The Ford Barn

mercman from oz · 03-31-2026, 11:39 PM

Did the Ford Motor Company offer 1938 Ford Standard Roadsters in any other country beside Australia?

mercman from oz · 03-31-2026, 11:44 PM

Illustration from the Sales Brochure of an Australian 1938 Ford Standard Roadster.

ford38v8 · 04-01-2026, 12:35 AM

The American Ford Roadster was never a two-seater, all had rumbleseats and button-on side windows. The last true (bright metal windshield frame) Roadster was 1936. 1937 had windshield frames as part of the cowl, and ended Roadsters altogether. All Open cars were DeLuxe since since 1934. The Convertible Coupe, with rumbleseat and roll-up windows, continued through 1939, the difference being the roll-up windows. Prior years with roll-up windows were called Cabriolets, going back to 1932, and Club Cabriolets having a back seat instead of a rumbleseat, starting in 1936. 1939 changed the Ford Club Cabriolet model to be a Mercury Convertible, coming back as a Ford again in 1940. The last 4 door Ford Convertible was 1939, The last Mercury 4 door Convertible was 1940, the last Ford Phaeton was 1938.
Whew! I think I got it all out there! I'll humbly request corrections from those who know better!

mercman from oz · 04-01-2026, 01:28 AM

As we have established, Ford Standard Roadsters are a unique species.
Can anyone identify this very nice 1938 Ford Standard Roadster?
Unlike the Australian example shown at the beginning of this Thread, the roof on this car covers the area aft of the door like the similar year Convertibles, while on the Australian car, it has a side curtains in this position.
Does anybody know anything about this Roadster?
What country it is in and where it was made?

Graham Freeman · 04-01-2026, 04:06 AM

That's a New Zealand rego Trevor and comes up on CARJAM as an Australian import with first registration in NZ on 4th Jan 1995.
The top could have been modified to make it a bit more americanised.

ford38v8 · 04-01-2026, 10:35 AM

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Delete dual post

ford38v8 · 04-01-2026, 10:41 AM

Trevor, the red Roadster could not have been American, as it is a Standard, but shares the Club Cabriolet top and back seat. An oddity also, is the position of the windshield wipers, as no Ford I ever saw had that sort of connection, both going simultaneously left to right. I'll venture to say that they are not hooked up at all. The wind wings look to be of a shape not of Ford, and not available in 1938 anyway.

mercman from oz · 04-02-2026, 12:51 AM

1938 Ford Standard Roadster showing Studs for Side Curtains
This is obviously an Australian built car shipped to New Zealand.

03-31-2026, 11:39 PM	#1
mercman from oz Senior Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Queensland, Australia Posts: 12,568	Australian 1938 Ford Standard Roadster Did the Ford Motor Company offer 1938 Ford Standard Roadsters in any other country beside Australia?

03-31-2026, 11:44 PM	#2
mercman from oz Senior Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Queensland, Australia Posts: 12,568	Re: Australian 1938 Ford Standard Roadster Illustration from the Sales Brochure of an Australian 1938 Ford Standard Roadster.

04-01-2026, 12:35 AM	#3
ford38v8 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 7,634	Re: Australian 1938 Ford Standard Roadster The American Ford Roadster was never a two-seater, all had rumbleseats and button-on side windows. The last true (bright metal windshield frame) Roadster was 1936. 1937 had windshield frames as part of the cowl, and ended Roadsters altogether. All Open cars were DeLuxe since since 1934. The Convertible Coupe, with rumbleseat and roll-up windows, continued through 1939, the difference being the roll-up windows. Prior years with roll-up windows were called Cabriolets, going back to 1932, and Club Cabriolets having a back seat instead of a rumbleseat, starting in 1936. 1939 changed the Ford Club Cabriolet model to be a Mercury Convertible, coming back as a Ford again in 1940. The last 4 door Ford Convertible was 1939, The last Mercury 4 door Convertible was 1940, the last Ford Phaeton was 1938. Whew! I think I got it all out there! I'll humbly request corrections from those who know better! __________________ Alan

04-01-2026, 01:28 AM	#4
mercman from oz Senior Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Queensland, Australia Posts: 12,568	Re: Australian 1938 Ford Standard Roadster As we have established, Ford Standard Roadsters are a unique species. Can anyone identify this very nice 1938 Ford Standard Roadster? Unlike the Australian example shown at the beginning of this Thread, the roof on this car covers the area aft of the door like the similar year Convertibles, while on the Australian car, it has a side curtains in this position. Does anybody know anything about this Roadster? What country it is in and where it was made?

04-01-2026, 04:06 AM	#5
Graham Freeman Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: New Zealand Posts: 350	Re: Australian 1938 Ford Standard Roadster That's a New Zealand rego Trevor and comes up on CARJAM as an Australian import with first registration in NZ on 4th Jan 1995. The top could have been modified to make it a bit more americanised.

04-01-2026, 10:35 AM	#6
ford38v8 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 7,634	Re: Australian 1938 Ford Standard Roadster Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Delete dual post __________________ Alan Last edited by ford38v8; 04-01-2026 at 06:25 PM.

04-01-2026, 10:41 AM	#7
ford38v8 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 7,634	Re: Australian 1938 Ford Standard Roadster Trevor, the red Roadster could not have been American, as it is a Standard, but shares the Club Cabriolet top and back seat. An oddity also, is the position of the windshield wipers, as no Ford I ever saw had that sort of connection, both going simultaneously left to right. I'll venture to say that they are not hooked up at all. The wind wings look to be of a shape not of Ford, and not available in 1938 anyway. __________________ Alan

04-02-2026, 12:51 AM	#8
mercman from oz Senior Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Queensland, Australia Posts: 12,568	Re: Australian 1938 Ford Standard Roadster 1938 Ford Standard Roadster showing Studs for Side Curtains This is obviously an Australian built car shipped to New Zealand.