For Sale: 1936 Ford 5-Window Coupe in Ft Worth, Texas

Everyone has their favorite year of Ford V8, and mine is the 1936. The one-year-only styling combines a traditional upright grille with a streamlined body to create one of the best-looking cars of the period, no matter the manufacturer. This rather rare 5-Window Coupe with its integrated trunk is a neat resto-rod that keeps all the great Ford styling while merely adding a few modern conveniences for today's roads. Built right and dialed-in, this turn-key hotrod needs only one thing: a new owner.

If you admire the '36 Ford like I do, then you'll definitely appreciate the extra mile the builders went on this handsome Ferrari Red coupe. Fortunately, it hasn't been chopped, channeled, or smoothed, leaving all the original steel (that's right, the body and fenders on this baby are all-steel) pretty much as it was when it was new. The gently rounded fenders with their peaked crease through the middle, the highly detailed hood vents, and not-so-practical yet very stylish rumble seat with adjoining rear-mount spare tire - it has all seemingly been transported intact from 1936. Finished in what was likely Henry Ford's least-favorite color (if the man had his way, every car in the world would be black and we'd be living a very boring existence), it's got some classic flash that's still sensible and very nicely finished, with a high-class air to it much like a damsel in a long red dress. It's not perfect, having been built several years ago, but the look will never go out of style. Sure, there are some imperfections in the paint and signs of past wash-and-wax applications, but it's still a highly presentable driver with an unforgettable curb presence. Much of the original brightwork made the translation, from the neatly dipped bumpers to the original door handles to the original taillights which now feature blue-dot lenses. Up front, there are cool modern bulbs in the original buckets, and the V-shaped cascading grille up front really sets the tone for the entire streetrod. And true to its original roots, this '36 still features a black vinyl roof panel up top, along with a color-matched spare tire cover out back.

Inside, all pretensions of being a stock Ford are long gone, replaced by high-back bucket seats and many of the modern features you'd expect in a relatively recent build. The contoured seats appear to have been swapped-in from a late-model car, with the rear bench seat and door panels upholstered to match in a unique off-white vinyl upholstery accented with red piping. Ford's original dash remains, painted in matching Ferrari Red and augmented with a full array of cream-faced Classic Instruments gauges ahead of the driver. Options include a custom R134a A/C system that was neatly installed under the dash, a tilt steering column, and a Pioneer AM/FM/CD head unit that was cleverly integrated into a custom panel in the headliner. And if A/C is not your thing, the front windshield still tilts open with the stock crank on the dashboard, and the rear window is actually functional too. A thick-wrapped Grant GT steering wheel looks right in the Ford, and it tilts to give even the tallest of drivers plenty of room at the helm of the cockpit. Plush carpets below are protected by vinyl floor mats, the rear seat look practically untouched, and the rumble seat was beautifully tailored in the same patterns found inside the cabin.

While the flathead was celebrated for its performance at the time, today you need more horsepower and the best source of that is a 350 cubic inch Chevy V8. Sensibly dressed with an Edelbrock 4-barrel carburetor and aluminum intake manifold, an updated ignition system and chromed alternator, and chrome valve covers to keep it interesting. It was built a few years ago, so it's totally sorted by now - a smooth, reliable, powerful travelling companion for the guy who likes to drive his rods. The Chevy is a neat fit in the Ford's engine bay, and all the accessories tuck in tight so the hood fits well. A big Walker radiator, power steering and power front disc brakes, and a Mustang II front clip make it drive like a modern car. The transmission is a TH350 3-speed automatic spinning a Ford 9-inch rear end hanging on air shocks and leaf springs, and the dual exhaust with chambered mufflers sounds just right. Competing the illusion is a set of polished Weld Racing wheels with big-n-little blackwall radials for the perfect stance.

Classic good looks never go out of style, making this is a well-sorted rod that's a true pleasure to drive. Call today!