Projects A 1936 Ford Coupe Garage Find 15 Years In The Making… **UPDATED- Build Thread Photos!!

** UPDATED BUILD THREAD PHOTOS STARTING IN POST #63**

15 years ago I was driving down the street where I grew up and caught a glimpse of a Ford wide 5 wheel and bias ply tire under a garage door that was cracked open a few feet. Later that day I stopped to inquire about the car and the owner told me it wasn't for sale. I was shocked that the '36 Ford 5 window coupe had been tucked away in that same garage, literally 500 feet from where I grew up, since I was 5 years old. The garage was never really opened so I literally passed by thousands of times without even knowing what was hiding right down the street.

Over the last 15 years I've stopped by every now and again when I would go home to visit my parents to chat with George the owner and let him know I was still interested if he ever decided to sell the car. I hadn’t been over in the last 4 years or so but a few months’ back I stopped by to say hi and George had a different tone about the car. He said he had been thinking about me the last few months and had remembered my passion for old cars and told me how much he appreciated me stopping by to say hi over the years. When I left he asked for my number and said he was thinking he's finally about ready to part with the old coupe.

Last Thursday, I decided to give George a call to check in and after chatting for a while, he told me to come on by and we could talk more about the car. I showed up early last Friday morning at George’s place and we made a deal. The ’36 Ford 5 window coupe I’ve been dreaming of owning for the last 15+ years is finally mine! Could not be more stoked!!

So after digging the car out of the garage, George pulls out an old tow bar that he received with the car when he purchased it back in 1975 and we flat towed it up the street to my dad’s house. The coolest thing about the car is the fact that George had basically collected 3 of everything for the car over the years. 3 ’36 flatheads, 3 sets of fenders, 3 grille shells… The amount of extra parts is almost overwhelming, I still have boxes of parts to sort through.

Plans for the car are still coming together but cannot be more excited to get this car on the road after almost 50 years of sitting in a garage!

 

Wow quite a nice project. Do it yourself kit car there. . Good luck on your build.

 

My first hot rod was a 36 five window, always carry a flame for them. Sweet score. I hope to watch your build on here.

 

Congrats!!


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Great find !! Only a hop to your parents house too. Congrats !!

 

WOW! Nice.

 

Awesome, Nathan -- Congrats!!
Didn't you have another '36 a few years back?

 

Does he care if you "hop it up"?

 

Super find. Congratulations! I'm in need of a decent grille if you decide to let one go. Please let me know. Bill

 

Dang. That's quite the haul.

 

I was 20 somepin and wanted a hot rod, stopped at a body shop...
not for sale, but they sent me to a fellow named bob... became a friend of 30 years...
first street rodder I met...
he had a '35 coupe in the field... but I wanted an A...
he and his buddy since high school ricky would crawl over '32 ford stuff to get at the A stuff...
turned out being sent to see bob was good advice... bless him.

 

Awesome score!!!

 

Thanks buddy! I did... Here's my old '36 5 window I built 5 years or so back. Wish I still had that car!

 

Once I decide which one to keep I will definitely let you know.

 

Isn't it great fun!

 

Wow, terrific score. I know you'll do it justice!
When he bought the car it was only 40 years old. Better take him for a spin when you get it on the road.
It seems like he's pleased to have you as the caretaker, though it's kind of sad he never finished the project. That one photo with the sun shining down sort of looks like he's saying goodbye to the car.

 

Wow nice find !!!! that is an awesome story. Glad you got the car after all those years.

 

Nice car! 3 of everything? Around here that is called a pair and a spare. You only sell something if you have more than a pair and a spare. A joke among our local group of guys.

 

Great car, great story. Don't know what you paid for the car but I'd bet the sale of the extra parts would finance a good part of the build, which is a huge bonus.

Also, it was nice that you were able to keep in contact and ask about the car without being a jerk about it when it wasn't initially for sale. That seems to be tough for some people, if they get a no answer, they like to push the issue or get huffy about it. Sounds like you played it just right and that's great to see.

 

What a great find. Congrats!


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That's gold.
Windscreen looks very nice. Date on newspaper covering it is 1978.

 

Congrats. Great hot rod.

 

Good for you and such a nice body.. I bet you haven't stopped smiling since you got it...

 

Sometimes persistence pays off. Congrats. Keep us posted.

 

Nate, you'll have to come by and see my 3-window.....

 

Great story and you are a lucky man. What vision of the car did he have for all those years?

 

Congrats Nate, looks like you've have a fun time ahead.


I too am looking for a grille straighter then mine and a stock seat.
Also I do have some spares for mine if you don't have everything you need, but it looks like you have A LOT .

 

Congrats! Great story too.

 

Awesome!
Good for you man.
Scored a great car, made a friend.
You planted a seed and waited for it to grow.