If you haven’t owned a flathead Ford, why not? They’re the cornerstone of the hobby, and while you might think that 85 horsepower and mechanical brakes are just no fun, you would be astoundingly wrong. Cars like this lovely 1936 Ford coupe are simply delightful to drive, with great power, plenty of speed, and energetic handling that make them wonderful road cars. Don’t look at the specs and figure it’s too old for you, come and try it on and see what you’ve been missing! The ’36 is one of the all-time most popular years for V8 Fords and a rumble seat coupe will always be a favorite. A very nicely done older restoration that largely sticks to the original formula, this little coupe delivers on the old adage that good flatheads area great cars.

Basic black was always Henry Ford’s favorite choice, not because he liked the color but because black paint was often the cheapest. Nevertheless, it looks quite handsome on the 1936 5-window coupe bodywork, making it seem substantial and grown-up. We acquired this car from an estate along with another black flathead Ford, and together they made a very appealing combination. We don’t know who did the work or when, but it’s quite obvious that it was quite well done and if we had to guess, we would say this car was probably restored in the 1990s. There’s a great shine to the paint, the sheetmetal is in excellent condition, and we can find no evidence of accident or rust damage. Both doors close with an light slam, the hood fits nicely, and the entire structure feels tight and robust as you drive it down the road. Just look at the photos—this sucker is straight! They took no liberties with the styling, keeping it just the way Ford intended, although a pair of chrome hinge mirrors and a trunk rack are welcome additions. If you look carefully, you’ll also spot blue-dot taillight lenses, a popular period modification and easy to reverse if pure stock is what you’re after. We do like the upscale look of the ’36 nose and with the rear-mounted spare and luggage rack, it does appear to be a much more substantial car. There’s simply no line that isn’t just right.

The tan Bedford cord interior is also quite correct, duplicating Ford patterns and materials. This was probably an expensive job, because it gest the little stuff right that many shops overlook: the painted garnish moldings with a subtle woodgrain pattern, proper piping on the seat frame, and a rubber floor covering instead of carpets, which is how Ford delivered most of their models. The banjo-style steering wheel is in excellent condition and the instrument panel was restored with the same woodgrain pattern as the moldings. Factory gauges are in very good condition and are probably original, and they’re all fully operational. The other controls are simple, with choke and throttle levers in the center stack, headlight control on the steering wheel hub, and a 3-speed manual shifter. There’s also an accessory AM radio with all its components intact, although it is sadly not functional (no surprise there). The headliner and sun visors are beautifully stitched and correct windlace was used throughout so it’s comfortable and relatively quiet inside. The rumble seat is upholstered in proper brown leatherette (Ford’s name for vinyl) and there’s a correct rubber mat back there, too.

The engine is a later 239 cubic inch 59AB flathead with a number of upgrades over the original ’36 unit, including improved water pumps, insert bearings, and a bit more compression. We have completely serviced the car, including rebuilding the carburetor, a brand new distributor, new spark plugs, and cleaning out the cooling and fuel systems. It starts easily and idles almost silently, just as a good flathead should. It is most certainly NOT a hot rod, and aside from the upper radiator hoses and their position, could almost pass for original. There’s some paint that’s rubbed off on the heads, which would be easy to touch up and we decided to leave it as-is. There’s an electric fuel pump for priming (it runs on the stock mechanical fuel pump), the generator still puts out 6 volts, and there appears to be a new cloth-covered wiring harness running the show. There’s a nice V8 burble out back, but it’s appropriately quiet, and the stout little flathead makes the kind of torque that’s a lot of fun on the road. Given the quality of the work and the recent service, this is a good car for tours and other driving events.

Underneath, it’s clear that this was a frame-off restoration, although it now has some miles on it. The 3-speed manual transmission has good synchros and shifts cleanly, and with 3.78 gears in the banjo-style rear end, it’s pretty happy at 50-55 MPH. The frame is in excellent condition with no signs of rust or damage, and the floors appear to be original and in excellent shape. The battery box appears to have been modified to make it a bit deeper for a modern battery, and it has been switched to hydraulic brakes, which was done with period hardware so it looks right. We just rebuilt those brakes, including a new master cylinder and fresh wheel cylinders, so it stops as well as it should with no drama. Ride and handling are energetic and confident, and you’ll quickly find that this little Ford has a playful nature out on the road. The single exhaust is a correct reproduction piece that has been painted black to help it blend in, and this one is not even much of a leaker (although it’s obviously not perfect). Factory artillery wheels with simple hubcaps and trim rings give it a traditional look and it’s fitted with 6.00-16 Firestone wide whites, which is quite likely what it wore when it was new.

We love flathead Fords all out of proportion to their price and rarity. They’re probably the most fun per dollar you can have in a pre-war car, and with fantastic parts and club support, they’re ideal for the hobbyist who uses his cars as real cars, not static art. The rumbleseat coupe remains a very popular model and with some invisible changes under the skin, it remains joyous to drive. Come see this car and find out why we believe the flatheads are so special. Call today!