Did Ford Really make a 1937 Roadster

[Ziffer]

I was buying some 36 parts and saw a cowl that looked strange. The owner says it was a 37 roadster. I checked my V8 Affair book and did not see a roadster listed as a body. What do you guys say?

Thanks
Z

[V8COOPMAN]

Off the top of my head, I want to say 1,200-ish, but don't hold me to that. Ford's last true roadster. DD

[Jim in Wisconsin]

There's an article about them in the latest V8 Times. The 37 Roadster didn't have the bolt-on windshield frame, but it had side curtains with no roll up windows. Ford called it a roadster, so that makes it official!
Jim S.

[Charlie Stephens]

Originally Posted by Ziffer

I was buying some 36 parts and saw a cowl that looked strange. The owner says it was a 37 roadster. I checked my V8 Affair book and did not see a roadster listed as a body. What do you guys say?

Thanks
Z

What do I say? I say the V8 Affair book is a terrible source of reference. The V8 Affair also talks about a '37 coupe with a rumble seat (they didn't make one). Yes, Ford made a roadster in '37, I have a friend that owns one and they also appear in the Restoration Guidelines from the Early Ford V8 Club. The latest issue of the V8 Times talks about them.

Charlie Stephens

[G.M.]

I have seen 3. They look like a coupe with the roof cut off. G.M.

[TonyM]

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[Vic Piano]

When I lived on Long Island, I had a friend in the LIRG of the EFV8 Club that had a '37 Roadster. He was a teenager in '37 when his neighbor bought the car, after years of chasing it he finally got it.

[Bruce Lancaster]

The roadster was a cabriolet with windows and mechanism left out, caps over the empty slots in doors, and some snap fasteners for curtains and other minor adaptations. Sales were very low but they did exist as an option for those who felt a cabriolet was too dry and comfortable inside...

[DavidG]

Bruce,

Actually, it was the other way around. Cabriolet doors were made from roadster doors. There are a surprising number of differences beyond those you mentioned, including major differences in the top irons and the package tray area.

Some hobbyists who have tried to convert a cabriolet into a roadster (and vice versa) have found out about those differences the hard way.

Dave

[Krylon32]

A few years ago at the LARS there was a controversy with led them to put a 1936 cutoff date on their entrance sign????

[Richard (EV8G)]

We have one in our shop that is RHD from Argentina, as is the owner (from Argentina, but HE is not RHD The car belonged to his father. He brought it to California when he moved here many years ago.

There are MANY people who do not consider it to be a true roadster because
the windshield is part of the cowl and not separate like the last true roadster
for 1936, which is also the cut-off year for the Pasadena Roadster Club.

[tub1]

in australia ford made roadster in the 5 passenger version up to 1940 it used the back section from a club coupe

[Manuel]

They made roadster utes as well in Australia in 37.

Manuel in Oz

[Tudortomnz]

Here are the Australian '37 Club Roadster & the Roadster Utility. These were Australian designed & built. They produced the '37 Club Coupe also so the club roadster may have used some panels like their '36 roadster which was based on the 5W coupe, not the 3W coupe.
As already stated, these Australian club roadsters were available up to 1940 & the roadster Ute went to '38 on the standard chassis.
Here in NZ, I have never heard or seen of a '37 convert. [ but there may have been a couple of cabs.?] but we got the Nth American fordors, flatback & humpback, some Tudors & the 5W business coupes.

[IVT1]

Tony M. Good show

[Bricktop]

Hi ,new to the forum...but have been lurking for a while. I recently was given a 1937 ford cabriolet /roadster by my father. it is a 2dr convert w/ rumble seat and roll up/down windows..... i was always told by him and his hot rod friends how rare of a car it is. Its been in the family since the 60's
i will post some pics when i get time ! cheers

[Vic Piano]

Bricktop, that is an outstanding "gift", the '37 Roadsters had a fixed windshield like the Cabriolet but no windows in the doors. There are other subtle differences that I'm not aware of as I'm not familiar with all the nuances of '37's.

[danliveshere]

Bricktop, welcome to the barn.