The inevitable yin and yang of this hobby always boils down to either restoring a car to match how it left the factory or modifying it. Whenever one of us at Barn Finds writes up a car like this 1934 Ford five-window coupe for sale on Craigslist in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, the comments always fall neatly into those two categories. Yet, occasionally, a lone reader will chime in as a voice of reason. “Leave it alone” is sometimes the most logical and ethical choice when faced with a well-kept survivor car like this racy Ford coupe. What do you think the new owner should do with this car? Do you think the $41,000 asking price will weed out those who would start tinkering with this car? Thanks to T.J. for yet another awesome Ford find!
Discovering a relatively unmolested 1934 Ford coupe today is akin to winning the lottery two weeks in a row. Possible for sure, but highly unlikely. First off, these cars are favorites of hot rod enthusiasts. Many examples have fallen under the torch, modified, and re-powered with almost every engine under the sun. Second, Ford coupes were a favorite of bullring racetracks across America for a couple of decades. This rough life thinned the herd considerably. Finally, Flathead Ford restorers have gobbled up, preserved, or restored nearly all of the good cars that somehow survived.
So to see a car like this, still wearing some of its original paint, is a marvel. To add to the surprise, it appears to have all of its original sheet metal, the mechanical brakes are still throwing a wet blanket on the car’s progress, and the engine block is claimed to be the original. The seller tells us that the title matches the frame number as well. A look around the car hints that some of the panels have been repainted in Dearborn Blue. Others have been polished to a mirror shine. Unfortunately, the plating on the bumpers has either chipped away or rust has discolored them to the point of unsightliness.
There have been some minor changes to the car. A set of driving lights has been added to the front of the car. Additionally, the seller claims to have added a set of 16″ bent spoke Kelsey Hayes rims to the car. While this is stated in the ad, the wheels we see in the picture look like standard Ford wire wheels from the era based on the number of spokes. Regardless, a new set of Firestone black walls is shown in the pictures of the car. The fronts are 5.5s, while the rears are a bit larger at 7.5 to give the car that aggressive look popularized on early hot rods. The seller has also installed a new exhaust, a new floor mat, and a fresh set of tubes in those Firestones.
The interior presents as a patchwork of original material and some repaired areas. It looks as if the seat back and perhaps the driver’s side door panel have been recovered. The seat bottom, side panels, and armrests do appear to be original to the car. They could also be older replacements, as it has been 90 years since this car rolled off the assembly line. Someone added a turn signal stalk along the way as well. Otherwise, this car is pretty much as Henry made it inside.
When you ordered your 1934 Ford DeLuxe coupe, you had the option of ordering it with either a trunk or a rumble seat. The original purchaser chose the former, and we can see that a coupe offered a lot of room to place any cargo you had. One thing that is not seen, however, is the spare tire assembly. All 1934 Ford cars had an external spare tire assembly which included a two-piece metal cover. There is no evidence of that assembly in the pictures. Any interested parties may want to inquire if one comes with the car, as they are hard to find if missing.
As stated previously, the seller believes that the block on this Flathead is original to the car. This famous engine debuted in 1932, and there were a lot of teething pains to be dealt with. People forget that a V-8 in the low-price section of the market was revolutionary at the time. The block was cast as a one-piece casting when the industry norm was to cast a V-8 in multiple pieces. Henry’s insistence on making it simpler to manufacture forced compromises that resulted in a lot of leftover sand from casting in the blocks when they left the factory. This, along with a poor water pump design caused overheating issues, the Babbit bearings couldn’t take heavy abuse, and hot spots in certain areas made the engines susceptible to failure. By 1933, aluminum heads became standard equipment, but this expensive fix wasn’t very effective. Many engines received cast iron heads like the ones you see above when they were brought in for repairs. Still, with 221 cubic inches of displacement and 85 horsepower, the Flathead was the engine of choice in the low-cost field. Just ask Clyde Barrow.
The shot above shows why this car is so valuable. Usually, there are some rust holes and plenty of signs of age and abuse under an original car like this one. The fact that the car has survived so long with so much of its original equipment, finishes, and upholstery is a minor miracle. It would be a waste to take a car like this and either chop it up to make a hot rod out of it or strip it down and restore it to new. Cars like this one have their place, and this one should be enjoyed as it is.
What do you think? Is it wrong to restore or hot rod this car? If it were yours, how would you proceed? Please share your thoughts in the comments.
Omg I’m in love, or is just lust?
I’d neither restore or modify this beauty, but maintain its appearance as it is (including the chrome bumpers), and service/repair it when required.
