If you hang around the collector car hobby long enough, you’ll hear people say “that car has the look.” My interpretation of “the look” is when a vehicle itself tells a story and has some soul. This car is a 1940 Ford coupe and certainly has “the look” to me. Found here on Craigslist with an asking price of $7,500. Located in Grand Forks, North Dakota…Someone needs to rescue this car before the snow flies! Thanks to Barn Finds reader Adam C. for the tip on this great car.
When looking at the passenger side of the car, it appears to have drag-type wheels and tires with a wide tire out back. The drivers side mysteriously has thin steel wheels and tires. I don’t know if the seller staged the gasser look for the photos? Even without the wheels and tires, you can see some hallmarks of its former racing glory. The forward flipping front end along with the steering wheel, side exit exhaust and gauges are all clues to its history. There are no photos showing the underside of the car, but it doesn’t appear to have a straight axle conversion that was common to gassers of this era. Perhaps the nose-high stance is due to the fact that the engine is gone?
As mentioned above, unfortunately there is no engine or transmission with the car. That was pretty common for retired racers as the engines were often worth more than the car itself. Engines were pulled and sold or used in other projects and the rest of the car was put out to pasture. I would imagine this car once held a blown Hemi or big block Ford. How about a 427 Ford SOHC “Cammer” engine?! There’s nothing better than a big blower sticking out of a hood with the timing gears whining.
This would be a really cool project for either a full restoration or a patina-style driver. I would have a hard time stripping the paint and doing a shiny new paint job. My style would be some vintage lettering with some sort of advertising along with some class decals on the windows. How about you? What would you do with this car if it was yours?
Gone within 3 minutes??
Gone in ..180 seconds!
Did you happen to archive the ad? It’s been deleted by the author.
From the limited number of pictures it looks more like a old hot rod than race car.
Steve R
I agree with Steve. It looks like someone’s sixties or seventies hot rod. A racer would not have added the heavy bumpers or the passengers bucket seat.
@staff, this is not a gasser nor is it represented as such.
Simply put, I want to be able to read an article and make my own informed opinion based on factual information provided.
Not being a poop here I hope, just conveying my own personal opinion based on how I like to receive and process information.
*tips hat*
Poof! Gone with the wind!
Definitely been a street rod with those awesome mopar bumper bars. Check out all the filler in the lhf fender.
Wow, that went fast. Written up as having a flip up front end? Looks all steel (and bondo) to me. Seen lots of Willys with the flip up nose. Looks like it may have had a non-functioning hood scoop at one time, or shows a really odd pattern for heat damage. Hope this went to a good home. Love the Desoto bumpers.
Damn, nice to see that once in a while a ’40 Ford coupe will show up for sale. I built models of these when I was a kid and always lusted after one. Rare to find one now that isn’t all hotroded. That would be my job. Maybe next time.
Just for the record, 40 Ford’s came from the factory with a transverse sprung straight axle, Ford didn’t go to independent suspension until 1949 so probably the factory axle maybe with a spacer block between the spring mount and the xmember to give it the nose high attitude. Us old guy’s remember that stuff, at least some of us do 😤😁😁
The best looking coupe ever made, too bad it was a “one year only”. Hopefully the new owner does it up right, with no orange crate under the hood.
Yeah. Deleted by author. This was here last week. Can you say “Carp?”
Okay, not sure if anyone will read this on a more than week old write up but here goes. You can now see some better pics (marginally) and the sharp eyed who spotted the cut fenders and guessed tilt front, you get a prize (don’t know what or from whom…………..but you’re a winner!!)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1940-Ford-Other/263925540644?hash=item3d73302724:g:P5sAAOSwTWZblArp&vxp=mtr
Since it was in N. Dakota and now in Texas my guess would be someone made a quick offer (I’d guess 5K), did a quick round trip with the trailer, and lookin’ to make a few bucks.