The owner of this 1932 Ford refers to it as a Model B. However, given the fact that the engine bay houses what is claimed to be the original V8 engine, that actually means that this is a Ford Model 18, or Ford V8. The car is said to be a true barn find, and under the layer of dust, its condition is quite impressive. You will find the Ford located in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, and listed for sale here on eBay. The owner has set a BIN of $80,000, but the option is available to make an offer.
The owner says that the body of the 5-Window Coupe is all original Henry Ford steel, and looking through the photos that he supplies, it certainly looks to be a really solid car. The floors and frame are completely clean, with no signs of any rust or rot. The panels and paint look good under the layer of dust, and I get the impression that a wash and polish would see the car presenting extremely nicely in the combination of Washington Blue with Black fenders. There are some paint defects to note, but these appear to be confined to the Black paint where the front fenders and the running-boards merge, so should hopefully be fairly easy to address. The majority of the glass is also in good condition, except for a crack in the driver’s door glass. The roll-down rear window works as it should, while the exterior trim and chrome also appear to be in good condition.
The interior of the Ford presents very nicely, and the next owner won’t be facing a major restoration in there. The owner says that it is original, and while the wheel has some chips on the rim, the headliner, along with the door trims and the seat, look really good. There is an odd patch where the headliner comes down near the bottom of the rear window on the passenger side, but even that isn’t a severe problem. I can see no reason why the interior couldn’t be used as it is for many years to come.
The engine of the Ford doesn’t present as well as the rest of the car, but it has the sort of appearance that you would expect from an original 87-year-old car. What you get for your money is what has been claimed to be the original 221ci flathead V8 engine. This engine was the big news in the Ford range for 1932 and saw Ford jump from producing 4-cylinder passenger cars, straight to those with a V8 engine. This was part of Henry Ford’s plan to devise an advantage over GM that was both strategic, and mechanical. The engine initially produced 65hp, which is sent to the rear wheels via a 3-speed manual transmission. Ongoing engine development saw power levels rise over time, but the increase over the 4-cylinder engine transformed the car and allowed the American public to believe for the first time that an affordable passenger car with a V8 engine was within their reach. Interestingly, for all of his belief in mechanical improvements and innovations, Henry Ford had an absolute aversion to the concept of hydraulic brakes. He had previously seen these systems develop leaks, so he remained committed to a mechanical system. The company even used the advertising slogan “Steel, from the toe to the wheel” when describing their braking system. It isn’t clear how long this Ford has been sitting in a barn, but the good news is that the engine runs nicely, with no smoke or problems, while the brakes are said to work well. If the Ford has been sitting for an extended period, it will probably require a full check and service before it is ready to hit the road again.
This 1932 Ford Coupe really is quite a barn find, and it doesn’t look like it will need much work before it is ready to see regular use once again. Its panel and paint needs appear to be minimal, and there is no reason why it couldn’t be driven initially, with the few paint issues being addressed at a later date. I think that I’d be focussed on getting the car back on the road because it is a classic that has been sitting around for way too long.
My ’32 five window was a B that got immediately transformed with a ’48 Mercury flathead, hydraulic brakes, 4 in dropped axle and a paint job. Drove it all over the country and loved it. This is a nice car. Wash it and play with it.
How often do you find an original, uncobbled one of these?
Nice car but not $80k nice, even half that is high. The one thing is for sure this should be left bone stock and driven sparingly. I do not get why sellers leave there cars all dusty and dirty I’d rather see it cleaned up so I can better assess what I’m looking at.
Beautiful…but not worth $80K.
I love it but question the price comparison or baseline measurement.
I never saw a stock 32 Ford with the stock introduced flat head V8 ..but as a 80 k car is a stretch . I am sure other owners are cheering this sale to take the old manual rough ride Ford into 63 split , base Shelby , Porsche and Mopar pricing.
Good luck in sale!
