Chrysler Chev or Ford

[FlatheadTed]

I talked to the Chrysler boys on the week end and they reckon a 38/39 were better cars than ford ,better suspension etc ,and a 39 Chev would out run a Ford above 50 MPH .?? What say the Barn Boys ?

[Shadetree]

As a youngster I owned several old Fords and a 1948 Plymouth. The Plymouth handled and rode better than any of the Fords, but it wasnt long before a rod started knocking. Never owned a Ford that knocked no matter how I treated it. This was in the mid 50's. I thought if Plymouth would ever put a Mercury engine in their car, it would be perfect. But I don't believe a stock `39 Chevy would out run a stock Ford. Chevy's were bad about knocking too until 1953.

[Barry-ct]

Just ask them why there's so many more Fords from that era still around than Chevys or Chryslers?

[richard crow]

when i worked in a repair shop back in the 50 s we had a lot of people with fords chevys & chry cars 1935-1948 i can say this working on those old fords were a form of pusherment just compair the work involed in a clutch job valve job water pump .head gaskets in my opinon chry prods. were the best cars as far as mech but there styling was not half as nice as a ford. why so maney fords are still around i would say the hot rod use & there looks. and there speed

[Charlie ny]

Might be hard to believe but my buddys '50 Plymouth would walk my other buddys
'49 V8 Ford up to 50. By the time we got a hold of an 8 year old Chevy 6 for month
it smoked, the babbit rods were banging and/or we stripped the teeth off the
fiber timing gear.
Then I showed up with a '53 Olds Super 88 coupe and well you know....
Charlie ny

[DavidG]

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My Dad had a '52 Plymouth from new and it is difficult to believe that any car ever was worse. Poor handling, seriously deficient brakes. a clutch that performed like a period Buick Dynaflow transmission, and on and on.

[Ol' Ron]

The sportsmen rules were any car built before 1948. Engines had to be the same as the car. THe SNYRA had 75 cars 1 Buick, 1 chevy, and 1 Caddy. the rest were fords. Need I say more,

[jim1932]

Growing up I would hear about my Dad's Hudsons.... your survey is too narrow....haha

[FlatheadTed]

OK Jim better add the Hudson's .What about the moonshine Hornet

[40 Deluxe]

Regarding the '39 Chev vs. Ford: I think it's doubtful that the Chev would outrun the Ford, but here's the definitive test: Fill the gas tank on both cars and run them flat out until they run out of gas and see which one is ahead....... OOPS, wait a minute! The Chevy will never run out of gas; it will be parked with the rods hanging out the sides!

[f1builder]

nuthin outrun that old flathead ford (or hotrod lincoln).....remember that the roads in the 30's and 40's were basically dirt and gravel and the fords were proven to be the best for the era, over and over again.

[Fe26]

Originally Posted by Barry-ct

Just ask them why there's so many more Fords from that era still around than Chevys or Chryslers?

Bingo!

[jackson32]

I was there chevy banged and went on Chrysler would not start on a wet morning ford had poor brakes but always started and ran good pretty quick away from a red light Ford was always more fun to drive

[Seth Swoboda]

I work with a guy who has a 39 chevy coupe with a stock 6 cylinder engine. I have offered to race him in my 39 Ford pickup many times, he will never take me up on it. He must fear the flathead V8?

[Ken Arms]

I raced my buddy, 52 chevy 216 vs 52 ford v8 pickups. I smoked him bad!

[blucar]

This tread touches on a favorite subject of mine.. I can speak with some authority about all three of the makes mentioned..
My first car, bought with my own money in 1948 was a '40 Chevy coupe, paid $800. for it.. It was a great car, always started on cold winter mornings and could hold it's own against most Ford's and all Plym/Dodges..
In '49 I bought a '41 Chevy 4dr sdn.. paid $1,600 and change for it, I was 15 at the time and wanted a back seat for my friends and their girl friends to ride in.. The car was beautiful, but a a worn out rod knocking piece of junk.. By the time I could get rid of it the bottom had fallen out of the used car market, I sold the '41 for $300.
A couple more Chevy's filled my need for "wheels".. Had no difficulty out running the majority of Fords/Plyms,, Taking up the rod bearings was a constant challenge..
I finally got smart, in 1950 I put a GMC 270 CID 6 in my '38 Chevy 2dr.. Added a few speed accessories, Mallory ignition, larger carb and headers.. Nothing in Eastern Idaho could catch that car.. It would run off and hide from full race Merc's.. One sorry day a guy offered me a lot of money for the car, I sold it.. Really regreted it within a few days.. I next bought a '42 Chevy Delux coupe.. I was the king of the hill, had just about the newest car in school.. The engine promptly took a crap, tossed a rod out the side making a quick run to the hospital..
I put a 261 Chevy truck motor in the '42 with a few improvements, I was back in business.. Not many Fords could keep up with the Chevy, especially at high speed, the GM suspension out performed the Ford every time..
Financial problems forced me to sell the '42, I lost my part time job at the local hot rod shop.. My uncle gave me a '41 Ford, the block cracked one summer day, I pushed it in gulley after removing the trans.. My friend had a 41 Ford conv. with a bad trans, he said I could have the Ford.. I put my trans in the '41' had wheels again.. Wrong, with in a few short months the engine came apart.. The '41 conv. went in the gulley..
By chance I ran into the '36 Ford that I have owned for over 60 years. One of my teachers had owned it since new, he had purchased a new '52 Ford and was going to junk the '36. I talked him out of junking the car, gave him $125. for.. The odometer showed 51k.. The rest is history.
The Plym's/Dodges of the '30,40's, and 50's were great cars, if you kept them under 50 mph.. They were very good riding cars, with great brakes, however not very fast.. The one exception to the speed issue was the few cars that got re-powered with the Chrysler/DeSoto Spitfire engine.. This engine was 230 CID and ran very well.. A friend of mine put one in his '39 Dodge, a terrible looking car.. Wayne added multiple carbs and a Mallory ignition.. That Dodge would out run anything on the street at the time..
Why have so many Fords survived compared to Chevy, etc?, very simple.. The Fords thrived on neglect, the buggy type suspension was well suited for the poor roads of their time. Ford also mandated that his dealers carry a huge supply of spare parts at reasonable prices.. Fords recycling program for parts was way ahead of it's time...
A Ford rebuilt engine in the '40's could be purchased for $89., installed.. I have a copy of an old advertizement, which touts the availability and cost of re-manufactured Ford parts.
One last comment about Plymouth... see attached pix of my '39 Plymouth conv. coupe.. Need I say more..