Barn Finds: They’re Still Out There!

Just to show that there are genuine barn finds out there still waiting to be found, this awesome 1932 Ford five-window coupe was hauled out of a shed in South Dakota. Here’s a closer look.

 

 

We sure can’t take credit for unearthing this wonderful barn find. Rather, we found it sitting on our behinds reading Facebook, where car enthusiast Dean Schultz posted this amazing set of photos—which quickly went viral, as they say on the time-sucking social media site.

The comments included with the photos note that the old blue Deuce was found in a shed in South Dakota, that it had been in storage since 1967, was last driven in 1963, and it was now on its way to a new home in Arizona. Naturally, complete and original 1932 Ford Coupes are hardly uncovered every day, but as the photos show, there are still choice cars around, still waiting to be found. Check out this one.

 

The underhood photo reveals that this is indeed a Model B, the four-cylinder version of the 1932 Ford. (Its V8 sibling was officially labeled Model 18.) The Model B was a continuation of the venerable 200.5 cubic-inch Model A four-banger with an upgraded lubrication system and other refinements. While they seem so rare today, Ford built approximately 54,000 Standard Coupes in 1932—around 32,000 V8 models and nearly 22,000 B models, from a total production of almost 323,000 passenger cars.

 

The Model B is almost perfectly original with only a few changes: the headlamps were upgraded to sealed beams at some point, a common modification. And now the Deuce wears Model A Ford bumpers rather than the more stylish (in our opinion, anyway) production ’32 pieces. The five-window body style was Ford’s Standard Coupe model for 1932, featuring a list price of $440 with the four-cylinder engine, while the V8 was $50 more. (For more info on the ’32 Ford coupes, see our MCG feature here.)

The cabin (below) is in tatters but delightfully complete. Note the accessory heater under the right side of the dash and the original Ford steering column lock. The oval instrument panel, featuring speedometer, fuel gauge, and ammeter, looks like it might work just fine with some cleaning. The large chrome lever under the center of the dash operates the cowl vent to admit fresh air.

Naturally, there has been much discussion on the web as to just what should happen next with the awesome find. Should the coupe be totally restored? As original, or as a hot rod? Or should it be left totally alone, just as it was found? One popular suggestion was to clean up the old beauty as much as possible, square away the mechanical issues, and simply drive and enjoy the car as is. Naturally, the decision is totally up to the owner, rightfully so, but if this were your Deuce, what would you do?

 

8 thoughts on “Barn Finds: They’re Still Out There!

  1. A deep, thorough cleaning would uncover patina that I believe would be amazing. Then install a flathead V8, keeping the inline 4 for historic purposes. I would then drive it and have a blast.

  2. Street rod “deuce coupes” are plentiful, both in steel and fiberglass. Original eighty five year old coupes are somewhat less available. ’nuff said.

  3. No question about it, full restoration then drive it and enjoy. So many of these have been turned into jagged chunks of modern sculpture that some younger kids think that they came from the factory with six inches chopped out of the roof, flame paint job, mags and a small block Chevy. I’ll follow the non conformist and restore it. Maybe side with T-bone and put in a flathead V-8 but a stock one….

  4. I’d clean it up, get the mechanicals right, and leave it as is, to the extent possible.

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