Ford Cabriolet 1940 images

This 1940 Ford Cabriolet’s spec sheet lists a 302 small block and C4 automatic, neither of which existed until decades after the car was built. See what Ford actually put under the hood back in 1940. Then see why swapping in a modern drivetrain has become the standard way to keep prewar Fords like this one on the road.

1940 Ford Cabriolet 302 CID Small Block V8 C4 automatic

MCF thanks Gateway Classic Cars for the images displayed here.

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Look at the spec line under this 1940 Ford Cabriolet and something doesn’t add up: a 302 cubic-inch small block paired with a C4 automatic. Neither one of those existed when this car rolled off the line. Ford’s actual 1940 lineup offered a choice of two flathead V8s, backed by a three-speed manual that had just been moved from the floor to the steering column for the first time. So what’s sitting under this particular hood is a much later transplant, and a common one for a reason. The gap between what Ford built in 1940 and what’s actually powering this car says a lot about how these Deluxe convertibles get preserved today.

What Ford Actually Built in 1940

The real 1940 Ford Deluxe came with a choice of two engines: the standard 221 cubic-inch flathead V8 making 85 horsepower, or the smaller V8-60, a scaled-down 136 cubic-inch flathead V8 rated at 60 horsepower. Ford wouldn’t offer an inline six of any kind until the 226 cubic-inch unit arrived for 1941. Both 1940 engines paired to a three-speed manual gearbox, and 1940 was the first year Ford relocated that shifter from the floor to the steering column, a small detail that changed how every Ford driver interacted with the car from that point forward.

Why a 302 and C4 Ended Up Under the Hood

The 302-cubic-inch Windsor small block and C4 automatic transmission that this particular Cabriolet now carries didn’t arrive until decades after 1940 — the 302 debuted in 1968, and the C4 automatic in 1964 — meaning this car has been converted into a street rod, swapping its original flathead V8 for a far more modern, reliable, and serviceable drivetrain. It’s an extremely common path for prewar Fords, since parts and support for a period-correct flathead have gotten scarcer every year.

A Deluxe Body Built to Turn Heads

Ford introduced the Deluxe trim line in 1938 to sit between its standard models and Lincoln’s luxury offerings, and by 1940 the styling had matured into the fully streamlined look this Cabriolet still wears, pontoon fenders, a prow-shaped hood, and inset headlights that made the standard Ford look genuinely upscale. Ford built 367,364 Deluxe models in 1940 alone, which is part of why survivors like this one, restored and modernized by shops like Gateway Classic Cars, remain relatively findable today compared to rarer prewar cars.

A Gallery Worth a Second Look

The image set here, sourced from Gateway Classic Cars, is worth studying panel by panel, since a well-executed street rod like this one tends to hide its modern drivetrain behind bodywork and trim that still reads as period-correct. That contrast, a decades-old shape hiding thoroughly modern mechanicals, is exactly what makes cars like this Cabriolet appealing to collectors who want the look of 1940 without the maintenance headaches of the original hardware.

The Deluxe Convertible’s Place in Ford’s 1940 Lineup

Ford’s 1940 lineup split into the entry-level Standard series and the more heavily trimmed Deluxe series, and within Deluxe, buyers could choose the convertible body seen here alongside coupes, sedans, and a wagon. The convertible carried a power-operated top as standard equipment, one of the features that justified its higher price over the fixed-roof coupes in the same lineup, and it remains one of the rarer surviving body styles from the run since soft tops age and fail long before steel panels do.

The Street Rod Movement That Saved Cars Like This One

The practice of dropping a modern small-block V8 and automatic transmission into a prewar Ford body became a defined hobby of its own by the 1970s and 80s, eventually formalized under the “street rod” label by builders and clubs across the country. Rather than chasing numbers-matching originality, street rod builders prioritized reliability and drivability, which is exactly the tradeoff this Cabriolet makes with its 302 and C4 swap: a period-correct look on the outside, modern parts availability underneath.

Why Gateway Classic Cars Deals in Cars Like This

Gateway Classic Cars operates a nationwide network of showrooms that consign and sell collector vehicles on behalf of private owners, and prewar Fords converted into street rods are a consistent presence in that inventory because they appeal to a wider buyer pool than a numbers-matching original. A buyer gets the visual drama of a 1940s body without needing to source increasingly scarce flathead parts or specialized mechanics who still know how to service them.

What to Check Before Buying a Converted Prewar Ford

Because a street rod like this one blends an original body with a completely different drivetrain era, a careful buyer typically wants documentation of the swap itself, records showing when the 302 and C4 were installed and by whom, since the quality of that fabrication work varies enormously between builders. A well-executed conversion keeps the factory frame dimensions and body mounts intact, while a rushed one can leave a car with driveline vibration or improper cooling for the newer engine.

Reading the Gallery: What a Careful Street Rod Build Looks Like

Working through the photo set panel by panel, the kind of details that separate a well-executed street rod from a rushed one are consistent: even, properly aligned panel gaps around the doors and hood, a paint finish free of orange peel or masking lines at the trim edges, and an engine bay that looks purpose-built for the swapped drivetrain rather than a modern engine wedged into a space designed for a flathead. Builders working on cars destined for consignment dealers like Gateway Classic Cars generally know their work will be inspected closely by buyers comparing it against other listed inventory, which tends to push quality upward across the board for cars that make it to a showroom floor rather than a private classified ad.

The Flathead V8’s Legacy, Even in a Car That No Longer Has One

Ford’s flathead V8, introduced in 1932, was the engine that put affordable V8 power within reach of ordinary buyers for the first time, and it remained in production for two decades before finally giving way to the overhead-valve designs that eventually included the 302 now sitting in this Cabriolet. That lineage matters to collectors even on a converted car, since the body and chassis this Cabriolet rides on were engineered from the outset around a V8, unlike many prewar competitors that started life with inline sixes and had V8 power added later as an afterthought.

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