- Seller: Collin M
- Location: Joshua, Texas
- Mileage: 11111 Shown
- Chassis #: 183435532
- Title Status: Clean
- Engine: Flathead V8
- Transmission: Manual
Take a little bit of each of your favorite sports cars from the ’50s and ’60s, add a pinch of Ford, and you might end up with something like this 1937 Ford. The story goes that the creator of this Special was an airplane mechanic who decided to use his technical knowledge to build something unique. It’s being offered by its 3rd owner, who has documentation going back to the builder, and is a project that needs to be finished.
Style-wise, it’s a bit of a mix of Triumph TR2/3 and Jaguar XK120, both popular sports cars of the era. For a one-off custom-built in someone’s garage, it looks to be very well built, with clean lines and good panel gaps. The builder clearly knew what they were doing and put a lot of energy into this car.
The chassis is believed to be a modified 1930s Ford frame. Without a much closer look, it’s hard to say what year it is, but it looks like a Ford frame. The engine is a Ford flathead V8 with dual carbs and Weiand heads and intake. Unfortunately, the engine is seized, so it will either need a rebuild or replacement. While a newer overhead cam V8 would give more power, using a flathead in it would help preserve some of the car’s history.
It’s really too bad the car was taken apart for a new paint job, as it was a running and driving car into the 1970s. After sitting for many years waiting to be painted, the body has accumulated some rust that should be addressed. The fact that the body is steel is impressive and it looks solid enough to work with. The seller notes that the hood and trunk lid are made of fiberglass and the floors were made of wood.
This might be one of the more interesting projects we’ve seen in a while. The styling is great, it looks to have been well-built, and it was probably a blast to drive back when it was on the road. Hopefully, someone who appreciates American Specials will save this one from further determination! If that person is you, be sure to make the seller an offer.
It’s a shame this isn’t a complete car, the mux of components seems to blend well. Not a project I can handle but would love to see it as a finished car as the builder intended it to be. Very impressive.
It’s a bit Swallow Doretti meets XK, isn’t it?
Workmanship looks extremely good. An overall picture or two would have been nice along with a contact point for the seller. Can’t just dial up Collin in Texas.
Looking more closely at the listing I see it lists Collin M and at the top it says Joshua Mortensen. I’m guessing here but Collin M could be Collin Mortensen in Joshua, Texas which is south of Ft Worth.
I was at an event several years ago when a guy showed up with a similar car, flathead and all, that that was painted red. In the passenger seat was a copy of an early ’50’s edition of Popular Mechanix which contained an article detailing how to build such a car in your spare time.
Joe , I remember as a young boy in the early to mid fifties and I was starting my obsession with all things automotive, main source of my information was Hot Rod Magazines of that era and that is still my passion. But I do remember other magazines my uncle had such as Popular Mechanics and Mechanics illustrated. These publications featured many of these sport car type of builds, and even plans to build one. My interest was always Hot Rods ,but many of these car were very well done and harder to build than a 32 High Boy.
Anyone remember when Hot Rod Magazine was printed with green ink?
The new owner must be pretty limber as it looks like there are no doors. The dash looks like it’s wood. This must’ve looked great in its heyday.
That nose is long enough, forget a V-8, get an Allison V-12! Wasn’t the builder an aircraft mechanic?
Yeah, or, since it looks kinda British how about an engine from a Spitfire – the plane, not a Triumph?
Fab up a metal hood and rear door. Run removable steering wheel or t-bird “fatman”? Fresh flathead quick change rear? Man I would love to build this! Duvall windscreen? ……..’40 Ford dash…uhhh are we goin for a ride yet???
The design of the “trunk”, or “boot” if you’re into Brit cars, looks like it is heavily influenced by Triumph TR2- 3 design. Although they had a separate boot the spare was accessed thru a similar panel.
The front turn signals look Lucas to me while the tail lights look like ’52-54? Ford units, maybe.
I’m trying to decide if all the white showing in the left rear quarter shot is a bunch of bondo or just paint that wasn’t totally removed. To me it doens’t look like the surface is smooth but it may just be splotchy paint/rust that makes it look that way.
I suspect that this is a “bitsa”. The bodywork was likely made up of bits and pieces of different cars rather than all formed by hand. Doing 3D metalwork in steel is really difficult. The rear fenders look a lot like they came off of an early 40’s pickup and the front fenders likely came off something else (they look a bit like they came off of a Chrysler product but who knows) and the relatively simple rolled sheet pieces between them could easily have been made by a good mechanic with a press brake and a big roller that would have been tools used by a aircraft mechanic. Still very cool and it does show a lot of craftsmanship to put it all together.