1940 Ford Convertible - 8-Year Itch

It's the nature of our hobby-we want what we want, and oftentimes there's no denying that. Some of us are best suited for topless and fenderless rides sporting solid axles, while others are meant for four-door sedans with loads of technology. And then there are those who like to push the envelope.

Such is the case with Midwest Street Rod Association member Stan Fox from Wheaton, Illinois, with his '40 Ford convertible. After you say '40 Ford convertible, the sentence ends. There is no denying that Stan's '40 drop-top is everything it can be, and more.

All of us have heard the story about a "lifelong love affair with cars," so it should come as no surprise Stan is like many a car guy. Building a '40 Ford was always embedded in his mind-something he could never forget, no matter how many other cars he accrued over the years. What you see before you came by way of a high school auto shop teacher in Sacramento, California, back in 1998, and now it's complete and on the road a decade later.

After the obligatory in and out of one shop or another, Stan, along with his brother-in-law, Bill, found Troy Trepanier of Rad Rides by Troy out of Manteno, Illinois. Stan and Troy were on the same page after wading through the wish list of dreams, wants, and desires for the convertible. Stan had found a shop that possessed the capabilities to bring his dream to fruition.

Stan knew he wanted a specific look and color. The windshield and top come by way of a '98 Ford Mustang that Stan brought to Troy, and the color combo is Bentley BASF Glasurit Verdant (dark green) and Alpine (light green).

Troy began in 2001, wrapping it up in time for the '07 SEMA Show. (The convertible also made an appearance at the '08 Detroit Autorama.) With Stan's approval, albeit begrudgingly, the '40 was placed on the back burner several times during the build to allow Troy to finish a handful of other worthwhile projects.

Anyone who has built a hot rod realizes you start with the stance. This is the defining moment, as it will make or break the final outcome. Such was the case with this '40; Troy and his staff began assembling a custom 2x3 steel frame with triangulated ladder bars over a 111-inch wheelbase (stock is 112 1/2 inches). In back, the Strange Engineering-prepped Ford 9-inch sports 32-spline axles and an Eaton Detroit limited-slip differential with 3.50 gears. Jerry Bickel four-link components were modified by Troy's staff, and adjustable Koni shocks with QA1 coilover springs were used to finish the rear suspension.

The corners have similar braking, wheels, and rubber based on custom Baer six-piston calipers (Rad Rides by Troy logo engraved) with 14-inch drilled and slotted rotors in front and 15-inchers in back. Other brake components include an ECI master cylinder, proportioning valve, and 7-inch brake booster. The rubber is BFGoodrich all around, with g-Force T/As; fronts are 225/40ZR18 and backs are 295/40ZR20. The Bob Thrash-designed Billet Specialties one-off StarFish wheels measure 18x6 in front and 20x9 in the rear. The front suspension is a Rad Rides-modified Heidt's IFS with adjustable Koni/QA1 coilover shocks and Mustang power rack-and-pinion, all operated by a Billet Specialties steering wheel and tilt column.

Power comes by way of a 552hp '99 Ford mod motor displacing 5.4 liters, topped with an Eaton supercharger fitted to a modified Ford intake. Other appointments include a Powermaster single-wire alternator, a custom-fabricated fan shroud with an electric Viper fan motor, and a Griffin aluminum radiator custom-designed for Rad Rides. The ignition is a Big Stuff 111 ECU with eight coils, and MSD components and primary wires. The headers are custom from Rad Rides that feature 1-7/8-inch primary tubes and 2-1/2-inch exhaust pipes. Blended into the symphony of pipes is a pair of Flowmaster 40 Series mufflers. Other custom engine appointments include an engine cover, an air cleaner, and chrome pulleys, while the graphics come by way of Bob Thrash.