There are iconic things and then there are icons, and they’re not the same. Ford flatheads are iconic things, but the 1940 Ford is an icon, a car that stands above its peers in terms of styling, performance, and reputation. It was one of those cars where all the styling ingredients just came together perfectly, creating a machine that has been enduringly popular for more than 75 years. The V-shaped grille, the rounded corners, and those beautiful teardrop-shaped headlights all conspire to make the 1940 Ford one of the most attractive cars of the era, regardless of body style.

That’s why we love this 1940 Ford Deluxe 4-door sedan so much. It looks good from any angle. But even better, it’s a largely original car still wearing mostly vintage black lacquer and a beautifully preserved original interior. Basic black is always right on a Ford and the 1940s seem to wear it better than most, letting the bright trim stand out against that background so that all the wonderful details are shown in bas relief. As a mostly original car, you know there’s no botched bodywork or hidden rust waiting for you, and thanks to the ministrations of our paint expert Michael Johnson, it has a fantastic shine with a bit of a soft gloss that looks exactly right (you should have seen it when it first arrived!). Yes, of course there are chips and scratches throughout, this isn’t a fresh restoration, but there’s really not much to steal from the classic look and old-school charm of a car that hasn’t been disassembled. The doors fit well, the hood lines up properly, and if you do happen to get caught in the rain or have a few bugs smashed on the nose, well, who cares? The car is ideal for guys who want to drive. We also cleaned up the chrome and stainless trim, all of which is in good to excellent condition with minimal pitting on the cast grille and hood ornament. The rubber running boards are in good shape as well, and the chevron-shaped taillights are as attractive here as they are on all the hot rods. There’s some very minor pitting on the headlight rings, but if you want perfect, replacements are inexpensive—however, if this were my car to keep, I’d leave them alone.

The tan broadcloth interior is beautifully preserved and also mostly original. The seats use familiar Ford pleats but there are no split seams or thin spots, leading us to believe that perhaps the front seat cover has been replaced—hard to say, because it is quite old. Ford used rubber mats for the front seat area and carpets in back, both of which are in good condition, and the door panels, which are most certainly original, are all quite nicely preserved. The big steering wheel isn’t cracked or broken and has an interesting design that makes the humble Ford seem a lot more upscale. All the original gauges are tucked into a plastic fascia that’s nicely preserved, and no, we don’t know what the piece of tape was for—we’re leaving it alone in case the plastic underneath is damaged by removing it. The white faces on the gauges themselves are crisp and easy to read and someone has added a set of aftermarket turn signals for safety. There is no radio in this car, but it does have an accessory heater under the dash, which makes this sedan ideal for touring under almost any conditions. The back seat is quite spacious and there’s plenty of room for passengers, which is why you buy a 4-door in the first place. And despite the fastback profile, the sizeable trunk will carry your gear and contains a full-sized spare tire assembly.

Mechanically, this Ford is ready to tour, regardless of the distance. The engine is the original flathead block now stuffed with a 4-inch Mercury crank, making 255 cubic inches’ worth of displacement. They were careful not to restore too much under the hood, but everything that needed to be rebuilt or restored was addressed and the engine runs superbly. You’ll note newer hoses and plug wires, a rebuilt carburetor and generator, and a radiator that was cleaned out but not painted so it all looks consistent. It starts quickly and easily without any fussing and runs cool and smooth under almost any conditions. It’s one of the best-running flatheads we’ve ever experienced. There’s plenty of torque thanks to that long-arm crank and it has a healthy but unobtrusive V8 burble complements of a dual exhaust system and glasspack-style mufflers. The industrial green paint on the block has about the right patina for the car’s age, although you can see that the water pumps are new and a slightly different color. There’s also some new wiring just to make things reliable, although much of it is related to the Columbia 2-speed rear end, which uses a post-war style actuation system (that’s what that big canister on the firewall is for). It also has an accessory oil filter hanging off the block.

That Columbia 2-speed is why this car is such a joy to drive. With a standard 3-speed manual transmission, low range is punchy and energetic around town, and high range gives it genuine 65 MPH cruising speeds that never feel harried. The system is easy to use, just flip the toggle switch up for high range, depress the clutch, and wait for the clunk and you’re good to go. Flip the switch back down for low range. The undercarriage is a bit crusty and grimy, as you’d expect for a 77-year-old original car, but there’s no evidence of structural rust and it has a consistent look that suggests it’s always been well maintained. By 1940, Ford was using hydraulic brakes, so stopping is drama-free, and as far as I’m concerned, Fords of this era had the best steering, so it feels agile around town but tracks straight on the highway. Correct 6.00-16 Firestone wide whites complete the look and give it a suitable 1940s feel out on the road.

This is not a perfect car, but then it’s not priced like one. However, it’s a wonderful driver with bulletproof reliability, a long-term ownership history (nearly 40 years!), and a fantastic vintage look. The new engine cost a significant fraction of the car’s current sticker price, with the Columbia rear end taking up another big chunk, so it represents a great value on a car that is welcome at almost any old car event. Get in, fire it up, and just go—thanks to bulletproof reliability, this Ford will always treat you right. Call today!