Funny you mention the leftover sand from the casting, Ford Australia, still had that problem in the later 90’s, early naughties, never ever flush an AU Falcon 6 pot block or radiator, drain yes, flush no.
That 85 HP flathead has got to go. All the professional hot rod builders will tell you to put a 454 cheebie LT5 in it, with one of those automatic trannys with the turbos on it. I’ve never understood why GM put a turbo on a transmission. If you paid the 41k, it’s your car, you can do whatever you want with it. All you FORD ‘purists’ keep your mouth shut. Unless you have built a 1934 FORD hot rod yourself, we don’t want to hear your humble opinion.
We don’t want to hear your opinion, so that makes us even.
Ford in Ford, gm crap in gm crap.
And yes, I’ve helped build quite a few, including the chassis up.(Mate had a business building 33/34 rods from scratch).
I win you loose.
Btw, there is no turbo on a turbo350 gm crap gearbox, it’s just a name. You’ve shown your mechanical ignorance.
“Turbo” on a transmission?
I’ll bet “Buffalo” Wings must be confusing as well.
😁
As well as chicken fingers.
Wow, are you all right? Don’t want to hear anyone else’s opinion and telling folks to keep their mouth shut. Take a break dude, and when you come back, you owe all of us an apology.
I guess you’re right Mark. If you want an apology, I’ll man up and say,
‘ I’m sorry’. For what, I’m not really sure. Ok, maybe the ‘keep your mouth shut’ was rather harsh. I thought people that regularly read BF, and read the comments under the ‘vintage’ FORDS on BF, know that I am one of those FORD purists. It was SATIRE. (didn’t mean to yell) I’ve been reading too much of The Onion lately. I mean really, a 454 LT5? what the heck is that? and a tranny with a turbo? that just shows how dumb GM is for naming it that. No one picked up on it. I thought my BF buddies, Bob in Ten, Howard, Joe would play along with me. So this car posting has 40 comments in the first 18 hours, posters I’ve never seen before. That’s pretty good response. I think BF should renew my next years MEMBERS dues as a thank you. So I’m OK people, not jumping off the bridge. (Aussie Dave, you’re a good FORD man, I like you)
I’ve been on Barn Finds for many years now and I think that’s the first time I’ve seen someone attack the other readers!?!?! Dude, relax. We are all here to enjoy our favorite pass time and check out cool cars. NOT cool.
Woofer may have blown his tweeter . .
Why not a Toyota V8 Diesel?
A turbo on a transmission? Please tell us more, you sure sound like an expert.
It’s nice to be important, but more important to be nice.
A little testy up there folks. Nice car, one of my favorites of the early ’30s. I’d repaint it, including a different color for the wheels, put hydraulic brakes on (if you have ever driven one of these with the original brakes you know why) and go through the engine to include upgraded bearings and maybe higher compression heads, street cam and twin 98 carbs. Rechroming the bumpers would be on that list also. Too nice a car to leave anything shabby on it.
Amen. Let it be.
If one HAD TO, they could sneak in a 239 cid 59AB ….
I was wondering if that old flathead could be ‘woken up’ a bit.
A middle of the road approach, with safety and driveability as the goal.
Although as a Texas politician/musician once said “There ain’t nothing in the middle of the road except yellow stripes and dead armadillos.”
I’ve never driven an early flattie Ford with the mechanical brakes but I’ve driven Model A’s with them. I found the A brakes worked as good as the oft used 40 Ford juice brakes IF the mechanical brakes are adjusted correctly which is rarely the casec
Looks good, too old. Why anybody drives these things modded or not is beyond me. Flatheads were junk. I know it’s not a popular opinion here but That’s my take.
Many have the same concerns about the Fox body …
To each their own, agreed?
He might own an Audi!
I have talked with the seller a few years ago about a different Ford he was selling (that one was noted on BF as well). Straight-shooter, no BS, has a very keen eye for early rods like this and knows when to make necessary repairs without messing up the things that make these so special.
If I had the $ I would buy this without hesitation and drive the doors off.
I feel that when you find one of these old beauties with a sound body and frame and damn near complete with original parts………….clean it up and leave it be. There aren’t many left in original condition and chopping one up and turning it into a hot rod would not be my choice.
Amen!
A car like this one can only be original once. And for what’s it’s worth, I like hot rods and have built a couple myself.
There are plenty of rodded Fords out there, let the public see what an original car looks like.
Just buy one done with a motor and all the rest ,so you can drive on the road without getting run over.way too much money and your time to make this a car.
I’d upgrade the brakes with 46-48 juice units. Yank the troublesome 221 and put an 8BA Mercury in it. Later top loader Ford tranny and enjoy as is. These are all roadabilty updates and no one would know different. Did it to a 35 years ago.
