Old barn find hot rods are our version of an archaeological dig. Looking at the parts and pieces and the changes made can tell an educated eye when and sometimes where a car was made. Its like carbon dating for gear heads. There were a number of different movements and styles in hot rodding, and survivor cars from these are an important part of our history. This 1935 Ford three-window coupe, found on eBay in Orange, California gives us a glimpse into the modifications an average hot rodder made to their ride. While solid and complete, this car comes with a hefty price tag. With a buy it now price of $33,500 and a starting bid of $27,000, do these modifications make the car worth more than the average ’35 Ford coupe in good condition?
The exterior modifications consisted of replacing the wire wheels with steelies, lowering the front end, modifying the grille to remove the Ford logo and the V-8 emblem, and the addition of hydraulic brakes. The changeover to hydraulics, which consisted of removing the mechanical pieces and replacing them with parts from a 1939 and up Ford, was and is a common modification. With the additional speed parts added to the engine, adding better brakes was a good idea. 1939 and later Fords were also heavier cars, so the improvement to a fairly light car would have been significant.
Looking around the car, we can see a number of issues that would need to be addressed if the car were restored to stock or as a mild custom. The bumper guards are missing, and the bumpers would have to be re-chromed. Chances are it would be cheaper to replace them with reproductions, which are still available. Even with the limited amount of chrome on this car, the chroming bill would likely be far more expensive than just buying reproductions. We can also see that the entire spare tire assembly is missing. This consisted of a wire wheel, a two-piece cover, a chrome trim piece, and an optional locking hubcap assembly that protected the tire from thieves. These pieces are not being reproduced, and are a bit expensive and hard to find. Also, the trunk lid is rusty, but the seller is including a replacement in good condition.
There is a lot of good news with this car as well. The chrome windshield frame, grille, and hood trim all look to be in good condition and quite usable. The headlight rings are also apparently in fine shape. Only the door handles and horn caps and trumpets would need to be re-plated or replaced. These are being reproduced, so no worries there. The running boards will need to be recovered, but the covers are also available. One other good point is that the car has a roll down rear window. That must have been quite a nice option to have on hot days.
Inside, we see the famous Ford banjo steering wheel. These were original to 1936 Fords, which were basically the same as a 1935 car minus some styling and mechanical updates. The steering wheel for 1935 was not a very beautiful design. Adding one of these banjo wheels was a very popular way to spruce up your car, and Ford dealers were only too happy to sell you one. A starter button has been added to the dash, but it contains a proper set of instruments. I cannot tell if these were from a 1935 or 1936 Ford. The gauges on 1936 Fords were easier to read and often added to cars later. The dash also is set up for a radio, but the car does not come with one. As for the rest of the interior, it was removed from the car and discarded. You can get a new interior kit from LeBaron Bonney if you want to go first class, but it will not be cheap.
The seat springs, glass, and window regulators are out of the car but included with the sale. The wood in the car appears to be original, and Fords of this era still had a significant amount of wood in them. So much so that Ford owned his own forests to harvest that wood, sawmills to process it, and an army of craftsmen to build seat assemblies, and install floorboards and structural wood. Ever frugal, Ford even ground up the wood scraps and pressed them into briquettes. Bags of these, along with portable grills, were sold in Ford dealers. Where do you thing Kingsford Charcoal came from?
Under the hood is the standard assembly of Flathead Ford speed parts. This later 24 stud engine was modified with a two carburetor Edelbrock manifold that allowed the owner to keep the generator in place. It was also blessed with a set of aluminum Offenhauser finned heads and a set of Fenton headers. While the setup likely didn’t add a tremendous amount of grunt, an extra thirty or so horsepower in this coupe was surely welcome. The seller tells us that the engine fires right up, doesn’t smoke, and the car can be driven onto a trailer. I do think I would add some air cleaners before going anywhere. Sadly, there is no mention of the original 21 stud engine going with the car.
