I´m about to get me a 46 Ford, how about this one?

Hi folks!
First off, please excuse my bad spelling or typing but I´m excited as hell and in a hurry since I´ve found this 46 Ford fordor just about 10 miles from me. The seller ist asking 7900 Euros, I don´t know if that is a good price for that car. I was lookin for a 4dr since I`m going to marry and that would be a nice car to haul my soon to be family around.

I´m going to check out the Ford today and only had Chebbies until now, so I have no clue about flatheads and so. The Seller says it has a 2 pot offenhasuer intake and Fenton headers. What are the ups and down that I should look at closely when I check out the car?











Please let me hear what you guys think!

Thanks a lot! Chris

 

Chris---some one else will advise on the flattie, but for my 2 cents that ol' girl shows excellent care for her age--inside and out. I have no idea how much 7900 euros is in U.S. funds, but some thing that nice stateside would bring primo $$$. Good find.

 

Looks very nice. If it runs and drives as well as it looks, you have a winner! I was at a gathering about a month ago, and a couple of guys had their '46-'48 Fords there. One of the topics that came up was the fact that getting the front sheet metal on these (especially the hood) aligned can be a real bear. They were saying that to do it properly, you have to do part of it from undeneath the cowl!

 

euros to USA dollars at todays rate
euros 1.4072 to 1 USD
So 7900 X 1.4072 = $11,116.88

 

It looks like a very solid car Chris!

The dash/interior looks very clean and tidy.

I can't see ANY rust on the car. Looks extremely solid to me..... Which is great!

Flatheads are an awesome Motor! What you really want with a Flathead if you will have it as a daily driver (everyday driver) is,

aftermarket electronic ignition,

12 volt system which it also looks to have,

Some nice headers (like the Fenton ones it has) create some much needed flow to the engine which also increase the performance,

And a 2x2 intake which will also increase the power to make it comfortable to drive on highways and high speeds. Also looks cool!!

If you buy it, it is wise to take the brakes apart and check of they are in good order.... You don't want to be driving with bad brakes with your new family in the car.

7,900 euros equates to about 11,000 US Dollars.

I think that is a descent price.... Maybe you can offer him a little lower??

Good luck!

HC.

 

i don't know how hard it is to get american iron in germany, but $11,000 USA seems a bit high for a 4 door. its a nice car and its a runner driver....and you want one, so do what you have to do.
tk

 

Only 1flaw I see .. Need an air filter. I am running a '36 engine that came with intake stacks. Walls were scuffed when I did valve job, may have been poor tuning, walls washed by rich mix? Don't matter, I made a filter for the dual setup. Regular road running with stacks and an overhaul will not be far in the future. That's just my opinion,but my fresh motor after the machine work, $400 pistons, noway no air box.

 

It would seem to me that a fella would divide 7900 euros By 1.4072 to get $$ and that comes out to $5613.99 or so. The car does look to be in great condition for being around 65 years old.

 

if there is nothing major wrong with the drivetrain, under $6000 is a good deal.

 

If you want to see how bad one can be look up koolkemps build thread yours looks real good

 

Something to think about is that many other countries, in particular Australia, don't have so many old Fords around. A 1948 Ford Sedan just sold for about 14,000 USD and was pretty rough too, here in South Australia.

Therefore, it would most likely be incorrect to compare prices in Amercia with prices in other countries.....

Stock Model A's often fetch at least 20k. Not necessarily restored either!

Moral of the story, just because it may seem expensive in comparison to the market in USA, it isn't necessarily expensive in the German market.

HC.

 

No. At todays exchange rate 7,900 euro is $11,100.00 U.S. The car LOOKS good in pics, but it's hard to give advise from 1/2 a world away. If you have to, pay someone knowledgable to look it over.

 

Hi chris.This car was in the uk until recently,i know the car and went to look at it myself and i have driven it.This is a nice car goes well shouldnt have any probs,i know the guy who imported from the states he doesnt buy rubbish.It was for sale on Rods and Sods website about a year ago,you could probably find the ad if you wanted to,he was asking £6995 if i remember i hope this helps.Best Regards Mike

 

......Chris......Just buy the car and enjoy......your family will love it..

