Sometimes it is hard to do this job. We see so many cars that have been abused and neglected that we kind of become numb to the abuse. This car, however, really upsets me. What you see here is a 1939 Ford Deluxe convertible sedan that has been “stored” under tarps and blankets until much of it has been damaged by rust and water. For sale on craigslist out of Brundidge, Alabama, this car is one of just 3,561 convertible sedans built by Ford in 1939. With a factory price of $920, it was the highest priced car in the Ford line up along with the station wagon. Now, a car that usually sells in today’s market for around $30,000 can be had for just $9,500 cash. Is it worth it?
This was the last year of the convertible sedan body style for Ford. Mercury produced a similar car for 1940 only, and that was the end of the line for this model for both makes. Cars like this are tailor made for antique auto tours stretching multiple days. Offering enough room for two couples and their luggage, they seal up fairly well in inclement weather. Powered by an 85 horsepower version of Ford’s famous Flathead, they have enough power to cruise around 65 mph without being overworked. If you can find an original Columbia rear end or install a Mitchell overdrive, even higher speeds can be maintained comfortably. It doesn’t hurt that Ford made hydraulic brakes standard in 1939 either.
Of course, this car is a prime example of the drawbacks of a convertible top. Once rotted away, water intrusion makes mincemeat of the floor. The residual moisture often finds its way into nearly everything else in the car. Mold and mildew cover every surface, moisture destroys the intricate works inside mechanical gauges, and it is not long before rust is damaging and, ultimately, destroying every finished or plated part in the car. Which is exactly what we see here. The garnish moldings are starting to rust, the beautiful wood graining on the metal dash is fading away, and the left side instrument cluster in the dash is showing signs of fogging up. What a mess.
The situation worsens in the rear. What you see here is the chrome, which has at least been put in a somewhat safe place, and the back window for the convertible top. It looks like the back window and the surrounding canvas, which is zippered in at the top and sides to provide some extra ventilation, managed to detach itself. With water now free to come in, you can imagine what happened next. Another theory would be that the car was stored outside with the top down. The wooden header’s advanced state of rot might be powerful evidence that it indeed was stored this way, and the damage happened after the tarps rotted away.
When we get to the trunk, it is obvious that there will be a lot of work to do to get this car back on the road. There is damage around the lip of the trunk and where that lip meets the body. The trunk floor has also been severely damaged. Looking at the top bows, and their sorry state only adds to the misery that a restorer will hopefully go through to return this car to its former glory. While not too far gone, the damaged pieces will have to be repaired. It is doubtful that parts could be found due to the rarity of the car. Only the wooden header and what is likely a single wooden top bow are currently being reproduced.
The tarp didn’t do the engine any favors either. You can see the advanced state of corrosion on the aluminum intake manifold and the rust bubbling up on the generator. Everything does seem to be present and mostly original to the car. Unfortunately, we are not told if this moisture has locked up the engine. Even if it isn’t, there is a lot of work to do to bring this engine back from the dead. I have never seen a ground cable bolted to a cylinder head on a Flathead Ford, but it is nice to see that non-stock chrome acorn nuts will stand such treatment without discoloring or flaking.
The asking price is probably fair if the floor in the rest of the car is still good. However, you’ll never know how much damage has been done until you get the whole car apart. Restoring it will be expensive. A full engine rebuild, wiring harness, upholstery, a convertible top, wood graining, and countless other items will drive the price up quickly. This might be the right car for someone with a little patience and some long term indoor storage. Doing the required body work will keep the average restorer busy for months. Perhaps using this time to order a part here and there might eventually get you to a full restoration. You’d be lucky to break even, but a car like this is worth saving.
Would you take on a project like this?
As I’ve said before cars in general make a poor investment. They take up a lot indoor room, as well as continued maintenance. This car is going to be rotten from end to end in those floors and will require a complete tear down with many hours of fabrication work. The centre post that supports the rear door will also be in question in terms of structural integrity as they tie into the rocker and the floor. I think this car in this condition is not worth anymore than $3k. These sellers have to start realizing the enormous expense of restoring a car like this and all they’re selling is the potential for a nice restored car. In its current condition all you have here is a parts car.
yeah. but what about those chrome acorn head nuts! Hubba Hubba
If you owned it, would you sell it for 3k ? Get real or buy that pretty decent 78 Oldsmobile……………..
