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Survivor! Tom Holland’s 1940 Ford Tudor

Tom Holland is a former dirt-track racer who needed a project after hanging up his dusty helmet. His son Jason is plugged into the Omaha hot rod scene and had a friend selling a 1940 Ford Tudor that had survived for decades with mostly original paint and parts. It seemed like a perfect hot rod project when Tom saw it.

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The Hollands made a plan to build the ’40 into a reliable, no-nonsense hot rod. The stance had to be spot on, so they started by installing a Speedway Motors dropped axle and Posies leaf spring up front and a Pete & Jake’s ladder bar setup out back, which positioned the copper-painted 16-inch steel wheels and 4.50/7.00 Firestone rubber just right.

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There’s a reason so many small-block Chevys are used in early Fords – because they fit well. But the Hollands wanted to keep this one Blue Oval and put in the extra effort to install a healthy 347c.i. stroker small block Ford, backing it up with a T5 five-speed to keep things fun.

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The black paint is pretty much as Tom found it, except for a repair Jason made to the lower driver’s door, which was distressed to match the rest. “I didn’t want to make it perfect,” Tom says.

A Classic Instruments gauge cluster and hidden Hot Rods by Dean radio panel behind the speaker add a little convenience on the inside, which is otherwise comfortably worn. Simple, cool, and timeless – a combination that’s tough to beat.


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Photos by Damon Lee

Editor, Goodguys Gazette

Damon Lee began snapping photos at car shows when he was 10, tagging along with his father to events throughout the Midwest. He has combined his passion for cars and knack for writing and imagery into a 20-year career in the automotive aftermarket, writing for titles like Super Chevy and Rod & Custom and, more recently, working for respected industry leaders Speedway Motors and Goodguys Rod & Custom Association.