Barn (garage) find '40 Ford... they're still out there!

I love making automobile Love Connections… heck, I would venture to say I enjoy finding cars for other people more than I like finding them for myself!
My good friend Tim Sage has a long history with cars. He is the caretaker of a very special roadster you may have seen… a cute little Model A Roadster with a CRAGAR B motor in it… Kelseys, boat windshield, and a pickup bed molded into the rear. His Father, Roland Sage, built the car in late ’49 and raced it at Kingdon in the ‘50’s.

After a strapping Roland got married to Margaret… he and his new bride went down to a Ford dealership and plopped down $1200 for a brand new ’40 Ford Convertible.

Roland, not one to be satisfied with the stock performance of the ’40… outfitted it with a Columbia two-speed rear axle and supercharger.
The ’40 was sold for a more practical family hauler as Roland wasn’t just a busy guy out in the garage! He and Margaret eventually had seven children!

All that the Sage family has left of the ’40 are a few snapshots…
Now being the car-connection man that I am… I’ve always prodded Tim to try and find out what kind of car we could add to his stable.

Now when I say “stable”, I don’t mean to insinuate that Tim has a large wharehouse with a pile of cars that are maintained by a dude named Bob.

On the contrary… when Tim buys a car, he keeps it. So if he is going to buy something, it’s usually not an impulse buy. Needless to say, he doesn’t own very many cars… and the ones he owns, he’s had for a LONG time!

Tim’s “stable” currently consists of a ’73 Chevy Van he bought new (he even remembers the exact date he took delivery), an 80’s Honda driver that he’s had for more than 10 years, his dad’s roadster and a Chevy II that his brother Kevin built back in the 60’s and also raced at Kingdon. Some stable!

So during my prodding (which began years ago) I discovered that Tim had a fancy for a ’40 Ford convertible or a ’32 Ford Tudor. The ’32 being a car that was built up by his older brother Ron and his father.
Last year we went and looked at a CHERRY ’32 sedan… but it just wasn’t to be. I think it may have been the overwhelming thought of having a huge project to build up… that, or just pure “automobile destiny”…

Last Thursday night I get a call from my buddy Steve… “Hey, there’s an estate sale in Hilmar and they got a bunch of old Ford parts and cars and*****… we’re going to go down there at 7am and see what we can find” What kind of cars? “Well… a couple Model A’s, one’s a coupe with a flathead (WHOA!) a ’55 T-bird, ’41 Ford coupe… a ’64 Fairlane, a ’40-something Ford coupe out in a field… oh, and a ’40 Ford convertible…”

“A what? ’40 Ford Convertible? Are you*****tin’ me?”

“No man… Dino’s gonna bid on it…”

So after some small talk… I make the descision to go… and bring Tim with me…

I call Tim and we make arrangements to go.

We show up at 7:45… and half the***** was gone! Kinda’ a bummer when you see the leftovers consisted of about 6 flatheads with prices from $20 to $50 on them with big SOLD signs hanging on ‘em… a ’40 front end, $40, SOLD… and a bunch of stuff Steve said was there the day before… all SOLD!

Yea, the locals got to the place and scored all the good*****…. except…

We find our way back to the garage… not looking like we’re too interested, and see… low and behold… a very cherry ’40 Ford convertible… and a very nice ’41 coupe.

Incedentally, Steve and I himmed and hawed over the Model A with the flathead in it that was sitting since ’53… outside… it got snapped up before we made the descision to buy. Too bad… it was a CHERRY stocker with a little rust, old green paint… solid 16”ers all around… full of cat***** and newspapers…AND a flathead bolted in and ready to run… it went for $4000… I know, I’m stupid… but I had more things on my mind, namely dealing on that ’40. (The ’41 sold for 10k to a relative)

As far as negotiating, the family wasn’t budging… they kept saying “If you want it, write what you’ll pay on a piece of paper, and we’ll call you if you’re the high bidder.”

After quite a bit of discussion, Tim, his brother Shawn and I came up with a fair dollar amount and scribbled it on a piece of paper along with Tim and Shawn’s phone numbers.

They got a call Sunday morning, and the deal was done… Tim was the new owner of a new-to-him ’40 Ford convertible!

On delivery day… the yard had already been cleaned and two dumpsters had been filled… all that was left now was an old trailer, the ‘55 T-bird, the ’41 and the ’40. Tim, not being a veteran, at all, of purchasing cars… let along purchasing one of this calibur… was nervous to say the least.

I tried to make him feel better by saying things like “Imagine what it’ll look like with you flat towing the roadster with this baby!” and “It’s ONLY money… if you need to get the cash out of it, you can!” (Full well knowing he’ll never sell it)

So we jacked it up, checked the floorboards to make sure it was as solid underneath as it was on top (it was) and did the paperwork.
Up until now I’ve talked a lot about Tim and his family… but not about this ’40.

The ’40 was purchased brand new by Wilbur Swanson and driven for 10 years and then parked. Two of his children that were present had never ridden in it, and it was said to have sat in the exact same spot in that garage since at least 1960… but probably longer.
A true barn (garage) find for sure.

