Thread: How do.. "New" 1939 Ford Steel Tudor Owner

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Maybe you already know this, but if not it will add to your story telling on the body changes. In both '38 and '39 (as well as '40, but that's outside this commentary) there were two styles of front sheet metal each year. There was a '38 Standard that had a nose that somewhat resembled the '37, and the body was also different when compared to the Deluxe. Then there was the Deluxe front that it appears yours has. As was Ford's custom at the time, the following year the '39 Standard had the front end that looked very similar to the '38 Deluxe (grille shape and trim differences). And then there was the '39 deluxe that, to use your reference, was vaguely similar to the Mercury. The '40 Standard then adopted a similar style, which in turn was different from the Deluxe.

The entire front accumulation of pieces is different from Standard to Deluxe in '39, grille, hood, fenders, inner panels, running boards, and to top it off, the cowl sides were different. So, if the main body of yours was actually a Deluxe the builder would have had to change the cowl as well as the doghouse to make the change over. There's a lot more nuance to the differences (believe it or not), but I've prattled enough already.