1940 4 door Deluxe

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oldredford

Senior Member
Dilemma....I have a 1940 4 door sedan. This car will make an easy restoration. Either part it out and make money or restore and loose money....But I like the car...Decisions... The car was infested with rodents either rats or mice. The seller did not mention this to me. When I opened the door I about puked my guts out it stunk so bad of pee smell. The only thing in my favor is it has a working Columbia rear end and the engine and drive train runs perfect. If I could find me a nice coupe body the 4 door body would go to salvage in a heart beat. I bought the car sight unseen so I took a gamble and I lost. I did have a second set of eyes check this car out but I found out he was legally blind and could not smell.
 
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Depending on your degree of what you could do vs what you would have to pay someone to do, could the car be resurrected into a original driver car. Body work is what cost the most in a restoration, closely followed by the interior. I have in the last three years put several old Fords back on the road with sensible restorations. If you are prepared to spend $20,000.00 plus then do it, if not then find a running car for the same money and have some fun driving it. and sell the complete easy restoration to someone else to do. I would rather see a "complete, easy restoration" done than part out such a car.
 
I'll second alanwoodieman's suggestion for a few pictures. I like my old '40 Fordor but I do qualify for "the older you get the better you like Fordors" from Tubman...
 
I would do what you posted it and the coupe forsale, use it for a parts car. I have been looking around for a coupe shell with bad floors. Something with a straight roof good drip rails and wheel wells. Thats all i need because we got a super solid 4dr with no glass and bad interior. Its not worth restoring but a good donor for a coupe
 
just make it safe and running good and drive it i have a friend that has a 33 fordor and a 34 coupe. coupe is a restored car. the Fordor looks like it sat in a field for 60 years, and you put a battery in it, and drove it away. it also gets more looks then the restored car. drive it hand have fun
 
I would not restore a car to "make money". You would have to already have the tools and talent to do it correct along with efficient time. If you have a full time job, run a household, raising kids, wife etc. It will be a longer project. If you restore cars for a living (you wouldn't be asking us) it could be an easy project.
If this is your dream car, then by all means restore it! Here is a link to a fordor near me that I have been watching for over a year. He started out asking $13K, much lower now and still not selling.
Good luck with the path you choose.
https://toledo.craigslist.org/cto/d/1940-ford-sedan-flathead-v8/6443462339.html
 
tubman said:
Wait a few more years; the older you get, the better you like Fordors.
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Tubman is correct. Coupes are nice to look at. If you plan to drive your car then sedans can't be beat. If you don't want the car, sell it as it is to someone who does.
 
funrunr said:
I would not restore a car to "make money". You would have to already have the tools and talent to do it correct along with efficient time. If you have a full time job, run a household, raising kids, wife etc. It will be a longer project. If you restore cars for a living (you wouldn't be asking us) it could be an easy project.
If this is your dream car, then by all means restore it! Here is a link to a fordor near me that I have been watching for over a year. He started out asking $13K, much lower now and still not selling.
Good luck with the path you choose.
https://toledo.craigslist.org/cto/d/1940-ford-sedan-flathead-v8/6443462339.html
Click to expand...

If that fordor has a solid body you can't get into Early Ford V8's and drive away much cheaper. A great car for someone to break into the hobby with.
 
I've had all body styles of '40 Fords and the fordor is probably the handiest car you can own for tours, going out to dinner with friends, etc. If you have a good solid fordor that would make an "easy restoration" go for it. You rarely make money on old cars, so don't worry about losing money. The object is to enjoy your accomplishment of restoring the car and having fun with it after the restoration. You can't put a value on those two things.
 
Hiall; I sold the Best '40 ever, to me and it was a 4 dr. If this is the rodent damaged one advertised lately sell it to someone who wants to freshn' it up, it looked like a nice body. Newc
 
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