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Even the Ford faithful may have a hard time identifying this one. It is a 1939 Ford Eifel and the reason you probably don’t recognize it, is because it was built in Germany. That’s right, a German Ford. It may not look like much now, but these were very handsome when new. We really don’t know all that much them though so if any of you can fill us all in, it would be appreciated. This one is being offered here on eBay along with a few other cars and huge stash of parts by the son of the late owner. Thanks goes to Rick D. for the submission.
Thanks for setting up this site Jesse – I too love old cars and have owned a large variety – I find your page inspirational!
Hello
This is a fairly old discussion. Still so.
I just bought an identical Ford Eifel 1939 in a very similar state of disrepair. As one can see on the location of the direction indicators (behind the suicide doors) it is a 38 or 39, for which the bodies where hand made by Deutsch, a specialist car body manufacurer in Kologne (just next door to the Ford factory). It is not quite as rare as said here, but with about 45 of them in the Ford owners register still very unlikely that you will meet another one on the road. Having said so, with mine there are now three of them within 2 miles of my house.
Does anyone knows the current owner? I would like to get in touch with him.
Frank
A restored version: http://www.autowp.ru/pictures/ford/eifel/autowp.ru_ford_eifel_cabriolet_1.jpg
That is a fine looking little car!
Take a look from behind: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jk1971/8540811585/
wow nice & I have to say I haven’t seen one of these.
From the little I know about these there were 2 versions. At least they looked different in the front, but not sure about the rest. The rad cowl of the early ones resembled the early ’30s US Ford cowl, maybe the ’33 or ’34 Ford. The later Eifel rad cowl, like this one, was changed to look more like the later US Ford rad cowl, similar to the ’37 Ford. I guess the German Ford branch wanted to have a family resemblance.
I bet this little cabrio would look very slick once it’s restored. With the rust in this car, that will take a lot of work, and I can’t see the high cost being recovered at the end, unfortunately. Still I hope someone steps up to the plate and restores it, since its 1 of 7 left if the description is right, but I wonder whether that’s 1 of 7 cabrios (only), and in No America or on the whole planet. If nobody else steps up, the Ford museum in Greenfield Park, MI should. I just did a quick search on their website and came up dry for ‘Ford Eifel’, so it looks like they don’t. But they should! Letter-writing campaign, anyone?
Someone just posted a photo of a scribbled note on our facebook wall with what I presume to be the number of Eifels left in the world? Here’s a link: http://tcbid.com/ftp/tcbid/images/eflit/2.JPG
Looks like there are 7 1937 cabrios left. 41 cabrios total. Roadsters are the most plentiful, but that is the one I want. Looks similar to a BMW. Well, sort of..
Wonder what the Ligforwagen was?
Lousy handwriting.
Actual spelling is LIEFERWAGEN and means delivery vehicle
Thanks for correcting that HR. Turns out that this list was written by the original owner of the car. His son uploaded the image along with several others of Eifel brochures and literature that his father had collected. Better keep an eye on his eBay account because his dad had quite a stash of old Ford stuff.
That restored version looks great. I have no doubt that there won’t be another one like it in any show’n’shine over here. I’d be tempted to look into a project like this one but I’ve got too many projects in various states of restoration. It would still be a worthwhile project.
That would make a cool street rod.
You know, when you take a good look at it, it would make an exceptional street rod. You’d certainly be unique. But when you consider how rare a car like this is, it would be blasphemy to build a street rod out of it. This is an artifact, a piece of history and it needs to be restored and preserved. And driven too.
Good Point! It is too rare to modify. Restore this to original, however a fiberglass replica of this car would be nice as a street rod.
Nice lines and a surprising survivor. That black and white version is a pretty car. I’d like to see this one restored with a red/black paint combination. The engine looks like a four cylinder and could possibly be one of the Ford Germany 5 main bearing versions. This sure would be neat with a restored late 30’s V8 flat head.
One of 7, I think it should remain as stock as possible, but restored.
What a terrible description on Ebay. He gives the history of the brand but, says virtually nothing about the car itself–are the parts there, does the engine turn, etc. Also, I would guess his estimated restored value of $140K is a tad high–it’s not a Horch. Wonder what the reserve is.
I used to see these while stationed in Germany in the sixty’s, there basically in the volkswagen class of transportation. Yea, the $140thou value is very optmistic indeed. Restoration costs for metal fabrication will drain the money account. I doubt a reatored one would break $40thou at best.
I looked at the sellers other items, glad I dont need those parts, pricing borders larceny.
Here is a 1937 Eifel Roadster, the asking price is $130,000 Only 17 of those left
http://www.cars-on-line.com/62545.html
One in seven restored should be 100k+
I had a 1937 Ford 10 which was the British equivalent which I sold some time back, but still have my 1949 Prefect which I have had for almost 35 years. I am the second owner from new, and she still has only about 50 000 miles from new…….I say only, since the speedo cable was not working for a while. Fun little cars, and quite an experience to drive, hopping from bump to bump as it progresses down the road on it’s transverse springs!!!1
I’m normally a fan of originality but this is just too rare to leave it in such a sorry state.
The scary thing about this project is that it’s a cabriolet rather than a roadster. Lots more detail work to be done with all the parts associated with the weatherproof nature of a cab vs a roadster. Window seals, glass runs, window crank mechanisms, all parts that roadster’s don’t have.
Never heard of a 5 main bearing block for these. Can someone tell us more?
I was in error about a German 5 main bearing “A” block. A re-engineered 5 main bearing modern version of the “A” block, rods, crank and flywheel was CAD designed and CNC machined in prototype form in 2011. Look up modelaengine.com the design is clever as on the outside, it looks like a stock “A” block, but inside it is a present day standard fully pressurized, insert bearing engine with new design rods with a fully counter balanced crank and redesigned flow tested intake and exhaust ports.
Bidding got up to $5,100, but didn’t meet the reserve. It has now been relisted with a $15k starting bid.