Hot Rods BChrismer's Survivor '40 Ford Convertible

Last week, this one came home to live at my house.



The story I have been told is that it was found in a garage just south of Springfield, MO and purchased by Ted Jenkins, who got it back on the road. Ted pulled the dropped axle out of the car and sold it to Jim Pike, for Jim's yellow '40 convertible. I had given Ted the stock axle and spindles out of my panel truck to use in the convertible, as he preferred a stock stance.

Last September, Pike called me saying, "Hey, I need you to do me a favor, but it will cost you some money. I need you to buy that black convertible from Ted so I don't have to." Well, I had already spent the money that I had gotten from selling my beater '40 panel to pay off the daughter's school bill, so I told him I couldn't do it at the time, but give me 6 months or so, and I will buy it.

Fast forward 6 months: I've got the money, and have been bugging Pike to sell the black one to me. The more I asked him, the more he would tell me how much he's fallen in love with it, and I was going to have to wait a LONG time. LOL I even offered to buy it from him, but leave it with him so he could enjoy it, just so I had my name on the title, but he turned that down too.

Two weeks ago, Pike called me and told me it was time. Seems another old car had captured his attention, so I made a few calls, got the money, and the rest is history.

The car is pretty much all stock, except the original dropped axle, a Posie's front spring, the paint and vintage JC Whitney seat covers and top.

Driving it is squirrely as can be, due to the fact that the Posie's spring has the bumpstops riding on the front axle, while the long rear shackles and EXTREME shock angles in the back let the back end sway like a hula girl.

I've got a new Posie's spring and shackles in the garage ready to swap out in the back to help with that issue, and @Weedburner 40 is going to bring me some upper shock mounts to help get those back to where they need to be positioned when he comes up for the Midwest Forty Ford Gathering.

While they are as traditional as can be, I hate driving on bias ply tires, so I am planning a wheel and tire swap for some modern radials, like I have on my other two 40's.

I'll probably leave the custom exhaust pipe hanger until I take it down to the exhaust shop for an exhaust upgrade to twice pipes and short glass packs.

My Offy Regular Dual intake will likely get moved over to the flatty in the near future, just for fun, and some chrome nut covers will go on the intake bolts and heads.

 

Super cool!

also, I put auburn deluxe diamondbacks on my coupe and they are as smooth as a gravy sammich.

 

Can’t go wrong with another Chrismer 40 build! High in the low 70’s today is a rag top weather day for sure!

 

Happy for you Bret! I know you have been wanting a 40 convertible for a while. Oh, and kind of jealous too…

 

It's really cool Bret! Congratulations and good luck getting her all sorted out.

 

Good story! Love the seat covers, and the custom exhaust hanger reminds me of my stuff!

 

Considering that every clothes hanger is now plastic, that's vintage stuff there! I'd keep it!
The rest of the underside looks pretty darn nice. Did someone redo it all?

 

Very good Bret!!! Congratulations

 

Yeah, I'm too cheap to do that. I figure with the lifespan of radial tires, I am money ahead to order some Nexen 165/80r15's for the front and some 225/75r15's out back. I'm gonna blow my wad on the wheels they are going on. LOL

Thanks, buddy! This one isn't a "build" but will be minor adjustments along the way. I've yet to put the top up since owning it. I've cooked and been a little chilled over the past week driving it. LOL

 

I don't know if Ted did that, or if that was the way he found it. It's way cleaner underneath than any of my other junk.

 

She's a beaut Clark... I mean Bret!!

 

Awesome hot rod. Congrats.

 

CONGRATS! 40 Ford's what is not to like

 

BAHAHAHA

 

Dang! I love it! And I'm jealous!

Dave

 

Congrats,I’m sure you’ll give it “the look”

 

Congratulations I’m jealous also lol

 

It’ll buff out. Hehe.

 

Congratulations.....
the perfect chicken-fried-steak go gitter car

 

Mmmm fried chicken

 

Very cool,the picture of the shocks almost made me spill my coffee. Ludicrous. But I know you have a plan to address that.

 

Very cool, man.

 

Those shocks are angled that way to absorb the lateral sway… genius!

 

Nice 40. Have fun with it.

 

@Dan Hay thats what I thought lol

 

Very nice! lucky guy you are!

 

Yep!! My thoughts exactly.

Ben

 

Hot Hamburger with WHITE gravy!

 

Yeah, I didn't have coffee to spill when I got down there to check out the back. I had never looked under the car until a few days after I brought it home. One look explained a LOT about how it handles when hitting a bump while turning. LOL