I had no plans of listing project cars this early in the life of The Jalopy Auction House, but sometimes you gotta adjust your plans to your opportunities. And this isn’t just any project car, is it?
The history of this 1940 Ford Sedan isn’t documented in any real form. All we really have here is a story from a living legend, Don Ferguson, and an old picture taken in 1957. But from that, it is believed that this car was chopped in the mid-1950’s by Sam Barris. While he was at it, the car was nosed, decked, and shaved. And to compliment the profile of the beautifully done chop, the rear decklid was subtly laid down to complete the graceful roof line.
Once Sam was done with his work, the car was painted Candy Apple Red. And to this day, the remains of a wonderful tuck-n-roll interior grace the seats.
In its heyday, the car was powered by an Olds motor backed by a Hydro tranny. A fact backed by the vintage image in the gallery – taken in Texas in 1957 when the car was equipped for the drag strip and ran in the D/Gas class. The car currently has no drivetrain.
There is some minor rust in the floor around the B-pillar and a couple spots in both the trunk area as well as the passenger side footwell. All of these areas are pictured in the gallery. The chassis, however, is solid and features a parallel leaf setup supporting an 8″ Ford (housing and axles only) out back while a Dago dropped axle locates the front.
Thoughts From The Jalopy Journal:
There is no paper trail that definitively links this car back to Sam Barris. However, the reserve price reflects that. And let’s be honest here fellas – Don Ferguson (a previous owner by the way) says it’s so and just how many people were capable of such a perfectly proportioned chop on a fat-fendered sedan in 1955? Sam Barris was one of maybe a handful of guys…
But let’s put all of that to the side for a moment. What you have here is my favorite kind of project – A car with an amazing story that gushes history from its seams, but no real obligation to stay true to any kind of a historical blueprint. You don’t have the pain and suffering that often comes with a car of historical significance. Sounds trivial, but that’s real.
So, make it a hot rod. Make it a custom. Paint it Candy Red. Paint it black. Do whatever the hell you want… Just don’t mess with that body work.
If it were me, and I’m getting excited just thinking about it, I’d study that picture taken in 1957 and bring the car back to exactly that – focusing on the little details like the stance, exhaust dumps, bumpers, etc… And then, I would have an absolute blast figuring out and fabricating the unknowns to my own tastes and needs.
This one is not only special, it’s fun as hell… And that’s exactly why I wanted to list it.
Got Questions?
No sweat, click on the “discussion” tab to quench any curiosities. The owner will be available with answers…
