Some automotive journalists think that interest in pre-war cars is not what it used to be, however true fans of barn find hotrods know that 1940 Ford coupes like this one, up for sale here on ebay in Tuscon, Arizona are still quite desirable.
Ford introduced the “De Luxe Ford” line around 1938, to bridge the gap between their base-model lines (a.k.a. the “Standard”) and the Mercury and Lincoln offerings. The “Deluxe” name dates back to 1930, however people weren’t exactly lining up for new cars that year or the year before. The “De Luxe Ford” offered a more ornamental grille and sloped hood, style cues which were then applied to the lower models for the next couple of years. For ’40, you could choose from a straight-8 or one of two V8 powerplants, though none of them put out more than about 95 horsepower. Obviously, the events of late 1941 put a hold on further development of these (and all other passenger automobiles) for a while, but the 1940 Ford is today a very recognizable shape among the plethora of classics and antiques that are out there in the world. Interesting popular-culture side note: There is purple one in the 1958 classic film “The Blob” and a black one is in “Thunder Road”!
The example presented to us today has been modified and souped-up a bit. The description leaves us with a few questions, however we can see a classic combination of small-block Chevy (albeit not running at the moment) supplanting whatever was in there before, with Holley carb and finned Corvette valve covers. It’s rolling on what appear to be Torq-Thrust mags and some flavor of radial tires. The one interior picture, visible briefly in a video clip attached to the sale listing, shows an aftermarket steering wheel and some kind of covers over the front seat. We aren’t seeing any underbody pictures, however the exterior appears to have had a respray at some point, with no glaringly-obvious damage but a nice, easy patina that could shine up with a little effort.
All in all, it appears to be a decently solid machine that could be put back on the road easily enough, and that alone make it something worth checking out. I looked into this car a bit, and found that it is featured in a YouTube Short video at some point.
What do you think about it? Let me know in the comments!
Looks as though it was built as a street rod sometime in the late ’60s
to early ’70s judging by the time and the Chevy engine. Which I wanna say
is either a 327 or a 350 with Corvette
innards. If I recall correctly, you could
visit your local Chevy dealer and order all the parts over the counter to make
a 350 a real screamer. There was a fellow I read about in Rod & Custom Magazine that was looking to get more ponies from the 350 he already
had in his ’57 Chevy sedan. So either
Bud Bryan or Tex Smith gave him a
list of part numbers for Corvette goodies that bolt right up to a 350 block and asked him what the hell he
was waiting for! For a 55 year old, build this car has held up very well.
Should be fairly easy to get ‘er back on the road again– just wish it was me doin’ it!
A ’40 Deluxe coupe is one of the prettiest cars made. Done up in 60’s style it is perfect. The write up, however, leaves a lot to be desired: a ‘manual transmission. Really? Probably the stock ’40 but it would be nice to know.
At least it “comes with 2 doors”.
I didn’t see in the write up any mention of the asking price. I don’t want to open up eBay just to find out. And I don’t think FORD had a ‘straight eight’. It was either a four banger or the flathead V8.
@ Woofer so far it’s at $15,100.00 with 25 bids that ends on Wednesday @ 2 P.M.
Ford offered the flathead V8 but never a straight 8. They did offer a straight 6 beginning in 1941.
Current bid or $15K would be a steal. Not a Holley carb on there, it’s an Edelbrock. It has an HEI distributor but runs a generator instead of an alternator. Interesting mix of old and older.
Such a buzzkill, that SBC in such an iconic car like the ’40 Ford. This is exactly what I mentioned that on the AH 100 post. Since you’d be hard pressed to actually find a credible difference in a Ford or GM motor, why in blue blazes not keep it in the family? You want to raise some spirits, drop a 427 Cammer in there, with a big blue oval, I don’t know how we lost our way with that, can’t blame the imports this time. Well, maybe a little. You see, with imports being turned out like generic toasters, one differs little from the next. Wasn’t so here, a Ford was a Ford, and a Chevy was a Chevy, dagnabit, in good old boy fun, but I bet some teeth were lost over that argument. I think we lost that loyalty in more than just cars today.
The argument that I always hear for the reason that people use a Chev engine rather than a Ford engine is that the Chev spares are cheaper, their engines are lighter, and the spares are more readably available than Ford.
Dead Chevy mtr….now put a FORD mtr..in her please.
