This lovely Mandarin Maroon 1940 Ford Deluxe Convertible Club Coupe is one of 23,704 examples built for the 1940 Ford model year. At $850 new, it was the second most expensive model Ford Motor Company offered that year, outpriced only by the station wagon. The 112-inch wheelbase was a carryover from the previous year. The year 1940 was a significant one for Dearborn. It was the first year for sealed-beam headlights—which increased candlepower from 27 to nearly 40 CP. It was also the first year for a steering-column-mounted shifter and only the second year for hydraulic drum brakes. Ford Motor Company made a major change in the way it offered its convertible cars. The company had offered a true roadster with fully detachable windows for the last time, and only briefly in 1937, before electing that same year to catalog a cabriolet model with wind-up glass windows, a single front seat and an open rumble seat; as well as a club cabriolet with a small rear seat and an enclosed trunk. For 1938, the cabriolet (now called the convertible coupe) and the two-seat convertible club coupe were still offered in the new model lineup. The year 1939 was the last for the convertible (single front seat) coupe, and Ford did not offer a two-seat convertible club coupe that year. For 1940, the single-seat/rumble-seat model was dropped, along with the four-door convertible sedan, and the only convertible remaining was the new Model 66 convertible club coupe with a conventional decklid and trunk. Ford advertisements proclaimed, “We’ve covered the rumble seat,” even though they’d done the same thing in 1937 and 1938. Far more customers wanted the enclosed rear seat. The once-racy rumble seat was considered unsafe and passé, and the sales difference was substantial. Nearly 24,000 Deluxe convertibles found homes in 1940. (In 1939, the single-seat/rumble-seat “roadster” had only sold 10,422 units.) All convertibles had leather seating surfaces. Another big change was the canvas top itself. Larger and heavier than the cabriolet top, it was now vacuum-operated, and it had “blind” rear quarters. Eugene T. “Bob” Gregorie, Ford’s head of design, had outdone himself with the 1940 model’s styling. The hood was more pointed and contemporary than the 1939’s had been, there was a handsome new grille, the headlight surrounds were updated, and traditional teardrop tail lights gave way to a bold new chevron design by Willys P. Wagner. Ventipanes (wind wings) helped improve ventilation. Conventional 5-bolt, 16-inch wheels replaced the 1939’s 10.25-inch bolt-center types. Deluxe-model Fords for 1940 came with a stem-wind clock, located in the locking glovebox, a battery-condition indicator, an electric cigar lighter, twin ashtrays, sun visors, horns and tail lights. Also included were 10 pre-paid chassis lubes. This example has accessory wheel inner beauty rings, trim rings and whitewall tires. In April 1940, the 28-millionth new Ford car rolled off the assembly line. Powered by a 221 CI flathead V-8, this convertible has a Columbia 2-speed rear axle and a rare, belt-driven McCulloch centrifugal supercharger. Robert Paxton McCulloch began offering superchargers as a bolt-on accessory in 1937. By 1940, an improved McCulloch model had a separate engine-oil line for lubrication, and the boost was 4 PSI at 4,000 RPM. A dual- exhaust system, which this car has, was strongly suggested. The price of the McCulloch unit was $125 to $135, and the claimed output was 117 BHP, some 38% higher than the stock engine’s 85 BHP. This car, formerly owned and restored by Jim McKoane of Fresno, California, was featured in Special-Interest Autos No. 102 for December 1987. This lovely convertible received a coveted Early Ford V-8 Club Dearborn Award as well, confirming its superb and accurate restoration. The ’40 Ford is greatly appreciated by Early Ford V-8 devotees and Hot Rodders. This mildly modified example melds the best of both worlds.
