The 1940 Ford represents perhaps the ideal combination of pre-war style and fat-fendered comfort. That pointed prow on this Deluxe Tudor sedan is one of the most recognizable beaks ever designed, and the rest of the bright red car ain't half bad, either. Add in a warmed-over small block V8, comfortable interior, and a surprisingly affordable price and you get a rod that'll make you happy for years to come.Two-tone paint wasn't on the books in 1940, and especially not red paint, partly because red paint back then tended to fade and it was expensive, so Henry Ford didn't allow it. But you can't argue that it doesn't look like it was designed this way on the 1940 Ford sheetmetal. Nothing on this particular car has been chopped or altered and almost all the trim remains, so it has an honest period look that comes naturally. It's an older build, so it is ready to drive and enjoy without worries, yet it presents well enough to show with pride at the local cruise night. The only real demerit is a hood that doesn't sit quite flush at the cowl, but that's a very common problem with these cars. The paint shines up well and could possibly benefit from a professional cut and buff session to really wake up the shine. The body is all steel and it's nice to see running boards wrapped in rubber that can actually be used. Chrome and stainless trim glitters against the two-tone paint, giving the car a bit of jewelry to go with the high-visibility look.The tan leather interior is quite appealing, using bucket seats with modern patterns to give it an up-to-date look while the color combination remains elegant and appealing. There are speakers built into the doors, but beyond that, it's actually pretty stock, including the door handles, color-matched instrument panel, and garnish moldings. The dash was probably woodgrained originally, but now has a cool red finish that doesn't look too far out of whack with what they might have been doing in 1940 and the dashboard plastics are in remarkably good shape. Modern gauges tuck into a custom panel that looks very much like it could have been born there, and there are auxiliary dials under the dash in the usual location. An AM/FM/CD head unit lives up there on top of the dash, right where the original might have been, and for road trips, this tudor sedan includes plenty of back seat space and a massive trunk with a full-sized spare.If you like driving, this cool rod doesn't disappoint. There's a great-running 350 cubic inch Chevy V8 tucked under its pointed hood and it's been fitted with a bunch of upgrades that make it fast yet reliable. An Edelbrock 4-barrel carburetor, polished intake manifold, and a lot of polished aluminum provide the proper hot rod hardware and it runs great. A TH350 3-speed automatic transmission handles power delivery to the 10-bolt rear end, which is full of highway-friendly gears to make this an easy cruiser. It appears that it carries a subframe from a late-model, because the front suspension is independent and offers disc brakes, while there are traditional leaf springs out back. A bubbly dual exhaust system perfectly captures that hot rod sound and you can plainly see that this car came from someplace warm and dry, because the chassis is in good shape overall. Classic Torque Thrust wheels add a proper performance look and carry staggered 205/55/16 front and 275/65/16 rear radials.A neat Ford at a great price, and with that classic paint job, it'll stand out at shows. You're really going to enjoy this one. Call today!
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