The whole story of my 1936 Ford 3 window coupe "barn Find" and how I am preserving it

What a great find and an even greater story. Thank you for sharing with us.

 

Oh man, that's a great story. Beautiful car, love reading the events that take place before the actual purchase of any vehicle like this--

 

Your vote gets my vote
That is exactly the plan. It can only be an original 50's hot rod once.

Oh and thanks you to everyone that posted saying I did the right thing. It means a lot to me. I hope someone does it to me someday.
More to come soon!

Here is a teaser from my front yard in October:

 

Sweet car, and you did a great thing, its a good thing for you his sons never fixed what they broke I guess. I would hate to have that beautiful car sit becuse of a broken axle.

 

Great story on that car! Does it smoke any now from the rings?

Have a '62 Dart project that sat for 20 years - got the 318 poly engine started and have driven it some - all new ignition parts, rebuilt carb. Similar story - is missing some I assume from stuck valves - and smokes too much for traffic.

I was figuring doing a long block, but after reading your story wondering if I can get away with a valve job. 88,700 miles on the odometer, probably correct since I know Gramps bought it in '69 and drove very little.

What do you think?

 

Actually i saw this at IV and was wondering the story. Found this thread a bit late but super cool story and fun to see this old ghost hit the road again!!!!

 

Great car! I agree, the best part was being able to give Orville a ride in it! The right person got the car. Other people would have flipped it to someone who could care less about it's history.

It really cleaned up well also! Hope to see this one in person some day!

 

You're a stronger man than I. I would not be able to resist making a mild custom out of it.

Any idea if Orville had other plans for the car that he was never able to implement?

 

Great find & a great story. Thanks for sharing! Now just leave it alone & enjoy the car. (Maybe add some carpet).

 

Thanks, I will, and I just bought a rubber floor mat

 

Thanks for the nice desktop picture.

 

Congrats! This car could not be in better hands! I hope to see it at Meltdown drags!

 

I would need to leave something home to bring this along. Maybe we need a semi car transporter.

Here are the rest of the pictures from October. I really like these. This was near the end of the season. I still did not have the title and tags back yet so it did not leave the yard. I took David to the bus one day after the tags came but then I stuffed it into the garage for the winter.

 

Nash hit it right on the head!Hope to see it and you at BTT50's.

 

WOW !
The last pictures from your yard gave me goosebumps .
Stick with your plan and don't change a thing . The boys on the running board look like they are counting the days til they get their chance behind the wheel .
I hope that new axle is ready for them

 

Since I've never owned anything this old I didn't realize they were meant to burn rubber.

 

Great story and really interested in where it came, from sounds like my neighborhood , good job keeping it as it should be....Greetings from Lakeland Mn

 

Very cool. Glad I could help with the distributor. When you showed up at my place, I was really impressed with the car. It definetly has found the right home.

 

Wow. Great story. Great car. I love that you took it back to Orville to go for a ride!

 

What a great story and a fantastic find looks like you and your family are gona have some great times with that well preserved 36 looks perfect as she is regards wayne

 

What a great story and a wicked 36. Sometimes it pays to treat people like humans. Enjoy it with the family.

 

Awesome, one of these days that will be me....

 

