Just got back in from picking up the 40 Ford convertible that I found on Sunday. I spent about an hour lookingat it and trying to decide what to do with it !! Part of me says "build it" ... but another part of me says" trade it for Whippet parts or an A or T coupe body " !!!! What to do .... what to do !!
The fun was finding it, you'll still be smiling after you sell it and buy something you really like. Trust me, make a few bucks, it will only start to cost you money if you keep it.
Good on you for doing the right thing by at least going and getting it . I figure it hasn't cost you a lot so tuck it in a corner while you do the Whippet - all the while keeping a look out for a cheap '40 sedan or a trashed coupe and then build build build! .
My advice; why rush a decision unless there was a pressing need to do so. Those pieces can be creatively stored to not take up much space, while you think. A 40 conv can be such a great all-around car for all seasons where you live, and a second chance on one in years to come, may not happen.
You can buy a 40 Ford convert. all done for what it will coat you to rebuild that one. Think how happy that 40 must be knowing that it has been saved. You did the right thing. But unless you have extremely deep pockets, sell the parts to someone who needs them.
Somewhere in a Texas field or cedar break there is a 40 Sedan laying upside down with the roof rotted away and the doors missing waiting to be the other half of that ragtop project. And it looks like who ever was shooting at it couldn't shoot a tight shot group and that may be a good thing.
Stash it for later, you never know when your tastes will change, and I'm guessing the buy-in was low!
40 converts are nice cars, reasonably rare i think, but thats alot of work, alot of missing and expensive parts. One way to build it might be a coupe or sedan donor, forget about all the chrome, roof, and peice it together that way, unless you are really talented metal shaping wise. Personally i'd move it on, becuase i know i just dont have enough time. But if you do, build it, it would be a cool car for sure.
I have more projects then I'll ever get to what i do is network parts till i have enofe to start the project, I,ve seen a lot of guys start a project and put a lot of time and money in it with out they key parts to finish. or colllect the parts and sell it to finance the wippit its worth a lot more with a pile of xtra parts
glad you went back and got it. I saw the first pics and thought about a 35/36 roaster I saw on the auction site a few weeks back that had a 40 rear section grafted on. looked REALLY good.
You have some great parts there. Reminds me of a 37 i did 20 yrs ago. I bought a 37 club coupe, ugly in my eyes, found a 38 club convert similar to what you've got there but i got the doors as well. I grafted the rear section and posts to the coupe as well as the windshield0cowl section and top of the convert doors to the coupe doors. Turned out great everything lined up nicely. Had to sell due to circumstances back then but the car was eventually finished by someone else.
I would build it...it would be a challenge....but have some fabricators look at it...the cowl looks workable...good luck....gump
Farmer Jones is going to be really pissed to discover it's gone. He was planning to start the restoration as soon as the rain lets up.