The history behind this 1939 Ford Coupe is unclear, but the paint color and upgraded engine suggest that it may have been an older custom build that was parked and forgotten. After forty-five years in hiding, it has emerged and revealed itself to be a solid classic with a healthy V8 under the hood. It needs someone to give it some love so that it can once again ply our roads in style. If you feel up to the challenge, you will find this frisky Ford located in Aurora, Colorado, and listed for sale here on Craigslist. You can take this gem home by handing the owner $10,750. I have to say a big thank you to Barn Finder Gunter K for spotting this fantastic classic for us.
The Metallic Blue paint that this Ford wears isn’t original because there are spots where the factory shade of Tropican Green is peeking through. It isn’t clear when this new color was applied or who did it, but there’s a fair chance that the buyer will probably treat the exterior to a refresh. The panels have collected a few dings and dents over the decades, but these all appear to be repairable. The big news revolves around the relative lack of rust in this classic. There is some present in the front floors and rear tool tray, but the rest of the car seems to have accumulated little more than surface corrosion. The buyer could potentially patch the rusted areas, although $800 would buy fresh steel to return the Coupe to a rust-free state. The buyer will need to invest some money in glass because three pieces are pretty cloudy, while the passenger door glass is cracked. The condition of the exterior trim ranges from pieces that would respond well to polish to items that will require a trip to the platers. However, it all seems to be present, which is another slice of positive news in a car that appears to have much to offer.
This shot provides some insight into the extent of the rust in the front floors, and you can see why I feel that the next owner could patch it. It is also as close as we get to see the engine that is hiding under the hood. The details supplied by the seller indicate that it is a 239ci flathead V8 that produced 100hp when it was new. It appears that the rest of the drivetrain remains unchanged, including the three-speed manual transmission. After forty-five years spent dormant, it would’ve been fair to expect that the motor would have needed plenty of TLC. However, it seems that this one reinforces my contention that the flathead V8 is about as tough as they come. The owner has coaxed it back to life, and it runs well. It displays strong oil pressure, and even after idling for an hour, it showed no signs of overheating. Intriguingly, it may not take much work to return the Ford to a mechanically roadworthy state. That leaves the buyer with the option of hitting the road with the rest of the car untouched as a genuine barn find.
The Coupe’s interior is another area that will command the buyer’s attention. The dash is complete and appears to be in good condition. However, there is no upholstery to speak of. The seat will need padding and upholstery, while the list will extend to door trims, a headliner, and a covering (rubber or carpet) for the floors. These interiors aren’t complex, leaving the option available for the buyer to pursue custom trim. Otherwise, trim kits are easy to find if a stock appearance is preferred. Either way, whipping the interior into shape is a task the new owner could tackle in a home workshop.
This 1939 Ford Coupe proves that some great cars are still hidden away in barns begging to be found. As a project car, this looks like it could be ideal for someone who wants to tackle a first project build or an enthusiast keen to take a hands-on approach. Its rust issues are so minor that they wouldn’t demand immediate attention. It could look stunning if fully restored and would command attention wherever it went. However, with something covering the seat frame and springs and the drivetrain returned to a roadworthy state, it would still turn heads as a genuine barn find. Both approaches would be valid, but which one would you choose?
Someones “Rum Runner” before they got caught?
Cars from this era are getting rare but the real rare item in the pictures is the transmission which myself and thousands of hot rodders grabbed up to use in engine conversions. Nice old car.
Nice car but would love to see under the hood
Nice unit, and worthy of a full restoration. And yes, it would look good at my place although I have to admit that I already have enough vehicles and project vehicles to warrant a traffic cop. ’39 was the first full year to have a 24 stud engine. The 91A was definitely the shape of things to come. I’m not sure if the crankshaft mounted fan was on the Standard car, or the Deluxe ONLY but I do know that the trucks had a one-year Only generator. The fan-mounted generator migrated over from the previous years but ’39 was the first year for a full-fledged voltage regulator instead of the 3rd-Brush/Cut-Out relay unit from before. Consequently a generator can be difficult to find for a ’39. I have an acquaintance who mounted a 3rd-Brush unit on his truck and just set that 3rd brush to wide-open and let the regulator handle it from there…
The stock engine would have been a 85 HP 221. This has to be a later engine, possibly from a 1949-1953 Ford. Those were 239 ci, 100 HP motors.
You’re quite right, Larry, the Ford engine would’ve been a 221/85. I haven’t actually seen the engine in this car so I cannot tell for sure what it is. I did notice that it has the integral bell housing indicating that it was from BEFORE 1949. Now, I’ve seen the odd engine type number stamped just adjacent to the oil pressure sending unit boss but Ford wasn’t consistent in that. Ford DID stamp the VIN on the transmission either on the flat spot on the upper part of the bell housing or on the housing just ahead of the shifter tower/top cover. In all likelihood, it would be a 59AB but a person would have to see that…
Could be just the photos but the right rear fender seems to show some bad bonds body work near the bumper area. Based on that, this one deserves a very close inspection before purchase. I am from Colorado, but do know that rust also happens there as well.
This does not look like a 39. Its appearance is that of a 38. But perhaps it was sold in 39.
It is a ’39 Standard. The grille resembles a ’38 Deluxe. That is something Ford did from ’38-’40. The bodies of the ’39 standards are the same as a deluxe, except for the cowl where the front fenders mate up and the single tail light. Google some pics from these years and you will the similarities and differences.
Okay. I stand educated. One of my boyhood chums had a 39 coupe and now I know that it was a deluxe model and what I always took for a 38 is the standard model in 1939. Thank you Bellingham Fred.
Oh boy I can’t believe somebody hasn’t said restomod and LS swap yet!!
It’s priced right as a runner – the right fender should be replaced with a deluxe fender – is the only thing I would change.
I’d add some dressup goodies to the flatmotor,dual smittys, maybe a set of period mag wheels of torque thrusts, tuck and roll the front seat and cruise. sure is a beauty. Price seems ln line also. Good luck and happy motoring.
Cheers
GPC