Tom Winslow's 1939 Ford Sedan
(from Volume 16, Issue 183)
 

Tom Winslow started his first street rod in 1966, and with the help of his older brother Ed, put it on the road one year later. The year was 1967, Tom was 19, in college at the time pursuing a degree in structural engineering, and cruising the streets of Sharon, Pennsylvania in his cool orange 1923 Ford T-Bucket - which he still owns and drives today. In 1971 he moved to Orlando and joined the Early Irons in 1976, before moving to Dallas in 1978.

The 1939 Ford Tudor Sedan was purchased out of Lakeland, Florida in 1981 for a mere $500, with the original plans calling for a Resto Rod. However, due to the addition of his two sons, Scott and Mike, and starting his structural engineering business in 1984, it would be years before the old ‘39 would see much work done. In fact, the car was stored for 17 years, including a trip to Texas and back in a U-Haul truck in 1983.

Work officially began on the car in 2004, when the complete body was immersed in a solution to remove rust. The car was now bare metal, which showed the front was rusted out, including the front floor boards, firewall, rockers, and trunk. It seemed more work would now be required, but he was up to the task. Tom drove to Charlotte, North Carolina to pick up a special ordered frame from Fat Man Fabrications, which included an ultra low Mustang front suspension and narrowed 9-inch Ford rear end. With the later addition of a Ride Pro air bag system from Air Ride Technologies the car is now able to literally be sat right on the ground when parked, yet be raised to a comfortable height for driving.

Under the hood resides a Street & Performance tune port fuel injected 305 motor with a roller cam, headers, and various dress-up items. It is kept cool by a Walker radiator, and mated to a 700R4 overdrive automatic transmission. That provides plenty of cruising power, while a set of Wilwood power disc brakes bring the car to a stop.

The body was kept stock looking, with an original ‘39 Ford Deluxe grille, ‘40 Ford stock stainless trim, and though they retain a stock appearance a set of Newstalgia LED taillights were added for increased visibility. Bright orange paint on the straight body gives it plenty of “pop”, as do the set of Boyd Coddington wheels (17-inch front, 20-inch rear) wrapped in BFGoodrich tires.

Inside you’ll find a set of Toyota Solara power seats that look right at home, along with a ‘40 Ford dashboard fitted with AutoMeter electric gauges. Billet accents, swoopy arm rests in the door panels, and tan upholstery by Unlimited Designs of Dade City lend a modern and luxurious feel to the expansive interior, while items like power windows, Vintage Air, and a GM tilt column topped with a LeCarra steering wheel make it comfortable for long hauls.

Tom wanted to give special thanks to Dick Jordan for metal finishing, body work, and lots of conversation during the car’s completion. Tom told us he has countless hours invested in the car, and though it was full of setbacks and disappointments, the rewards made it all worthwhile.

Once finished Tom recently drove the car from his home in Lakeland, Florida to the GoodGuys Nationals in Columbus, Ohio in July of 2009 with his sweetheart Sandy. With a great stance, eye-catching paint, and classic styling, it always attracts attention, be it on the street or at a show. It certainly drew us in for a closer look, and ultimately a photo shoot so we could share it with all of you. CN

Corner
 
Corner
e