1940 Ford Tudor Sedan - The Subtle Sedan

Larry Tisdale's street rodding history goes back to the late '60s and early '70s when he was traveling around the country running Stock and Super Stock drag cars. During this time, Larry forged a friendship with a fellow racer by the name of Tom Schumacher. By the late '70s, Tom had redirected his interests toward street rodding, inspiring Larry to follow his father's enthusiasm of all things automotive and do the same. Over the course of the next 20 years or so, Larry and his wife, Vicki, have owned some nine street rods, including four '40 Ford sedans-two Deluxe and two standard. Larry had just completed his latest '40 Ford standard sedan before the NSRA Street Rod Nationals South, and it was at this event that he saw the Yosemite Green sedan. The owner at that time was L.D. Ottinger, who was in the midst of street-rodding the 43,000-mile car. The car struck a chord with Larry and he knew it was in his best interest to stay in touch with L.D.

Shortly thereafter, the Tisdales were approached by an aggressive buyer and reluctantly decided to sell their '40 standard sedan. But Larry had ulterior motives. He'd kept in contact with L.D., and when a new project took up his interest, his mind changed about selling the Tisdales his sedan. It had been three years since they had set their eyes on L.D.'s Ford, but it was worth the wait-by July of 2005, a deal was made and the sedan traded hands at the NSRA Nationals in Louisville.

When the Tisdales took ownership of the sedan, there wasn't much room for improvement. L.D. started with a 43,000-mile, mostly original car, which translated to an almost-perfect body and drivetrain. His plans called for a complete street rod resto, upgrading the drivetrain and suspension, but not going so far as upgrading the entire chassis. A Currie-prepped 9-inch Ford rear end was hung on parallel leaf springs, replacing the old banjo rear and transverse spring. Updated Pete & Jake's tube shocks suck up the bumps a little better than the original Ford hydraulic units. Up front, the original '40 suspension was completely updated as well, this time with a 2-inch lowered Total Cost Involved Mustang II independent suspension setup complete with rack-and-pinion steering and 10-inch disc brakes. Complementing all the contemporary parts underneath the car is a set of 15-inch Wheel Vintiques Gennie wheels wrapped in Coker Classic wide whitewall tires and capped with appropriate '40 Ford Deluxe caps and trim rings.

To complement the upgrades in the suspension department, the '40 also received a new drivetrain. A 2001 Chevy Vortec 350 was slipped in between the 'rails, replacing the old Flathead engine, and was backed by a bulletproof 700-R4. One of the changes Larry made when they bought the car was to detail the engine compartment with parts from Street & Performance, Mooneyes, Billet Specialties, and Edelbrock. The combination of upgrades throughout the car made for a street rod that performed as great as it looked, bringing the 43,000-mile sedan into the 21st century.

When the Tisdales took ownership of the sedan, the interior and paint were brand-new. Mitch Turner out of Newport, Tennessee, was responsible for getting the 60-year-old body into shape and for spraying the PPG Yosemite Green paint. A pair of Bob Drake Reproductions bumpers and a Deluxe grille were a few of the only non-original parts not left on the car. Other exterior improvements include the fitment of halogen headlamps.

Inside the car, the original dash was left, as it had survived since 1940. Lynn Goins, also of Newport, covered the original seat and interior panels in Mint Pistachio Green leather while the floor received a dark green Mercedes wool carpet. As with the rest of the car, a few components were added to make the old sedan a little more user-friendly. The previous owner installed a Jensen stereo with Sony speakers, and a Vintage Air A/C unit was installed under the dash. The original steering column was replaced when the rack-and-pinion was installed with a GM van column, topped by an aftermarket Juliano's '40 Ford wheel.

We've caught the Tisdales at many car shows and rod runs throughout the last year and it's always a pleasure to hear their stories. Earlier this year, we found them at the Goodguys Hershey event flanked on both sides by their previously owned '40 sedans. When folks are telling you about their car and proceed to point at the one next to it-an almost identically beautiful '40 sedan-and tell you they owned that car last year, and then point in the other direction at another perfect '40 sedan and say that was the one before that, you know they're serious about their '40 sedans and street rodding in general!

Facts & Figures
Larry and Vicki Tisdale
Johnstown, Ohio
1940 Ford Tudor Deluxe sedan