1939 Ford 91A V8
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Highlights
- Used in the 1988 movie ‘Who framed Roger Rabbit’ having multiple screen appearances
- Current keeper for 27 years
- Fantastically original and well loved
The Appeal
Rolling off the line in December 1939 right at the beginning of the 2nd world war, this V8 powered Ford 91 a survivor and truly historic car.
Having been used in the filming of ‘Who framed Roger rabbit’ this 91A De Luxe has seen only one previous keeper noted on the logbook since being brought into the country, significant restoration work over the last two or three decades and evidently exceptional care throughout its life on the road, preserving many original features and finishes.
Bursting with character, patina and a sound backstory, this is a car that will create multiple conversations for young and old alike, providing a trip down memory lane and giving great joy to the new keeper of this superb example of the marque.
The History and Paperwork
- Used in the 1988 movie ‘Who framed Roger Rabbit’ having multiple screen appearances
- One previous registered keeper (UK registered)
- Excellent paperwork trail to back up the history
- Original Ford De Luxe instruction booklet
- Current keeper for 27 years
Having been owned by the vendor since April 1995, this car has been in long term ownership with just one previously registered keeper on the logbook.
The keepers have retained many receipts, notations and MOT documents including documentation to back up the movie provenance.
It is unknown exactly where the car was first registered but the vendor told us the car was brought into the country by the first registered keeper in the 60’s but after an unfortunate illness the car was moved to a museum in 1984 where it spent around ten years before being purchased by the current keepers father-in-law to be used as on the odd occasion as a show car.
The Interior
- Fantastically original and well loved
- Restored interior with a very vintage feel
With plump and comfortable bench seats front and rear, this car was designed with comfort and luxury in mind. The interior is donned with some wonderful solid wood trim in a rich and dark colour, some grab handles to ease entry and exit and even B pillar mounted lights, quite fancy for the time!
The whole cabin is adorned in a brown and beige colour scheme, starting with the roof lining that has sustained some discoloration but is still well fitted with no evidence of sags or physical damage. The doors are dressed with a similar coloured carpet like material the same that is used on the seats and armrests and this is plush, clean and generally shows little wear at all.
The dashboard is the real triumph and looking beyond the few personal trinkets and stickers is a wonderfully maintained, totally original setup, amazingly simple yet elegant and adorned with bakelite switches, glovebox mounted clock and perfectly aged dials that the car wears so well. The original bakelite three spoke steering wheel is totally original, the De Luxe badge in the center and wearing some significant aging but again not so as to detract from the overall condition of the car but commensurate with the age.
The dashboard is the real triumph and looking beyond the few personal trinkets and stickers is a wonderfully maintained, totally original setup, amazingly simple yet elegant and adorned with bakelite switches, glovebox mounted clock and perfectly aged dials that the car wears so well. The original bakelite three spoke steering wheel is totally original, the De Luxe badge in the center and wearing some significant aging but again not so as to detract from the overall condition of the car but commensurate with the age.
If you can look beyond the minor imperfections of this interior, it really is perfectly imperfect with a true sense of age and a story behind it.
The Exterior
- Superior bodywork all round with no evidence of any significant marks or historic damage that we noticed
Restored in 1984 with a repaint again about ten years ago at significant cost Beautifully kept and presented, this 4 door De Luxe was the largest variant of the marque with a vast amount of smaller coupe, convertible and 2 door models flooding the market. With many of these being popular in the Hot-Rod scene, this example has gone totally unmodified, retaining all those period features like the chrome bumpers and the De Luxe chrome stripe down the coachwork.
The extremely glossy bodywork is a joy to observe and according to the vendor was an expensive paint job, taken right back to bare metal and removing all the old layers of paint to provide the best finish possible.
The standard pressed steel wheels still wear the V8 chrome caps and are shod in classic white-wall tyres seemingly in excellent nick and ready for the road.
American style vintage registration plates are fitted along with club badges and some window stickers from being a regular show-goer.
There is a significant amount of polished metal and chrome all round the vehicle giving a real premium appearance, all of which has a great finish with good shine and no evidence of significant pitting or damage, all of it being present and correct.
The Mechanics
- Reported to run and drive exceptionally well with proven reliability
- Paperwork evidence of an engine work in 1995
Ford flathead V8 producing around 85bhp with uprated Edelbrock intake and larger aluminum radiator
Since owning the vehicle, the vendor endeavored to keep the car as original aesthetically and mechanically as possible, only seeing modifications where necessary so as to improve reliability and performance.
We are told the inlet manifold and radiator were changed to bring engine temperatures down so as to improve hot running reliability on these particular engines. The inlet is a period correct optional extra from Edelbrock and the radiator is simply 4 inches longer improving efficiency. The vehicle has virtually always been driven in the dry in the vendor's keeping, only seeing rain on the odd occasion by being caught out attending a show, otherwise the vehicle is garage stored and it shows!
The underside is just as good as the exterior, all the components showing a nice clean finish, well maintained and showing little surface corrosion to note. The basic suspension setup is a single leaf at the rear giving good stability and articulation and the rear axle has a clean, leak free finish.
In the engine bay the radiator stands out as new and clean, a worthwhile investment on older vehicles with everything else appearing nice and standard yet well maintained and oily-rag clean, nothing showy or over polished but totally fitting for the car.
Summary
Truly delightful, charming and endearing this 91A is bursting with character and history. Having starred in a popular movie in the 80’s this example is set apart from the rest, but also being so original too will appeal to the purists out there.
We think this example is an absolute triumph, having been owned by a real enthusiast you can be sure this excellent car will be ready for any show or journey you can throw at it and will be a true delight for any new owner to enjoy.
Notice to bidders
This item is sold on an ‘As is Where is’ basis. The condition of this item is the opinion of the seller and may differ from your own opinion. Photos and listing descriptions are for guidance purposes only*.** Car & Classic do not warrant listing accuracy. Full inspection is recommended. Viewings are at the seller’s discretion. Buyer is responsible for delivery and collection of any item purchased.*
A non-refundable buyer’s deposit is payable on this item, refer to FAQs and T&Cs for the applicable percentage.
UK-registered cars and motorbikes on Car & Classic are run through an online HPI check. On the HPI report, this vehicle shows no insurance database markers for damage or theft. It is currently not covered by a finance agreement.
Vehicle specification
- Year 1939
- Make Ford
- Model 91A V8
- Colour Black
- Odometer 21,659 Miles
- Engine size 3622
Auction Details
- Seller Type Private
- Town Birmingham
- Location West Midlands
- Country United Kingdom
21
bids
- 90elpto•••• £15,000 24/08/23
- NC Hamm•••• £14,500 24/08/23
- reece.o•••• £14,000 24/08/23
- NC Hamm•••• £13,500 24/08/23
- 90elpto•••• £13,000 24/08/23
- NC Hamm•••• £12,000 24/08/23
- 90elpto•••• £11,500 24/08/23
- NC Hamm•••• £11,000 24/08/23
- 90elpto•••• £10,500 24/08/23
- NC Hamm•••• £10,000 24/08/23
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