# Help me identify my grandfather's car. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 23, 2005, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-my-grandfathers-car/291538 "2005-02-23T15:40:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2005, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-my-grandfathers-car/291538/1 "2005-02-23T15:40:38Z")
This past weekend I learned a bit about my grandfather, whom I have never meet and knew very little of. I was seeing pictures of him from the depression, and of his car he loved so much. The problem is that he got rid of the car before he meet my grandmother and she has no idea of what the car is. I know nothing of the cars from that era, and trying to look them up has led me to a dead end. The good news is I have a picture of the car, the bad news is that after the first three people who look at it no one else can, angelfire account. So first I’ll try and describe it, then I’ll link to some pictures. I can mail them out though no problem if the page goes down. The car more then likely comes from the depression era, though I don’t know exactly how old he would be. The car is white, with a black top, looks to be convertible, though I can’t tell. It has a split front window and two doors. The wheels come out in wheel wells, I guess that’s what they call them, they stick out further then the hood and the rear, though the wheels are not covered on the sides. The headlights are on the wheel wells. The grill looks like it comes to a rounded point and is metal and slotted down the entire front. There is also a side grill on the side of the hood. Here’s what will probably say what the car is but since I know little of that era. The hood ornament looks to be about 12-18" long and is cigar shaped. I can’t see more because the picture is blurry. That’s about the best I can do on it. The other things that can be see are steel bumpers. At least a drivers side mirror, and what looks like a trunk on the back, though I guess it could be a folding seat as well. The pictures can be found [here.](http://www.angelfire.com/md/bmain/car/) The side view with him hanging out is the better picture. If this goes down shoot me an email from my profile and I can get them sent out. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2005, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-my-grandfathers-car/291538/2 "2005-02-23T16:33:39Z")
Do you know what year the photo was taken? ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2005, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-my-grandfathers-car/291538/3 "2005-02-23T16:38:07Z")
The hood ornament suggests a Pontiac - late 30’s, early 40’s Pontiacs had a hood ornament about that shape, consisting of an indian head (Chief Pontiac) with a long chrome trailer behind it. Just a guess, mind you. Note the hood ornament on this 1940 Pontiac: [http://www.hubcapcafe.com/ocs/pages01/pont4001.htm](http://www.hubcapcafe.com/ocs/pages01/pont4001.htm) ---
**Author:** ![TwoTrouts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9adbd/32.png) [@TwoTrouts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwoTrouts)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2005, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-my-grandfathers-car/291538/4 "2005-02-23T16:38:15Z")
It looks like some version of the Ford Roadster from the mid-30’s. [Here is a pic](http://autohobbypage.com/cgi-bin/truck.pl?/show/nats97/nat133.jpg) of one that has been customized, but has the same front grill work and wheel wells. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2005, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-my-grandfathers-car/291538/5 "2005-02-23T16:46:26Z")
First though was a Pontiac or Chevy. ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2005, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-my-grandfathers-car/291538/6 "2005-02-23T16:48:40Z")
> [@TwoTrouts](#): > > It looks like some version of the Ford Roadster from the mid-30’s. [Here is a pic](http://autohobbypage.com/cgi-bin/truck.pl?/show/nats97/nat133.jpg) of one that has been customized, but has the same front grill work and wheel wells. I’ll agree, and withdraw my earlier suggestion. Here’s a 1938 Ford, WITH hood ornament: > **[lonisantiquecars.com](http://www.lonisantiquecars.com/38%20FORD.HTM)** > > Antique Cars for Hire,Antique Cars,Wedding Limousine,Rolls Royce Limo Service,Limo Bus Rental,Chauffeur Service ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2005, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-my-grandfathers-car/291538/7 "2005-02-23T16:54:12Z")
> [@Philster](#): > > First though was a Pontiac or Chevy. I googled some Pontiacs, and the '30s ones I found have ‘bullet’ headlights instead of having them in the fenders. ---
**Author:** ![beltbuckle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@beltbuckle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beltbuckle)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2005, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-my-grandfathers-car/291538/8 "2005-02-23T16:54:25Z")
30’s Fords have a different body shape. To me it looks like a [1938 Buick convertible](http://clubs.hemmings.com/clubsites/1937-1938buick/images/2_Harry_Logans_38-46C.jpg) . Fors have way different fenders. This one is beat up, missing the lights and the spare tire, the bumper is bent, etc. But to me it looks like a buick, as the fords were stubbier and didn’t have such longness to then. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2005, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-my-grandfathers-car/291538/9 "2005-02-23T16:56:40Z")
> [@yabob](#): > > I’ll agree, and withdraw my earlier suggestion. Here’s a 1938 Ford, WITH hood ornament: > > [lonisantiquecars.com](http://www.lonisantiquecars.com/38%20FORD.HTM) That looks like the one to me. 1938 Ford Roadster. ---
