OVERVIEW
1940 Ford Tudor
VIN: 185361756
Hot rod builder Ray Brown’s cars are known for their simplicity, stance and bulletproof reliability. The goal of this build was to create a car that’s exterior and interior were as close to original looking as a Street Rod can be while providing modern performance and ride.
Ray started with an original, rust-free 1940 Ford that he purchased in Los Angeles, California. The Tudor was stripped down to its frame, and then was meticulously built up as only Ray knows how.
The Tudor is painted in Ford’s 1940 color of Cloudmist Gray. The body is entirely stock and original. Under the hood the new Chevrolet ZZ4 350 ci V8 crate motor is putting out 355hp, and features 1965 Corvette exhaust manifolds. It’s backed by a rebuilt 350 Turbo transmission.
The restored chassis features a Mustang II front clip with power rack and pinion steering, front and rear sway bars, and power front disc brakes. The 8-inch Granada drum-brake rear end is hung from parallel leaf springs and features 3.00 gears for effortless long-distance cruising.
The frame, rear end housing, backing plates, bumper brackets and inner fender panels are all powder-coated. The trim and bumpers have all been plated or polished, and the glass replaced. A California Rewire wiring loom runs through the car, and is all 12 volt.
The Wheels Vintiques wheels are 14x5 up front and 15x7 out back. They’re painted in the same Cloud Mist Gray, and run correct ’40 Standard hubcaps and multi-ribbed trim rings.
Inside, the stock appearing Bedford cloth Lebaron Bonney interior is not as Spartan as it appears. Hidden away are a host of modern comforts: a Custom Autosound sound system with 10 CD changer in the trunk; Vintage Air air conditioning; and electric wiper controls. The cabin has full insulation and sound deadening that help keep it quiet and cozy.
Other updates are a steering column from a 1970s Chevy van, the steering wheel is a 15-inch version of the classic ’40 Deluxe, and on a stalk below are the controls for the Rostra cruise control system. The dash houses an original gauge cluster that’s been fully restored and converted to 12 volts.
The project was completed about 10 years ago, and for a test drive Ray drove the car from his shop in Oregon to Louisville, Kentucky and back. Other than the beautifully stock appearance of interior and exterior, you’d be hard pressed to believe you were behind the wheel of a 73-year-old car. The driving experience of a Ray Brown Rod is second to none.
Build details:
Chevrolet ZZ4 350ci V8 355hp
Chevrolet Turbo 350 Automatic Transmission
8 inch Ford differential, 3:00 gears
Wheel Vintiques wheels, 14x5 front, 15x7 rear
Mustang II front clip and suspension
Mustang II master cylinder and power brakes
1965 Corvette headers
1971 Cadillac 7-blade cooling fan
US Radiator
Vintage Air A/C
Monroe airshocks
1980s Cadillac shock air pump
Smithy’s mufflers
New gas tank
Lebaron Bonney Interior, Bedford Cloth
Woodgraining by Bob Kennedy, Whittier CA
Gauges converted to 12V and re-silkscreened by United Speedometer, Riverside, CA
1970s Chevrolet Van steering column
Custom Autosound Stereo with 10CD changer
Electric Wipers, New Port Engineering
Rear Suspension, Weedetr Street Rods, Red Bluff, CA
Exterior Paint, PPG, Cloudmist Gray, Original 1940 Ford color
Dash Paint, Brierwood Brown, Original 1940 Ford color
Steering Wheel, Juliano’s
Flowcooler water pump
Rostra Cruise Control
