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LOT 5

1938 Ford 81A 740 Deluxe Convertible Sedan Chassis no. 84404663

Sold for US$21,280 inc. premiumLot to be sold without reserve
Lot 5

1938 Ford 81A 740 Deluxe Convertible Sedan

1938 Ford 81A 740 Deluxe Convertible Sedan
Chassis no. 84404663


276ci Flathead V8 Engine (1947 truck block, 59A-style)
Evans Tri-power Intake Manifold with Three Carburetors
200bhp (minimum) at 4,000rpm
3-Speed Manual Transmission
Three-Quarter Inch Floating Rear Axle with Reversed Spring Eyes to Lower the Car
4-Wheel Hydraulic Brakes

* One of only 2,743 Model 81A-740 Deluxe Convertible Sedans produced for 1938
* Official Festival Queen's car for the 1938 Portland Rose Festival
* Factory all-steel convertible sedan with deluxe trim
* Fitted with a rebuilt 276ci Flathead V8 and Evans tri-power induction
* Featured on the cover of
V8 Times and acquired by the current owner in 2020


THE FORD DELUXE CONVERTIBLE

Ford's Deluxe Convertible Sedan represented the pinnacle of its 1938 passenger car range. At $900 when new, the four-door convertible was the most expensive model in Ford's catalogue and among the rarest, with just 2,743 examples produced. Offered exclusively in Deluxe specification, it combined elegant open-air motoring with practical four-door coachwork and came with numerous premium features, including a banjo steering wheel, twin taillights, dual windshield wipers, dual horns, cigar lighter, glovebox lock, robe rail, and wide whitewall tires.


THE CAR OFFERED

This example carries particularly appealing regional history, having served as one of five official vehicles used during Portland's 1938 Rose Festival. Following decades reportedly spent in storage in a cabinet shop in Vancouver, Washington, the car was restored before being acquired by noted Flathead enthusiast Jerry Miller. During his ownership it was fitted with a professionally built 276ci Flathead V8, based on a 1947 truck block and equipped with an Evans tri-power intake manifold, creating a tasteful period-inspired street rod, while retaining its original character.

Finished in dark blue over a tobacco leather interior with a tan cloth top, this factory all-steel convertible sedan retains the graceful lines that made the model so desirable when new. This car was featured on the V8 Times phonebook front cover and offers a rare opportunity to acquire one of Ford's most exclusive pre-war production models.

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