**Author:** ![beltbuckle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@beltbuckle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beltbuckle)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2005, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-my-grandfathers-car/291538/10 "2005-02-23T16:59:46Z")
On second thought (I didn’t look at the grill on the first picture), I agree. It is most likely a 1938 ford. It probably looked something like [this](http://www.bluemoongear.com/ArchCarPics/38FordConv.jpg) when it was new. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2005, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-my-grandfathers-car/291538/11 "2005-02-23T17:02:07Z")
I also agree that it’s a '38 Ford, although there are fewer good pictures of them on the web than I would have thought. [Here’s](http://perso.wanadoo.fr/trombinoscar2/tabv8/fd380102.jpg) the best image I could find. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2005, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-my-grandfathers-car/291538/12 "2005-02-23T17:09:14Z")
Hood ornament strongly suggest Studebaker. The way the ornanement is perched up on the small pointyish pedastal. The only thing like that was produced by Studebaker in '37. Other super stream lined hood adorments didn’t sit perched up like that. Some sat up, but weren’t as streamlined. Some were as streamlined, but didn’t sit up. But the Studebaker was just slightly different than that car…yet incredibly similar. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2005, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-my-grandfathers-car/291538/13 "2005-02-23T17:15:36Z")
Here are some pics: [http://www.autogallery.org.ru/k/f/38for8clubcabriolet\_KI.jpg](http://www.autogallery.org.ru/k/f/38for8clubcabriolet_KI.jpg) (two-door, like the photo) [http://www.autogallery.org.ru/k/f/38for8convsedan3spd\_SC.jpg](http://www.autogallery.org.ru/k/f/38for8convsedan3spd_SC.jpg) (four-door) [http://www.autogallery.org.ru/k/f/38forcabriolet\_CCT.jpg](http://www.autogallery.org.ru/k/f/38forcabriolet_CCT.jpg) (two-door, nice pic) [http://www.autogallery.org.ru/k/f/38forconvcoupe1\_KI.jpg](http://www.autogallery.org.ru/k/f/38forconvcoupe1_KI.jpg) (two-door, note rear fenders compared to OP’s – looks like a match) ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2005, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-my-grandfathers-car/291538/14 "2005-02-23T18:06:40Z")
Wow, I never would have thought it would have been so hard to figure out. I do have one other picture, but it only show the very front of it, and it’s not scaned. I’m not even sure how much of the car it shows. Of course the best picture I could get he would be in a big puddle of water. I tried looking and the best I could find was a Buick, but even that didn’t look like the best fit. I wish I could say more about even the picture, but no one knew him at the time of the photos. The best guess I can help with is that he would be around 81 now, so he would have been born around 1924 give or take. If it is a Ford I know where I got it from now, along with the ears and the hair! ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2005, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-my-grandfathers-car/291538/15 "2005-02-23T18:53:02Z")
I love the fact that one of the pictures he is up to his axels in water. ---
**Author:** ![robcaro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@robcaro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robcaro)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2005, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-my-grandfathers-car/291538/16 "2005-02-23T19:59:37Z")
Definately a 1938 FORD CLUB CABRIOLET. Look at this link: [http://www.dealsonwheels.com/search/detailbig.cfm/Autos\_\_ID/78796](http://www.dealsonwheels.com/search/detailbig.cfm/Autos__ID/78796) ---
**Author:** ![jasonh300](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/46a35a/32.png) [@jasonh300](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasonh300)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2005, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-my-grandfathers-car/291538/17 "2005-02-24T02:34:17Z")
> [@Shirley Ujest](#): > > I love the fact that one of the pictures he is up to his axels in water. I was wondering if someone was going to comment on that. Any idea why? In the picture with the door open, the water looks like it’s over the doorsill. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2005, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-my-grandfathers-car/291538/18 "2005-02-24T21:37:23Z")
> [@](#): > > Definately a 1938 FORD CLUB CABRIOLET. I agree that it is a 38 Ford, however, the Roadsters and Cabriolets pictured, so far, all have back seats. (Look where the roof comes down over the rear wheels instead of forward of the rear wheels as in the OP’s link). I’d vote for a 38 Ford Coupe Convertible. If you look at the photo of Granddad hanging out the partially opened door, you can make out the faint line of the rumble seat opening instead of a trunk. [In this photo of a 38 Ford](http://www.aaca.org/hershey/2001photos/38%20FORD%20CONVERTIBLE.jpg), you can see the opened rumble seat in front of the wood paneling on the car behind it. If you go to Google™ Images and enter “38 Ford coupe” you will get a lot of photos that look a lot closer to the OP’s photo (in terms of roof length, although most of them are hardtops) than the Cabriolets and Roadsters. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2005, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-my-grandfathers-car/291538/19 "2005-02-24T21:44:12Z")
AHA! [!938 Ford 2-Door Deluxe Convertible Coupe - rear](http://www.campbellriversales.com/vintcar2/1938%20Ford%202-Door%20Deluxe%20Convertible%20Coupe-rVl=mx=.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2005, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-my-grandfathers-car/291538/20 "2005-02-25T14:13:13Z")
Well thanks guys, I’m glad I was able to figure out what it was. I did find another picture and if I can get it scaned, the others were sent to me by my aunt, then I’ll post it too.