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Real Steel: 1932 Ford Vicky

It’s getting harder and harder to find original classic vehicles. It’s even more difficult to find “blue chip” original cars.  When you do, they command such a premium that they are out of reach for the average collector. Such is the case for this car. An all-steel 1932 Ford, residing in Atlanta, Georgia. The car is up for auction here on eBay with a buy it now price of $82,500!

If there were any doubts about the originality of this car, one look on the inside tells the story.  It’s hard to fake 85-year-old upholstery.  While not really in usable condition, the door panels, seats, and dash all look like they have never been touched.  If the new owner wants to do a faith full restoration, the original fabric will at least serve as templates for new material.

The engine is said to be a flathead from 1933 or 1934 mated to a 1932 transmission.  There are no indications in the ad why or when the engine may have been replaced.  The ad does state that the engine doesn’t run, but there is good compression.  As with any project like this, fuel and spark should get it running.  If the compression was tested on all cylinders, the engine is freed up and there should be no major internal components broken.

You have to love the look of a 1932 Ford front end.  The iconic grill is valuable all by itself and command high prices when offered for sale.  This car is such a good candidate for restoration, it will be a shame if the car is chopped and hot-rodded.  However, I understand if the new owner does turn this car into a hot rod.  There are so many fiberglass and reproduction ’32’s on the road, that having a “Henry Ford Steel” car is pretty cool.  Whatever the future of this car holds, the new owner will be starting with a really solid project.

Comments

  1. Avatar 86_Vette_Convertible

    Love it. Get that running and enter it in a few parades and show the world what a real car looks like.

    Like 2
  2. Avatar geomechs Member

    A Vicky! Now this really makes me cry. And that’s because the Victoria is my ultimate favorite, and it’s out of reach for my budget. Talk about ruin my day! I sure hope someone gives this a good home and restores/preserves it original. If it came my way, it would get the progressive restoration treatment. I would try to find an original type motor but I wouldn’t lose any sleep if I couldn’t. There isn’t a lot of difference between the ’32 and even the ’36 engine, except for the oil pans and addition of coolant drains. Up a full point in compression from ’32 to ’33 adding 10 hp. Changing the carburetor from the Detroit Lubricator single to the Stromberg 48 2bbl in ’34 brought the output to 85 hp. Otherwise the motor still weighed 525 lbs. and would overheat at the drop of a hat. Just love those flatheads….

    Like 0
  3. Avatar CrazyGeorge

    The Odometer says 29xxx miles ! That’s twenty nine thousand miles ! Looking at the interior I believe it ! I wish My 2015 ford pickup had map pockets like this Vicky ….. Maaaybe I’ll copy them, I can’t buy them anymore… Not new.. If you can I can’t find them….

    Like 0
  4. Avatar Classic Steel

    Unless Bonnie and Clyde drove this one please explain the explosive price?

    Yes it’s cool but not 63 Split window or Early Shelby cool(non king cobra price for 80 unless your one lucky SOB)🤠

    Just comparing alternates use of the offered price…

    Like 0
    • Avatar Gray Wolf

      Different planet for those cars! You cannot find a ’32 Vicky like this one!

      Like 0
  5. Avatar Madmatt

    Boy…they just don’t get any nicer than this,..at least
    as far as original unmolested shape.Hard to believe
    that there is any interior left after 85 years!,simply amazing!
    I would do the absolute minimum to make safe to drive,
    and enjoy as is.This does seem to be stretching the
    bounds of reality on price though…? sure is cool though!I wonder where/how this was stored?fantastic shape for its age for sure!

    Like 0
  6. Avatar Chris in WNC

    restore the mechanicals and interior but DON”T TOUCH THAT BODY…….

    Like 0
  7. Avatar Karguy James

    I have been lucky enough to find three original 1932 Fords in my lifetime. There is just something amazing about having a 32 Ford.

    Like 1
    • Avatar GearHead Engineering

      James,

      That is my dream car right there. I’ve pretty much given up hope of owning a five window ’32. Closest I ever came was back in the ’80s but it was one of those “I’m going to fix it up one day” stories. Tell me more about this one…

      – John

      Like 0
    • Avatar r spreeman

      Wouldn’t it be great if you were able go back in time and see the people who owned and drove that car and the things it’s been through in its life?

