reporting in with a 38 deluxe tudor V8 - tan parrot nose's rule! stock so far it already has juice brakes .. ready to install 40 brake drums / wheels w/w (to get rid of the big bolt circle drums) and dropped axle back to stock headlite lenses anyway other wise its ready paperdog
Body and sheet metal interchangeability is probably different in the US and Australia/NZ as well as other overseas Fords. For example, here the 40 Std, and DeLuxe are identical bodies with different dashes and hood/grilles. The jalopy races ate quite a lot of the 37-38-39Std. cars, that's for sure. They were used as parts cars on the mechanical end, engines, transmissions, rears, for earlier cars in particular. Funny thing though, every time over the years when a magazine writer doesn't have anything else to do and article gets printed in some rag about the "orphan uglies" and owner letters and pictures pour into the publishers. "Not so rare, are they?" is the next article. In 1937 passenger car production was 848,608 domestically and 1,008,753 worldwide including the US. In 1938 passenger car production was 410,048 domestically and 547,479 worldwide including the US. No figures on the Std/Dlx split. In 1939 passenger car production was 532,152 domestically and 642,931 worldwide including the US. No figures on the Std/Dlx split. 1940 Ford production totals were just under 1939 and 1941 production just under 1940. 1935, yes, 1935 saw the biggest production total worldwide of any year from 1932-1942, that total being 1,058,661. For the record, the survival rate of ANY automobile depends on its acceptance when introduced in conjunction with the continued acceptance through the following decades. This acceptance (popularity) keeps the more of the cars on the road for a longer period of time, makes "collectors" desire them thus saving many more, and keeps their hulks in the fields and junkyards after more non-popular models are crushed and turned into Toyotas or Zeros.
It's funny how this "ugly duckling" gets swarmed wherever I take it. Last year's "Good Friday Cruise" pics have me wanting to map out this year's route. I can't wait for Spring. JH
I don't own one but I have built a couple for some customers. I guess that's why I'm kinda partial to the 38's. Something about the looks really grew on me while I was working on them. The black one we did is now somewhere in Texas, Dallas I think. Last time I saw it the steelies were gone and it was running Halibrands. The yellow one is still in Kansas.
I am working on my 39 standard sedan right now. I am shocked at the prices for parts. I bid 70.00 on EPAY for a hood ornament/ latch, and it just sold for $400.00. And it was pitted and rusty...!! I am still looking for other parts if anyone has any let me know..thanks
Fashions change...In the early sixties, right before rodding almost disappeared and everyone went to karts-dune buggies-superstocks-musclecars, Fords had to be '32, '34, '36, or '40. Other years were parts cars...anyone building s '33 or a '35 changed to next year sheetmetal. I think it was mandatory... Streetrodders switched '34 to '33, and they all now backdate their front ends...'37's became wildly popular suddenly, maybe 15 years ago, and recently a HIGHLY bastardized and muddled fiberglass "'39 convertible" has become popular, apparently loosely based on a '39 standard convert that never was. Streetrodders have kinda democratized the world for odd cars...it's OK to have a '48 Chevy fourdoor amongst them, as long as it has electric windows and billet wiper blades. Survival really does depend on acceptance--look at the survival rates of deuces, '55 Chevys, '69 Camaros...they probably now outnumber ALL other cars of their years by a large margin. Chevy outsold Ford for most of the 1930's, I think Ford outsold Chevy in 1957, but look at which cars survived...the good years of cars that rodders liked never reached the bottom of the used car market.
In the thirties, New Zealand had Canadian made (but locally assembled) Fords, and as far as I know these are the same as the US versions (apart from being right hand drive). Australia did build some of their own bodies and some of these were defininitely different to the US bodies. I didn't know the 40 standard and deluxe front sheetmetal was interchangeable, so thanks for the correction. We had very few 1940 Fords sent here when new as we entered WW II in late '39.
My dad has a 39' deluxe sedan and he told me that the deluxe model was the next years standard model.
'38 has the first year Ford went "aero" -- check out how much smoother the Deluxe is than the '37. Check the GNRS coverage from a few weeks back. One of the most killer car there was a black '38 cabriolet recently "freshened up" by Cole Foster and Tom Sewell. Here's my buddy's '38 Club Coupe. These are super rare and he broought it back from the living dead. The pancake work to the hood is especially tasty: '38 was one year Ford built no "standard" woodies. They only made Deluxe versions:
Damn! That Club Coupe is sweet. Do you have a side profile pic? Is it bagged? Is it just my dodgy eyesight, or is there no rain guttering?
The '38 DeLuxe and '39 Standard are THE most Streamline Moderne Fords there were, I love 'em, but then I love pretty much all the permutations of Art Deco. I'm a big fan of the much-maligned "sharknose" Graham as well... at least from the cowl foreward. My big soft-spot in the '38 model year is for the Chevrolet coupe. Metallic brown '38 Chevy coupes seem to crop up in my family - my granfather's first car (that my grandma drove during the war years from Louisiana to Michigan, that brought my Dad home from the hospital in '46) and a "faux rod" in 1960s Louisiana that used to scare 'em all off at the drive in with a couple plug wires pulled and the choke halfway out... Sorry, I'm rambling. Yeah, I like '38s. Coulda got a '38 Ford for $50 back in '94, sans front axle. Didn't know what I was missing at the time, though. -Dave
Another thing, and just pure speculation, but there was an economic downturn (a recession within the waning depression) in 1938, which might have effected sales of new cars. Fewer to start with means fewer around now than from more prosperous years like '40. -Dave
Ugly, thats crazy talk! I'm a big fan, mocked this up yesterday. Turns out the customer wants a 34 grill, boreing! If anyone has the correct sides and front grill, love some. UGLY IS IN!
Hey I love the 38 Standards too, I believe our Aussy Club Coupes had a slightly longer turret than the US version. I miss my 38 standard (See avatar)
Well, this is good. I was beginning to think I was a bit freakish for loving the look of the '38, when the '40s seemed so popular here. When the old man bought home the '38 Deluxe back in '77 when I was just a kid, I loved its detailed nose. I guess those things that influence us when we're young stay with us forever........
That's a little BIG for you isn't it Steve. Good to see you here. Would love to see you do a post on your other rides. JH
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