HIGHLIGHTS:• Frame off restoration• 350 Turbo Automatic transmission• Custom leather interior• ALL STEEL BODY• Ford 8-inch rear end• Air conditioning• 350 V8 (est. 400hp)• Power steering / power brakes
When it comes to building a show-quality street rod, priorities tend to get split between looks and power. Sure, chopped and channeled bodies look great. Having 400+ hp in a small car is usually a good thing too. The problem shows itself though when you actually try to drive one of them. Most of these cars just aren’t built for more than a quick romp down Main Street. This 1939 Ford coupe does its part to change that by offering a driver-focused car with a responsive 350 Chevy engine, a 350 turbo trans, and a nicely laid out interior with plenty of leg and head room. The best part is, all of that is practically wrapped in a show-ready shell complete with a detailed and painted undercarriage. If you’re in the market for an attention-grabbing show piece that can be enjoyed at any speed, your Ford has arrived.
To get the biggest question out of the way – yes, IT'S A STEEL BODY. The shell has been smoothed but for the most part it remains in stock proportions. The most radical change is probably the custom one piece fiberglass hood and all the work on the front hood side panels and front grill panel, along with the custom frenched in tail lights. The car has also been fit with smooth slick fitting fiberglass running boards and fenders to help give it a sleeker profile. With all the time invested in metal work, this car was destined for some serious paintwork. It received a slick custom flamed two-tone paint job that sets the car apart without resorting to gimmicks. The two main colors are divided by that wild flame job, and is outlined by a slick metallic fine gray pinstripe that finishes it off with class. The work presents well overall and comes to life in sunlight thanks to the generous amount of flake mixed into this beautiful paint job.Step in for a closer look and you’ll find plenty more to appreciate on this street rod. The front view is surprisingly familiar, with most of the ’39 character left in place. The front and rear bumper’s have been deleted while the factory grille looks great in its new context. A pair of upgraded headlights cap the fenders with traditional style. The side view follows the same formula with most of the key pieces still in place. The running boards sport a coat of glossy black paint to tie in better with the body while round chrome rear view mirrors hang on both sides. At the front of this beautiful street rod the windshield is wiped clean by a pair of bright wipers. The rest of the glass has been treated to tint for a more modern look. Follow the roofline down to a sloping rear view that consists of a flawless decklid that sits between two recessed LED tail lights that we mentioned earlier. An LED third brake light has also been incorporated in the rear plate frame to finish off the back of the car.
In 1939, the best you could hope for under the hood was the Flat-head 221ci V8, but not any more. In place of the flathead, you’ll find a 350 that’s been bored .30 over, with a polished intake manifold, Edelbrock carb, MSD HEI distributor, a great looking polished billet air cleaner that dresses up the engine bay. The Claimed output is around the 400hp mark, making this a fully dressed street rod, ready for whatever road trip you have in mind.. At the front of the compact bay you’ll find that the engine manages to turn a painted air conditioning compressor, rack & pinion steering, and alternator all opposite of a Walker radiator and an electric fan, both fitted within a smoothed and painted cover. At the sides of the engine, ceramic coated headers carry spent gases to the exhaust system below. Behind the detailed engine, a smoothed firewall offers a perfect backdrop for this hot little V8.
Take a look underneath this coupe to find a fully painted and detailed undercarriage. The foundation is a stock chassis that has been boxed in and mated to a Fatmans Mustang II-style front suspension. The front cross member wears the same shade of gloss black as the rest of the chassis. The rear half has a Chassis Engineering rear suspension with a Ford 8” rear-end mated to it, aided by fresh shocks and a rear sway bar. In the center of all that hardware, a Turbo 350 Automatic Trans offers full control of the 350. Like the rest of the car, the transmission has been detailed for a show-ready look. A true dual exhaust system with V Force mufflers runs nearly the length of the undercarriage, exiting directly behind the painted rear body panel. At the front a power disc brake setup was borrowed from the GM parts bucket while a set of 15-inch Billet Specialties spoke wheels wrapped in Kumho tires in the rear and Master Craft MC400’s Radials in the front.
Inside the car a comfortable interior balances the best of new and old. The dashboard is the obvious starting point with its original configuration. The builder used Classic Instrument gages that light up the dash, and keep you informed on what’s going on under the hood, accompanied by a classic looking new steering wheel which ties it all together nicely. A tilt-column for some modern form and function, and the Vintage Air HVAC system to keep you cool on these hot summer days. The rest of the interior is filled with a blend of soft tan leather like upholstery and black carpet for a comfortable modern look. The seats are adjustable buckets, both attractive and comfortable enough for all-day driving. Behind those seats, a custom panel centers on a Sony head unit that power the sound system. Open the trunk to find an equally well finished space with more black carpet and nicely finished off panels.
Included in the sale of this ’39 coupe is an assortment of framed pictures of the restoration that provide plenty of insight into how this Ford was bolted together. The transition from an aged frame to a complete cruiser is impressive to say the least! Also included is a file folder of receipts. From what we can tell this project took the builder 3 years to complete, and was finished in mid 2003.