      Like 0
  8. Avatar Stang1968

    The flathead V8s in 32 had lots of issues because they were rushed to production. Oiling issues and cracking blocks come to mind. Its possible this happened with this car, and the 33-34 engine was installed because they had worked many of the kinks out by then and also it had higher compression for a slight bump in power.

    Like 0
    • Avatar geomechs Member

      Hi Stang. I heard that the scrap rate of V8 blocks was 1 in 4. According to the stories that circulated amongst old the Ford mechanics in my neighborhood, there was one off-site foundry that was casting blocks with less than 2% scrappage. Henry heard of that and immediately went to check it out. He was introduced to an aging eastern European guy who seemed to grasp everything that one needed to know in order to cast those blocks properly. The way the story went, Henry brought him back to Dearborn and had him teach the troops in the foundry there how to cast the V-8 blocks. From what I was told, the engine failures stopped almost overnight….

      Like 1
      • Avatar Craig M. Bryda

        A friend told me he remembers hearing that Ford put newly cast flathead blocks out in the weather to age them. ?

        Like 0
      • Avatar geomechs Member

        That’s actually the way they annealed cast iron back then. Pile ’em outside and let ’em rust. Most foundries went to annealing ovens in the post war years; it did a satisfactory job but companies such as Rolls Royce never did give in. RR ordered TH 400 automatic transmissions from GM, in a cast iron case. One of the requirements was that the castings be annealed naturally.

        Like 1
  9. Avatar jeff6599

    Cracked blocks were a problem throughout the life of operation, let alone what production might have contributed. The basic design was the problem, with the long exhaust passages going through the water jackets in six places. The exhaust heated the water via these passages as opposed to the Cadillac V8 design. This left marginal cooling capacity for things like lean mixtures, poor ignition timing, warm weather and the like. Once a bit of water boiled away and the upper hoses were no longer filled to allow upper tank circulation, overheating occurred, especially at the exhaust valve seats. A few cycles of this and presto, a crack or several would form. Even better radiators capable of supporting high pressure (13 psi) caps would have helped a immensely. But too many engineers and mechanics concentrated on water flow rates which got them nowhere.

    Like 1
    • Avatar Beatnik Bedouin

      jeff6599 is correct. The water passages around the Ford V8’s inner exhaust ports would have coolant literally turning into steam – even on a well-maintained engine! This was something the guys I learned about building flatmotors pointed out.

      It was a major design flaw that never got corrected in the engine’s long life…

      That Vicky is lovely, but I’m too much of a cheapskate to spend that kind of scratch on a car. I hope it goes to a loving home, where it is used regularly and cherished.

      Like 1
  10. Avatar Craig M. Bryda

    A friend told me he remembers hearing that Ford put newly cast flathead blocks out in the weather to age them. ?

    Like 0
  11. Avatar SKIBUM2

    Too old to even consider paying that kind of price for a car that you will have to invest a crock pot full of money..Sorry, I would go with a classic that I would just turn the key and have a ball..This is just another old car..Parades will be the highlight for this one..

    Like 0
  12. Avatar graham line

    I see it comes equipped with the rare “Efficient Parking Platforms” manufactured by the G.W. Hooner Machine & Tool Co. of Ottumwa, Iowa.

    Like 0
  13. Avatar duaney

    If it were a Chevy, the price would be around $12,000

    Like 1
    • Avatar David Hamer

      More 3000

      Like 0
  14. Avatar steve

    Some people have totally lost their minds when it comes to these old cars….the “32 Vicky……

    Like 0
  15. Avatar LAWRENCE

    Didn’t we over discuss a 32 coupe awhile back ? It may not be your cup of tea but there’s still a big demand some 90 plus years later for 32 Fords – not just here but around the world. As evidenced by how many 32’s have sold across the pond – not sure you can say that about Vette’s and of yes – Hemi car’s.

    Like 0
  16. Avatar Mike Di

    Fully restored one on The Early Ford V8 Club website not long ago for half the price. Motivated seller for sure.

    Like 0
  17. Avatar Tort Member

    I would guess there are more people out there that have the money to buy this rare original 32 Vicky’s than there are original 32 Vicky’s ! Just hope they just get it running and don’t over restore it or hot rod it.