If this is original (definitely has a newer carburetor; this one looks like a Stromberg 97, and I sure don’t blame it for being changed out–the Detroit Lubricator tends to lean out the farthest cylinders), the price tag is quite typical; an original ’32 is at a major premium. I’ve seen pristine roadsters fetch over $100K. Unfortunately, unless my luck at the Power Ball improves, I will always be on the outside looking in. The ’32 is one of my all-time favorites. My uncle was 24 years old when the ’32 came out. He went right out and bought a new sedan which he ran the wheels off for the next five years. Uncle Owen’s kid brother, my dad (aged 7 back then), was mesmerized by that new V8. He was equally mesmerized by the electric cigarette lighter. My uncle didn’t smoke but the lighter got actuated many times.
Nice car. Rare.
Nada Guides says value is between 30 to 40 grand.
BIN price at 80 is just silly. 😥
Looks like an incredible find but certainly not $80k incredible. Judging by most of the comments others agree.
At 80K, I would expect perfection. Not a list of items that need attention. Best of luck to the seller. It will be interesting to see what a buyer is willing to spend for this beautiful car.
Back when the white field at Hershey was still on the airport runway there was a similar ’32 sedan for the same price. One guy bought the chassis, the other the body and both were happy. I witnessed the sale.
80 gs and cant wash it? I know we have this old car in the barn. Let’s drag it out, dont wash it and list it on feebay for 4 times it’s worth. Sure there is a dummy out there with a pocket full of dough.
Once gain the term “survivor” is misused.
It’s so close to me and a car I have always wanted but that 80Grand puts it waaay far away.
I’ve witnessed a lot of controversy over the asking price and the only thing I can think of is that it is way out of my budget. If I had that kind of cash I might be tempted to try to make a deal. In this free enterprise system, you can set your own price. And it’s a lot easier to set an asking price and go down than it is to go up. I have dealt with people who have tried to raise the price during negotiations and I’ve told them that the only way to get that is to auction it off, which also requires (2) bidders.
I’ve been thinning out my own herd and I listed a truck for sale, along with a price, which I thought was a good place to begin. First response I got was some smartass who laughed and said that he’d give me 50 bucks and a case of Bud Light. I just responded with: ‘OK, hotshot, show up at 8:00 tomorrow morning with your 50 bucks and a ramp truck. If you can load it by 8:30 the truck is yours. And don’t forget the Bud Light.’ Never heard from him again. The next guy who came along offered $500 less than I was asking. We settled for $300 less.
Agree the 80K is off the chart. Also agree this seller and a couple of other sellers on the site could really think about cleaning their cars. I know what dirt looks like but I’d really like to know what the car looks like instead.
But there might be some gold in that dirt! That’s why the high asking price IMO.
In 1972 I skipped school for a couple days to go with my Uncle Bob to Hershey to sell floor mats for old cars. I remember 32s were all the rage, a phaeton from the midwest with short miles ( barn find ) sold for $40,000. We bought 2 NOS side mount front fenders for a 32 Tudor for a buddy of his for $800 for the pair. Put them in the back seat of his 62 Fury convertible with the ends sticking out the zip down window, and drove back to Boston. His buddy was ecstatic we got them. 32 Fords are, and always have been something special. Good for this guy he’s got something he knows will do well, I wish him well.
This 32 Ford would likely make a nice California Kid, and that’s why the seller is marketing it at a BIN of $80k USD. When you see a price like that mathhed with a car like this you look at the market and ask yourself if it is a speculative investor classed buy or a legitimate everyday buy.
This 32 Ford is a speculative investor buy and that’s why everyone here on the thread is remarking on the overinflated price. Speckers always inflate the price to overvalue which is a dead giveaway that they are speckers.
It is a nice car.
Bob
The 32 Ford market is changing and obviously going down. Not too many years ago it would not be unusal to see a number like 80K, on a car similar to this, in fact I remember one at the L.A. Roadster Show. That was then this is now. From all the comments, I would say the chances of 80k, are two, slim and none!
I’m a big fan of unrestored originals from the 30’s and have owned 3 of them.
cannot say for certain without seeing in person, but darned few interiors look that good after 87 years.
I’m betting it is a nice older restoration…..
and agree that 40K is a more realistic price.
This car could never be a Calif. Kid. Wrong year ,wrong body.