 

Nice looking ride. Consider the fact you get to see it in person before you buy and not buy from pictures then wait for it to arrive in a shipping container. That has to be worth a few grand right there. Sometimes we become a little jaded in the U.S. and forget how hard it is for you guys in the rest of the world to be in the old American made car hobby.

 

In Sweden it's a fair price, for a foordoor with all the paperwork clear.

Check the underside for rust and bad workmanship.
Other wis is the normal check when buying a used car.
Check oil/water for abnormal colors/dirt. And normal levels.
And so on.

 

Get a good look underneath, floors, rockers. Look in the trunk and up in fender lips for rust, or evidence of rust repair done wrong. The car looks great, but back in the day body work was often done down and dirty- stuffing rust holes with whatever, riviting sheet metal to the floors etc, etc.
Mechanical stuff is easy to fix as it is just nuts and bolts. Bad body work and rust is not so easy to fix.

 

I am thinking you could have a Tudor that has an overhead valve with 3 x 2 barrels, runs 13.2 in the 1/4 mile and has an overdrive tranny for about 12,000 US if you want! See my album if you are interested.

 

x2......ITS ONLY MONEY.
"AND THE BOWTIE ROLLS ON"

 

That car looks pretty good. Considering where it is and the fact you do not have them laying around everywhere I'd say the price is fair. Lots of aftermarket parts available for these cars and still alot of used parts out there too. Go for it!

 

The car is just what you said you needed and thats not a bad price at all if the paperwork is legit.At least its something you can drive,not a basket case hacked up surprise out of a shipping container. Offer the guy a little less,never hurts to ask.Waiting on another car in that good of shape might not happen.

 

Check the rocker boxes where they meet the cowl and the rear of the door... the inside side of the rocker box sits right next to the frame rail, and mud and dirt get caught up there and cause them to rust... and the patch panels are pricey.

 

X2 on the rocker boxes, also the trunk floor under the spare tire area, under the rear set (can look from underneath) are also rustout areas.

Look under the front fenders to the cowl area, always rust there

 

This car recently sold here at auction.

http://www.historics.co.uk/previous-auctions/3rd-march-2011/1946-ford-super-deluxe.aspx

Its an ex-movie car. I'd be all over it with a fine tooth comb for bad rapairs on bad bodywork and worn out mechanics.

 

Can't advise you on the technical situation on this Ford, but as others have said, it looks to be in excellent shape...
If flat head parts are available over there and you really like it I would BUY IT...
It is SWEET !!
JMHO...
Cheers...

 

Looks like a nice car to me,,good luck.HRP

 

Alright,guys I´m back!Thanks so much for all your hints and heads ups!

And here comes the story: I had made an appointment with the seller at his place at noon today and I arrived there a bit early at 11.50 a.m... coasting into the driveway I see the Ford and the Seller along with an elder guy drooling around the 46.

Turns out that the greybeard showed up accidently because he was in town and saw the Ford just being parked in the Seller´s driveway. I had the chance to look at the car and it really is rocksolid and looks like it had never been welded or bondoed. All original floors and very nice and rust free. The flatty purrs like a kitten, there´s one carb leaking a bit , that´s all.

When the graybeard saw me walk up to the car he rapidly told the seller, that he´d take it. Lucky guy, I said congrats and wished him good luck with the car.
Sometimes you win, sometimes you loose.

I just hope he won´t restore it, that would be a real shame....

 

Too bad. It looked like a gem from my side of the screen!

 

You snooze you lose on good deals.You"ll find something else.I would tell the seller to kiss my ass after all you had an appointment made and he sells it out from under you to somebody else.That ain"t no way to do deals.

 

Ok, here´s another update. Tomorrow I´m gonna look at a 57 Ford Ranchwagon, it looks solid and rustfree in pics but is 500miles away from me. Hopefully I ´ll have more luck than last time, hahaha My trailer is hitched and I´m ready to go
Keep your fingers crossed!
chris