The Ford Barn

Dads41 · 04-29-2019, 05:37 PM

My father purchased a 1941 coupe in 1968, I was born in 1969, He died in 1970. My mother sold the coupe to my uncle in 1970 he took it back to north Carolina and parked it under a shelter in 1972. He gave it to me in 1987 when I graduated high school. I picked it up and tinkered with it off an on until about 5 years ago and took it to a local early ford shop that pulled it apart restored the chassis rebuilt the engine and trans, and convinced me to purchase a Columbia rear. He started to repair / restore the body until he decided after several thousand dollars that it was more than he could handle. he recommended a local body shop that specialized in restoration, after a $5000.00 deposit and 6 months that body shop decided they were to busy to work on it. so he found another local shop that had a custom shop that promised they could have the body and paint done in 6 months. After 2 years and another $10,000.00 they had 6 different guys work on it one after another. each one had to go back and fix what the one before had done ( wrong ) .

Dads41 · 04-29-2019, 05:38 PM

then I get a phone call that the shop had been sold to a national chain and I had 3 days to pick it up. after fighting to get all of the parts and pieces i recognized on the shelves for the car. I know that I am still missing most of the interior and all of the bright work.

Dads41 · 04-29-2019, 05:40 PM

I now have a car 75%-80% done body wise but the problem is that the 2 shops I have found to work on the car don't want to start on it until they have an Idea of whats missing and where they can get it from. sorry for making this so long, just trying to convey the frustration I have been going through. what I am looking for is any information about the body parts, exploded views, service manuals, personal knowledge, advise on where to find missing replacement parts. including Columbia 2 speed rear parts and controls. Thanks, Brian

rotorwrench · 04-29-2019, 06:10 PM

Restoration work has gotten progressively more expensive as shop rates keep going up. The only way a guy can do it at minimum expense is to do most of the work yourself. If you find a shop that does restorations, be prepared to pay a lot of money. These jobs can be very time consuming and therefore consume a lot of funds. If it takes 500 or more hours and $100 per hour then that will be a lot right there. Add in replacement of missing parts then the parts bill could be pretty high too.

Most folks that spend 50 to 70K dollars have to have a lot of sentimental attachment to the vehicle. Shops will evaluate it for you and if they are honest, they will give you an good idea of where the cost is going to go right up front. Rusty cars are going to be a lot higher than well kept cars and you don't know what's there until all the finish is removed. Previously repaired stuff can end up needing to be re-restored due to time and less than ideal storage conditions.

I do all my own work since I can't afford to pay that much money for a car that I can pay less for in completely restored condition.

There is a fellow that specializes in the Columbia rear axles and can bullet proof them. Manuals are available. I use the OEM chassis parts catalogs and body parts catalog to verify parts. It's easier to find the part if you have a number and an idea whether the part was used from 41 through 48 or not. I use a shop manual that is based on an old Canadian military TM (1939-1948 Service Manual Passenger Cars & Trucks). It has a green cover with the V8 pistons, crank, & cam on the top just below the Ford logo.

leon bee · 04-29-2019, 07:49 PM

I sure can't help with any advise, (I'm thinking brush painted on my current project). But I love the part about how you have your father's car, even though you never knew him. Keep us posted.

TJ · 04-30-2019, 09:42 AM

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I don't know if you are a member of the Early Ford V-8 Club or not, but if not you should join. There is lots of great V-8ers in your area who could probably help you with references to good honest repair shops. The club roster you will get will list V-8ers in your area that you can call for advice and references. The V-8 Times bi-monthly magazine is worth the price of the dues.

drolston · 04-30-2019, 10:15 AM

Half of my flathead V8 fleet is a '41 Coupe. I have been through pretty near everything on that car and can help you with some of the quirky details of the 1941 model year. I spent all of my time and funds on the mechanical stuff, so I could drive the car anywhere with come confidence. I may have the crappy paint job redone some day, but can live with the chips and dust in the finish for now. Looks pretty good from 10 feet away.

