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Dream survivor: 1939 Ford Coupe

Last registered 52 years ago, this 1939 Ford Coupe Barn Find is a beautiful survivor. Having minimal rust, and appearing complete this Coupe is definitely on our Christmas wish list. With 11 days until the auctions end, this Ford is currently bid up to $1,300. Find it here on Liveauctioneers out of Ottawa, Illinois.

Little information is offered about this Ford. Examining the body closely reveals a very nice and straight body with minimal rust. The rear lower apron area has succumbed to rust, but otherwise, this Ford looks pretty solid. The interesting Greenish hue is still shiny in places, and dry and chalky in others. It could easily be polished up to a reasonable shine. The driver door does have some minor surface rust, and there is some paint chipping on the driver side fender.

The Flathead V8 is all there even with a very old battery to boot. Inside of the bay is very reasonable for a 52 year nap. The firewall and inner fenders look solid as there is little in the way of rust in the engine bay. The wiper cowl vent looks to have some surface rust, and we hope water hasn’t trickled through that vent to the interior to cause any severe issues. There are no interior photos of this Ford as of yet, but perhaps more photos, and interior photos may be added to the auction as it progresses.

After 5 decades worth of hibernating, this ’39 Ford Coupe looks like a solid project to get running and driving. We are in love with this Coupe, how about you?

Comments

  1. Avatar Todd Zuercher

    What a beauty! My next door neighbor in my hometown has a ’40 of an almost identical color that he rescued from a garage a few years ago in CO. He had to cut down trees to get the garage door open and extract it. He happened to be talking to the guy sitting next to him on a plane and the next thing you know he’s buying a car!

    Like 2
  2. Avatar Jay M

    Such a perfect flowing design. I love the 30’s coupes and pickups.
    I think I am turning into a car hoarder…

    Like 1
  3. Avatar geomechs Member

    This one could go to my place any time and I’d even make room for it (get rid of the wife’s ’57 Poncho? Yeah, right; I thought so too). I’d love to have a ’39 or ’40 Ford coupe. This one needs some restoration but I’d never make it into a trailer queen. I would drive the heck out of it, flathead and all….

    Like 1
  4. Avatar erikj

    I love this, I just signed on to the auction and am bidding. It don’t look good since there are 10 days still and its bid at 2800 or something like that. I think at the end it will sell for a lot more than I can give,but I,m trying.
    had one same year, better shape and a driver . bought for 2600 sold two years later for almost double. That car ,my old one , caught everyones eye. This one looks solid for the most. I would love to have it. Too bad I would have to sell a few of my stock. But that’s part of the car bug-Good thing that after all these years I think I,m ahead as far as the dollar is concerned. One paid for the other! although I never count my time spent. If I did -way under water.

    Like 2
    • Avatar RayT

      Hope you get it!

      I wouldn’t feel that way if I could bid, but without space and resources, I wouldn’t be the right person to get this….

      Like 0
  5. Avatar RicK

    Think the color’s called Cloud Mist Gray, seems like earlier in the year there was ’40 Ford coupe survivor in the same color featured on BF, don’t know how common it was when they were new, but you don’t see too many restored cars in this color

    Like 0
  6. Avatar Dolphin Member

    One of my favorite late-30s designs, along with the very similar ’40 Ford coupe.

    It’s hard not to like these, with their rounded shape and the grille that fits right in with the body shape. For me a big plus on the ’40 is the chevron tail light that looks so cool.

    This one looks like it would be a good car to restore, without a lot of major body metal work needed.

    Like 0
  7. Avatar Larry K

    Yes.

    Like 0
  8. Avatar Paul Z

    Just watch that pesky 20% buyers premium. That seems a little steep.

    Like 1
    • Avatar Yoopermike

      20% premium ?

      Like 0
  9. Avatar David Conwill

    The ’39 is my favorite of the ’38-’40 Fords. I’m most enamored of the Tudor, but the coupe isn’t far behind.

    The Dartmouth Green paint makes me want to replicate this car.

    https://www.hemmings.com/magazine/hcc/2006/11/Fine-Tuned-Flathead—1939-Ford/1365722.html

    Like 0
  10. Avatar Rustytech Member

    She’s up to $5500 a and I think still a good deal. For an unrestored 70 plus year old car this thing looks great. This was the first car I was old enough to remember my dad having. He had a 1940 convertible whe I was just a wee chap. He drooled over every one he ever saw. Wish I had the energy to take on this project.

