Well, I didn't go out looking for another project, in fact I'd just got my 36 5 window running and driving, almost on the road, when an ad appeared on the NSRA website for a 40 Ford Coupe. It had been a well known car but had fell into disuse and had been holed up in a garage for a few years. These don't come up for sale very often in the UK so I decided to have a look. It had it's faults but I liked it straight away. I knew the fella selling it, so I said I would see if I could sell my 36, and if I did I would buy the 40. Long story short I did sell the 36 so I was then able to buy the 40.
So a deal was struck and the car was dragged home to Sunny Solihull. I've never been much of a fan of moon discs so I located a set of 15" f100 wheels, some new tyres, new 48 style caps and rings and it looks much better. Although it looks in good shape in the photo's there is plenty of work to do and I'll document progress here on these pages.
August 05: The car is being stripped down. The engine and gearbox have been removed, and the body has been lifted from the chassis
April 2008: The car had it's first run today after the winter layup. I finally got it back in running order and legally on the road last summer just in time for the 2007 Hot Rod Drags, my favourite event. I had done some body repairs and a complete refurb on the chassis. I fitted a German flathead motor which ran real nice and smooth. I lunched a piston and had to quickly drop in the old smoky engine for the drags. I sourced a new piston from Mike Lange in Germany and the German motor is back in and running nice again. it still needs a few little jobs doing, but I'm happy to drive it as is for now.
Proposed spec:
Body: Stock 2 door coupe. Stock fenders front and rear.
Chassis: Stock.
Engine: German built 239 cu in flathead. Stock heads, intake and carb, converted to USA spec crab style distributor.
Transmission: Stock 40 Ford 3 speed.
Rear axle: 40 Ford with long shackles, tube shocks, and a panhard rod. Stock brakes.
Front axle: Mor-Drop I-beam, flattened spring, f100 brakes.
Wheels/tyres: f100 steels. L78 and 5.60:15 Firestones 1" white lines. 48 Ford style caps and rings.
Steering: 47 Ford column shortened to 40 length.
Pedals: Stock 40 Ford.