Vehicle Description
Sometimes the coolest rods are those that take a different path.
This neat little 1939 Ford tudor sedan is more like what those guys
down south on which NASCAR is based were driving back in the '40s.
Simple, effective, and quick, although I bet those good ol' boys
would have appreciated the 383-inch stroker motor, overdrive
transmission, and disc brakes that this one brings with it.
Ford's fastback styling looks great no matter what you do, so they
decided not to go with anything too flashy when this one came
together. It started as an incredibly solid original steel body
with no patch panels and boy is it straight! They didn't shave,
cut, or modify any of it, although they left the hood sides off
purely for personal taste reasons, but they're included with the
car if you want to reinstall them for a total sleeper look. The
light gray paint is straight out of the 1930s and suits the simple
Ford just fine, and it's nicely applied and needs nothing more than
a professional cut and buff to really make this car sparkle.
Details like the teardrop headlights, simple bumpers, and teardrop
taillights are features that made it onto other cars throughout the
hot rod era, but this is the car that invented them. You also get
real running boards, not fiberglass facsimiles, all the original
door handles and hardware, and that too-cool split rear window.
With that stance, this car nails the retro look.
The interior is an older setup that was probably done decades ago
before anyone even thought that this car would become a hot rod. As
a result, it's simple and very much in line with what this car is
all about. Not flashy, not over-done, just comfortable and neat.
You'll note correct vertical stitching in the seats, which matched
the original style, as well as factory door hardware and window
cranks. The dashboard is beautifully woodgrained to warm it up a
bit and a set of modern gauges were installed in the original
openings for a very tidy look. A custom Lokar shifter takes the
place of the original manual lever, but there's simply nothing here
that gives away the fact that it's not 1939 anymore. All it needs
is a headliner to be just right, and all the bows and hardware
remains intact so it'll be easy. And even though it's a fastback,
there's a giant trunk in back, ready for a road trip.
The 383 cubic inch Chevy stroker motor under the pointed hood is
about three times more powerful than the original flathead, but the
old tudor seems to have no problem handling it. Built by Smeding
Performance, it features a 4-bolt main block, one piece rear main
seal, oversized valves, and an Edelbrock intake manifold and
4-barrel carburetor. A giant aluminum radiator and electric fan
have no trouble keeping things cool, especially with the open hood
sides, and it runs extremely well with a torque curve as flat as
Texas. It's backed by a 700R4 4-speed automatic transmission, which
makes highway cruising effortless, and there's an S10 rear end out
back, which was needed because the original torque tube was
replaced to accommodate the transmission. Even the suspension is an
original-style transverse leaf spring, although there's now power
assist for the steering and disc brakes for stopping. It nails the
stance thanks to a set of red steelies with V8 hubcaps and trim
rings, plus staggered 16-inch BFG rubber.
With build receipts from an experienced builder, this is a car with
all the right pieces and a bit of an attitude. If you like your
vintage rides to have a bit more kick, perhaps this is the right
choice. Call today!