Maybe not dead. I don’t see a fuel line from the adjustable for to the carb, and the electric choke isn’t powered. The wiring under hood is pretty janky so I’d straighten that out before attempting to start it. I’m all for buying a Ford motor for it, and buying a Ford transmission for it, motor mounts, transmission mount, exhaust adapters. . . Etc, etc, etc. Then gettin the Chevy running doesn’t sound so bad after all.
Agreed, in a perfect world, stick with a Ford motor. A 351 Cleveland would be nice. But at this point, it’s not “numbers matching” so get it running !
I would be real wary of this car and couldn’t consider a bid without an inspection. It’s the stuff the seller doesn’t show that concerns me the most. What we do see is rough, perhaps hacked together. No real side views but one from a weird angle – look at the fit of the right rear wheel to the fender. Caveat Emptor has never even more appropriate.
Forty Ford coupes are like 57 Chevies in that most people like them, and I am one of those people. In a perfect world to me this one would have a Ford flathead V8. I’d be OK with a later flathead engine with the distributor up where you can actually get to it, in fact that would be my preference. I’d want to keep the shifter on the column and I would want a good sounding set of dual exhausts. I’d loose those mag wheels for a set of steel wheels with whitewall tires, and then just drive it after making sure it’s safe. I don’t really like that yellow paint either but changing that would come later.
Saw the yellow paint and the mags and knew without reading a word, it was a generic 70’s hot rod, with the Chevy “Corvette” engine all chewed up and spit out.
Ford only offered a 60 and 85 horse flathead in 1940. No straight eight.
Have Ford EVER offered a straight eight?
Never
It does say on the ebay ad 327 CID and 3 on the tree.
Barn Find. Natural Patina! Chevy 327CID. 3 on the tree. Holley. AFCO Radiator
Obviously not a Holley.
I don’t care for a Chevy in a Ford but that’s what was done in the sixties, would be fun to get this running again and upgrade brakes and maybe a 4 speed and new tires and interior.
40 Ford Coupes are icons in Hot ROD history and this one is a perfect example of one from that era. If the bid stays under 20 K this would be a good buy and a great project. For all you haters out there ,think about this 60ish icon Hot ROD. It has had a small block Chev.y in it ,twice as long as it ever had a Flathead. In the 60’s it was just the go to engine. It was the standard and what was expected. I had many early Fords with SBC and loved them
The fact remains that someone did manage to spray Ford blue on the Chevy motor at some point. JS
Gotta agree with Joe Haska. My high School years in San Diego were ’53-’57. Hot rods and drag racing at Paradise Mesa was our deal. The top rods were any deuce (’32) with less than 4 doors and ’40 Fords (same door rule). Money was hard to come by for us, but a good engine from the local wrecking yard was doable if you worked a few full summers. The Chev 265-283 was the easiest transplant of any others; the firewall usually needed to allow access to the ignition. Y-block Ford, not so easy… The small block 221/260/289 didn’t come around until 1962, and even then caused problems because of the reverse oil pan sump which landed right on the front axle – problem solved in late ’64 with a Bronco pan (rear sump), but way late in the game – easiest and least expensive was the Chevy – hard as it was for many of us blue oval lovers to stomach (and they were FAST!) , quickly bringing us into the scatter shield recommended era. Blue in blue is much easier to proclaim now – real-time economics of the ’50s and early ’60s made us act otherwise, penny-wise, very little pound-foolish. Buy the car, it’s only ten times more expensive than back in the day…
David Scully —– Well said !
Have Ford EVER offered a straight eight?
No
It’s Tucson, Tucson, Tucson…not Tuscon.
Tuxson
Toucan! Ha Ha!
Founded by a Chinese family with no daughters…
Just two sons. 😊
I’m with Joe Haska and David Scully. People who condemn small block Chevy engines in Ford cars weren’t there. Back in the 60s, hot rodders were guys with little money but reasonable mechanical skills and a few tools. Chevy V8s were cheap, plentiful, and well supported by speed equipment. Ford V8s were a couple of inches longer, heavy, and lacked aftermarket upgrades. Chevy engines were the logical choice.
This 40 Coupe is period correct with the Chevy and would be a nice project. But at $15,000 would need a personal inspection.
The fact remains that someone did manage to spray Ford blue on the Chevy motor at some point. JS
There’s no mention of a title for this car and you can’t contact the owner on ebay, this could be a problem when you try to register it. Just saying.