It is common to find classics that have spent decades in storage requiring significant restoration or revival work. That is what makes this 1946 Ford Coupe a breath of fresh air. It recently emerged from a sixty-year slumber, with the seller reviving this Ford and returning it to a roadworthy state. That will allow the next owner to enjoy this Coupe immediately while planning whether to restore or continue preserving this beauty. It is a prime candidate for either approach, and I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder Mitchell G. for spotting a no longer hidden gem that offers a range of options for its next owner.
The American Government suspended the production of all civilian vehicles in early 1942 as the country found itself on a war footing. The enormous vehicle manufacturing facilities turned their attention to military applications, with passenger cars finally reappearing in showrooms once hostilities ended. The United States entered a prosperous period in those post-war years, and buyer demand was at an all-time high. However, with no time available to develop entirely new models, these first vehicles were little more than mildly revised versions of the pre-war offerings. This 1946 Ford Coupe is a perfect example of that approach, and potential buyers should consider it a genuine survivor. It spent over sixty years squirreled away in a Southern Pennsylvania barn, but its overall condition suggests the environment must have been almost perfect. The car wears its original Black paint that shows typical deterioration. It doesn’t possess a mirror shine, but more of a warm glow that is quite appealing. The panels are straight, but the best news might be its rust-free status. That means that the buyer could pursue a faithful restoration that would be relatively straightforward. However, preservation is a viable option. The glass is surprisingly clear, with the seller indicating that they recently replaced the windshields. Most of the bright trim looks excellent, although the bumpers require a trip to the platers to recapture their original shine. While it isn’t mentioned, it appears the wheels were repainted during the seller’s revival. They look dazzling in their current shade of Red, with the hubcaps, trim rings, and wide whitewalls providing the perfect finishing touch.
Powering this Ford is a 239ci flathead V8 that should produce 100hp and 180 ft/lbs of torque. The driver tackles shifting duties via a three-speed manual transmission, with the drivetrain combination allowing the Coupe to top 80mph. The news for potential buyers is extremely positive, with the whitewall tires the most obvious sign of the revival performed by the seller following the Ford’s six-decade hibernation. They treated the generator, starter, and carburetor to a rebuild. Years in a barn can often lead to electrical maladies that require considerable effort to isolate and rectify, but there are no such dangers with this classic. It features a new wiring harness, which was the final piece of the puzzle required to return this gem to a roadworthy state. It runs and drives well, making it a turnkey proposition for its new owner.
Even potential buyers focused on preservation may elect to treat this Coupe to an interior refurbishment. There are so many different shades and types of upholstery that a complete retrim would seem an obvious solution. However, it is serviceable, and throwing blankets over the seats would hide the worst of the interior’s shortcomings. I have seen vehicles of this caliber where an owner has retained the exterior “survivor” look, but performed a meticulous interior restoration. It provides a striking contrast and is the path I would choose were this Coupe to find its way into my garage.
It will be fascinating to gauge reader feedback on this 1946 Ford Coupe to see whether the majority of you would restore or preserve this classic. A third option that I haven’t mentioned is the fact that its rust-free state makes it a prime candidate for a traditional hot rod build. I think it would be sad if that were its fate because it is a genuine survivor. The seller has listed the Coupe here on Craigslist in Hermon, Maine. Their price of $10,000 seems fair, because, regardless of the buyer’s approach, they don’t face the prospect of spending hundreds of hours on rust repairs. Would you restore or preserve this classic, or does the hot rod path sound irresistible?
A good solid car that needs paint, interior, and chrome plating on the bumpers to become it’s former regal self. This is a nice one that need to be finished off and put back on the road.
So kool!
My first car was a ’46 Ford 4 door sedan. The back seat was big enough to hold dances on Friday nights. With a 59A block and three-on-the-tree, it was pretty fast back in the day. The only things I added to my purchase ($200) were dual exhausts, a lowering kit to drop the rear end 3″ and a set of Porta-Wall white wall tires. I drove it without a problem all through HS. What a blast!
That big red battery looks out of place to me. Now for me this car would need a trip to a high end paint shop and new interior. I’m a 47 model myself so this would fit right into my lifestyle. Now a days I’m quite spoiled with A/C, but I believe I could still deal with manual steering and brakes albeit a might tiring. In my neighborhood of mostly retired folks it would be quite the reminder of times gone by.
God Bless America
I love these fat fendered Fords, I have had about 3 of them 2 Coupes and one 2-door Sedan. Two had SBC and one with a built Flathead. The price on this car is fair, it is a long door Coupe most desirable and a 46, the best year in my opinion, Adam I do have comment for you, I don’t know what you are smoking or where you get your info,if you think this car will go 80 on the freeway, you have never driven one. Depending mostly on geography the car has one of 2 ratios in the rear end 4:11 and a 3:54. In Colorado where I grew up they were almost always 4:11. I mentioned I had a couple with SBC even then with 4:11 gear set you are done at 60 MPH. Great for around town, just don’t use freeways, regardless of the engine. There is one fix for this if you use the stock rear end, you can use a Columbia Overdrive, very rare and expensive, I would plan on 2 grand just to get stared, There are after market OD but I have no experience with them. There is one other solution and that is a late rear end probably an 8 or 9 inch Ford, this could be cheaper than a Columbia, depending on fabrication and transmission choice. If you are wanting 100 % restoration ,The Columbia is the only option. Adam trust me if you do 80 with stock running gear “DON”T PLAN ANY LONG TRIPS”
The switch from military operations to civilian must have been blindingly fast after the war ended, no time to spend years planning. But the same thing happened in 1942, only in reverse. I suspect anyone lucky enough to get a new car in 1946 wasn’t too upset about the lack of innovations. They were just happy to get anything.
The nice thing about this car is that you can drive and enjoy while thinking about what you might or might not do down the road. Myself, I would certainly not hot rod it. The interior would benefit from a more cohesive look IMO. I would probably not be in a rush to restore the exterior chrome and paint because it is just too expensive now. This has genuine “patina” and if that appeals to you then I would grab the car while it’s still available.
Cool Ford.
This would make a great period hot rod ‘keeping it simple stupid’. Drive it as is while you find the right pieces to upgrade it.
Red wheels have to go, a gunmetal grey would work for me.
Floors and trunk to die for…..or just really really nice. A little price drop will help move it…
Imagine this brand new and the most modern at that time lol Their headlights were enclosed which was a big deal, starters instead of cranking these were big deals. Remember when automatic transmissions and power steering were optional. All big deals for the time