My project car a two door hardtop dodge which by the way was in much better shape than this, an exclusively Canadian model I picked up for $400.00. When someone asks thousands of dollars for total rust buckets to me it is a reflection of there character. And in this case greedy comes to mind. Clay you can think what you want but if this were mine and I were selling it I’d probably list it lower then the $3k I mentioned. As I’ve said before this is only a potential car and many dollars and hours will be spent before it is a car again.
We have seen worse for a larger asking price on this site.
Some people just SUCK
I believe that this configuration is called a Phaeton, or maybe that was just the older Fords. would be nice to see this ome saved. Good luck to the new owner.
Cheers
GPC
A Phaeton is essentially a 4 door Roadster, with snap on side curtains provided by the factory, and no roll up windows, typically with a folding type stanchion mounted windshield.
This is a Convertible Sedan – which has chrome framed glass roll up windows in all 4 doors, with a removable center post that attaches to the center pillar and a windshield mounted in a frame that is part of the body. Both do have folding wood and metal canvas tops, but the similarity ends there.
I believe that Ford’s last Phaeton was produced in 1936, dropped for ‘37 Model year, though Mercury re-used the name for a bit in the mid 50’s for its 4 door hard tops.
Glad this car is far away, it’s a great deal even with the work needed. :-)
A drop top is a gamble no matter who built it. For me, and considering the other projects I’ve got underway, it’s too much to take on. But you must also realize that the journey is going to be rewarding if you’re up to the challenge. I wouldn’t get all that gung-ho about changing the engine/powertrain as what is already there is capable of sustained highway speeds. I’ve heard a lot of hype about hydraulic brakes and can assure you that they don’t stop much better than the old mechanicals. In fact if you lose an axle (like so many old Fords did), you’ll still have brakes with a mechanical system, but you’re Fred Flintstone with juicers and lose an axle. But this car came with juicers so it would be silly to backgrade them. I’d like to see someone take this on and give it the TLC that it deserves….
Run from this one…
Not skired….come on rich uncle’s money….it’s a buy and can join my coupe and sedan….
I would LOVE to take on a restoration like this! Spending a Saturday fabbing up a floor panel or two is a nice, peaceful way to spend the day and the results are certainly worth it. I love these rare and special models that you don’t see every day.
Just to the east of Brundage Alabama I a town called Clio Alabama there is a garage that is full of Studebakers on Alabama State Rd 10
Is this a Fordabaker?
Weird to see a CL ad where they took the cover completely off.
My family came to Ca. from R.I. in 1952. in one of these. My Father bought it in 1940 for $900.00 and sold it in 1967 or 68 for $1000.00. This is the only other example of a 39 Ford 4 door convertible I have ever seen and I hope ours faired better than this one, wherever it is.
Who knows Dan… this one may be it. It’s not like there were that many. It could be an old family friend.
Just plain dumb.
There’s a guy just up the road from me that “tarped” an old Scout…I stopped in to mention how it may not be the best way to store it…he seemed a little “put off”.
Guess you can’t save them all.
This one looks like its fate was “sealed” a long time ago…
There was a time when this would have been a “deal”, and some ambitious soul might have taken it on.
I may have told the story before, but about 20 years ago I wanted to do a ’36 Ford roadster, REALLY wanted. Very few were on the market at the time, and after a deal to buy one in SoCal fell through I took the fall back position. I got two roadster doors, a cowl top, dashboard, and the tulip panel (body parts unique to the roadster/phaeton) and proceeded to mix and match parts from a 5 window coupe shell to fabricate the roadster body just like a factory car. My ’36 roadster…………the hard way. Floors were replaced, and a ton of other body repairs. Probably more work than this tub requires. But, at the time I was crazy, and I guess ambitious, enough to go through that much effort to fulfill the dream.
Today, there are genuine (as opposed to glass) ’36 roadsters on the market with regularity. Just as there are ’39 convertible sedans (probably have seen 10-12 so far this year). A serious buyer/enthusiast today has many better options than to bury himself in this rust bucket………..sad but true.
With this one, a street rod will be the way to go. Even an old school style hot rod. That way you make your own pans, drivetrain, interior, etc. and when you are done if you’ve done a great job the end result will be worth more than a stock car would have. It will be saved in some form for sure. Under $10k for a rare body style open car is not a bad starting point.
