Meet Elwin Soalfelt's car, A Standard for Others to
be Judged By... we have the extreme pleasure to
bring you this absolutely wonderful pre-war survivor. This
specimen is an extremely well documented "ALL" original
with 65,057 actual miles and multiple Dearborn Award(s) for "Best Original Un-Restored". It's story will
captivate you, it's original condition will shock you
and it's presence will invite you...
Keeping it simple, it's history is well researched and
documented in the April 94 publication of "Special
Interest Autos" (a Hemming's publication) "Black
Beauty - 1941 Ford V8", <credits> Text by Arch Brown &
Photos by Bud Juneau, a 10 page article that covers the
history of the 1941 Ford in extensive detail, while
using this specimen as an original example. This entire
article is fascinating and informative, below we have
provided "excerpt's" containing history relating specifically
to this vehicle and the actual Magazine Cover & 10 Page
article is
available within our inspection photos (must read). We have chosen
to let this amazing vehicle's history speak for it
itself. Yes, cars like this do exist...
(Ownership History-Excerpt's)
 Among those who purchased new cars during 1941 was
Elwin Soalfelt, who bought his black Ford Super Deluxe
three-passenger coupe from an Orange California, dealer.
Soalfelt and his wife regarded their Ford as a "Sunday"
car. It was garaged during the week, and never driven to
work. Neither was it used for errands, grocery shopping
and the like. Nor would Elwin take his car out in the
rain. Naturally, being a meticulous sort, Soalfelt kept
precise records of everything that was done to his pride
and joy.
Each summer the handsome black coupe took its owners on
a pilgrimage from California to Geyser, Montana
(population 125), where Soalfelt's parents owned a farm.
Upon arrival, according to Mrs. Soalfelt, they stored
the car in town, and someone came out from the farm in a
pickup to fetch them. The alternative would have been to
drive the car on a gravel road, something Elwin
steadfastly refused to do. (We'll hazard a guess that
the Ford must have been left in nearby Stanford, Montana
[population 595], the county seat, since it is difficult
to imagine that a town the size of Geyser would offer
storage facilities.)
Upon the death of his parents, in 1958, Soalfelt
inherited the farm. He and his wife packed up their gear
and moved to Montana, and this time, upon arriving in
town, Elwin -- still unwilling to subject his car to the
hazards of a gravel road -- had the Ford transported to
the farm by truck. But before doing so, for reasons
unclear, he bought a new set of tires from Montgomery
Ward.
Elwin stored the car in his barn, under a makeshift tent
made from old bed sheets. Evidently there were hard
packed dirt roads around the farm, or possibly some
pavement, for according to Mrs. Soalfelt, her husband
would periodically fire up the V-8 engine and drive
around the place to give the coupe some exercise.
Judging by the Ford's odometer, between the date the
tires were purchased and the Soalfelt's death, nearly 20
years later, the car logged about 200 miles -- all of it
on the premises. The car's total mileage, at that
point, was approximately 50,000.
Meanwhile, out in Empire, a suburb of Modesto,
California, Marshall Lewis had learned of the existence
of this remarkable Ford from his son-in-law's father,
who happened to have known the Soalfelts when they lived
in Southern California. Marshall, a past president of
the Model A Ford Club of America and a collector of fine
old Fords, was immediately interested. He asked that he
be notified if the '41 was ever offered for sale, and in
due time he was told of Soalfelt's death.
Marshall contacted the widow, who called back 6 months
later to say that the car would be available. She named
her price, adding that there would be no dickering. "If
you don't want it at that price, you'll return to
California without it," she added sharply.
Marshall wanted it. He wanted it badly enough to buy the
car sight-unseen. A day or two later, Mrs. Soalfelt
called back to confess there was a chip in the
windshield that she had failed to mention. Undeterred,
Marshall drove to Montana in his pickup to retrieve his
prize, pulling a trailer behind him.
Apart from replacement of belts and hoses, a tune-up and
an overhaul of the master and wheel cylinders, little
work was required to make the Ford roadworthy, but as a
precaution, Marshall replaced the 20-year-old, 200 mile
tires with a new set of whitewalls. The original brake
shoes, dated 1940, are still in the car. (That date,
along with the absence of bright trim around the
windshield, confirms that the car was an early 1941
car.) The engine has never been opened, and although it
burns a little oil now -- a quart to 200 miles or so --
it runs smoothly and sounds almost like new.
In 1983, Marshall Lewis and his wife drove the Ford to
Dearborn, to a national meet of the Early Ford V-8
Club. There it received the Dearborn Award, as the
"best original unrestored" car in the show. There have
been numerous other trips, as well, with the result that
at the time of Bud Juneau's July 27, 1993, photo
session, the odometer read 64,219 miles.
It's not easy to convey to the reader just how "new"
this 1941 car really is. Not only does the original
exterior finish gleam like new, with not a scratch
showing anywhere; even the undersides of the fenders and
the factory-fresh condition. The seat has always been
covered; so the upholstery, a combination Bedford and
broadcloth weave, looks just like it did the day the car
was first delivered by the dealer.
Elwin Soalfelt, who was employed by Lockheed Aircraft
during his Southern California days, was evidently a
skilled craftsman, under the Ford's dash there is a
panel of switches controlling the fog lamps, map light,
back-up light and other accessories. Additional options
include a heater, rear bumper splash guard, trunk light,
spare wheel lock and exhaust extension. The Motorola
Golden Voice radio was an after-market addition.
Reportedly, Elwin liked its tone better than that of the
factory-approved Ford radio.
In closing, a warm and
captivating presence that captures your imagination. It
goes without saying, they are only original once but
what are the odds? Don't miss it... Good Day, Paul
Harvey! |
