I went stomping through the mesquite trees in West Texas near the New Mexico border and came up with four fine finds - all Fords. The two sedans, a '36 and a '38 were sitting side by side, with the front hubs sunk into the ground up to the axles. Neither has any interior left other than seat springs, and the only drivetrain components are the driveshafts and rear axles, but both ch***is are complete, and the bodies appear free of bulletholes and rust perforations. The doors and grille components are gone from the '36, and the fenders are somewhat battered, but the body is nice. The '36 is a jewel - essentially complete and relatively straight. The pickup, a '46 or '47 model, was sitting with its front bumper against a tree, which had dropped several limbs on the truck, and it appears the front tires were burned off it. The truck is missing its bed, replaced by a farm-manufacture flatbed, but the six-cylinder engine and manual transmission still are intact. The banjo rear axle is open drive. My brother-in-law and I loaded these three by using a John Deere tractor with front loader to pick them up with straps and set them on the trailer. The two cars had to be trundled between two old barns with scant inches to spare on each side. The final sleeping beauty is a '52 Ford Ranch Wagon, a little the worse for exposure and wear, but mechanically complete with six-cylinder engine and three-speed OD manual transmission. The right front fender is rumpled and rusted in the heel. However, the only additional rust damage I found was in the form of small cracks at the very bottom rear of each quarter panel. The entire underside of the car checked out clear from rust perforation. All in all...made for a mighty good Fomoco day, and I didn't impinge on y'all's territory over there in Metroplex this time!
Interesting rear on that '36....wide 5 wheels, but there is a regular hub....is there some kind of adapter on it? I can't see it very well. The car looks stock otherwise. Hmm.
That does it I'm movin out your way!! Hell around here all we get is a letter from the city telling us we can't have anything in our yard but dirt and then they want gr*** on that! friggin Komiefornia!! so much for A-1 zoning.
I actually hadn't noticed that. I have the '36, '38, and pickup temporarily stashed at my brother-in-law's farm, so it will be a few days 'til I can get a close photo to satisfy our curiosity. Meantime, here are side views, with both a somewhat better view of the wheel on the left side and the Ford V8 wheelcover on the wheel on the right side. Nope. I thought they were worth saving for someone.
If I can ever find a job in Texas, I just may be competing with you for some of this stuff! I doubt there is an adapter there........a regular hub and drum fits right onto a '36 rear. Tim D.
nice score, I remember when stuff was around here like that, people would just let you take it away so they didn't have to.
Neat , i need to go and look for somemore gems like that in my neck of the woods .This area has gotten picked pretty clean though ...
Dude, their out in the streets begging people to come to work. Most places are closing early cause we just can't find enough workers, and EVERY place in town has now hiring in the window. My wife is supposed to have 5 full time and 3 part time under her. All they can get is 3 full time.
Billy, you are saving more great tin!! Super Atta Boy*** I had a 38 standard, my first v/8, that little Ranch Wagon looks good also. There is a local yard near Omaha that has two of these(2-dr Ranch Wagons) possibly for parts if someone is needing them. Our club is talking about raiding this establishment soon for a fun outing and parts scrounging. I will note what is available for the Ranch Wagon. PM me if I can help. Keep up the great work!!!--Sololobo
No ****. But there is a regular hub on it and a wide 5 wheel. You can see the lugs on the smaller hub, and there are open spaces between the 5 lugs on the wheel. If it were still a wide 5, they would look just like the fronts. Looks like somebody for whatever reason stuck some regular hubs on and wanted to keep the wide 4 wheels to match the fronts so the made and adapter plate.
There use to be a yard in Freona Tx. That was full of old tin. Just west of town off I think 40. Might check there for more.
And the best part of the story is that they are now yours! West Texas rust has a look of it's own doesn't it?
IMHO,you got lucky with that 38 Standard humpback. I think they are one of the most beautiful cars Ford ever built. I even like them more than the coupes. Took me 20 years to find a rust free one that wasn't restored or hot rodded that I could afford to buy,and even then I had to drive 1200 miles one way to get it. The good news is I was able to drive it on my trailer,and the flattie runs whisper quiet and the car runs,rides,and drives like a new one. It's going to keep all of it's original running gear except for the mechanical brakes. Getting 40 Ford hydraulics all the way around. Or maybe 49 Lincoln. Just going to drive it and have fun enjoying it.
Here's a close photo of the left rear wheel on the '36. I don't know what's going on, with the apparent absence of a brake drum, but the adapter doesn't appear home-made.
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