How to tell if a '40 was business or 5 window coupe

[V8 Bob]

There were at least two '40 5-window coupe rear trunk brace designs. My early build has short side braces to the top of the wheel wells, similar to the business coupe.


I'm 99% sure the main difference between the business and 5 window coupe floor pan is how they were assembled, with the placement of the "L" shaped full width step panel leading to the trunk. If mine was flipped, the cabin floor would be extended and trunk floor shortened, just like a business coupe. The spare tire support would obviously have to be moved back as well, and adding an additional vertical support would complete the transformation to a business coupe.

[Kube]

Originally Posted by V8 Bob

There were at least two '40 5-window coupe rear trunk brace designs. My early build has short side braces to the top of the wheel wells, similar to the business coupe.


I'm 99% sure the main difference between the business and 5 window coupe floor pans is the placement of the "L" shaped full width step panel leading to the trunk. If mine was flipped, the cabin floor would be extended and trunk floor shortened, just like a business coupe. The spare tire support would obviously have to be moved back as well, and adding an additional vertical support would complete the transformation to a business coupe.

You are correct in that there were two designs of body braces in the coupe. However, both were diagonal.
The business coupe always had one design, that being the very short diagonal braces to the wheel "well". Also, it always had the vertical spare tire braces.

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by V8 Bob

There were at least two '40 5-window coupe rear trunk brace designs. My early build has short side braces to the top of the wheel wells, similar to the business coupe.


I'm 99% sure the main difference between the business and 5 window coupe floor pan is how they were assembled, with the placement of the "L" shaped full width step panel leading to the trunk. If mine was flipped, the cabin floor would be extended and trunk floor shortened, just like a business coupe. The spare tire support would obviously have to be moved back as well, and adding an additional vertical support would complete the transformation to a business coupe.

[V8 Bob]

Thank you Petehoovie for the bigger picture! I know clicking on one will enlarge, but how did you post it larger?
Bob

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by V8 Bob

Thank you Petehoovie for the bigger picture! I know clicking on one will enlarge, but how did you post it larger?
Bob

See > https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showp...&postcount=649

[Kube]

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[QUOTE=V8 Bob;2452012]There were at least two '40 5-window coupe rear trunk brace designs. My early build has short side braces to the top of the wheel wells, similar to the business coupe.


As a side note, the short braces were redesigned fairly early into 1940 production.
Why? They did not offer enough torsional support and all too soon cracks were showing up where they were spot welded to the inner fender.

[Kube]

I'm 99% sure the main difference between the business and 5 window coupe floor pan is how they were assembled, with the placement of the "L" shaped full width step panel leading to the trunk. If mine was flipped, the cabin floor would be extended and trunk floor shortened, just like a business coupe. The spare tire support would obviously have to be moved back as well, and adding an additional vertical support would complete the transformation to a business coupe.[/QUOTE]
I'd fully restored a number of coupes and can tell you definitively the pans are a lot more different than you might think / envision.

[V8 Bob]

Originally Posted by petehoovie

See > https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showp...&postcount=649

Thank you.

[V8 Bob]

[/QUOTE]
I'd fully restored a number of coupes and can tell you definitively the pans are a lot more different than you might think / envision.[/QUOTE]


Mike, I'm sure you're correct, but it would be great if comparative pictures were available to show the differences.


Bob

[Kube]

I'd fully restored a number of coupes and can tell you definitively the pans are a lot more different than you might think / envision.[/QUOTE]


Mike, I'm sure you're correct, but it would be great if comparative pictures were available to show the differences.


Bob[/QUOTE]

I agree Bob.
The problem is, I didn't have any good photos to post of a business coupe floor.
I'd restored so many coupes, well, I guess I got lazy in the later years and stopped taking a lot of photographs.
I could quite literally do a coupe or convertible restoration by memory.
Of course, that was when I had a decent memory.
The photograph attached is the last business coupe I'd restored.

[V8 Bob]

[/QUOTE
I agree Bob.
The problem is, I didn't have any good photos to post of a business coupe floor.
I'd restored so many coupes, well, I guess I got lazy in the later years and stopped taking a lot of photographs.
I could quite literally do a coupe or convertible restoration by memory.
Of course, that was when I had a decent memory.
The photograph attached is the last business coupe I'd restored.[/QUOTE]


Mike, You have invested so much time and effort restoring '40s, along with writing the best informative book on '40 Fords to date, that it's totally understandable a detail or two would be missed or overlooked. Thank you.


If I ever come across photographs of the different coupe floors I'll post them.
Bob