Advice on purchasing a 1940 Coupe

H

Honestbruce

New member
Hi All, I am a newbie to this forum. I am located in New Zealand and am looking for a 1940 coupe. I am no expert and dont want to get into a debate with any rodders out there but I am looking for an original car to drive, unmolested. un modified.I would even like original paint, some would call it a survivor. Hasnt been easy to find and am looking for any tips where.
As they say they are only original once and thats me.Does anyone have any advice on what to look for mechanically or quirks this model has if any?
 
Bruce, you've picked a very popular model, one which carries a high price tag. You will find that the poor examples won't be that much less in price than the best examples, so my advice is to hold out for the finest you can find, and be willing to pay the premium.

As for originality, you should look for signs of rebuilt, restored, or replaced items, as while they may certainly look or function better, they would of course NOT be original, therefore potentially lowering the desirability of the car to one who would seek show awards on the basis of originality.

Specific things to look for begin and end with confirmation of a clean title, and verifying serial number with title.

Verify fit and function of hood, doors, and deck lid. Any abnormality here may be indication of collision damage.

Rust damage of the body areas: Tool storage bin in the trunk, floorboards, bottoms of doors, bottoms of side panels, drip rails, and around fixed windows.

Last but certainly not least, does it run?
 
Buy the 40 Ford book from the Early Ford V8 club. That will tell you what is original on this car. You could probably get a 38 or 39 for a lot less $ but there is something special about the 40 Ford.
 
Honestbruce, check out the 40 coupe offered for sale by 40frank (Frank Williams) here on Fordbarn, he is selling it out of a collection owned by a friend of mine in Solvang, Ca. I've seen the car, I don't think you'd be dissapointed. Steve
 
No matter what 40 you find, bring someone along who knows 40 Fords inside and out.
Lots of repro parts being used these days and that is ok as long as you realize it on the car you are looking at so as not to be mislead. For example, OEM 40 rims are different than later years. Also , original 40 bumpers have raised ribs on the backside. Reproductions do not. If the seller is telling you it's an all original car you want to be sure.
 
19Fordy's tip about someone who knows '40s is right on target. First place to look is under the car at the frame, aft of the door. The frame rusts out at the kickup where the X-member joins the side rails, and the main frame side rails, just before the kickup. The forward floor and support under the drivers seat are also prone to rusting out. Use a soft magnet and check the lower rear quarter behind the doors for filler.
A good quality early restoration is worth it's weight in gold. Good luck.
 
Honestly, a few modifications so it is more drive-able will be a help in the future. I would not pass up a good car just because the engine was changed to another flathead. Also would give up the original paint idea, as most were repainted after 20 years or if you find one with factory paint it will need everything else due to long term storage.
 
It does seem that Bruce has gone a bit far with the original paint request which has so narrowed the selection. I'm always watching the '40 market and have seen none that fit his dream car description. Perhaps it is the limits of my kind of research. The finer cars that become available around here are nearly always end of life circomstances. So often the heirs wait for years before acting on the liquidation that eventually must happen. Often the car's condition suffers. I recently bought and sold three other "40s before the one that I will start working on next year. The present one has the very best overall body by far. The rest of the '40 scene it"s remarkably easy to find the correct parts since it seems that '40 parts are NOT tossed out even by the most agressive rodders, knowing that they have known value. Original paint cars too often have serious rust problems which falls outside any project limits that I could handle, being trimmer and a nuts and bolts kind of guy. The other issue that is not known is the budget. Bruce knows what his price range and expectations are. Usually these are confidential, holding them close to get the best deal. Not always wise in that there is nothing like assurances of serious cash to shake that perfect car onto the market. Possibly some expect such searches to be fantasy or even delusional. Good luck to Bruce in his quest, feeling that I already got mine. Fred A
 
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Kube is one of the best sources of information on all things 40. Also I believe Ford38V8
is a judge for the ford club.
Best of luck in your search.
Bruce
 
To all the replies. Yes original paint is a big ask but I did use the statement "I would like original paint" and may well have to factor in a previous repaint.
I appreciate all of your replies.
As far as mechanicals go is there much to be concerned about apart from the normal stuff ie cooling, brakes ie what needs to be ironed out for a daily driver over the normal stuff?
Do these car have any major quirks/bugs or you must fix that first????
I figure if it has survived that long it will do me......!!
 
