Beloved 1940 Ford Deluxe coupe. Steel body. 350 cubic inch Chevy V8, automatic. All the upgrades including A/C, power rack-and-pinion steering, power 4-wheel disc brakes, bucket seat interior. A well-built Ford ready to rumble.

The ever-popular 1940 Ford remains at the top of many enthusiasts’ wish lists, and why not? It has great proportions, a usable, spacious interior, and the fat fendered bodywork can handle just about any powertrain and suspension you want. From pro-street to pro-touring, the 1940 Ford is there. This attractive red and silver 1940 Ford Deluxe coupe splits the difference—a pretty traditional build with a few notable upgrades that make it easy to drive, easy to maintain, and easy to love. It was finished perhaps 15 years ago, but that only means it has been properly sorted so it’s 100% drivable today with no reservations. Hit the road and start having fun. The body is Henry Ford steel with fiberglass fenders, so it feels right as you drive, solid and competent. Paint is quite good and shows very little age or wear given that it has been driven quite a bit since it was completed. Silver over red will always look contemporary so it won’t seem dated in a few years, and with a few subtle pinstripes it has a traditional flair. There’s also an airbrushed mural on the trunk lid, giving the car a bit of personality. The familiar 1940 Ford grille, headlight rings, and chevron taillights make it instantly recognizable, and it’s been augmented with a set of race-style bumperettes to protect the bodywork. It’s a nicely thought-out rod that’s been well maintained.

Interiors seem to be one of the last places that builders spend their money—either the materials look cheap or they just throw some old seats out of a late-model in there and call it done. This car is different and it’s obvious someone cared about the entire package. The buckets are from a late-model, but they’ve been subtly re-sculpted and reupholstered to match the exterior—red and silver. Look closely and you’ll see all kinds of thoughtful details like the custom center armrest that mirrors the bumperettes outside, the paint that wraps around into the door jambs, the nicely integrated dashboard, and all the creature comforts: A/C, power windows, and a killer touchscreen entertainment system. Switches are well labeled, there’s an OEM-style hood pull under the dash, and a full set of Auto Meter gauges to monitor the engine (the odometer is not working so we don’t know exact mileage). There’s a tilt steering column that makes it easy to get comfortable in those multi-adjustable buckets and the 1940 Ford coupe has plenty of room for two passengers and all their gear thanks to a massive trunk. And unlike so many rods, this trunk is also fully upholstered with a built-in fuel filler and hidden compartments for the wiring and stereo equipment.

The powertrain doesn’t break any new ground, but a proven combination of a 350 cubic inch Chevy V8 backed by a TH350 automatic means this car is cheap and easy to maintain and always read to go. We’ll move past the whole “Chevy in a Ford” discussion and just focus on the fact that this thing always starts, it sits in traffic without getting fussy, and it’s fast enough to be entertaining. Heck, take it easy on the throttle and keep the secondaries on the big Holley closed and it might even get decent fuel economy. The Ford’s narrow engine compartment still provides plenty of room for easy service and the managed to fit power steering, A/C, and power brakes in there, along with a bunch of polished stuff that makes it look great. There’s a big brass radiator with an electric fan up front that keeps things cool on hot days. Underneath you’ll find a custom exhaust system with side-exits under the running boards (it sounds heroic), and the front suspension is a Mustang II setup with power rack-and-pinion steering, disc brakes, and coil-overs. Out back is a simple 9-inch Ford on a 4-link with another set of adjustable coil-overs holding it up. Oh, and there are discs in back as well. Everything is painted red to match the bodywork and while there’s been some driving, it’s still pretty clean and the floor is in excellent shape. A good-sized gas tank makes it a great highway car and the Weld Pro-Star wheels are a traditional look. Staggered 15-inch radials give it the perfect stance and handle far better than the squish slicks of the past.

Documentation includes a rather substantial folder full of receipts, notes, manuals, and other paperwork.

If you like the look of a ’40 Ford (and who doesn’t?), then this car gets almost everything right. It’s very carefully and thoughtfully built and uses proven components to make it easy to own. Driving is easy for anyone and it always attracts attention wherever it goes thanks to its flashy look. This is what we all hope the street rods we build will be like, so why not skip the middle man and go right to the having fun part? Call today!

NOTE: This car is titled as a 1940 Ford with an assigned VIN from the State of Kentucky.

Harwood Motors always recommends and welcomes personal or professional inspections of any vehicle in our inventory prior to purchase.