RKS.PA · 04-30-2019, 10:29 AM

Brian, you've been a member of the Barn here for 6 years, so it's too late to say welcome, but you made a great decision back in 2013. TJ's advice above is a good one, given your location in Richmond VA.

Your story has the good news....you got your car from your uncle as a gift! It's comes with a family ownership history.

And, your story has the bad news......you've spent $15,000 on a restoration that's not finished, plus whatever you spent rebuilding the drive train initially.

I'm guessing you might be about at the break even point financially, depending on the condition of body, sans the missing parts.

This is also a "big birthday year" for you, so maybe this is a good time to decide what you want to do with it going forward. I'm in the camp of doing all the work myself that I figure I can do successfully....learning as I go. Also, I don't have the funds for professional restorations. I'm old enough to be your father.....have a daughter also born in 1969....so my perspective may be radically different than yours!!

I wish you the best regardless of what you decide to do with your '41 coupe!!!....Dick.

P.S. keep us posted!!!

4dFord/SC · 04-30-2019, 11:41 AM

Here's the go-to place for Columbia information and parts: http://www.columbiatwospeedparts.com/

Wish the rest were so easy. Good luck with your project.

cas3 · 04-30-2019, 06:11 PM

thats a sad story. its too bad some of these shops treat people like that. i've been there too, but maybe not that deep in cash. columbia stuff is expensive, that didnt get lost, they stole it. interior stuff went in the dumpster by some one who only cares about themselves. wish i could help. good advise to get with the club, once the word got around how bad you got burned, some of us old guys with too much stuff will probably help out. lots of googling and looking at ebay will help identify whats missing. get this up on the hamb site too, maybe some one is building a hot rod and has some stuff not going to use. best wishes.

04-29-2019, 05:37 PM	#1
Dads41 Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Richmond va Posts: 3	1941 coupe HELP My father purchased a 1941 coupe in 1968, I was born in 1969, He died in 1970. My mother sold the coupe to my uncle in 1970 he took it back to north Carolina and parked it under a shelter in 1972. He gave it to me in 1987 when I graduated high school. I picked it up and tinkered with it off an on until about 5 years ago and took it to a local early ford shop that pulled it apart restored the chassis rebuilt the engine and trans, and convinced me to purchase a Columbia rear. He started to repair / restore the body until he decided after several thousand dollars that it was more than he could handle. he recommended a local body shop that specialized in restoration, after a $5000.00 deposit and 6 months that body shop decided they were to busy to work on it. so he found another local shop that had a custom shop that promised they could have the body and paint done in 6 months. After 2 years and another $10,000.00 they had 6 different guys work on it one after another. each one had to go back and fix what the one before had done ( wrong ) .

04-29-2019, 05:38 PM	#2
Dads41 Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Richmond va Posts: 3	Re: 1941 coupe HELP then I get a phone call that the shop had been sold to a national chain and I had 3 days to pick it up. after fighting to get all of the parts and pieces i recognized on the shelves for the car. I know that I am still missing most of the interior and all of the bright work.

04-29-2019, 05:40 PM	#3
Dads41 Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Richmond va Posts: 3	Re: 1941 coupe HELP I now have a car 75%-80% done body wise but the problem is that the 2 shops I have found to work on the car don't want to start on it until they have an Idea of whats missing and where they can get it from. sorry for making this so long, just trying to convey the frustration I have been going through. what I am looking for is any information about the body parts, exploded views, service manuals, personal knowledge, advise on where to find missing replacement parts. including Columbia 2 speed rear parts and controls. Thanks, Brian