    Like 0
  18. Avatar glen

    I prefer that ’29 Phaeton from yesterday, and it’s way cheaper.

    Like 0
  19. Avatar Joe Haska

    It is obviously a very nice car, and a 32 Vicky, not really sure, a Vicky is basically a 2-door sedan with a big butt. However, they have always been considered special. I think the price is just too high for todays market, no matter what you want to do with the car. The only thing that would make any sense at all, if you pay that much, is don’t touch it. Its biggest claim to fame is it is an unrestored un molested car original car, and it is very nice. I don’t think you can do anything to it , restore or hot rod, and increase its value. I think its just too much money in todays market, and its probably depreciating. That’s my opinion and I love 32 Fords and have owned several, but the party is over. He who dies with the most toys, didn’t sell them soon enough!

    Like 0
  20. Avatar Joe Haska

    It is obviously a very nice car, and a 32 Vicky, not really sure, a Vicky is basically a 2-door sedan with a big butt. However, they have always been considered special. I think the price is just too high for todays market, no matter what you want to do with the car. The only thing that would make any sense at all, if you pay that much, is don’t touch it. Its biggest claim to fame is it is an unrestored, un-molested, original car, and it is very nice. I don’t think you can do anything to it , restore or hot rod, and increase its value. Its just too much money in todays market, and its probably depreciating. That’s my opinion and I love 32 Fords and have owned several, but the party is over. He who dies with the most toys, didn’t sell them soon enough!

    Like 0
  21. Avatar jeff6588

    Geo, I must respectfully disagree. The annealing process always involves heat with regard to cast iron, usually 500 to 900 degrees Celsius, then slow cooling usually in still air. Stress relief in cast iron can be done a number of ways and sitting for long periods can be somewhat effective and possibly inexpensive if the long term cost of holding the material and the space needed can be justified over another process.

    TH400 turbohydramatics have been supplied to Ferrari, R R, Bentley, Diamler, Jaguar and Holden since about 1977,only in aluminum cases. The earlier Hydramatics such as the dual range units and the Jetaways all came with cast iron cases, regardless of the customer. I have been an engineer a long time and that has taught me to keep aware of any and all new developments in materials and processes. If you have any documentation of a Rolls Royce spec. calling for natural rusting as an annealing procedure, I would surely appreciate seeing a copy or a readily accessible numbered reference, such as an SAE document. I’m sure I could wager myself into several coffees and doughnuts with same. All the best.

    Like 1
    • Avatar geomechs Member

      Hi Jeff. Although I have no written documentation about the ‘natural annealing process, I heard it enought times from reasonably reliable sources that I had little reason to doubt them. The first time I heard about it was from my father who toured the International foundry when he had some R&R time from the navy. He told me about a large open area that was filled with castings. He thought it was scrap ging in but he saw workers hosing it all down with water. The guide told Dad that the rusting combined with the heating and cooling of the daytime/nighttime temperatures helped relive stress in the castings. Many years later I toured the John Deere foundry in Waterloo IA. I watched the castings on a conveyor going through the giant annealing oven. The guide there told us that years ago they used to pile the blocks outside for upwards of a year before they brought them in for machining and finishing; the annealing oven allowed them to be finished within as little as twenty-four hours of casting. The final clue was from a co-worker who apprenticed at Rolls Royce. He told me that RR still clung to the old school method of allowing castings to anneal naturally. I heard of automatic transmissions being shipped to RR in a cast iron case and that RR required them to be annealed the old fashioned way at a GM Zone meeting in the late 70s. My co-worker confirmed it. I had no reason to doubt what my sources told me.

      Like 0
  22. Avatar Wayne

    The seller says in the eBay ad “ I spent many years searching for a car like this “……….. So now he wants to sell it after all the years of searching? Sounds like a flipper to me. By the look of the drivers seat the original owner must have had a big butt.

    Like 1
  23. Avatar David Hamer

    Without the orginal drivetrain and engine not even close to this value.
    Half on a good day at best.

