'39 Deluxe/'40 Ford Similarities & Differences (technical)

I have always been attracted to the '39 Deluxe and '40 Ford Tudor Sedans and have the fever to start in on another project. But I don't know very much about the similarities and differences between the two models. It would be a huge help if you gurus could advise me on sheet metal, rubber mouldings, window garnishes, gauges, etc. as far as which parts are shared and will interchange; and which parts are unique to their respective years.

I am aware that many, many N.O.S. and reproduction parts are available on the '40. My preference is the '39. Can you advise me about what parts I may need on a stock appearing '39 Deluxe that may be in short supply or difficult to find?

Thanks, folks. This type of advice is valuable to me in evaluating my next project and I greatly appreciate you sharing your experience and advice here.

 

You can buy almost as much for the 39 Dlx. as for the 40s.
The grille for the 39 Dlx is not available as a reproduction but the stianless trim set and center bar are available for it. A replacement grille is available from some vendors but it is not a reproduction of the original.
The deck lid handle and housing are not available for the 39 either.

Get yourself a catalog from several of the major vendors of early V8 Ford parts and you'll see what is what. Dick Spadaro of D S Early Ford Parts in Altamont NY is on this forum and is a heck of an early Ford parts guy.

 

Are the fenders, hood, doors or trunk lids shared or different??? I realize the headlamp buckets are different, but see many '39s with '40 light sets. And I realize the '39 has no windwing, but are the doors otherwise the same? Thanks.

 

39 had pop out front windshields for ventilation, 40's didn't. Wipers were on the roof on 39 and cowl on 40. Dash was completely different. Fenders the same but different hood. 39 Deluxe grill was somewhat like the 40 standard but the 39 had stainless trim on each bar. Headlights were different. Even though they look somewhat the same there are a lot of differences.

 

I wish someone had told me, for example, on my '61 how expensive a passenger headlamp assembly would be. Same on the trim and door handles. How about on the '39s? Anything I need to know before starting in on a project about parts that are rare or very difficult to find? What parts are going to be the most difficult to replace if they are missing on the builder that I purchase?

 

The entire nose can be swapped 39 Dlx/40 std or Dlx.. The doors but you are aware of the vent/no vent difference. The rear fenders and decklid too but new holes for handles/taillamps will be necessary.

The 39 Dlx grille is nothing like the 40 Std. unless you are comparing old replacement aftermarket stamped steel 40 grilles to them.
The 39 Dlx. is a stamped steel assembly which has stainless steel trim on each vertical bar from side to side and narrow die-cast center bar.
The 40 Std. and 40-41 Pickup grilles are a three-piece die-cast set with a wide chromed center section and black-painted LH and RH sides.
They will interchange between the fenders but the 39 grille and hood nose are more pointed than the 40 grille.

 

funny I built many a 40 model as a kid...as I ponder the differences...I went with a 39...floorshift...dash...taillamps...it was my choice...others mix and match to thier tastes...also have a 40 for back up...

 

I had a 62 Galaxie ragtop project. I thought parts for that were tough to come by. Then, I bought my 61 hardtop....you're right, those parts are tough to find! Luckly, the trim on mine is mint, so I haven't had to find much.

 

Two last questions:

Bumpers? The same between '39 and '40?

Front fender interchange between coupes and sedans? The front clips are the same?

Thanks guys. You are the best.

 

Bumpers are not the same. 39's have a rib in them, 40's are smooth. Yes the front clips will interchange between 39 and 40 coupes and sedans.

 

The doors seem, basically, the same. But there are differences in the method of holding the garnish moldings onto the door. On a '39, they are held with clips and a couple of "humps" on the lower edge of the window opening. On a '40, garnish is held with screws and there are no "humps" on the door. That's one thing I found.

 

here are some pictures of a 39 deluxe and a 40 standard.

let me know if i can help

-danny

 

The 39 and 40 bumpers will bolt to the bodies,but the brackets are differant at the bumper.In other words a 40 bumper will not bolt up to 39 brackets.The bumper bolt holes are differant between 39 and 40.Also a 39 front fender and a 40 front fender are differant,very slight and not many peple know this.If you lay a sraight edge between the center of the headlight hole and the grille there is a 5/8 gap on a 39 and only about 1/8 inch gap on a 40.If you look straight down at the front fenders there is more of a curve on a 39 than a 40.Trying to keep someone from making the same mistake a buddy of mine did,one of each and is notieable on the same car.One last note,the 39 Deluxe fender is hard to find.I have had a bunch of 39s and 40s and had only one car with the deep curved front fender.Henry must have had them on the early 39s or had 2 vendors.Also the rear fenders also are shaped differant.My 2 cents,good luck

 

Dave, I dunno where I am on my next project...Model A Tudor or '39 Deluxe/'40 Tudor?

