1940 Ford Coupe Deluxe

Description

This is it, the car that guys have been chasing for nearly seven decades. The 1940 Ford coupe is iconic and today, like its 1932 siblings, finding an un-modified all-steel car in restored condition is a rather rare thing. However, under the hood of this one you'll find a genuine flathead, the interior is trimmed in factory-style broadcloth, and with skinny wide whites, it delivers the authentic 1940 Ford driving experience.

There's a saying that even the bad flathead Fords are good, and the good ones are great, and this superb 1940 Ford Deluxe coupe certainly delivers in a big way. With a high-quality restoration recently completed, the lovely gloss black paint shines with a soft glow that's right out of the '40s. Ford always preferred black, so it shouldn't be a surprise that it look so good on the vintage flathead's bodywork. All the sheetmetal was thoroughly reworked during the restoration, and anything that needed attention got it, so the results are quite impressive all around. The Deluxe models are easy to spot with their pointed and chrome-plated grilles that are horizontally flush with the hood rather than pointed down like the 1939 and Standard models were. Of course, there's also the chrome 'Deluxe' badges on the hood, simple stainless trim, and those chevron-shaped taillights that became a popular hot-rod look all by themselves. It's also loaded with accessories, including fog lights, bumper ends, and a grille guard, all of which make it look dressed up.

Although this is a working man's car, the interior suggests that even he was entitled to a comfortable, stylish landscape. The original seats and door panels have been reupholstered in a period-correct fabric that has a warm, inviting look like the hum of an old tube radio (by the way, the radio in this car is fully operational). The two-tone dash brings the body color inside but ties it together with the tan, with the combination being handsome and functional, brightening up the interior. Crisply marked gauges monitor all the vital functions and there's the optional AM radio in the center of the dash, and it all works the way it should. The steering wheel has been restored, all the knobs and handles are in excellent shape, and, well, there's really not much to fault in this high-quality car. In back, there's a positively massive trunk, which is why these cars were so popular with traveling salesmen, and it's been finished with a correct rubber mat and full-sized spare.

Ford's 221 cubic inch flathead V8 is every bit as wonderful as the legends suggest it would be. With a bubbly idle and a playful demeanor out on the road, performance is lively and it's a joy to run this one through the gears. It feels far more substantial than its modest specifications would suggest, and zips through traffic with an agility that other cars of the period can only envy. The engine is fully rebuilt and correctly detailed in Ford Green with a proper 2-barrel carburetor and mechanical fuel pump up top and cast iron exhaust manifolds bolted to the outside of the block. The 3-speed manual transmission spins the factory "banjo" rear end, and this coupe will happily cruise at 60 MPH without complaint. The chassis isn't quite as nice as the rest of the car, but it's still excellent with only minor signs of use. Flashy 6.50-16 wide whites add to the upscale look and protect a set of color-matched steel wheels with hubcaps and trim rings.

These are so popular that new steel copies are being made. However, you can enjoy the real thing with this lovely restored example that's also part of a dying breed: stock flathead Fords. Call today!