I know you have heard all the stories before but this one really hit home to me. I am glad you got the car. My Mom's family is from Alabama. My Great grand parents had a 36 coupe just like the one you found. I was about 13 when I first saw it. We were going to their house before coming home to Louisiana. We topped a hill and we met the car. I nearly jumped out the window trying to get a better look at it as we passed. I'm asking my Dad "did you see that car??" and he tells me "that was Ma and Pa".
All those years of going up there and I never knew he had it. I was sitting on the front porch when they pulled back in. I broke and ran, Pa pulled up to the door of what I came to realize was his "car shed". Ma got out grabbed me and naturally she was hugging me and I'm trying to get to Pa. He shot the car into the shed during the hugging and was closing the doors. He slapped the chain on the door and slammed the padlock home. I ask "Pa can I see the car??" and I got an emphatic "NO!" and he went to the house. I spent the next hour trying to find cracks to peep thru. All I could see was the shine of the paint and the glisten off the chrome.
On the way home I heard story after story about the car. Pa paid cash for the car in 36 drove it the 15 miles home to the house built the shed and kept it under lock and key. There was 5 people that ever rode in it. One of which was my Dad. Dad said, "ole Wes (Pa's name) never put more that 10 cents worth of gas in the car at a time." Dad filled it up for him at a little store down the road. Think he spent less than 2 dollars. He said Pa had a fit. All he would say the next day was "all that gas and no where to go."
That one time in 59 was the only time I ever saw the car. But I told Dad on the way home "I want that car."
In 1964 I was 18. Came home from work and Mom told me "Pa sold the car today." I went a little nuts. I had told Pa I wanted the car, but so had all my cousins. Seems his "baby girl" had came down and told Pa "time you get rid of that old car."
So they drove to, I think it was, Aliceville. 60 miles away and the farthest it had ever been driven. Drove into the dealership and told them they wanted to buy a new car. The salesman got the sweats and called the owner out. He offered Pa 400.00 for the car and his daughter is jumping up and down with joy at the great price they were getting for "this piece of junk" as she called it.
A cousin of mine was there the next day when they opened up. Told them he was there to get the car. The owner told him he would never have enough money to buy the car. They had it sitting in the showroom. You have to realize it had NEVER been rained on, had never been driven on a muddy road, had never until sold been more that 20 miles in any direction from home and had never sat in the sunshine for any period of time. When sold it had less than 7K miles on it, looked as great as the day it was bought and like I said only five different passengers in all that time.
Buddy (my cousin - he was a little crazy) was told to leave the dealership by the cops because he had threatened every one in the dealership, told them he would tear the place down and pinch "that thieving bastards head off" if he did not get the car.
Pa, well he paid cash for a Fairlane, bright red, 6cly., no power anything with column shift and drove home.
I still think his daughter got a little money under the table in that deal.
We (none of the cousins) ever found out what happened to the car, we know they did use it in parades for a few years but that dealership folded also and the car went who knows where.
Every time I see a 36 coupe I am reminded how much anger I still have for my Mom's Aunt. Pa could have drove home in any car he wanted for an even swap.
I now have a 37 4 door chevy which is getting a rebuild at this time. One of my kids will wind up with the car I just hope it stays in the family.
I wish you many years of joy with your car.

 

Dude - That story deserves it's own thread....

 

Wow, I agree, great story, I wish it had a happy ending though.

 

You want to get back at ole' aunty - get online and show her what a mint '36 goes for now at Auction! haha

 

I would be a shame to have anything changed on that car. I see a few guys say do this, do that. Luckily it won't wind up with an aftermarket front end and a 350/350.
Some cars should never be chopped up. I have a similar "barn car" a 35 5 window. It was a late 50s hot rod. I went through the mechanics and rewired it and it's down the road.
Thanks for the great story.

 

You truly did good!

 

Wisconsin must be loaded with old Fords hidden in barns. I just bought this 1941 sedan delivery that had been in storage since 1961. I may do a thread on it this spring after I get it cleaned up some more. So far it seems to run well!

 

Thanks for all the comments everyone. My plans are as follows for the car:
It already runs and drives, so I want to make it run better, stop better, and be reliable. I don't plan on changing much, just fix what needs fixing.

So the first thing was to check out the brakes. They work but not perfect. I found a complete set of brakes here on the hamb that came off a restored 36. I was going to buy them if mine were shot. I finally had time and made room to jack up the car and get the wheels of of her.



When I pulled the rear drums I knew what I had from previously fixing the broken axle, so no surprises. When I pulled the front drums off, everything came apart really good because someone greased the hell out of the front brakes, not a bad grease seal, the brakes are greased. The only thing I can think of was the brakes squeaked and someone sold it and wanted them quiet many years ago. I am going to buy new woven shoes. Drums are great.



The kingpins are loose, spring bushing are shot, so I decided to pull the whole axle.



With it out I can adjust the steering box and fix the exhaust much easier.



I think I am going to clean it up and just put it all back together. I was going to paint it, but I think that takes away from the car.

Here it is sitting in the garage tonight