Overall, this car is a good candidate for a proper restoration. You would have to replace the engine, radio, wheels, and a trim piece here or there. However, this car has a solid body, and parts to restore it back to original are out there. Another option would be to restore it to what it looked like when it cruised the streets as a mildly modified hot rod. I think I would probably do the latter. Paint the car its original black, strip and re-paint the wheels red, polish up the hubcaps and trim rings, restore the drivetrain, replace the interior, and make a very nice touring car out of it. These coupes are popular with Great Race participants, and the modifications made to turn these into reliable cross-country rally cars are easy to do.
This car deserves to be fixed up and driven, but the seller might have to lower the price a bit to find the right buyer.
Things like this are so cool to find. I wonder if the person who built it is still around today? What it would be like to reunite with that person and chat with them about the build. What A unique lesson that would be.
One thing I love about my collection is finding out the history of each unit. I bought my ’47 Ford pickup back in ’67 and shortly after that met the original owner, who had bought the truck locally. I didn’t realize that I was attending school with his kids. I had a good visit with him and he told me some interesting anecdotes. My ’49 Chevy is another story, and I know the legacy of it from the time it was new, including the dealership it came from. I found the second owner of my wife’s ’57 Poncho but haven’t had much luck tracking down the first. But I keep trying…
Despite my being an “originality freak,” there’s a good case to be made for “restoring” this car as modified!
I like it, not enough to pay that much for it but like it just the same. I know it’s not the same year, but it would look good as a California Kid Clone IMO. It’s already been changed enough that it wouldn’t make a lot of different in the scheme of things IMO.
I think you mean archeological dig…though an architectural dig could be fun also I suppose..
@Kyle Henricks – Here’s your smily face. 😁Thumbs up.
The software we use to write the articles has a spelling correction feature. I remember spelling archaeological correctly, but it must have changed it. Sorry I didn’t catch it when I proofread the final draft. I will admit to mistakenly writing 5 window instead of 3 window!
I hope it finds a good home. This is the type of car desteves a “sympathetic” restoration on. Older hot rods didn’t survive in great numbers, most were turned into bland billet laced or monochromatic street rods over the years.
Steve R
To paraphrase Rob Schneider’s character in the 2002 comedy movie classic “The Hot Chick”; this car makes my heart beat faster… and slower at the same time.
This 1935 Ford five window coupe ??
I’d say restore as modified including the colour. Even though I’m not big on orange it would be historically correct to the original builders vision and would be a way of honouring that. I too think that air filters might be a good idea I guess the air wasn’t as dusty back then. The price would be out of my league, and like many of us on here we are just imagining what we’d do if it were in our hands nice find.
I owned a 35 ford 3 window when I was in high school. Then I got drafted and went to Viet Nam. Nobody was willing to help me store it and I had to let it go. Now I’m trying to replace it and regain what I lost back then.
woo doggies a hot rodder’s time capsule. Somebody’s pride and joy long ago. hate to use the P word but what a hoot to drive this with the body and drivetrain left alone. I think the seller shot himself in the foot with such a high starting price. Anyway, good luck to the new owner, would love to see this get into the hands of another rodder who can appreciate this fine example of American hotrodding!!!
Cheers
GPC
No this is a 3 window who ever built it did all the right stuff. All 3 Windows had roll down rear windows. I hope this gets put back on the street as a great example of what a hot rod was. I’ll bet there was a lot of engine mods you can’t see. Great find.
I hate to comment before Uncle Bob, but here’s the deal. At the sellers price, it would make no sense to restore this car to original. If you doubt that, check prices on, restored 35 Fords. It is a 35 and the good news it is a 3-window, more desirable than 5-windows and sedans. Many 35’s have been made into 36’s, as it is just the front clip, and 36’s were at one time more desirable than 35’s. All early Fords are on the down hill slide “Depreciating”. This car could be a very nice reorientation of a 50’s Hot Rod, all the good stuff is there, axel, wheels, engine, drive train , brakes, and of the items it needs, they are all easy or re-pop. The only problem, I see is the price, it is just too much too make this car affordable to Restore or Hot Rod , but besides all of that, I like it allot.