Did exactly what you said to my ’32 5 window and put thousands of miles on it without any problems except for the ’39 transmissions which I broke drag racing. Did a complete east to west coast run and did it without a gas gauge. My Dad in his brand new Olds did run out of gas right in the middle of the desert.
I have always found that these Fords are very attractive in stock form and this one is fine just the way it is IMO. Of course if you’re willing to pay $41K for the car then you can do whatever you want with it. Different views on what you should do is what the hobby is all about.
Nice car, optimistic price. Those wheels shown are not KH wheels. They are 35 Ford factory wheels. Restoration costs would be prohibitive. Leave it alone and park it in a dry building. When you are gone, your heirs will sell it for whatever the market will bear.
My 38 pickup is all Ford. Sound deadnd cab and a civil 363 inch Windsor. No power anything. It is a hoot to drive with its toploader 4 speed and equalock 9 inch with 3.50. Fries the rubber. But with this coupe just dust it off and cruise around the neighborhood. Leave it alone .
To put those lettered tires on a car like this strikes me as just plain dumb, and so very much out of place.
get road worthy clear it and leave it be and enjoy
Convert to electric.
Of course you’re joking. 😳
I will comment, I do have the credentials Woofer suggests you must have. I have owned my 34 Ford 5-window coupe for 60 years, I bought it in 1964. It was a Hot Rod when I bought it. 1948 Mercury engine, 15″ wheels and hydraulic brakes. Black paint and looked stock, fenders no radical body mods, every body part was original. Now sixty years later it looks the same ,but with many upgrades, disk brakes, 5-speed trans, newer steering gear, 8″ Ford rear end and the list goes on, all to make it more drive-able. And it has been, I have never had a trailer and it has been all over from California to Minnesota.
Would I want it original NO! But arguing about this is pointless just like SBC in Fords, it doesn’t matter. All of us don’t want the same thing and that’s great, that’s the way it should be. The rule should be you don’t get to make the rules, but you do have to respect people who have a different opinion than yours. If you question them and communicate, you will recognize why they think like they do. Many times you will agree but still think you’re right and that’s OK.
I thought I wanted a 36-37 but this 34 is gorgeous
Dollars being no object, I would update the drive train to say, a slightly built late 60s 302 with a C4. The car is too beautiful to cut up in any way, and there’s far too few of them left in any condition let alone stock.
You’ll have to cut the firewall and at least modify the X-member to fit a small block Ford V-8 and C4 into a 1930s-early’40s Ford. The 289/302 small block Fords are substantially longer than a Flathead and a modern transmission is a lot bulkier than a 1930’s-40’s Ford manual gearbox.
Add juice brakes for safety, clean it, tune it, drive it- warts and all.
If your opinion is that Flatheads are junk, and you can’t figure out why anyone would want this old thing- fine. It’s not for you. Move on.
Yes Anthony, that’s just what they did.
Just after WWII ended, Ford began an
ambitious overhaul program to rebuild as many worn out flatheads as they could with a huge pile of parts
they had squirreled away. And while the program worked, it turned out to be a great source of confusion to those folks who bought these cars to
restore them in the 1960s. If you lifted the hood of one of these Ford’s
back then, you might see a ’41 block
with ’39 heads, a ’37 distributor, ’36
water pumps, and ’35 innards. I can
Still recall the big stink they made at
the V-8 Ford meets when really nice
cars were disqualified simply for having the wrong parts on them. That
right there taught me not to give a damn about what parts to use when
building up a car. If it works, it works.
They aren’t the ones driving your car,
you are! Just seems wrong to nit pick
and find faults with one another’s rides. As for this car, it’s one of the nicest unrestored ’34s I’ve seen in nearly 55 years. The last one I saw
belonged to LeRoy Goularr from Stockton California when it was featured in the September issue of
Rod & Custom Magazine. Mr. Goularr
found his car in a garage behind a home not far from his house. The story goes that when he saw the car,
Mr. Goulart’s jaw fell about 3 feet!
It was also said that he wrote the owner’s widow a 3K check without
saying a single word. The car he bought was indeed well preserved as
the widow kept the car serviced regularly and repaired with factory parts. My thoughts, do your safety
homework and fix everything vital to
the car’s safe operation, and drive it for what it is, a fine original Ford you
don’t see every day. After all youngsters, not everything needs to
be slammed to the ground and running a fire breathing V-8 engine
Yes Anthony, that’s just what they did.
