Vehicle Description
Up for sale in our Orlando showroom is an incredible pre-war 1941 Ford Opera Coupe Deluxe. This unique piece of Americana was an overhaul in Ford styling. The body was widened over the area where the running boards once were and lengthened by several inches. Along with several suspension modifications and upgrades these eliminated the rough and tumble ride of previous generations. These cars not only served as the runabout of the day but were highly prized by traveling salesmen for the extremely large trunk area to carry their wares and as legend goes, crawl into the truck for a quick nap while on the road. The Opera Deluxe was easily identified by the abundance of chrome trim and folding jump seats in the back. Another unique feature of the Ford Deluxe was the ability to manually crank start the car in the event of a dead battery. Looking straight on at the grille you will see a small opening just below top of the front bumper for the hand crank to be inserted, very clever. This feature remained on the Deluxe until the 1949 model year change, the first significant styling change post war. With the brief background lesson over letâ??s get to our beautiful 1941 Deluxe for sale. Standing proud in Henry Ford black, the sporty and sweeping lines of this Deluxe begs to be driven and shown off in all her elegance. Driving this 41 Ford for sale is just as unique as the car itself. The flathead V-8 provides ample pep in your step power and coupled with a three on the tree manual transmission it gives you a fabulous driving experience no longer found. Sporting a three piece front grille, fender mounted turn signals and split front windshield with head lights integrated into the front fenders, the Ford Deluxe ushered in a new era of styling. With the wide whitewalls and fender skirts itâ??s easy to imagine yourself on the way to the Opera in nostalgic elegance. Sliding behind the wheel you see the instrument cluster and hand pull knobs all made from Bakelite, a precursor to todayâ??s modern plastics and highly collectible. One of the coolest items in the interior is the Southwind heater. A Deluxe only option, the heater operated independently with the engine off, using gasoline and a small fuel pump to keep occupants warm while at the drive in movie. The cars also featured push button start and a bolt lock steering wheel not releasing until the key was turned. Both of these items were very innovative for the day and have resurfaced in the modern autos of today. This blast from the past has received a mild interior restoration with just enough done to revive the comfort and elegance but preserve the nostalgia and innovation of the time. Donâ??t miss this opportunity to show and go in this iconic and rare piece of American history. Options include; Deluxe package, Southwind heater, new glass and rubber, new fuel pump, new brakes and wheel cylinders, new clutch, and new reproduction interior. For more HD video and pictures please go to Gatewayclassiccars.com or call the Orlando showroom at 407-771-2000
