mart's '40 ford coupe

1940 Ford Coupe

Owner: Martin Holden

Body is mostly stock but with side trim removed, hood and trunk lid shaved of handles, tinted glass with V-butted screen. No bumpers. Had a “quickie” blue paint job in the late 80s, still wearing that but shows turquoise-blue patches where poor repairs replaced by proper metal patch panels.

Interior is well worn and knocked about. Stock ’40 deluxe wheel, stock dash and gauge cluster. Has column shift now (older photos show a floor shift conversion).
The car has a stock ‘40 frame with some rust repair carried out. It has a stock rear on long shackles with Panhard rod which, in theory, is incorrect but which does in fact work a treat. Mor-Drop front axle with stock ’39 spring. Steering box replaced with newer unit in good condition. Stock ’40 brakes on rear, front brakes replaced with a mix of F100 components from various years. Front shocks converted to Armstrong lever arms. Rear shocks converted to tubular with lower mounts made from F100 steering arms.

Runs a freshened-up stock, mid-50s German flathead V8, converted to crab front mount distributor, with an adaptor. Sump, flywheel, clutch and starter are all from original ’59A engine. Original Ford side shift 3-speed box. Stock 3.78:1 ’40 rear axle.
Wheels are 15” F100 wheels with L78 and 5.60:15 1” whites. Rears widened from 5/8” to 1” with an angle grinder! ’48 style repro caps and smooth trim rings.

Stock fuel tank and sender, stock radiator, dual pipes on Red’s headers, 12V electrics and dynamo converted to 12V. Voltage droppers used for gauges.

This car was imported from the USA in the early 80s by Simon Lane and was featured in CC shortly after. Was metallic blue, which is still on the dash. Simon is believed to have fitted the Mor-drop, the long shackles, the Armstrong front shocks and the moon discs. It then passed to another owner who de-trimmed it, fitted the dark tinted glass, and sprayed it straight light blue in that monochromatic style popular in the late 80s. It then passed to Noel Hyde but it ended up languishing in a lock-up in London until bought in 2005 by its current owner, who removed the body, repaired the frame, had the frame and axles blasted and refreshed and all the running gear reconditioned.