1939 Ford Deluxe Convertible Coupe [BRIZIO BUILT]

Description

Up for sale is an all Henry Ford steel 1939 Ford Convertible Coupe. This car is truly exceptional in every way and is probably the finest 1939 convertible street rod in the country. The extraordinary workmanship by the expert craftsmen involved in this build is evident in each and every detail. It is a no expense spared ground up build of one of the rarest and most elegant body styles in Ford's history.
I have always loved fat fendered Ford street rod's, especially model year 1939. I had owned a 1940 Coupe for many years and it was a beautiful car but very common. At every big street rod event there were many of them. I started to think about what kind of car I wanted to build next and became obsessed with the looks and style of the 1939, especially the Convertible Coupe. The many one year only features of this model really set this car apart from the rest. This was the last year of the floor mounted gear shift and rumble seat. In 1940 Ford went to the column shift and a small interior back seat. It completely changed the exterior lines of the convertible. The banjo steering wheel and 39 taillights are one year only and a favorite among hot rod builders. The grill, gauges and interior of the 39 are classic. I made my mind up I had to build one and it had to be the Convertible Coupe. The only problem was finding a car to start with. Not an easy task indeed.
Many months later I was at a big event and saw a finished 39 convertible for sale. It was a new build and at first glance looked really nice. After looking at it carefully I could see the quality was pretty good but corners had been cut to save money. As I had built many high end hot rods over the years I could plainly see I would never be satisfied with this car. I passed on it and continued looking for a car. Nearly a year later I found a 39 Convertible Coupe that had been very mildly customized years ago but the important thing was all the one year only parts and trim were there and unaltered. I bought the car.
At that point I called Roy at Roy Brizio Street Rods in South San Francisco. I had the car shipped to his shop and we started to discuss the theme and details of what I wanted to create. Unlike many of the 32's I have built this cars theme was easy. The original styling and details on a 39 were already perfect so it was decided we would keep it completely stock looking but install a modern drivetrain. We removed the body from the original chassis and took the car apart piece by piece being very careful not to damage the one year only parts and trim strips. We had the body stripped to bare steel and at that point realized in order to build a perfect black car body repairs were necessary. While the body work was being completed Roy's expert staff began building one of their legendary drive anywhere trouble free chassis. A nine inch rear end with coilovers and an independent front suspension were employed. Disc brakes were used on all four corners. I decided on a 700r4 automatic transmission with overdrive for easy freeway cruising.
While all of that work was being done I called master engine builder Ray Zeller in Los Angeles. He had built many motors for me over the years including a 392 Hemi and a Nailhead Buick. His work is always excellent. This time we decided on a stroker 383 Chevy with a hot but very civilized cam and a single Holley 4bbl carburetor for dependability. All the original parts including dash, gauges, knobs, steering wheel, door handles, deck lid handle, grill, top irons and all dash and body trim parts were fully restored to new condition. The speedometer and all gauges were completely rebuilt to work like new. The body was then sent out for paint and completed in deep beautiful black.
After about a year and a half everything was ready for final assembly. The chassis was beautiful and highly detailed. All parts were completed and looked like new. The motor had been shipped up to Roy's shop and was detailed and painted to match the car. After the car was assembled we sent it to Sid Chavers for the interior work. Sid is very well known in the industry and is considered to be one of the finest in the business. His work is second to none. We settled on a supple red leather traditional style interior. We also installed a power seat kit for perfect fit and comfort regardless of your height. Although the car had a rumble seat originally I decided to remove it and had Sid turn it into a trunk. From the exterior the car looks stock and the deck lid handle opens the deck lid in the original way but you get a beautifully finished german square weave and leather trimmed trunk to match the interior. Sid also did the perfectly executed black canvas convertible top. This was extremely difficult and labor intensive on a 39. A radio and cd player were discretely installed in a hidden panel behind the drivers seat as well.
The finished car is truly stunning. From the perfect black paint to the perfectly stitched red interior this 39 Convertible Coupe is drop dead gorgeous. The car drives beautifully whether on the freeway or in the city. We calibrated the shift points in the transmission to take advantage of the torque curve in the motor so shifting is smooth as silk and power is optimized. Anyone familiar with the work done at Roy Brizio's shop will attest to the fact that the quality, drivability and dependability of his work is second to none. His cars are not cheap but first class high end ground up builds never are. This car was around 300k to build and has been driven less than 1000 miles. It has been stored for several years and is in as new condition. This is a rare opportunity to purchase one of Ford's most beautiful offerings built by master craftsmen at one of the country's most respected shops at a fraction of the build cost.
I am not interested in trades. All questions will be answered promptly. Many more photo's are available on Roy Brizio's website. These include a photo history of the build as well as the finished car.
Thanks for looking.