Six Decades in One Family: 1934 Ford Model 40 Street Rod with Chevy V8 Heart
This red hot rod cabriolet was bought in the early 1960s and transformed over 40 years into a proper street machine, complete with a 350ci Chevy V8 and just 5,000 miles since completion.
A True Family Heirloom
Some builds are quick flips. This one's a labour of love spanning four decades. According to Bring a Trailer, this 1934 Ford Model 40 cabriolet was picked up by the current seller's late father in the early 1960s, then carefully transformed into a sorted street rod over the following 40 years.
What's Under the Bonnet
Power comes from a 350ci Chevrolet V8 paired with a TH350 three-speed automatic — a classic hot rod combination that's proven itself time and again. The chassis has been seriously upgraded with a dropped front axle running a four-bar setup, while out back there's a Jaguar-style independent rear assembly. It all rolls on 14" and 15" Halibrand alloys.
The Details Matter
The steel body was decked and resprayed in a Nissan red back in 1990, with invoices for bodywork and paint reportedly exceeding $100,000. It's wearing full fenders, louvred hood side panels, cowl-mounted spotlights, running boards, and plenty of chrome. Up top sits a beige folding soft top that complements the beige leather interior.
Inside, you'll find air conditioning (essential for proper cruising), a tilt column, Lecarra steering wheel, and VDO gauges — all the kit you need for comfortable drives.
Barely Broken In
Since the build wrapped up around 2000, this Ford has covered just 5,000 miles. That's the kind of preservation you only get when a car means something to its family.
The car is now being offered with an Arizona title in the name of the seller's family trust. It's a chance to carry on a story that started more than 60 years ago.
Source: Bring a Trailer
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