I always agree with Bob, and this car is just what he is talking about. I have lusted after Convertible Sedans forever, and they are still on my bucket list,very near the top. They used to be extremely high dollar and not many for sale, that has changed, just as Bob said, they are popping up allot lately. For that reason, I would pass on this piece, and find a better one, for a better price. This car could certainly be saved, but the time and expense, might not be worth it!
With its locatiom in Alabama, hurricane Michael might have finished it off anyway.
The tragedy of these storms on human life and property are heartbreaking, but how many wonderful old vehicles are lost too.
Eh, I dunno guys. I think y’all are a little quick to invoke the DNR order here. As I was reading the copy and looking at the pics, I kept thinking, “Wait, are we looking at the same car? it’s not THAT bad”. Yeah, there’s a lot of moisture damage but this car is not all rotted away like many featured here. He may not get his ask for this, but I’m pretty sure it will be saved and not parted out.
Where’s the guys screaming too many doors?
A labour of love. Are there still enough of the generation who loved such cars to take it on?
It easily happens, this tarp business. Life gets in the way. My TR6 on which I lavished many hours and much ££ sat outside under a cover – OK it was a quality cover – for five years after we moved house. Luckily it suffered little, but under the bonnet it certainly was not as shiny as of yore and a few of the panels had suffered microblistering and the mice had been trying to get inside, well perhaps you know how it goes.
Life gets in the way.
please excuse my ignorance but to be a sedan should their not be a post between front and rear doors ? also and maybe it is different cause it is a droptop should the windshield wipers be above the windshield not in the cowl anyway feel free to correct me
There are removable panels that create the B pillar when the top is up. Ford would put open car wipers on the cowl, and closed car wipers above the windshield.
al, there are some good pics in this listing that will show you in detail what the removable piece looks like and how it’s attached; https://www.ebay.com/itm/1939-Ford-Other-Deluxe-Roadster-Sedan/382593062621
There is a post, just not visible with doors shut, and the wiper location is correctly in the cowl. It IS a droptop, but a Convertible SEDAN which is where some of those differences come in. I think it was the most expensive Ford made that year.
al, Actually there is a post between the 2-doors, but it is removable when the top is down. Never knew about a post rule to be sedan. Also, windshield wipers on 39 and 40 Fords are in the cowl, all the mechanics are under the dash.
Howard, 4-door rule does not apply to Convertible Sedans, I know that because I am a past president and member in good standing of the, Four-Door Haters Association!
He is asking to much but any good metal guy would make short work of the the bottom of this car. Not a lot of complex work to the bottoms of these. All convertibles have rusty bottoms unless their in a dry warehouse. If a competent metal smith takes this on he will have a cool rare car. 3 to 5 at best is the market value of this. I have repaired worse than this as I live in Canada land of salt and snow!
I look at it this way, instead of letting it rot further the owner is letting it go. It’s also way to get into a very rare car & get it back on the road for a reasonable cost. I myself don’t have 30k to drop on a “fun” car, hell sometimes even 10k is a stretch, but that’s the great thing about this hobby, you don’t need a ton of dough to enjoy it. If I didn’t have two projects & lived 1500 miles away I’d be all over this car, power wash it, get it running, throw some blankets on the seat & drive the wheels off of it!
A real shame how a solid looking car was so mistreated. Lots of good comments, but no one noted that the “trim” in the back seat is probably the weather striping and channels from around the windows. My first car in 1961 was a ’39 convertible sedan. The top folds a whole lot better with the weather striping removed. I never did put mine back in place, even in the winter.
Another point – it is definitely a two man top! Maybe one man if all the top iron joints are tight and lubricated, but I always needed a hand to get mine up. There were times when it started to rain and I had to ask the guy in the car beside mine at the drive-in to give me a hand!
It sure was a great car to drive in high school!
I bought this car. I didn’t pay that much. Retirement project on a budget. It is under a cry shelter. I would guess its been sitting up for 20 years. Lots of rust, but its all there. And yes, the motor turns over!
In the process of buying one very similar. I am in Mobile Al. Any tips?
Where are you located Chris? I am in negotiations for one in similar condition. I am in Mobile Al.
I am in negotiations for one in similar condition. I am in Mobile AL. Also getting a 1939 Tudor sedan with it but I will be selling that one due to lack of space. Should I run away?
I am in Troy. Advice? Be realistic. Looks like an incredible amount of work. I don’t know what your skill level or fatness of wallet you posses.