The car had its radiator out, but it was sitting in the front seat, all re-cored, painted up and ready to reinstall. When I poked my head under the back end… I came up with a smile… yep, Columbia 2 speed!
The interior is factory, and doesn’t have a tear one in the seats.

The body has absolutely no rot out… the windows roll up and down nicely, and everything… including the bumper paddles, are present.
There are two spots on the right fender where the paint is damaged, it looks as though there were two dents there and someone who knew what the hell they were doing heat shrunk them out.

The 1963 Black plates were put on it in ’63… but it never drove with them one it, in fact… all of the registration stickers were in the glovebox! (stickers from ’63 to the 70’s!
Yea boys and girls, this is a cherry.

Plans are to clean it, get it running… do the brakes, and enjoy it. It’ll need new tires, and Tim is leaning towards keeping the 16” solids with small caps, rings and bigs and littles. Lowering the front a tad… and possibly having the top re-done along with the bumpers re-chromed.

The more and more we think about it… the more and more we realize this car was meant to be. It wasn’t something someone was******ing out on e-bay… in fact, the ad in the Modesto Bee said “Estate Sale… car parts”.

It’s a one owner car in great condition that couldn’t have gone to a better home… it’s not too nice that ya can’t drive it, and it’ll be presentable when cleaned up, and running… and finally, the deal happened so fast, Tim didn’t have time to think twice about it!
Enjoy the pics and video.

Click on url's for video:

You never know what you’ll find in old garages…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIgvhO5cNgw

Don’t listen to him… he doesn’t know what’s hip!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVdZKjryLms

The owner’s son… not even HE had ever ridden in it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZHSA0dm_ek

Ol’ Wilbur had put the rear of the car on some boards with rollers under them to slide it over… but never did. We did though.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCSRboKESeE

Lookie here!


It’s a CHERRY!


What’s that… a COLUMBIA!


Some junk… and a newly cored radiator…


The first light it has seen in over 50 years!


Tim’s still bent over after making the deal… but hey, he owns it.


The top goes down for the ride home.



Tim is finally upright and happy about the purchase… that’s his brother Shawn (the one usually bent over) standing next to him.


The Sage boys sitting around gawkin’…


Posing for the pics… Tim, Ron, Shawn, Kevin and Chris (seated in back of car) Bro Terry had seen it earlier when we towed it by his motorcycle shop.

 

Wow! Congrats to Tim, and a great find by you Sam. Very nice. Wish I had friends like you. Strike that, I'd probably get divorced for having too many cars!

 

good story!

 

WOW! Nice score ..... I'm jealous

 

Unbeleivable find and a great story.Congrats

 

Awesome story Sam! I know what you mean about getting a bigger kick out of finding a score for a friend. I never have the cash myself, but I derive a ton of happiness out of knowing I found somebody something they wanted...

 

Nice find indeed! Whats the plans?

 

Yea... this couldn't have gone to e better new home!

Is the video working for you guys? I STILL don't know how to make it pop right onto the screen... if someone can do that for me, then send me the links in a PM, I'd appreciate it! Then I can replace the URLs with the U-tubes...

Plans are to clean it... get it running... and then drive it.

Sam.

 

Wow! I'm speechless.

 

Great story, great find!

 

A lucky lucky man!

 

Outstanding!

 

Both those cars look great and right in the middle of California. What a great story. He's lucky to have a friend like you Sam. Mark

 

wow, im sick to my stomach...

Great find. Keep us posted

 

That things a damn time machine.I'd get her running good and hit the car shows with it as everyone will be freaking out how original it is.

 

Saw it at a show two weeks ago (I'd be shocked to find out there are two of 'em)...I was freaking out along with everyone else! Nice score! Did I see it in the burnout contest?

Bryan

 

you and 40vert, wow!

 

There must be two of them... this one hasn't moved in over 50 years from where we moved it!

Sam.

 

Wow, I just found an unmolested 1938 Packard coupe and thought I did good, but this car kicks****!!

 

Wow, great story...can I be your friend ???

 

WOW! play the lottery,you may just win.
then you can park that one at my house and get yourself a done one!

 

Love that '40 but.... what happened to that '41 ???

 

That's one of the best things I've read in a long time! Thanks for sharing it with us.

Now, make me a connection with a 40 Deluxe Coupe!!!!

 

Great story...but now I need closure due to sour grapes guy...just****ure me that the tail isn't rotted and I'll be happy...and post pics of her being cleaned up and her maiden voyage under her own power!

 

Awesome story, Glad you are gonna fix it up as is. Enjoy the history

 

Great find, great story

 

Thanks for sharing the great story and great find on a cool car!!

 

yeah, love the story. I'm lookin' forward to the progress pics (hopefully if there will be?)

 

the car he is speeking of is a 36 cont. bought by bruce the guy who owns the collection at sac vintage ford its blue too he paid vince the trailer dude big bucks for it.. he leaves all his with the patina as found says they will be worth more that way in the future he also own that patinaed 32 cab at sac vintage ford if you ever get a chance to check out bruces personal collection at his warehouse you will be dreaming for months its realy not fair that one guy owns all that history