Taking a big risk aren’t you Joe not checking with uncle Bob before you post.
I was raised to respect my elders ; )…………so Joe’s fine with me.
How many guys on this board have held onto their old hot rod for decades as Joe has? My attention span is too short to pull that off.,………he da man.
Not $35,000 car unless that is restored price. It’s maybe $10-12,000 and that’s being generous. That’s crack pipe price.
I sold a similar one for 30K. Mine still had original paint and you could have driven it home. 3 windows are rare and cool.
It’s a cool car with lot’s of potential but not for the ridiculous buy it now price. The other problem is all the ZZ Top jokes you will get tired of hearing when you take it out. $33,500 could be spent better elsewhere. $10 grand and it would be something i would like ZZ Top aside.
Too costly IMO, for my bank account, but like such autos, especially old style rodded steel bodied flathead V 8.
By time redo is done, beginning at asking $, one could of bought other ginished rods.
I say Rods, because there is a difference in minds of old car fellas between Customized and Rodded.
Good start Joe. I’ve been watching this one for the 5 days it’s gone without the opening, no reserve bid of $27k just to see what the market still is. To me it’s a tad high at the open for 2-3 primary reasons. Were it a ’36 it might stand a better chance as they are slightly more popular.
The two biggest holes in the value bucket on this one are the complete lack of upholstery, and it’s close cousin the missing “door moldings” assuming he means the garnish moldings unique to a 3 window. Those two items could easily mean an additional $7-8k right there. The third hole are the holes…..the not insignificant, though repairable, cancer at the lower left trunk opening. Somewhat odd considering the nice condition of the floors, and apparent body panel cleanliness. While I see a lot to like about this car, you could spend an additional young ton on the “little things” depending on you tastes/desires. Needs brakes overhauled, a set of tires, running board covers, and likely a moderately long list of fix-it’s that could easily hit $4-5k without even getting into paint and chrome. I look at all that and think about the ’36 I did a dozen years ago for a fair bit less and marvel some. Even though I really like this one as a potential drivable project, I don’t know where the right money is, probably high teens to twenty (10-12 is crack think and I’d buy every one offered at that price that was as nice as this one or better).
Some esoterica; radios were very unusual in the mid 30s, what the advertiser is likely referring to is the hole in the center of the dash that held the ashtray for 99% of the 35s, though that is where the control head for the radio typically went in replacement. In addition to the differences Joe mentioned above, the 35 rear fenders were slightly different in shape, the sides of the cowl lacked strength ribs, and some of the interior trim pieces differed in design.
This advertiser also is auctioning a nice looking, very presentable ’31 A V8 with all the proper trimmings. His no reserve open is $22k which to me is also a tad fat, but not too far off where I would guess is right. It’s biggest advantage is it appears to only need a few maintenance items to be a very, very presentable and usable period rod.
Just like you uncle Bob, not sure what the $ number is ,but it certainly isn’t what the seller wants. I am sure your ash try comment is correct, early 30’s Fords with radios are very rare. I almost bought an original glove box radio for my 34, kind of of glad I didn’t ,they are cheaper now than they were 25 years ago. I saw that 31 on deuce rails, I liked it too, probably more than this coupe, but it to is a pretty big $ number. Also, for the random comment about ZZ top car, its was a 34,and I don’t think I have had one comment on my car from someone who knew that !
Bob, As usual we are in total sink, the sellers asking is way out of sight for a 35, even though it is a 3-window. I think 15K could be ok, but 20 or better ,you better be in love. Also sure your correct about the radio. Many years ago I almost bought a glove box radio for my 34. Glad I didn’t they are worth less, and they are pretty much worthless.
I saw the 31 on Deuce rails, I liked it too, but again the price seems a little optimistic, for the high boy market.
Side bar for the reader who mentioned ZZ Top that car is a 34, and I have never heard that comment on my 34, most ZZ top fans know what a 34 is, even though Billy Gibbons is a serious Hot Rodder. By the same scenario, I have seen him several times at car shows and no one knew he was !
