Few cars are as iconic as the 1932 Ford. Fewer still have the luxury of remaining unrestored after 89 years. This 1932 Ford is one of those rare and sought-after few. Very original and being equipped with the flathead V8, this car won the Early Ford V8 Club Preservation Award in 2013. With the starting number at $60,000 and no bids made, for an unrestored and rare car, it seems rather reasonable in today’s market. For sale here on eBay and with less than three days to go, someone might get a really cool car for a “relatively” affordable price.
Now 1932 Fords come in two flavors of engine and model designation. First, there is the Model B, with features a slightly improved 4 cylinder engine, a slight upgrade from the Model A’s. The exciting option for the 1932 model year was Model 18, with its 221 cubic inch Flathead V8 boasting 65hp. While there had already been plenty of V8s made by other manufacturers, such as Cadillac’s L-head as far back as 1915, which was 314 cubic inches and made 70hp, what made the Model 18’s V8 different was its affordability. Ford sold 6,893 Deluxe Roadsters like this one and prices started at $500. The Standard trim level roadster cost $460, with the Model B Deluxe Roadster costing just ten dollars less. No surprise then why so many people opted for the V8. With an average household income of around $3,006 a year, this stylish and powerful car was achievable for the average family.
Now as popular as these Flathead V8-powered Fords were, they weren’t without issues. The V8 was a sales success but it was a rushed design and had major flaws, such as cracked blocks and overheating issues. These cars were often swiftly upgraded with later Flathead V8 designs and this car is no exception. Instead of the original 221, this car has a later 239 cubic inch engine from 1948 and should be producing around 100hp. This car has also been upgraded with a 1939 Ford three-speed transmission, another common upgrade once Ford introduced synchromesh gears in 1939. If you have ever had to double-clutch in traffic, you can see why this was a popular upgrade. However, the car still has mechanical brakes, which if they’re adjusted correctly are perfectly fine for stopping this roadster and its original upholstery. Otherwise, this car has a ton of vintage options sure to impress the 1932 Ford detail enthusiast. All the glass is 1932, original running boards, it has the original tools and jack. The Sport Lights on the windshield are a rare accessory. The faded door logo looks faked, which is a shame, though there’s no information one way or the other.
In total, this is a remarkable car but the listing has issues. For what the seller is asking, I’d want more history and information on the car. Some of the patina frankly looks applied and what with the slight rake the car has, I wonder if the current owner modified the car since it won the preservation award back in 2013. It seems more hot rodded than a preservation class car would typically be, and this goes back to the information issue. What is the history of the car? What has been done? The description is annoyingly brief and that bothers me. The car itself is a real looker and standout in spite of the lackluster information. What do you think if this classic? Is it worth the money?
Been a while but the front axle looks like the one we replaced with a 4″ dropped unit on my ’32 5 window. Super car and a great piece of our automotive history.
My Dad had one almost like this,except much nicer.
He paid $2500 for it in 1972 from the local Ford dealer’s
private collection.He sold it years later,for almost $25,000.
Someone in Iowa bought it.Wonder where it is now?
Well that’s a beautiful thing! The further I read the less desirable it was as an original. The finish is equally dull all over which is odd for an original finish. Maybe it’s just sealed over to preserve it.
That top over the rumbler seat is awesome.
Seller ended the auction already.
60k that’s funny its an old raddle trap if it runs maybe 10k
You obviously don’t know too much about the values of classic cars, especially the 1932 Ford V 8’s. As for the rumble seat top, it’s the first thing I would get rid of if it were to become my car. Doesn’t suit the car at all. Yuck!
Pfft. The 10k guy is closer to market value than the 60k attention-getter in the ad, even if it is a V-8! That said, it tickles the implied premium for an unrestored original, but honestly, can you tell from photos this one wasn’t re-painted in the 40’s? How about 50’s? 60’s? 70’s?
I see the ad was closed . So, $60k is a fair price? I have a 1923 model t that’s worth probably 10% of that. What makes it worth so much? I know most of them have been chopped up but that seems like a lot of $$ for a car that had mechanical brakes. Just asking for knowledgeable opinion. I really don’t know the market.
The only thing missing is Bonnie and Clyde.
I wouldn’t pay that much but someone might.
The top over the rumble seat is one of those southern Cal made removable tops that were prevalent from 1940 to 1955, right? I cannot recall the maker. It surely doesn’t go where it is shown.
I saw an original one of these going on a narrow country road in the middle of nowhere, parked at a small store/bar, in the mountains going from San Jose California to the interstate 5 freeway. We asked the elderly owner, sitting at the bar, who owns all of this vacant land around here. He he said,”I do”. His ranch was 15,000 acres. It was 1970 and we recognized the value of the car. The Swiss immigrant clearly had the funds to drive something newer. The whole place was a step back in time.
This listing was ended by the seller because the item is no longer available.
Ended: Oct 15, 2021
Starting bid:US $60,000.00
[ 0 bids ]
Located in:Park City, Utah
The ’32 Ford was a one year only body style. The Roadster was the cheapest of the models built then, but ironically is the most valuable these days. It’s a nice looking style and was used extensively by the Hot Rodders because they were light and easy to modify for speed. The ’32 Ford has become an American icon in the gear-head world and finding one in original condition is considered a “Holy Grail” type find. Believe it or not, this car is worth close to the price in today’s market IF it’s actually “original”. This car is not factory original. There’s no telling as to when the engine, with it’s exhaust headers and later model (12 volt?) voltage regulator, transmission and dropped front axle were installed, but those were very common upgrades “back in the day”. The top over the rumble seat looks like a repro made to sort of match the car’s top. I’ve never seen one of those. The body looks like it has some original and some reproduced “patina”. (I hate fake patina) What ever the case may be, it still exists, it’s definitely cool and it’s likely in the hands of it’s next care taker.