Over the years I have seen comments from people who worry their flathead Fords can’t keep up on today's roads. I come from a family that started driving old Fords across the county in the early 1900’s so I thought I would share a story. Last week, while cleaning out some old files I ran across a map my mother made in the summer of 1941, which I have attached. Of particular note is itinerary she included on the bottom corner. This was long before there were any interstates or divided highways. Going from LA to Austin in two days is one hell of a trip, even with modern interstates and new cars. My mother was a teacher in El Segundo, CA and my father was a naval officer stationed in New Orleans. Even though she was an unaccompanied young woman she said she never had any fear of being on the highway alone as the truckers were “so nice” and always looked after her. “Knights of the Road” back in the day. That has sure changed. She left LA when school got out and headed to Sunrise Ranch, our family home in Driftwood, about 25 miles west of Austin. She stayed with her Grandparents a few days and then left for New Orleans to see my father who was getting ready to take a ship from New Orleans to Norfolk Va. After spending a few days with Dad she went back to the ranch and waited for a telegram indicating when he would be in Norfolk. After a short time at the ranch she got the telegram and hightailed it to Va. They spent some time visiting relatives in NY and NJ and then she returned to CA in time to start school after Labor Day. The 39 had a brief rest until early December when she found my father was going to be assigned to the Atlanta, a ship being built in Brooklyn. There was going to be at least a few months that he would be in one spot so she quit her job and headed east again. I don’t have the details of that trip but she never let the grass grow under a car. She kept the 39 through the war and finally traded it for another flathead Ford in 1951. When I learned to drive she told me that if you keep a steady pace running 65 to 70 and didn’t waste a lot of time stopping you could average over a mile a minute for days on end. She did drive a bit faster as she got older. When she was 82 she got a ticket in her Porsche for 85 mph in a 65 zone. The trooper told her it was a gift because they usually arrested people going over a hundred.
That's a great story. Your mom was lucky as gas rationing didn't start until May 1942. Wouldn't it be neat if her '39 Ford is still a survivor?
Dad was an officer and got extra rationing stamps and tires so she got to travel more than most. I would love to find that 39 coupe but the chances are less than none. It was a standard so I was never interested until I got older. Her brother, my uncle got back from the war and bought a 40 deluxe Tudor and I thought that was the coolest thing since sliced bread, so that is why I have always gone in that direction. Mine is a bit faster than his was ;<)
You sure did a very nice job of stuffing that overhead in your 40. You really did a nice job on the firewall and moving the battery.
The Jalopy Journal
