Chassis No. 183850860
Body No. 78710997

A Ford for the open road? Of the multitude of body styles offered by Ford for 1937 that must surely be the Convertible Cabriolet. The lean and rakish design emanated from the mind of Edsel Ford and the forward-thinking 1936 Lincoln-Zephyrs. The neatly tailored top mimics the five-window coupe's roofline and folds into a compartment flush with the body. It was a true “all-weather” car, even with the occasional rumble seat located in front of the rear luggage rack.

This particular Convertible Cabriolet was formerly judged to be among the very best following a comprehensive and exacting restoration conducted in the late 1980s under the stewardship of Clinton Bivens of Lexington, North Carolina. While this may have been some time ago, it has been well-kept since then, earning the coveted Dearborn Award with a score of 985 of 1000 points from The Early Ford V-8 Club of America in 1991. From its deep Black paintwork with cream pinstripe, Ford marked and date-coded glass, and correct Ford Twolite headlamps the exterior continues to radiate the qualities of its well-earned award, with a Broad Arrow Specialist noting during consignment that “it is a fine example of the breed.” The interior is just as well turned out with brown upholstery, and a simulated wood dashboard set with a bevy of gauges that include a glovebox mounted clock and a radio with speaker under the dash.

Later the car entered the collection of Art Astor, joining a number of other early famous pre-war automobiles and Fords in the collection. Acquired from The Astor Collection by Academy of Art University Collection in 2008, this 1937 Ford Convertible Cabriolet was not without a special group of Ford stablemates surrounded by a number of other Dearborn Award winners. It is offered with a set of side curtains in bag that match the convertible top and a full-size spare located in the commodious storage area behind the front seats.