1940 Ford Deluxe Fordor Sedan

Description

Even I had to look twice when I first saw this car, mistaking it for a garden-variety 1940 Ford 4-door sedan. But then I noticed the fat radial tires, the twin exhaust pipes out back, and the downright gorgeous burgundy interior. No, this one isn't ordinary at all. In fact, it's quite extraordinary in almost every way.

Yep, it sure looks stock, and the gorgeous black paint job drives home the fact that this is a really nice car. But it's pretty low-key and doesn't need to shout, so they kept the stock look throughout. The fastbacks sedan shape is actually pretty sporty and thanks to a fairly comprehensive restoration, looks fantastic. All four doors fit well and close with that old car sound you just can't find in new cars today, the long, pointed hood fits better than most, and, well, there's just not much here to criticize. If someone intended to make a statement just by doing a superb job, they've succeeded brilliantly. Even the rubber running boards are fully restored and completely intact. Chrome bumpers fore and aft add a bit of contrast and wear ultra-rare "elephant ear" trim on their ends, just to reinforce the old-fashioned look.

However, the moment you open one of the doors you know this car is something truly special. Late-model Ford bucket seats were installed up front, while the stock bench remains in back, all wrapped in gorgeous burgundy upholstery that's incredibly elegant. The seats were re-contoured to add more support and to lose the head rests, so nobody's really going to notice from the outside. All the modern conveniences were built right in. There's a center console, a tilt column with leather-wrapped steering wheel, A/C, power windows, and a great-sounding AM/FM stereo with CD changer. Obviously this car was built to drive. The original gauges are still in the dash and they seem to have worked pretty hard to keep the factory look of the instrument panel, hiding most of the controls so that they look like they were born there. And as a sedan, there's room for the whole family, as well as a nicely-finished trunk that's ready for a road trip.

The 350 cubic inch Chevy V8 under that pointed hood makes great power and great sounds while it does it. Dressed up in lots of chrome and polished aluminum, the engine bay is a far cry from the original flathead. It's reliable and nicely finished, with an Edelbrock 4-barrel carb supplying the fuel and a custom dual exhaust with glasspack-style mufflers for just the right vintage sound. A 700R4 4-speed automatic transmission makes this an effortless highway hauler and there's a stout Ford 9-inch out back ensuring that you'll probably never have to worry about a broken axle again. The front suspension is a Mustang II setup with rack-and-pinion steering and you'll find a disc brake at all four corners, giving this vintage Ford a very modern demeanor on the open road. There might be a few signs of use here and there, but overall this car is professionally built and ready to rock. But it's also ready to deceive, as even the painted steel wheels wear original-style hubcaps and trim rings and nice-looking wide whitewall radials.

This is a heck of a lot of rod for not a lot of cash, all things considered. There's no stock Ford that can touch this one for comfort, speed, and reliability, and with the old-school look it'll fit in just about everywhere it goes. Call today!