    Like 0
  24. Avatar Pete

    First thought I had when I saw this was, Why can’t all old cars show up in this condition? That is exactly how I like them. A guy an hour down the road from me has a 36 Ford with the swoopy radiator grill of that time that he is working on. It looks just like this body style. He won’t sell it neither. LOL. That seller sure does want a lot for that car though. I agree he is high as could be even in the condition it’s in. Given the period engine swap as sound as the idea was at the time it still does take away from the originality of the car. My thinking is to get the mechanicals sorted out so it is safe to drive and just leave it as it is. If you do a 100% resto on this it is only going to be worth around half of what he is asking for it. Best just to leave it alone.

    Like 0
  25. Avatar Alexander Member

    A 1936 Vicky would be even rarer, Pete. I don’t think that body style was made after 1934. They made the 1936 “slantback” but I don’t believe it was given the name Victoria. From the almighty WIKI: in 1935 outdated body styles like the Victoria were deleted for the year.

    Like 1
  26. Avatar Lion

    About 6 years ago my buddy and I found one of these in a wrecking lot. It was really rough … roof gone, glass gone and seats just springs, but the fenders, wheels and lights were there on a rusty but not rotten boddy and complete drive train.. It was a true model B with the four banger. We got it out of crusher row and knowing we did not have the expertise or $$$ to restore it, we just floipped it. Sorry now that we didn’t store it until we found someone who would. I’m sure it became a rod.

    Like 0
  27. Avatar jeff6599

    Some of you folks just don’t understand about the truly old cars. Engines then were nowhere near as reliable as current ones. They burned and leaked oil. When the oil got too low, there was a rod knock, maybe a broken rod and maybe a broken block. Well, chances were someone nearby had an engine taken from a wreck, which there were a lot of due to poor brakes. You could buy a used one for $5 -$20 back then, and have it in and driving to go the the show that night. Very, very few people went for a machine shop repair on the original engine.

    When you speak of the value of this car, I just don’t know where you are coming from. What is your car background that you don’t know what an original Deuce is worth? Are you basing it on prior sales? On what your uncle sold one for 35 years ago? Even if owning a Deuce isn’t in your blood, don’t be so cavalier about what it is worth to you. Look it up, honor the marque, see what the market will support because when the day comes to sell your toys, the market will determine their value.

    Like 1
  28. Avatar Dt1

    I agree with you on this one Wayne to,many farts cut in one lol

    Like 0
  29. Avatar Rex Rice

    A few years ago, (Many years ago!), a neighbor had one of these for sale but he wanted $165 for it. Too much so I passed.

    Like 0
  30. Avatar Rick

    You will never spend too much on a 32, but you may buy it too soon.

    Like 0
  31. Avatar David Hamer

    True for any 32-34 ford

    Like 0
  32. Avatar John Helming Member

    Anybody know the whereabouts of the car now? I just recently stumbled on the original eBay listing from back in December 2017.
    My dad bought his new V-8 Victoria from a Ford dealer in Minnesota in June of 1932. He later moved to Massachusetts, and the Ford was the family car for 21 years, the one I learned to drive on. He sold it in 1953 to a local car museum which was later closed and the contents auctioned off. I’ve wondered for years what happened to the car, so I was struck by the photos in the eBay listing. It looks EXACTLY like the car the last time I saw it (1953) – – faded black paint, but otherwise unmarked, complete with the later Ford wheels.
    The eBay listing stated the car had a ’33 or ’34 engine – – guess what? Dad had the engine rebuilt by an independent Ford mechanic sometime around ’48 or ’50, and I’m sure originality was not a priority; he probably used any new parts he could find that would fit.
    I left a massage several days ago for the seller, using the ‘eBay handle’ in the original ad from December 2017. I told him I’m not a buyer, but if he could confirm the original 6-digit VIN, (not the bogus one listed in the ad), I’d fly to Atlanta just to sit in that car for one hour! Still waiting . . .

    Like 1
  33. Avatar Roy Rowe

    I think the Vicky could be a older resto from the late 1960s / early 70s coming up 45 – 50 years old now. Had a bit of use, 29000mls. and slight abuse, collapsed drivers seat and scuffed door panel, got a bit tired mechanicly? left to sit. Does not appear to have any rust, for an 80 year old, dents or missing bits [except for crank handle support] for an original vehicle. The wheels may have had a repaint recently and tires replaced. Just the way I see it.
    . My first 32 was a 5w coupe in 1961 then a 4 door Sedan in 1978 , a Cabriolet in 1980 and a Roadster in 1996. All gone now

    Like 0

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