Bruce, Not knowing the level of your experience with Ford Flatheads, I'll just say that all flatheads of all years will have very similar issues with cooling, that they all have a 6 volt system that requires more care than 12 volt systems, that the hydraulic brakes of years '39 -'48 are not the best design. Specifically for '40, hood and deck lid hardware and springs, and the shift linkage is known to wear out quite rapidly after the first 75 years in service. It's really a shame, such a nice looking car wearing out so quick.
 
Assuming you can get a tidy runner for $40K USD....
Shipping to LA and then down to NZ is another $3K USD or so.
With the current exchange rate that will equate to around $62K NZD.
1.15% GST brings the total up to $72K NZD.
Far better to buy that green 39 deluxe on trade me for $58K NZD ONO.
Chris.NZ.
New Plymouth.

Or you could contact Steve Curle at Kiwi Shipping in LA to see what 40's he knows of .
 
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Phil Gillespie said:
Take a look on Trade Me NZ. A couple of 39 coupes, plus a 40 PU and a Ford V8 Marmon Herington and a 40 Coupe for rebuild.
A good cross section in New Zealand at a local price and no hastle with importing.


http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Pos...WNhcnMvb3RoZXIvYXVjdGlvbi0xMDY3MjgxOTc3Lmh0bQ==



http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Pos...mlhVEI0VFVSamQwMTZSVFJPZWswMFRHMW9NR0pSUFQwPQ==

Also get in touch with local Early Ford V8 Club in your area. They may know of something local also.
Phil NZ
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Phill, Your links dont work. I did a search and found the project but not the pickup.
Point taken re buying local, I purchased a 1967 Corvette after going around the world locally.
Cheers Bruce
 
don't buy one that has not been used in years , I bought a restored 40 coupe the was restored twenty years ago,but not used , complete brake job ,all wheel cyl and master cyl leaked , engine started leaking after i started driving it ,rear main seal ,new clutch had to take engine out to perform all the work ,oil pan had sludge caked in it , on the outside the car looked like a museum piece , buy a car that has seen some use . good luck
 
flathead 53 said:
don't buy one that has not been used in years , I bought a restored 40 coupe the was restored twenty years ago,but not used , complete brake job ,all wheel cyl and master cyl leaked , engine started leaking after i started driving it ,rear main seal ,new clutch had to take engine out to perform all the work ,oil pan had sludge caked in it , on the outside the car looked like a museum piece , buy a car that has seen some use . good luck
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ditto... I also bought one (a 47) that was a so-called 'show' car. Turns out, you can have a great looking 'points' car, that is mechanically a pos. I DID get a pretty good body. But, I had to do all this stuff mentioned, when I started driving it. And, found out soon, that the engine had been thoroughly cleaned, painted, and detailed, but had .017 - .020 cylinder wear, and needed to be rebuilt. It ran good, on-and-off the trailer. It had one worn-out king pin, bad trans with chipped teeth, non-functioning clutch, bad brakes (with some incorrect parts), loose steering, and more. I have since fixed all this stuff, and now, the body and interior are starting to show their age, as I have been driving it for 16 years.
Point is, look close, and it's still a crap-shoot.
 
BobH is right, its always a crap shoot unless you can spend some time with the car. I've had a few 40's myself and drove most of them all home, sometimes thousands of miles and I always made it home. Look over the door hinge area, the body crease behind the doors; cracks in those areas show that the car has a lot of miles on the road. I drove a coupe for sale in Pa. last year, it was a great car and it drove great but I decided that I was too old to drive a stock 40 home anymore. I like them with more power. As far as I know, the guy still has the car.
 

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Mine. A slightly warmed Flathead 1951 and a floor shift make it a car you want to go thru the gears with. Handles like a baby. Stock axles, 3.78 rear, Lincoln rear brakes, front disc. All else vintage. 8000 miles on complete mechanical rebuild. No rust 40 year old paint. FOR SALE. $35K. Needs only to be driven.
 

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