Vehicle Description
1940 FORD DELUXE CONVERTIBLE COUPE The 1940 Fords introduced
several new features and one of the most distinctive designs of the
prewar era with style and flair that has made the 1940 Ford a
favorite of collectors, street rodders and customizers for
generations. Technically, one of the significant changes was moving
the gearshift from the floor to the steering column, a modern
feature that was not only more convenient for the driver but also
increased front seat legroom for passengers. Ford also introduced
sealed beam headlights in 1940, finally eliminating the persistent
problem of moisture degrading the reflectivity of headlights, which
relied on separate bulbs. The sealed beams sat at the front of the
fenders in oval chrome housings that also incorporated the parking
lights, merging earlier Fords' covered headlight treatment with the
improved efficiency and durability of the sealed beam bulbs. The
single element vee grille of 1939 was broadened for better cooling
with separate grille elements located on each side of the center
grille, a sharp and distinctive visual identification feature.
Inside the 1940 Fords, the wood-grained dashboards that Ford had
used for years were replaced by a modern dashboard in maroon and
beige that employed rectangular forms for the instrument panel and
the radio and large speaker, which were now a common feature. Bob
Gregorie's two-spoke steering wheel, which had earned high praise
and acceptance in the 1939 Mercury, now found its way into the
Ford, rendered in maroon and beige plastic to blend with the new
dashboard design. Interestingly, it is the 1940 Ford that is
closely associated with bootleggers in the period. The motors were
happy in their day and plenty of speed equipment was available to
push them faster. With beefed up rear suspension it was difficult
for the law to spot a car loaded down with a fresh batch of white
lightning. If the police gave chase, the little flatheads gave the
moonshiner a good chance of outrunning his pursuers. This culture
of speeding around in hopped up Fords gave way to circle track
racing in the 1950s and ultimately formed the basis for modern
NASCAR. Finished in Stunning Garnet Maroon with Tan Leather
Interior and Tan Top, this Magnificent, Documented CA. Estate, (1)
Owner Classic underwent a Total Frame Off Rotisserie, Every Nut &
Bolt, Award Winning Restoration, including Exterior, Interior, Top,
Mechanics, and Brightwork. Total Investment exceeds $96,000. It
comes with a full complement of amenities including: 3 Speed Manual
Transmission "Fingertip" Colum Gear Shift "Three Can Now Ride Up
Front" Columbia Two-Speed Rearend Improved Touring Speeds at Lower
RPM's Improved Gas Mileage Two Tone Dashboard Maroon and Beige Full
Instrumentation Battery Oil Pressure, Temp, Fuel Clock (Functional)
Wind Up Works Delux Roto-Matic Radio Five Pre-Selected Stations can
be tuned in Automatically with only One Button Centered Antenna
Parallels Windshield Adjustable from within the passenger cab
Fog-Road Lamps "Amber Lens to Cut Through Rain, Snow, & Fog" Front
License Plate Frame Bumper Center Guard "Protects grille from other
cars' bumpers" Front & Rear Bumper End Guards "Attractive,
Harmonizing caps to Protect Fenders" Vent Windows Improved
Ventilation and Defrost Cowl Ventilation Air Scoop Steering and
Ignition Lock Cigar Lighter (Unused) Locking Glove Compartment
Manual Choke Ease of Chilly Morning Starting Throttle Cruise
Control (Sort of) Automatic Convertible Top Operated by 2 Vacuum
Cylinders Beautiful Haartz Cloth Canvas Top and Snap On Boot Glass
Rear Window with Chrome Frame Dual Chrome Side View Mirrors Locking
"Ford" Scripted Gas Cap Wide Whitewall Radial Tires (5) Coker
Classics 600 X 16 "Ford" Scripted Hubcaps Wheel Beauty Rings
Beautiful Tan Leather Interior Tan Carpeted Rear Passenger Floor
V-8 Flathead Engine 85 Horsepower 221 Cubic Inches 3.06 Bore 3.75
Stroke Four Wheel Hydraulica