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It’s always frustrating to deal with a project that goes on and on, we want a car that we can get in and drive. That is the idea behind this 1949 Ford Deluxe for Gary Munsch of Tacoma, Washington. The car was originally restored and built in North Dakota in 2000 and moved to Southern California in 2003 before Gary bought it. “I bought it to be a fun driver,” Gary told us. “It had all of the ‘bones’ I was looking for: a 1939 Ford with all Ford running gear.” That’s where the idea for his license plate came from—ALHENRY.
Gary had just finished a serious Mustang project and wanted something that wouldn’t take years to finish before they could enjoy it. So when he got it, he worked with his wife to redo the interior with new carpets and bucket seats out of a ’70 Mach 1. While Gary had it apart, he also opted to replace the original wooden toe panels with steel sheet metal. He also installed a set of shorty stainless headers that are followed up by all new 2-¼-inch exhaust and Thrush Turbo Mufflers.
With all of the work that Gary did, and the 351 cubic-inch Windsor engine, C-4 transmission, and Ford 8-inch rearend, this car pretty much fit the bill for what Gary wanted. A good driver that was built with all Ford equipment and is ready to drive.
After getting things wrapped up, Gary and his wife took a weekend camping trip in the ’39 up to Whidbey Island, Washington. For lunch that day, they wrapped ribs in tin foil, carefully placed them on the back of the intake manifold, and ate genuine hot rod style lunch when they got there — cooked to perfection!
A before and after shot of the engine. What it looked like before (left) Gary cleaned it up, and after (right).
As with any project, this car will never really be finished. The plan for winter is to replace the two-barrel carburetor and manifold with a four-barrel. They also want to replace some of the aging windows with new glass. “Then it is on to summer fun again,” Gary told us. “We are planning to go down the Oregon coast next summer for about a week.”
Gary reached out and told us about his awesome car. We’d love to see what you’re driving, so don’t hesitate to send us some pictures and a few details on your classic ride. It might end up in our Street Feature series, just like Gary’s ’39.