Just after WWII ended, Ford began an
ambitious overhaul program to rebuild as many worn out flatheads as they could with a huge pile of parts
they had squirreled away. And while the program worked, it turned out to be a great source of confusion to those folks who bought these cars to
restore them in the 1960s. If you lifted the hood of one of these Ford’s
back then, you might see a ’41 block
with ’39 heads, a ’37 distributor, ’36
water pumps, and ’35 innards. I can
Still recall the big stink they made at
the V-8 Ford meets when really nice
cars were disqualified simply for having the wrong parts on them. That
right there taught me not to give a damn about what parts to use when
building up a car. If it works, it works.
They aren’t the ones driving your car,
you are! Just seems wrong to nit pick
and find faults with one another’s rides. As for this car, it’s one of the nicest unrestored ’34s I’ve seen in nearly 55 years. The last one I saw
belonged to LeRoy Goularr from Stockton California when it was featured in the September issue of
Rod & Custom Magazine. Mr. Goularr
found his car in a garage behind a home not far from his house. The story goes that when he saw the car,
Mr. Goulart’s jaw fell about 3 feet!
It was also said that he wrote the owner’s widow a 3K check without
saying a single word. The car he bought was indeed well preserved as
the widow kept the car serviced regularly and repaired with factory parts. My thoughts, do your safety
homework and fix everything vital to
the car’s safe operation, and drive it for what it is, a fine original Ford you
don’t see every day. After all youngsters, not everything needs to
be slammed to the ground and running a fire breathing V-8 engine
Leave it alone
I saw a buffalo with wings on TV. It was talking to that Kelce brother. ;)
Anyone can restore, it takes a real man to chop, channel and section
I Live In San Dimas CA There Is An Earley A Ford Store Here. They Sell Nothing But Earley Ford Parts. So Anyone Needing Parts Here Is There Web Address https://www.earlyfordstore.com/
If you hot rod it out, It will then be like thousands of other Hot Rod Fords. They are only original once and their numbers are declining every year. My view is clean it up, make it safe and enjoy it as is. Then again, if it’s your money on the line, do what you please.
I know some will view it as sacrilege, but …..
Aren’t fibreglass bodies available for rodders?
Yes. STEEL bodies are also available but pricey. All the surfaces on this baby look good enough to fix, preferably with lead.
The left rear wheel looks bent spoke-ish to me.
Well, let me just say this about that. Hot rod enthusiasts can be the biggest jerks sometimes, everybody thinking their way is best. On my truck post, it was gratifying to hear most all were in the same gear, nobody bragged their way was better, there were no points for style, just get ‘er done.
My take on this car is more subdued. I can’t imagine how it DIDN’T become a hot rod. Someone was a long time holdout, for sure.
Epilogue: This site is very much about opinions, and not so much about sales, like the staff( and sellers) may hope. In 1934, this car was considered the ultimate factory hot rod( 1st musclecar?) AS IS, and thank GOD, someone held that dear. I’ve had nitpickers call me out on terminology, and if that makes you a big person, may I suggest head over to Facebook. We’re mostly all friends here.
Well said Howard, eh!
I absolutely love this, mostly because it brings back memories of what I believe was the coolest car I have ever seen. My wife and I met a couple from Seattle in Bend Oregon about three years ago that were driving the most outrageous ’34 I have ever seen. It was a rumble seat coupe with about a 4″ chop and fender less They were running an aluminum 500 inch Kieth Black BBC with a Mooneyham 871 blower, twin 650 Holley’s and a Gearstar 400 Turbo. It was the deepest maroon that I have ever seen and had a Roadster Shop chassis with Corvette IRS and the attention to detail was amazing. That car is the reason that I could never be trusted with one as nice as this. Turn this thing into a fifties style hot rod and the pay no attention to the purists.
My sentiments exactly.
All the other naysayers, take a chill pill. 🤣🤣🤣
Its beautiful just as it is. Both my late mother and father were born in the same month, in the same year, only days apart: June, 1934. I wish they were still here to see this amazing car. Come to think of it, perhaps they can see it. I’d make sure it was roadworthy and enjoy it on sunny days.
If not adding some mild hot rod juice to the existing drivetrain, I might lean toward a “Day 2” swap. Maybe a 265 or a 283 small block and a 3 speed. Probably the route many hot rodders took when they blew up their last flatty and the 256’s started to become available.
Nice car,I had a 1933 3 window all the way thru High School and was was one of the nicest cars in my city(I didn’t build it, came complexly finished)and got in to boats after the Army and sold it to a friend in 70.It is still in his family as he has passed and left it to his son.I now have a 1933 Roadster and sad to yes it’s glass and it was done when I bought it but oh well got do what you got do in today market place.I will leave it to my grand son as this one not going to get away. Everyone have a great Thanksgiving and stay safe. Craig
Sold! Hopefully to someone who treats it well!