Fords from the E.T. Gregoire era – the mid-late thirties – are all golden, but the 1937 Ford is about as good as it gets. It’s a junior Lincoln Zephyr, with that distinctive prow and faired headlights paying tribute to the streamlined era that was raging at the time. Improbcat caught this one, in the Boston area, most likely. It’s been modified just a wee bit, and the electric fan added to the front of the flatty’s radiator suggest it’s been warmed up some.
The tach hiding under the dash enhance that likelihood. What’s a ’30s Ford without a bit of vintage hot-rodding? This is how these cars so typically ended up in the ’40s and early ’50s, before they were more radically altered. I’d love to take this one for a spin…to my house. Although all the way from Massachusetts might be quite the adventure.
I can just hear that distinctive flathead exhaust sound through those twin pipes; unmistakable. I’m guessing those long siamesed center exhaust ports which also caused the flathead’s tendency for overheating might be responsible. If so, they’re both the flathead’s Achilles heel as well as its greatest asset.
Nice! I’m a bit tired of the whole black with red rims thing but this one wears it well.
The 37 and 38 Fords were not the Hot Rodders’ favorite back in the day, my old R&C magazines from the 60’s always led with a sentance about that when featuring one, like they had to apologize for it.
You’re so right, Doug. Back in those days, if it wasn’t a ’36, ’39 DeLuxe or ’40, hot rodders didn’t want to have anything to do with them. Called them “the ugly ducklings”.
I always considered the ’37 a very attractive and successful adaptation of the lovely look of the ’37 Lincoln Zephyr to the shorter Ford platform.
This is the style and ambiance the PT Cruiser tried to capture. Needless to say…
NICE!!! Never seen one of these as a ragtop 4 door. I can see me rocking this…preferably with a tattooed red lipped bettie riding shotgun. A bit of Rev. Horton Heat dueling with that flathead’s rasp…..oh yea!
A very nice example of art-deco styling for the masses, with the only thing being possibly better a Chrysler Airflow.
Very nice indeed ~
I’d want the Coupe .
You’re correct , ’35 ~ ’38 Fords have amazing style and presence .
Too bad about the crappy mechanical brakes these had .
-Nate
The safety of steel, from pedal to wheel! 🙂 These used cables rather than rods – I have never driven one, so can’t say if they are an improvement or not. Henry sure hated hydraulics.
No sooner said than done, – Nate. This one is a regular at our local Cars & Coffee.
…and another view.
_STOP_ that ! ~ =8-) .
After last weeks old Chevy I had to go look at early 1950’s Chevy Coupes , only with slush boxes and 6 Bangers…. I very nearly pulled the trigger on a $5,000 ’54 Bel Air….
Some years back as I was rummaging a defunct AMC Dealership for parts I ran across a 1938 Ford DeLuxe Coupe with rumble seat ~ lots of bondo in the part below the deck lid as is normal but it had recent grey paint , good tires and cloth upholstery all for $5K , black plates and all .
I nearly lost my mind as it looked *perfect* but I’m a Driver and those Flatties don’t like my style of Desert driving and the ” push and pray ” brakes are a non – starter .
-Nate
Just what I was thinking, make mine a coupe. Kid in highschool had one of these but think it was a 4 door. Memory is touchy after all these years so might be wrong.
The 37 is a looker, alright. Back in the 70s though, I was told that the 37-38 was considered kind of an ugly duckling between the 35-36 and the gorgeous 39-40.
It looks like this is one of the phaetons – the one without the roll-up windows. At least I see no window crank or slot for the glass in the front doors. I think these were becoming quite uncommon by 1937. I think a few of them dribbled out in 1938, and that was the end of the line for the body style that had been the biggest seller of all in the Model T days.
If the drive to Eugene is too far, you are welcome to leave it here in Indiana and fly the rest of the way home. 🙂
Correct on the Phaeton. No windows in the doors.
So did it have side-curtains like British roadsters? Or was it just open at the sides? (This Canadian-born person finds the latter difficult to imagine…)
Indeed it did, adam, but inhabitants of the Great White North might have preferred the convertible sedan. Introduced in 1935, it had true roll up windows and was better suited to colder climes.
The two soft topped four doors were produced side by side until the 1939 model year when the phaeton was discontinued.
Hey, that’s a good neighborhood ’cause I see a nice early to mid 60’s GMC right behind it!
That’s my truck behind it. It’s actually a ’64 chevy with a GMC grille.
Awesome article, as usual. Beautiful looking car. 🙂
That is beautiful, I love it.
Do you know it still has the flathead under the hood or are you hoping that is the case?
I had a feeling those pics were going to end up on here. 🙂
I shot that car in Providence a couple blocks from where The Steelyard was having their yearly car show. It was only about a 1/2hr after the gates opened and the show was already filled to capacity, with cool cars parking all over the neighborhood.
That is my ’64 Chevy pickup behind it.
Nice, and those wheels and caps look good too!
Nothing interesting in the Google street view, sadly
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Sports+Tap,+415+Harris+Ave,+Providence,+RI+02909,+United+States/@41.824799,-71.434164,3a,75y,341h,90t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sNMtC6CS9ZYNRBpz821tPcg!2e0!4m2!3m1!1s0x89e445a1bc4f36c7:0x2773c856f8f8339e?hl=en
Scroll down to 418 Harris Ave. and look in the garage. What are those?
37 Fords were the first to feature lift up hoods and headlights integrated into the fenders.
I for one am *not* tired of the black with red rims–it’s a classic style that, to me, always looks good. And major extra points for it being a Phaeton–I’m a sucker for a 4-door convertible! Hard to fathom that the ’37 was considered an ugly duckling–that Zephyr-inspired styling, the restrained Art Deco character, is near perfect. Much better than the ’35 or ’36, neither of which I’ve ever loved. To say nothing of the somewhat goofy ’38.
I found the coupe version of this car done in the same style, another real stunner (save for the ugly car bra). But the Phaeton wins in my book!
Chris ;
Remember please that the Phaeton was being sold at a time where dirt roads , even in town, were the norm so roll up windows were really nice to have .
I too never understood why these were not embraced by the Hot Rodders nor the Ford Heads in the 1950’s and 1960’s , they’re _beautiful_ .
BTW : red wheels also look nice on most older rigs .
-Nate
> I too never understood why these were not embraced by the Hot Rodders nor the Ford Heads in the 1950’s and 1960’s , they’re _beautiful_ .
Customizing options are more limited. The headlights are integrated into the fenders. If you want to go fenderless, it looks like you have to cut them off, and then there are big open areas that need to be filled-in. The grille shape doesn’t work well with the hoodless look. The more rounded roofs are probably more difficult to chop than earlier cars.