Was this a chicken coupe? I should have resisted that. Regardless, this 1934 Ford barnyard find warrants some of your attention, especially if you like rebuilding cars from scratch or like old-school hot rods. It’s listed at auction here on eBay where bidding has already passed $13,000 and there’s no reserve. The coupe can be found somewhere in Missouri; the seller doesn’t give us any more details. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Darrun for this cool find!
What looks like solid sheet metal apart from the damage on the left front fender has a nice coating (in some folks’ eyes) of the p-word. To me, this one is too far gone to clearcoat, but I’m guessing I’m in the minority. Thoughts, readers?
The suicide doors are a hallmark of this particular body style and are one of the reasons the cars are so beloved by hot rodders. Would you keep this one stock, retro/rat rod it or make it a modern hot rod? It appears someone has already put some later rear wheels on it and possibly changed the axle as well.
The trunk floor is surprisingly solid considering the exposure of the car.
I think this particular photo may be one of the “as found” pictures. That grille appears on the car in later shots (I think) unless the fins have been straightened and it’s the second one shown in this photo.
On the bright side, you don’t have to worry about stripping off any old upholstery from the seat.
If this is the original flathead V8 it should be ther 221 cubic inch version. I think it’s the 221, but are any readers knowledgeable enough to tell which flathead it is for sure?
While the wrinkling here isn’t minor, a good body person can work this metal so that you’d never know there was a problem. It’s nice to see the tail light housings, bumper and spare tire mount intact as well. I posed the question above as to what you would do with this car — be sure and tell us in the comments!
That’s quite a major project, but worth saving.
It looks like it’s got the original 21-stud engine in it – yes, it’s all of 221 cubes.
Neat car…
Bought one in way better shape than this one back in the early 80’s for $300
Less than a week later I was offered $2,500 for it. Kinda kicked myself later for selling it, but I did see it 3 years later and the guy I sold it to did a nice restoration on it keeping it stock. I was planning on making it a street rod. Probably worked out for the best. Or at least it did for the Ford.
Would be nice to see it brought back to street duty, I’m sure it will become another pee yellow Milner car.
Milners was a 32. Maybe a California Kid.
One of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s last cars was what he called “a 1934 Ford coupe, heavily mortgaged….”
Hot rod, all the way. Put it on a tube chassis, proper (Ford) motor and 4 speed. The Deuce is the icon, but personally I prefer ’33 and 34 with that gorgeous concave grill. Oh, and none of that rat-rod or patina stuff. Of course, there is that unpleasant paying for it bit…
Don’t forget the 9″ rear end.
Those 34 coupes were very fast, especially with a Corvette engine.
I am speechless….except for CLASSIC!
Pretty hard to tell from here, but I’d guess that the engine is pretty close to period correct. It’s very difficult to distinguish the difference between a ’34 or a ’36 because they all have the water pumps at the front of the heads and they all were fed with a Stromberg 48 carburetor as original equipment. Ford started using the 97 in ’37. But I might add that what’s on there looks more like a post war Model B carb which would probably work OK.
Definitely a restoration for this one. Too many of these fell victim to the hot-rodder’s torch. If you want a hot rod, pick up a kit car and build what you want.
That is my second favourite coupe behind the 40 Ford Deluxe. I’d find a Merc flattie, put 3x2s on it and clean it up. Don’t need to go fast, just have fun.
Bob
In a perfect world, I’d go totally late 50’s/early 60’s hot rod. Think the cover of a Beach Boys album, waves crashing in the background. Build the little flattie up, 4-speed O/D, navy blue, wide whitewalls on red steel wheels, mild custom interior, and just croooooze on sunny summer days.
somebody would take this on for the love of the car . We don’t know the shape of the engine, if it can be up and running, and running decent, keep it, if not, a small V/8 4 spd . IDK if the original paint can be salvaged. personally would like to have that ” work in progress” look .. driving it with the old paint, and the dings and such would make it interesting .. of course replace things like the running boards and such
I have had my 34 5-window 55 years, so I obviously know these cars and like them. I am spoiled because in 1963 ,it was much easier to find a nice car, it was less than 30 years old then. Now harder to find a nice car, but an abundance of parts available. But it works out the same, pay me now or pay me later. This car is rough, but it could be saved, but it won’t be cheap! Side note the extra grill shell is a 33, to use it you would need a 33 hood.
Another side bar to consider this is the first time in 55 years my car has pretty much stopped appreciating, the supply is exceeding the demand, therefore the price is going down, not the end of the world, but a fact, a new buyer should be aware of.
Also, the argument for restored or Hot Rod is somewhat a mute point, I think the split is about 30 – 70, with the Hot rod the most popular. There are many of each, so don’t think your saving the specie by restoring it, it is simply personal preference.
Restore this beauty to Mr. Ford’s specs; there already too many hot rods out there. One can buy fiberglass bodies so leave this one alone.
Can never have too many Hot Rods 😁
Great comments Joe. As a youngster in the early 60’s you could drive the back country roads and find these cars. I owned two back then buying them for 150 bucks each. Fixed up a little bit (JC Whitney) stuff, we sold them off the front lawn for 300, 400 bucks.
I currently have a 34 Roadster, on a tube frame and early sixties drive train ( 327, 2×4, Muncie 4 speed, etc) and enjoy the heck out of it.
One last 60’s comment, no telling how many 34 to 37 ford coupe bodies became dirt track cars. Any summer Saturday night you could see dozens of them flying around a track, most powered by sbc Chevy mills.
Lastly, you can find a nice driver quality 34 coupe today for less than what it would cost to bring this car back to life.
Body sheet metal looks to be in great shape so one could go either way on this project, but easiest route would be to put the body on a rodded chaises and cruise.
Agree. Pretty close to stock or even all stock. The rear wheels not at all. Merely later pickup wheels. 15″s from the look.
Circa 51, I had one. Sans fenders and hood and rough. But powered by an ailing 41 V8 did OK. Cracked block and all. As I worked in a gas station, I merely changed oil a lot, Used oil!!!
It was my “backup” to a lot better 37 Ford 4 door,
,
Blank slate is correct. Later flattie with insert bearings and 4 or 5 speed. Sure is cool.
Good luck to the new owner!
I have no gripe with hot Roding it, but leave the fenders and running boards on it. Without the fenders they look redicules. The other thing is no rat Roding they just look shabby, an embarrassment to drive. They make you look like a poverty case that can’t afford to do the car up right. I say go big or go home, you got to pay to play, and don’t think of it in terms of an investment, because it isn’t one. Its a money pit as are all cars. JMO.
I say leave it for the chickens
Because I have a great desire to punish myself with cars that need more work than I want to do, and an even greater desire to own and drive a flathead V8. I would make the flathead run, maybe just a little hotter than stock, even if it required a rebuild, do minimal body work, minimal mechanical repairs, coat in flat black primer, load some donor seats from something modern and enjoy.
AWWW!!!! But for the badly whacked front fender, I agree. leave them on!!!
College chum Don, had a fenderless 34. Very similar to the one I traded a .22 pistol for, Power about the same. But, mine had a cracked block, his still sound!!! Each rather raggedy I sold mine cheap to a returning Marine with a wife and a kid and a job that did not pay all that well. Oh, same place I worked at!!! It did the job for them.
OTH, Werner, another college mate had a pristine 34. Lightly rodded
A beauty. His pop, a Dr. A few years later, his Dad delivered our son!!!!
Carl