Look what Jamie found! This Ford is truly an amazing survivor, whether it’s a survivor since new or from restoration over 50 years ago. Thanks Jamie! This car really is like it just drove out of a time machine. The owner has been showing it and winning trophies for 50 years. You’ll find it listed on eBay in Portland, Oregon. Bidding is over $10,000 with the reserve not yet met. The paint is original with just a few little touchups.
The interior is amazing. If this Ford had been restored when the owner purchased it in the 1960s, the restoration appears to have been done very well.
Things appear very tidy and original under the hood, almost too tidy.
It’s really nice on the bottom side as well. Could an unrestored car this old, even with only 60,000 miles look this nice?
Whether an older restoration or a survivor, this old sedan looks really nice in the pictures. If there’s someone willing to pay what the seller thinks this old Ford is worth they will have a nice car. It’s hard to believe any car almost 80 years old this nice could be original, but could it? In any case, wouldn’t this be great for weekend drives? Could you enjoy it or would you want to preserve it? I would prefer this Ford to an over restored example but would really prefer a survivor showing a bit more life.
I LIKE it! Don’t necessarily believe the seller/flipper, as it looks way too good to be true, but if it is a restoration — as I think — it’s a very good one. After 78 years, I’m pretty sure any car, no matter how well-maintained, is going to show more wear — okay, “patina” — than this.
Personally, I’d say the current bid price is fair, but the reserve is sure to be much higher. Too bad, as whoever is willing to fork out the reserve money likely won’t drive it, and I don’t think much of cars that aren’t driven.
If I could afford it, I’d make sure it showed more “life,” David! And probably a stone chip here or there (patched, of course), tread wear and fingerprints on the steering wheel. Always dug Fords of this era, and couldn’t bring myself to keep it off the road.
Very nice car. I think this is a good example of how these cars should look. This beats some of those way over the top restorations in my opinion.
If restored in the sixties, new old stock upholstery, and parts, would’ve been less than thirty years old. No acrylics and naugahydes for that restorer. Very, very handsome.
Drive it, enjoy it and take care of it. I don’t care if it’s been restored somewhere along the line; what I see is pure gold and it would be very welcome at my place. I wish I could afford to bring it to my place….
Seller also has a 356 listed…..
Sorry for the red herring, love the Ford!
Who knows where Ford would have gone with this car if it hadn’t been interrupted by the war. I wonder how many officers drove these.
100% sure its restored at some point. Nice Ford))
Original not restored, mmm, I’ve got the Sydney harbour bridge for sale if anyone wanting to buy. The 39 is certainly beautiful, but it’s not original.
Some people say original for a car that has not been modified.
It looks great but it’s a restored car too nice to be orig but still looks great, hope it gets a great home.
Seats and door panels are two different colors, but overall I would love to have this one. The 60’s and 70’s were prime time for the guys that enjoyed these cars when younger to find them again and restore them. A few meticulous ones did stellar jobs. A lot of parts were not reproduced at the time and NOS parts were readily available, so some got really nice restores like this one.
Edit: Just left BF and looked at the photos and seller’s claims on the auction site. I’d love to look over this one in person, could tell in a flash if original or not. It may well be an extremely well cared for example rather than a restore. Seats and door panels look same color in other photos.
What is the e-mail to send in finds for consideration. I lost it and cannot find it shown anywhere on the site.
It’s submissions@barnfinds.com (or tips@barnfinds.com)
Thank You
This car is listed on the seller’s website for $29,995. The ebay ad says it’s listed on behalf of Monte Shelton. Monte is the longtime owner of the Jaguar dealership in Portland, Ore. He is a noteworthy car collector and racer and is something of a legend in these parts.
http://www.charvetclassiccars.com/currently-available.html
I believe the correct terminology would be ” restored to OEM specifications ” gorgeous car, but no way it’s going to bring nearly $30k.
No disrespect intended, but I would be far, FAR more likely to take David Charvet’s word for its originality (and Monte Shelton’s, and the conclusions of the preservation-class judges at ACCA national shows) than the uninformed sour-grapes blather on Barn Finds. Just sayin’.
Now back to your regularly scheduled program. Very nice car, by the way.
Too many nice 2 door cars out there for 30K or less, maybe not 39. But 49, 59, 69 or any year in between. My first car (a high school graduation present in 74) was a 51 Ford Custom with 3 on the tree and the V8 flathead. 100 HP. But there were some overheating issues in the So. CA hot summers. The 39 with 85 HP seems it would be under powered. In my 60’s I want something with A/C, Automatic, P/S, PB and Cruse Control if I am going to spend 30K.
Nice car, great to see how far we have progressed.
Pictures taken on Terwilllger Blvd in Portland’s West Hills. An appropriate place because the blvd was built as a parkway for touring the scenic beauty looking out from the West Hills overlooking east over Portland and beyond A beautiful car, just think it is overpriced. I tried to see whether it was converted to hydraulic brakes but could not tell. I remember as a kid my dad saying that bought a ’39 Ford after getting out of the Marines in 1945 and that the mechanical brakes on it were terrible. We also had a ’50 Ford like the one listed on the sellers website.
This is a great looking car, but the price is way too high! I purchased the 1941 Chrysler Royal that was on BF one month ago. I checked out the craigslist listing, telephoned the seller, and ONLY after confirming that Scott had not contacted him, I spoke extensively with the seller. I soon developed a comfortable level of trust and offered to buy the car unseen, contingent upon a reasonable cost to ship it across the country to CT. After getting the shipping costs, I phoned him the next day and confirmed the purchase. I speak with the seller regularly and we have agreed to wait till Spring to ship the car. I’m glad I called the seller when I did because an agent for a foreign buyer had called him after I did. The car is not restored. The seller sorted out all the things that we would whave done. Needless to say I am anxious to get it home. Wayne (not me) was right when he wrote, “snooze and you lose.” While it is unfortunate that Scott wasn’t able to make the deal, I hope you understand that at least a fellow BF reader bought and will enjoy the 41 Royal. I would also like to add a couple of comments. To Howard A. – looking thru ebay, Hemmings, and BF, I not only got a good deal, I got a great deal. And the Spitfire 6’s were indeed painted red as evidenced by viewing other 41 Royals on youtube. Wayne in CT
39 was the first year for hydraulics for Fords. Love the look, too much money for me.
Then it must have been a ’36-38. I remember him saying that every time you hit the brakes you didn’t know which direction you were going to go. He also kicked himself for selling his 1929 Model A while he was in the South Pacific in ’42-43 which he said was better condition than the car he bought after WW2. My grandfather wrote him and said a guy wanted to buy it and the price was 2 or 3 times what he paid for it. He wrote his father and said to sell it not knowing at that time he would ever make it home alive because the Marines were taking high casualties and he had been there since April or May of ’42. In ’63 we went on a Christmas vacation to California to visit friends and relatives he had not seen since the end of WW2. There was some older cousin that had a 1929 Model A that he had bought new and that was an immaculate kept daily driver that he was trying to sell for $500.00. That was a lot of money then as the car we drove, a ’63 Rambler Classic he had just bought new 3 months before for $2,400.00. My dad agonized over whether to buy it but in the end he passed on it. I am sure he regretted it to the day he died.
Not as bad as I feel for selling my 1951 Jowett Jupiter in 1977 for $1,200. They now go for $72K. I traded a 1962 Impala with a 409 auto that I had purchased for $150. I would also, like to have the 62 back as well.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jowett_Jupiter
Did not sell the first time around, has been relisted:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/162367093585?ul_noapp=true