix stupid" I'll be a little more forgiving and say "Ignorance is Bliss".

I need to adapt a little more PC I suppose.

[deuce_roadster]

I know of a car (coupe) in the Seattle area that the owner claims is a 40 and that "Henry Ford had all the left over 39 parts sent to California and assembled as 40s" Everything about the car is a 39 Ford. Ha the last thing Henry Ford would have done is ship the parts to California to be assembled, everything about him was "thrifty"! Why wouldn't he just assemble them where there parts were? Some pretty tall tales going on out there!

[tubman]

Originally Posted by Kube

I need to adapt a little more PC I suppose.

NOPE! Complete honesty is refreshing these days, especially when it come from someone of your stature.

[tubman]

There's a guy in town with a '40 pickup with '39 DeLuxe front sheet metal. Prettiest truck I think I've ever seen. Ford probably should have made it, but did they? NO.

[Kube]

Originally Posted by deuce_roadster

I know of a car (coupe) in the Seattle area that the owner claims is a 40 and that "Henry Ford had all the left over 39 parts sent to California and assembled as 40s" Everything about the car is a 39 Ford. Ha the last thing Henry Ford would have done is ship the parts to California to be assembled, everything about him was "thrifty"! Why wouldn't he just assemble them where there parts were? Some pretty tall tales going on out there!

If I am not mistaken (Dave Rehor - where are you?) much of the "overage inventory" was shipped to the NJ assembly plant for the last of the production year cars to be assembled.

This seems to make sense when interpreting the production numbers per month / per plant. I'd noted that at least in '40 production, NJ was the last plant to build cars.

Other "overage" inventory was shipped all over the place for service part replacement stock.

C'mon Dave, you know better than me for certain. Tell me please - am I full of poopy? Part way full?

[V8COOPMAN]

Originally Posted by tubman

"Kube" is right. "you can't fix stupid" I'll be a little more forgiving and say "Ignorance is Bliss".

Nope....Kube's wrong! You CAN fix "stupid", but your attorney fees are gonna end-up being prohibitively overwhelming. DD

[mercman from oz]

Regarding using up surplus previous model parts, in Australia, it is not uncommon to see a 1940 Ford Deluxe Fordor Sedan with 1939 Ford Teardrop Tail Lights, as per this example. Not that these cars are plentiful, as under 2000 1940 Ford Deluxe Fordor Sedans were sold in Australia, but over the last 40 years, I can recall seeing quite a few that came from the Factory like this. This issue is definitely not a one-off regarding this model.

[oldfordman33]

I have been driving fords since the early 50's and the way I remember the 38's was: 38 std. had the 37 body, and the 38 deluxe looked like the 39 std. Maybe at 83 my mind is playing tricks, but that is what I remember.

[Karl Wescott]

Originally Posted by uncle buck

Thanks guys for the pictures and education here. I just learned a lot on easy identification between the 2 models. While very similar , I never knew how to identify between them. Can you tell me whether the fenders are the same between 38 deluxe and 39 standard? I have a pair of front fenders hanging in my barn marked 38 deluxe and have been wondering if they would fit a 39 standard also.

1938 Deluxe and 1939 Standard share the same front fenders, inner fenders are very close except for the brake line cutout.

[Karl Wescott]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Originally Posted by oldfordman33

I have been driving fords since the early 50's and the way I remember the 38's was: 38 std. had the 37 body, and the 38 deluxe looked like the 39 std. Maybe at 83 my mind is playing tricks, but that is what I remember.

1938 Coupes and convertibles shared the same body stampings as 1937. There were of course dash, side molding holes (1938 only), garnish molding, and other trim differences. You can bolt a 1937 coupe rear fender on a 1938 and visa-versa.



1938 Standard Sedan was very similar to the 1937 humpback sedan, HOWEVER the rear of the body was reworked with hidden trunk hinges (1938) rather than exposed (1937) and the rear fender opening was "tweaked" so the 1937 and 1938 fender DO NOT fit the other year car. The convertible sedan and phaeton also had the "tweaked" fender opening and used the same fender as the standard sedan, except the RH had provision for the taillight.



1938 Deluxe sedan featured a completely new rear body (that was carried through 1940)


The cowl stampings were the same 1937, 1938, and 1939 standard. 1937 and 1938 standard front fenders mounted into a recess on the cowl. When they restyled the fenders for the 1938 deluxe they just mounted the fender above the 1937 recess and added a cage nut in the middle of the stamping.

[50fordcoupeman]

Originally Posted by tubman

There was a guy (I think on the H.A.M.B, or maybe here) who had a Model "A" roadster on '32 rails. The guy insisted that it was original Ford and that the factory "used up" the remaining Model "A" bodies in early 1932. No matter what anybody said, he was not to be deterred.

"Kube" is right. "you can't fix stupid" I'll be a little more forgiving and say "Ignorance is Bliss".

Think this happens to all of us that have a similar looking model year car. Had a guy tell me my avatar is a '49 and I was wrong that it is a '50. He would not be convinced-good thing it doesn't matter............

[ford38v8]

Originally Posted by 50fordcoupeman

Think this happens to all of us that have a similar looking model year car. Had a guy tell me my avatar is a '49 and I was wrong that it is a '50. He would not be convinced-good thing it doesn't matter............

I actually thought I was wrong once. As it turned out, I was mistaken.

[uncle buck]

Originally Posted by Karl Wescott

1938 Deluxe and 1939 Standard share the same front fenders, inner fenders are very close except for the brake line cutout.

Thanks for the clarification Karl