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EFV-8 Club Forum / General Ford Discussion / 1938 Standard V8 60hp Survey

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Posted By Discussion Topic: 1938 Standard V8 60hp Survey -- page: 1 2     supereal 09-04-2013 @ 10:58 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 6819 Joined: Oct 2009 Most, if not all, of us would like to find information about our vehicles, such as "chain of title" showing identity and location of previous owners, etc. However, various laws at the local, state, and federal level have made this impossible. As most records were on paper, time, and such mishaps as fires, have erased those, for the most part. Ford Motor Company was not too concerned about posterity. Old Henry is quoted as calling history "bunk", so what records remain are often in conflict. Very few expected our old Fords to be in existance, let alone, being driven, decades after they left the factory. That, in itself, is a miracle not likely to be repeated with modern cars. 1938cr 09-04-2013 @ 9:57 AM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 35 Joined: Jan 2010 Thanks Kubes40, I understand that the accuracy of my survey is limited to the number of viewers of this web site. My goal was not to write a book or use this as some sort of factual proof to the obscurity of this particular automobile. I own this car, and was simply curious as to how many similar cars remain. I believed it best to ask the question to an audience that would be interested in the subject, have knowledge of the subject, and that covers a large geographic area. The statement that my survey “is an exercise in futility” may be true or not. However, I appreciate and thank all who have responded to this post so far. It has been informative and fun to track where these car are still running around. Thank you for your time and insight. Charlie This message was edited by 1938cr on 9-4-13 @ 10:03 AM kubes40 09-04-2013 @ 6:45 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 3407 Joined: Oct 2009 Hi Super, I have to say, I still look at each and every one of your posts. I only wish I lived near you so I could "pick your brain" more readily. Not many folks have your knowledge. I think that book you referred to is good for a basis of research. Lots of pictures in there that have helped me identify models / years. Like you, I do not believe there is any way to accurately calculate how many of any car has survived. With the possible exception of very low production and very valuable models. Again, Deusenberg comes to mind. If I recall correctly those have been for the most part tracked down completely as to their survival / demise. Please, keep sharing with us...you are appreciated! supereal 09-03-2013 @ 3:43 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 6819 Joined: Oct 2009 Can't argue with that, Mike. I used the Damman book because the best resource I've had is the Flamming/Lewis "Ford Chronicle",as they gave very good production figures for each year, except for the vehicles with the "60". For '40, they list the "coupe, business coupe. tudor, and fordor" as available with the "2A" engine, but no production numbers were provided, as were for the "O1A" (85 hp) engines, nor did they for the other years of '37, '38, and '39. I, too, am skeptical of "ball park" survival rates, but I don't know of any definitive substitute. My late friend, Lorin Sorensen, knew more of that kind if info than anyone else I knew, but I haven't seen his opinion in any of his books in my collection regarding survival. kubes40 09-03-2013 @ 1:42 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 3407 Joined: Oct 2009 Attempting to determine how many of any particular vehicle remains is extremely difficult at best. Utilizing one website is an exercise in futility at best. A rule of thumb used by "professionals" (what ever that indicates) is a low end car such as '38 Ford would have a survival rate reduced by approximately 5% - 10% per year. Open type cars had a worse survival rate than closed types. Cars produced shortly prior to WWII also suffered a worse fate than cars produced shortly thereafter. Other factors that must be considered is popularity throughout the vehicles entire life span. Did this "use up" more than typical or did more survive than typical? A 1932 roadster most likely was "used up" at a faster pace than say a '32 sedan. Coupes of all prewar years were used hard and discarded at a hardy rate. Think "dragaways" throughout the late 1940's up through the early to mid 1960's. There were quite literally 1000's of these vehicles destroyed each year in these arenas. As you can see and surely imagine, it is very difficult at best to gain any meaningful estimate of survival rates. Generally, only very high end cars (think Deusenberg's)have quite accurate records of current survival numbers. Oh, Super... don't rely too much on the book you'd referenced as it is full of inaccuracies. The 60HP engine was in fact available to all models of passenger cars in 1940, including both deluxe and the "standard" (Ford V8) models. It (the 60) also found its way in to deluxe models in 1939. mikecnc 09-03-2013 @ 8:15 AM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 24 Joined: Mar 2011 I have a cruise in friend from the Charlotte/Monroe, NC area that has a 1938 Standard black 5 window coupe with a V8 60 hp. It is a very nice car and he won 1st place in the Ford Factory Original Class at a show on Labor Day. Stroker 08-29-2013 @ 2:07 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 1460 Joined: Oct 2009 My father in law had a 38 Standard with a 60 which he purchased after returning from the military in 1945. It was about the only thing he could find at the time due to the dire shortages. It wasn't long however, until he was able to find an 85 hp motor to replace the 60. Many of these got "upgraded" through the years, especially after fuel rationing ended. supereal 08-29-2013 @ 1:28 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 6819 Joined: Oct 2009 According to the "Ninety Years Of Ford" book by Damman, only 13,712 standard coupes were built with the 60-HP engine in 1938. Of the standard fordor cars, 5878 had that engine, while the standard tudors used the most small engines, 30,850. Of the sedan delivery model, the number was 1,120. Very few of the Deluxe models had the small engine. For instance, the most expensive car of that year was the four door convertible. Only 2,743 were built, and just 42 were ordered with the 60. Of 6,944 station wagons, only 4 had it. The general "rule of thumb" for survival of old cars is that about 5% are lost per year. Given that it has been 75 years since 1938, few examples of the 60HP engine probably remain. Overall, 1938 wasn't a banner year for Ford in spite of the totally restyled line. The 1939 Fords, which debuted hydraulic brakes, did better, but less than 2,000 small engines were built, with none in deluxe cars. By 1940, the only Ford with the 60 was the sedan delivery, and no more were offered. 1938cr 08-29-2013 @ 8:28 AM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 35 Joined: Jan 2010 Thank you to all who have responded so far. It’s a little sad to think that only three examples of the 1938 Standard V-8 60hp might remain. Hopefully, there are more hiding in barns or garages waiting to be discovered. Thanks again, Charlie Pauls39 08-24-2013 @ 6:00 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 81 Joined: Oct 2009 Charlie, We have a member with a 1938 sedan all original with a V-8 60. Mid Michigan

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