04-29-2019, 06:10 PM	#4
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 16,432	Re: 1941 coupe HELP Restoration work has gotten progressively more expensive as shop rates keep going up. The only way a guy can do it at minimum expense is to do most of the work yourself. If you find a shop that does restorations, be prepared to pay a lot of money. These jobs can be very time consuming and therefore consume a lot of funds. If it takes 500 or more hours and $100 per hour then that will be a lot right there. Add in replacement of missing parts then the parts bill could be pretty high too. Most folks that spend 50 to 70K dollars have to have a lot of sentimental attachment to the vehicle. Shops will evaluate it for you and if they are honest, they will give you an good idea of where the cost is going to go right up front. Rusty cars are going to be a lot higher than well kept cars and you don't know what's there until all the finish is removed. Previously repaired stuff can end up needing to be re-restored due to time and less than ideal storage conditions. I do all my own work since I can't afford to pay that much money for a car that I can pay less for in completely restored condition. There is a fellow that specializes in the Columbia rear axles and can bullet proof them. Manuals are available. I use the OEM chassis parts catalogs and body parts catalog to verify parts. It's easier to find the part if you have a number and an idea whether the part was used from 41 through 48 or not. I use a shop manual that is based on an old Canadian military TM (1939-1948 Service Manual Passenger Cars & Trucks). It has a green cover with the V8 pistons, crank, & cam on the top just below the Ford logo. Last edited by rotorwrench; 04-29-2019 at 06:18 PM.

04-29-2019, 07:49 PM	#5
leon bee Senior Member Join Date: May 2017 Location: Arkansas Posts: 611	Re: 1941 coupe HELP I sure can't help with any advise, (I'm thinking brush painted on my current project). But I love the part about how you have your father's car, even though you never knew him. Keep us posted.

04-30-2019, 09:42 AM	#6
TJ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Napa,California Posts: 6,037	Re: 1941 coupe HELP Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) I don't know if you are a member of the Early Ford V-8 Club or not, but if not you should join. There is lots of great V-8ers in your area who could probably help you with references to good honest repair shops. The club roster you will get will list V-8ers in your area that you can call for advice and references. The V-8 Times bi-monthly magazine is worth the price of the dues.

04-30-2019, 10:15 AM	#7
drolston Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Williamsburg, VA Posts: 1,627	Re: 1941 coupe HELP Half of my flathead V8 fleet is a '41 Coupe. I have been through pretty near everything on that car and can help you with some of the quirky details of the 1941 model year. I spent all of my time and funds on the mechanical stuff, so I could drive the car anywhere with come confidence. I may have the crappy paint job redone some day, but can live with the chips and dust in the finish for now. Looks pretty good from 10 feet away.

04-30-2019, 10:29 AM	#8
RKS.PA Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Marana, AZ Posts: 1,194	Re: 1941 coupe HELP Brian, you've been a member of the Barn here for 6 years, so it's too late to say welcome, but you made a great decision back in 2013. TJ's advice above is a good one, given your location in Richmond VA. Your story has the good news....you got your car from your uncle as a gift! It's comes with a family ownership history. And, your story has the bad news......you've spent $15,000 on a restoration that's not finished, plus whatever you spent rebuilding the drive train initially. I'm guessing you might be about at the break even point financially, depending on the condition of body, sans the missing parts. This is also a "big birthday year" for you, so maybe this is a good time to decide what you want to do with it going forward. I'm in the camp of doing all the work myself that I figure I can do successfully....learning as I go. Also, I don't have the funds for professional restorations. I'm old enough to be your father.....have a daughter also born in 1969....so my perspective may be radically different than yours!! I wish you the best regardless of what you decide to do with your '41 coupe!!!....Dick. P.S. keep us posted!!!

04-30-2019, 11:41 AM	#9
4dFord/SC Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Columbia, SC Posts: 1,579	Re: 1941 coupe HELP Here's the go-to place for Columbia information and parts: http://www.columbiatwospeedparts.com/ Wish the rest were so easy. Good luck with your project.

04-30-2019, 06:11 PM	#10
cas3 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: sw minnesota Posts: 4,574	Re: 1941 coupe HELP thats a sad story. its too bad some of these shops treat people like that. i've been there too, but maybe not that deep in cash. columbia stuff is expensive, that didnt get lost, they stole it. interior stuff went in the dumpster by some one who only cares about themselves. wish i could help. good advise to get with the club, once the word got around how bad you got burned, some of us old guys with too much stuff will probably help out. lots of googling and looking at ebay will help identify whats missing. get this up on the hamb site too, maybe some one is building a hot rod and has some stuff not going to use. best wishes.