What I want to avoid is a total build from scratch. The cost of constructing a car from the ground up has gotten so nutty that it doesn't make a lot of economic sense. And the completed Model As- say on a '32 frame- are fetching bigger prices that I would have ever imagined. So for about the same amount of money as the hot rodded Model A, I can buy a very nice complete, running '39 or '40 and MY GUESS is that it will be the smarter buy down the road somewhere.

Who in the world knows with where the economy is going.

I like both the Model As and the '39/40s equally well. Trying to be smart here with my $$$ and trying to make an educated guess about which project will help me recoup my money down the road if I decide to sell it. Unless you guys convince me otherwise, I'm leaning in the direction of the '39/40 and away from the Hiboy Model A Sedan.

I know, I know...buy what you like and build the car you'll love and all that. But still, you need to "think with your wallet" just a little bit.

 

Bumpers are not the same but will interchange with correct brackets.

All passenger bodies and sedan delivery and woodie wagon use the same front fenders.

Front clips, see post #6 above.

 

ALSO 39 doors have no wing window.
39 doors were popular back when to use on 40's
for the better look of no wing windows.
AND don't forget the infamous 39 pedal assembly
to convert 35-38 frames to juice brakes.

 

What parts for the '39/'40 Sedans will interchange with the '40/'41 pickups? Hoods, grilles, stainless, garnishes, etc?

Thank you again, guys. Very helpful information. Can't wait to go to the Hershey Swap Meet in the Spring.

 

I believe 40 standard grilles are similar to 39 deluxe. The 40 deluxe is 3 pieces if I'm not mistaken.

 

What he says - '39 De Luxe front fenders are not the same as 1940s - also speaking from experience here - try fitting a mint '40 fender to a mint '39 De Luxe grille and you'll find out...

1940 Standard grilles have a different curvature at the sides where they meet the fender and they absolutely are not the same. The outer two bars on the '39 intersect with the perimeter bar - they do not on a 1940. here are pictures of a 1940 with a '39 lower emblem and a photo of Speedway's crapola South American repro piece of junk.

1940 Standard



1939 De Luxe - sort of....

 

The front end on the pickup is not the same as the car. Hood & fenders are different. The beltline on the pickup doesn't line up with the passenger car hood. Grill and latch assy are the same, so are the headlight buckets.

 

Will a '39 headlight bucket (with trim, lens, etc) bolt directly into a '40 fender?

 

Good information. Will Sedan and truck bumpers and brackets interchange?

 

Bumpers are the same for passenger car and pickup, '39 buckets will bolt into '40 fenders.

 

Bumper brackets on 1940 are a real crap shoot - passenger front are one type - I don't think truck are the same but I am open to hear otherwise. 1939 barrel nose truck must surely be different from '39 de Luxe and '39 Std may not be the same as De Luxe either. Rear bumper brackets on 1940s are usually model specific - for example Sdean Delivery is that model only, woodie wagon is different again and panel vans also have their own specific brackets. Coupes and sedans are the same I believe.

Rear bumpers on 1940 woodie are the same as truck. The sedan delivery can use either type at the rear and early models used the 1940 passenger bumper, later ones used the flatter truck type.

1939 headlights and buckets will bolt into 1940 fenders.

 

'40 STANDARD bumper brackets are shorter than '40 DELUXE -- but both models use the same bumper blade. The '40 Deluxe grille pops out more, hence the longer brackets.

 

Phartman, check in my profile for an album on my 39 Tudor I'm building. It's a full build, yes, but I don't have much in it sans the wheels. ( I think because it's not a Deuce or a 33-4 is the reason. Hope it gives you a picture of what one can look like.


Steve

 

Check the frame where the kick up is in the back,35 - 40 frames have an inner structure and crap layes between the inner frame and the outer and are prone to rot

 

carlos provides the best info for any one contemplating a 39 / 40 build..

if the foundation isnt good.. it will take significant work to make it so..

most of the answers your receiving aren't going to be useful until you find a car.. at which point this thread will be very helpful..

I have little additional to offer accept that tudor sedan doors seem more difficult to find than coupe doors..

when you find a car.. let me know what you need.. I have some spare 40 parts... ;-)

 

I thought you wanted to build a hot rod, Pete??
Somebody told my once that the fun thing about hot rodding is: making parts fit that where never meant to be together!!

Just kidding

Hope you'll find yourself a new project!
But don't buy anything that's already running!! you'd miss the fun part

 

Martin, you are forgetting that I've turned into an old guy - I don't want to work that hard anymore. I just want to act like the young gun that you are.