    Like 0
  11. Avatar JW454

    Until a more suitable restoration could be done, it would be fun to do it up like a 1940’s moonshine hauler. You would need to collect some parts for a full restore anyway so, in the mean time… a few boxes of Mason jars in the trunk and a few other touches and then have some fun at the local cruise ins.

    Like 0
  12. Avatar stillrunners

    It’s been re-painted…..still a nice car…..going for over $10,000 ?

    Like 0
  13. Avatar John P

    These auction houses are getting ridiculous with the fees.. “20% buyers premium” Com’on…

    Like 1
  14. Avatar stillrunners

    Oh…..and it’s not just a 39 coupe…..it’s a 39 DELUXE coupe !

    Like 1
  15. Avatar Alan (Michigan)

    ’39 and ’40 Ford Coupes = My first ( and still top 10 ) dream cars.

    Love the style, it has always worked for me.

    There was an unrestored one sitting on a residential street in Dayton, OH, along about ’79. But I was just out of school, and no place to store it. Another in I think Corbin, KY about a decade ago, at a used car dealership, posted at $6K/offer. The time was not right then either. Don’t know if I’ll ever have one, but I’d sure like to! In the meantime, I can just dream about how I’d make it into a fun driver. That seems to be enough.

    Like 0
  16. Avatar Jim Mc

    Really nice to see that no one here yet has suggested rodding it. I mean, I do dig mean looking old school rods but it seems like there’s way more of them than honest daily driver survivors.
    This one is a beaut. Once again, close enough to go get it but already out of my price range.
    Hope it goes to a good home and not a hot rod garage.

    Like 1
  17. Avatar Doug Towsley

    The body styles on these are very similar across the range for Ford, Plymouth Dodge, Chevy Pontiac, willys, Nash and others? Seems things like the grill and subtle details define them.

    (Im sure I will offend nearly everyone with that broad paint brush).

    I have a 39 Dodge coupe,(Bought it for parts and did not have the heart to part it)
    I have a 39 Plymouth coupe (Subtle but different than the Dodge)
    I also have a 37 Pontiac mixed with SOME 37 Chevy parts (Mongrel)

    I sold my 37 Plymouth coupe,, all are rat rod-hot rod material and too far gone for resto. This looks restorable, so, Will vote for a restomod or restoration for this,, but these have an Iconic style. Personally,, I LOVE the earlier Horse collar grills and when it came down to selling my 37 or 39 Plymouths I THOUGHT the sweeping art deco style nose of the 39 would be more stylish and desirable but i still remain conflicted. I am not sure I fully appreciate the Nose on this Ford. It doesnt speak to me. But overall,,, COOL car!

    Like 0
  18. Avatar Paul R

    I am a GM fan, but wow what a beautiful car and a flathead to boot!
    I would love to own it!

    Like 0
  19. Avatar Parts Guy

    I love the 39-40 coupes. I wish I had the time and money to do a full resto on this gem in the rough. I live 20 miles from Ottawa,Illinois.

    Like 0
  20. Avatar 64 bonneville

    Initally I was thinking Folkstone Gray was the color, but I think the Dartmouth
    green is correct. My brother and I had a 39 Deluxe Coupe back about 1965, candy apple red with a white rolled and pleated w/red piping interior. Ran a 303 inch Olds with 3 deuces and a 39 Lincoln Zephyr tranny with the Columbia 2 speed rear end. We bought it for $150.00 since it needed wired up, under the hood and instrument panel. Oh yes, and it needed exhaust manifolds along with the rest of the exhaust system. We fired it up about 2 AM in a neighbors garage, where we had been working on it, for several months. The flames from the heads scorched the paint on the fenders, and the noise woke up the whole neighborhood. Dad made us sell it a few days later, he didn’t like the cops waking him up when they brought us home, and we didn’t like the switch that took a couple of layers of skin off our backsides. The 39 and 40 coupes have been favorites for the last 50 years.

    Like 0
  21. Avatar Alan (Michigan)

    The auction site says it sold at $16K. With the 20% added, and taxes, we’ll just call it 20 thousand.

    Seems perhaps a bit high, but unmolested cars from this era are now extremely uncommon. At that amount, I’d expect that it has found a good conservator, whether that person is into stock restorations, or modifying. Long may it run.

    Like 0
  22. Avatar PatrickM

    Not a very enthiastic ad. Leaves me flat. No interior shots. Got title? Etc.

    Like 0

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