How many left? 36 3 window coupes

Chucks363window said:
I just bought a really nice low mileage survivor Ford 3 window coupe has anyone ever researched how many are left?
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Probably not many remain, especially stock. Quite a few were produced, about 21,400.
Still, time took its toll, especially during WWII when used cars were USED and used up.
Then, not too long after WWII, the hot rod boys and dirt track racers became very aware of this model. That led to many being used up as well.
There are no records of how many have survived.
 
In 2016, I went on a car tour near Bennington, VT. We stopped at a gent's place who was a retired Farmall tractor salesman. He had all the number F tractors in one building, and Chevelles, brass Chevys, and early Fords in another. One of those was a pea green, brown interior 1935 three window coupe. It had 6850 MILES on it! He bought it in 1962 off a used car lot in Bennington. From 1962 to 2016, he only changed the oil. There was an oil change tag in the door from 1962 that had 6200 miles written on it. This was a "62" car. He was getting up there in age, family probably sold it. Would be neat to know what happened to it and the other cars.
 
When I got my 35 three window I thought they were rarer than 36’s. Because I always seemed to see more of the 36 three window.
I was very surprised to see the production numbers that showed otherwise.
 
Hot Wheels came out with a '36 3W Coupe when I was seven-years old in 1968. I still have it, it's green and I have all my other hot wheels. Actually, my dad bought them for me, and he always made sure I "only got Ford" Hot Wheels. I think he was buying them for himself. I've always wanted a real '36 3W Coupe since then, but I don't have anywhere to put one, to many other projects. I'll always have my green 1968 Hot Wheels '36 3W. I see 36 5W coupes and even convertibles, but rarely do I see any '36 3W coupes at shows.

My good friend Jack Calori now diseased, built and owned the '36 3W Coupe on the cover of Hot Rod Magazine in November 1949. It was chopped, had rear fender skirts and it had a narrow Cadillac grille. He said it never cooled well with that Cad grille, but it sure looked good. I used to go to his house just to hear his old hot rod stories.
 
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When I was about 6, my dad bought me a model stock car that was based on a '36 3-window. I don't know what happened to that car physically, but it' still in my mind. 45 years later, I was able to buy a poorly restored example with a '34 engine. I proceeded to make the car of my dreams by adding hydraulic brakes, a 276" merc, and '39 box with later gears. I had a ball with it, but sold it 5 years later to a local guy who just had to have it. Secretly, I was glad to see it go, with it's cramped interior, and weak driveline (that Merc was healthy and could destroy tapered axles at will).
 
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Dad 36’ rumble coupe, plate is Vermont 1945. I couldn’t find any side views of the car in a shoebox full of b&w photos, so I don’t know if it was a 3 or 5 window. I know I was about a year old when it was forced off a Vermont mountain road and rolled down a hill, no serious injuries occurred. Car ended up totaled, since then I always wanted a ‘36 rumble seat coupe. I searched for years but couldn’t find a decent one I could afford.
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34fordy said:
Do tapered axles have a "favorite" breaking spot Denny?
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I can answer that. I'll bet Denny will agree...
They break where the taper begins; out near the drum.

I had a '39 convertible that was quite fast and had a ton of torque. Broke axle after axle. You'd think I'd have learned? Nope.

Back then, axles were cheap and readily available.
 
Next time you have your rear drum off, put some blueing on the stub, re-install without the axle key and spin it.

I was shocked to see how little contact was actually being made.

I now lap the wheel hub to the axle stub. Doing this, dramatically increased the contact between the hub and stub morse taper.

It's really on there now. I use Time Saver lapping powder and it works very well.

Just a thought.
 
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As I remember, most of them broke just before the taper as you said. It's a long time ago, but I seem to remember one breaking on the very inside, next to the gear. Some sort of defect or a stress riser from some previous damage? As Mike said, axles were available just about every where and I never really checked them carefully. I remember farmers using them as stakes in a number of instances.

This was long before I knew about "The Ford Barn" or even the "H.A.M.B.", but I came up with a solution that would be very frowned upon these days. I made my own axle keys out of mild steel about 1 1/2" to 2" long. I tightened the axle nuts pretty well, but looking back now, it wasn't near the 200+ ft/lbs recommended. The keys served as a weak point, and sheared before the axle went. I changed a bunch of keys later on, but got so I could do it in about 5 minutes at a car show (or local bar, or bowling alley, etc.). It sure beat replacing axles.

Like Mike, I was a little short of "self-discipline" in those days.:rolleyes:
 
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tubman said:
As I remember, most of them broke just before the taper as you said. It's a long time ago, but I seem to remember one breaking on the very inside, next to the gear. Some sort of defect or a stress riser from some previous damage? As Mike said, axles were available just about every where and I never really checked them carefully. I remember farmers using them as stakes in a number of instances.

This was long before I knew about "The Ford Barn" or even the "H.A.M.B.", but I came up with a solution that would be very frowned upon these days. I made my own axle keys out of mild steel about 1 1/2" to 2" long. I tightened the axle nuts pretty well, but looking back now, it wasn't near the 200+ ft/lbs recommended. The keys served as a weak point, and sheared before the axle went. I changed a bunch of keys later on, but got so I could do it in about 5 minutes at a car show (or local bar, or bowling alley, etc.). It sure beat replacing axles.



Like Mike, I was a little short of "self-discipline" in those days.:rolleyes:
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Denny I think you reinvented the outboard motor's shear pin, but the automotive version. Added plus is the wheel is still in it's rightful place, under your fender and not bouncing along into the oncoming traffic!
 
Like Mike, I was a little short of "self-discipline" in those days.:rolleyes:[/QUOTE]

Cool! After all these decades I had thought I was stupid kid. Come to find out I was simply short of self-discipline :)
 
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