When it comes to Ford automobiles produced in the 1930s, it’s the Model B that gets all the attention. It was the first Ford with a V8 engine (Model 18), and it’s a common choice for hot rodders. But as much as I like this historically significant vehicle, I’m more fond of the 1938 version.
Launched in 1932, the Model B was discontinued in 1934 to make way for the updated Model 48. The latter was offered for only two model years. In 1937, FoMoCo redesigned its main automobile again, giving it a more rounded look. The makeover also brought a second Flathead V8 engine to the lineup.
The 1938 version was essentially a carryover from the previous year. However, Ford decided to make the more expensive DeLuxe model stand out with a heart-shaped grille. And that’s the feature that made me fall in love with the 1938 Ford. It works great with the V-shaped chrome trim of the hood, and it makes the two-door version look as aerodynamic as the Chrysler Airflow.
The 1938 Ford was a big hit at the time, moving more than 400,000 units. Almost 250,000 of them left the assembly line as DeLuxe models. Needless to say, the 1938 Ford is anything but rare based on production figures. But because the survival rate of 1930s automobiles is low, unmolested examples are hard to find today.
The convertible you see here is not exactly an unmolested survivor, but it comes close. Discovered somewhere in upstate New York, it spent a few decades in storage, yet it’s still in one piece. And even though it was hot-rodded before it was parked, the drop-top is still highly original. And yes, it’s a DeLuxe model with the Art Deco-inspired heart-shaped grille.
Granted, the vehicle is far from being road-worthy as is. The paint is weathered on most surfaces, raccoons ruined the interior, and the engine no longer runs. This classic requires a serious cash injection to become usable. Moreover, the original Flathead V8 is long gone, having been replaced with a Pontiac mill.
But it’s a car I’d very much like to see restored because this thing will look gorgeous with refreshed trim and a new layer of paint. And finding a Flathead V8 shouldn’t be a significant problem since Ford produced millions of them through 1953.
Oh, and you know how I said that the 1938 Ford is anything but rare? Well, that statement applies to the model year as a whole. The convertible version is actually notably scarcer. Specifically, Ford sold only 13,485 DeLuxe drop-tops in 1938. And this one is a two-door, five-passenger version, which makes it a Club Convertible, of which only 6,080 were built.
That’s still a relatively high number, but chances are fewer than 1,000 survived, and most of them are probably rust buckets. That’s one more reason why this 1938 Ford should get a complete rebuild.