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EFV-8 Club Forum / General Ford Discussion / 1939 Worlds Fair 1940 Ford Convertible Sedans

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Posted By Discussion Topic: 1939 Worlds Fair 1940 Ford Convertible Sedans -- page: 1 2     trjford8 12-18-2015 @ 5:32 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 4214 Joined: Oct 2009 It would be very easy to place a '39 convertible sedan on a 40 chassis and add all the '40 parts to the body. The 40 paper work would go with the chassis since the serial # is on the chassis. There is no known documentation in the archives to indicate that Ford built any convertible sedans in '40.Without any archive documentation it puts a '40 convertible sedan in the category of an "urban legend". Lorin Sorensen did a book on the Ford Shows which included the World's Fairs. Lorin was a '40 guy and nowhere in his book does it show a '40 convertible sedan. My wife worked for Lorin and typed many of his books and I'm sure if such a car existed we would have had a conversation about it. woodiewagon46 12-18-2015 @ 7:59 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 699 Joined: Nov 2012 Mike is correct (as usual). I have been playing with antique Fords since 1962 and I can't begin to tell you of how many rumors and incorrect fact's that people come up with. "Ford only built three of these", "Ford want's this car back and will pay thousands to get it", "It was owned buy Henry himself". Unless you have solid documentation it's just another Ford car. I know this really hurts someone's ego but thats just the way it is. Keep searching you might get lucky! kubes40 12-18-2015 @ 7:19 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 3396 Joined: Oct 2009 I was asked to weigh in on this on the FordBarn. Below is a copy of my response on that site. Oh boy, I am very apprehensive to weigh in on this one. Why? Because I am nearly certain I'll have a number of guys tell me I am full of poopy, etc. I chose to weigh in well, for one, I've been called worse (by better men) and two, I do have a little research experience with these supposed "40 convertible sedans". Now, here's what I had found out about these orphans: _________________ That's right, nothing, zip, zero, nada. There was never any documentation uncovered by me nor anyone else that I am aware of that Ford actually built any of these cars. I began my look in to these way back in the 1980's. There were stories, photos, rumors, but no documentation. Where's that leave us? Well, in my humble opinion, Ford did NOT create these cars. As Deuce has advised, this would be a rather simple project for anyone with good body craft skills. Plus, keep in mind that when these cars were stating to be "discovered" in the late 50's / early 60's, the "donor cars" ('39 conv. sedan & 40 anything) had little to no value. Also, the "heyday" of modifying cars. I also need to pose this question: "Why is there no record of these from 1940 forward"? They seemingly "popped up" in the late 50's. Deuce made another very valid point. Numbers matching frame, transmission and title are all too easy to acquire and / or manufacture. In fact, this car would be simple to build - far easier than some serious restorations I've done. The two factory equipped Mercury engine'd 1940 Fords I have had (still have one) were purchased by me with full documentation right back to build "sheets". Plus, I did research to find corresponding proof that these two vehicles were as they were purported to be. I have witnessed first hand 1940 Ford convertible coupes, yep, rumble seat, floor shift... beautiful cars. Ford never built one but I had on two separate occasions two different guys insisting they were "real". Yes, I'd agree...real cars. No, not Ford built. That old wives tale of these being built for the Worlds Fair... really? Does it not seem odd that Ford would have built them so late in to 1940 production (according to the number on the one in this thread)? That number puts it in the late January to perhaps mid to late February build. Not sure if all '39 convertible sedans had a body number plate. My guess would be "yes". I have had numerous '40 convertibles and most (all but one) had a body plate. Even that one had the nail holes for the body plate rivets, plate being absent. Every '39 convertible I have had, has had a body plate as well. Oh, one more thing on this thought... even the '40 coupes with factory equipped Mercury engines had body plates. And, in two of three that I know of, had the cowl stamped to indicate Mercury engine'd Ford. My current '40 convertible has both a body plate and the cowl stamped to indicate this "anomaly". The point being: Ford did tend to keep control of what they were building. Bottom line? As has been advised previously, be skeptical, be VERY skeptical. Ford did tend to document - very well in fact, any "customs / prototype' cars they authorized. The lack of anything mentioning this car leads me to believe (to reiterate) this car never happened at Ford or "by" Ford. I try my best to keep an open mind about this type of thing and to that point, and in regard to this particular vehicle, I would welcome proof contrary to my opinion of its pedigree. As a final note I truly would enjoy thoughtful responses to this thread. Respectfully, Mike "Kube" Kubarth TomO 12-18-2015 @ 6:49 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 7252 Joined: Oct 2009 It would be nice if you could post some photos. It will be necessary to do a separate reply for each photo. The serial number is near the mid-point of 1840 production. Tom turbotank 12-17-2015 @ 5:07 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 1 Joined: Dec 2015 can you help me figure out this 40 ford 4 door convertible? serial number. I8*5550918* car has 40 tail lights. car has column shift. engine trans and frame numbers all match. as also do the original title match, with it being named a 40 ford 4 dr convertible on the title. the car had 2 spotlights, and had a light or antenna of some sort on the ds rear fender. car has deluxe trim and dash. i know alot of the cars that we see being clones with the 40 sheet metal vin out as 39's but this one doesnt. police car? special order parade car? on of the 6 worlds fair cars? it was blue in color if that helps supereal 12-09-2011 @ 10:44 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 6819 Joined: Oct 2009 Dan: By that time I had mastered the tricycle, and was contemplating a two wheeled conveyance. I was fascinated by the symbols of the World's Fair, the "Trylon and Perisphere", and had a snow globe of these icons that my grandparents brought back from New York. It was a glimpse of the "world of tomorrow", which was eclipsed in the next year by Pearl Harbor. TomO 12-09-2011 @ 6:37 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 7252 Joined: Oct 2009 John, could you please post some photos of your car? It would be interesting to see if it was one of the many 39 Fords that had a 40 front clip installed during the 50's. There used to be a 39 convertible with a 40 deluxe front clip running around the North Shore suburbs of Chicago during the early 50's. It still had the 39 dash and trunk handle and many other items that identified it as a 39. Tom ford38v8 12-07-2011 @ 5:25 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 2758 Joined: Oct 2009 But Dan, I thought we were sworn to secrecy? Alan Stroker 12-07-2011 @ 4:39 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 1460 Joined: Oct 2009 And is suspect Stroker, Supereal & 38v8 would have enjoyed it as well, had we not been simply gleams in our father's eyes, or sucking on glass bottles. ford38v8 12-07-2011 @ 3:55 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 2758 Joined: Oct 2009 Jerry, Glad you remembered that one! It was in fact, the Portland Rose Festival which featured Open Fords painted white from the factory. On the doors were painted large red roses. The white Fords were featured in 1938 and 1939. The first parade cars carried high school Queens and Princesses, followed by local politicians and celebrities, and by Ford sedans with the same rose on white. The spectacle of a white Ford with that rose , crammed full of bathing beuties waving to the crowds was a sight for Lawson to see! Alan

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