Traditional-style hot rods are all the rage, and it's not a fad, mind you, but a popular build style that has developed as the supply of real barn-fresh hot rods has diminished over the years. Jeff Ayeroff's neat '39 Ford coupe may not be one of those true barn-fresh hot rods, but it's sure close enough for us.
Jeff found this clean, stock survivor at a local car show. It was a completely stock driver that was luckily for sale. The coupe was just what Jeff was looking for as a foundation for a traditional-style hot rod. Jeff snatched it up before someone else did, and then proceeded to update the Ford with a plethora of aftermarket hardware-all the while leaving the '39 visually in stock form. The nearly pristine sheetmetal was removed from the stock chassis and set aside for installation on a completely new Roadster Shop '35-40 chassis assembly.
Pop the hood and this mild-mannered...
Pop the hood and this mild-mannered coupe reveals it's really a wolf in sheep's clothing with a small-block Chevy dual-quad 327.
The new Roadster Shop frame is equipped with independent front suspension, rack-and-pinion steering, and disc brakes. Out back, a Ford 9-inch rearend assembly is held in place by a triangulated four-bar setup and a pair of coilover shocks. Jeff decided on front and rear disc brakes, as well.
Motorvation is supplied by a warmed-over, dual-quad, 327-cube small-block backed by a 700-R4 overdrive trans, a combination that offers the coupe plenty of pop-enough to tattoo a smile on any true hot rodder's face, that's for sure.
When the mechanicals were complete, Jeff bolted on a set of 16-inch steel wheels and stock hubcaps, and then lowered the body onto its new foundation. The body needed no work, but Jeff did opt to give the coupe a fresh coat of paint. He had his painter, Scott Burowski, finish off the job with a few coats of semigloss clear, just for that weathered look.
The interior was kept pretty darn stock, as well. The only modern additions were a good stereo system and a dose of air conditioning for comfy cruising. The balance of Jeff's interior upgrades include a new set of seat covers and door panels, a new OEM-style rubber floor mat, and the addition of seatbelts; the headliner and original factory woodgraining remain.
As is plain to see, Jeff's '39 project ended up just as cool-lookin' as any barn-find, just without the patience and detective work required in situations such as those. So, although it's not a true barn-find hot rod, it sure is one beautiful survivor that's destined to live out the rest of its life as a way-cool ride.
Though freshly painted, Jeff...
Though freshly painted, Jeff wanted to retain the body's look of originality. To that end, he had his painter do a bit of faux patina here and there before the final clearcoat. If you like the look, turn to page 84 for more on patina.
A pair of seatbelts and the...
A pair of seatbelts and the lack of a clutch pedal are the only clues to this survivor's modern-day upgrades. New door panels, fresh seat covers, and a new rubber floor mat grace the otherwise original interior. Everything else, from the original headliner to the factory woodgraining, are circa 1939.