For any interested in what the dash board looks like, this is a ’35 modified slightly to fit my ’32 sedan. The larger of the holes in the center is stock and where the ashtray goes (there’s a stainless garnish called a “waterfall” that surrounds it). The radio manufacturers made the control head to fit in that hole with removal of the ashtray, the head connected to the “box” containing the amp and tuner via cables. That box was typically mounted to the firewall below the dash with the speaker above in the header panel over the windshield.
Like this car, but can’t afford to buy it–
especially when our used cars sell for
the same price as this old Ford. I
recently went with my SIL to look at
some cars at the JB Byrider lot in Palm
Harbor, Florida. The cheapest car there
was a ’98 Chevy Malibu they were selling
for $33,500!!! The car was in average
condition and had 167K miles showing.
They wanted $2K down and $525 a month for 48 months! Gotta tell ya’, I
never thought I’d live to see a day when
a worn out ’90’s jalopy would sell for as
much as some classic cars do today.
Might as well put her in a good classic
car and turn her loose. As for this old
Ford, add some De Soto bumpers, fender
skirts, and that outside spare tire, and
you’ll have a winner. Great piece.
Hope it goes to a good home.
Hi Ken! I am coming your way this winter. Check out CL in Madison. Be happy to drive one down for you. Check this out, in the Village I live near. https://madison.craigslist.org/cto/d/1990-mazda-miata/6716778646.html
It’s a cool find. Nice upgrades on the motor. It seems too pricey for the amount of work needed but deserves a “modified” restoration. Good luck to the new owner!
Uncle Bob, I can’t recall ever seeing a 35 dash in a 32, but I think it is going to look good. Its not often that you can do something to a 32 that is different, and it looks good. Last year at Scottsdale, when I saw Georges High-boy Sedan in person, I told George just when I thought you couldn’t do anything different with a 32 you do this. Of course, the way George is, he says oh Joe, it was all Allan’s ideas. I said yeah, George you had no idea what was being built, I really believe that!
Joe, here’s a pic I just took showing it in the car for you.
Your commentary points up the silliness we sometimes hear about “all ’32 Fords look the same….”, or “cookie cutter”, or similar. To the uninformed that’s not surprising, they lack sufficient interest. To dedicated enthusiasts there are hundreds of possible points of interest in each build. Likewise with the ancient argument about hot rod versus “purist” restoration, and a particularly obnoxious comment often heard on here……….”chopping it up”. I guess my dash is “chopping it up”……..in this case I’ll take creativity over copy cat thank you.
I presume Allan is young Mr. Johnson, if so, yes, he is a very skilled craftsman. As is another fella Poteet has used named Dave Lane. Poteet had a ’32 5w at SEMA a few years back that was so loaded with neat, subtle, well executed detail I probably spent at least an hour climbing all over it.
Thanks for your passion Joe.
Bob, Yeah, I was talking about Allan Johnson and George Poteet, I have met Allan , but I am fortunate to actually call George a friend, I have been extremely lucky in that George always gave me a car for my show, even though he was never there in person , Danny his # 1 guy always showed up with a car. Also, he let Dave Lane brought the Orange 34 3-window one year and Danny brought the Torino that Troy built. I also, had the butterscotch 3-window that Dave built for Phil Becker. A few years ago Dave had Becker’s car in the chrome Insurance booth at NSRA Nat’s Louisville and Chrome was our show sponsor and we had this 8 foot high trophy, we had built for our sweepstakes winner ,that Chrome sponsored. Dave and I and Phil were all friends before that, but we literally spent the whole weekend together. Of course George was there for about a day, and then left for Bonneville. Great fun , great stories.
Bob, maybe you can e-mail me directly or call sometime –303-668-4994 cell jhaska@comcast.net
Love the dash picture and it is creative! Are you going to SEMA this year? I wasn’t, but I may change that plan and go. Where do you live? Is Good Guys in Scottsdale close? I live in Phoenix.
Hope to visit sometime Joe
Joe, you’ve got mail…..