1936 Ford Model 68 Deluxe Roadster with flathead V8 and rumble seat, older restoration

Why we picked it

This is a stock-style 1936 Model 68 Deluxe Roadster with the 221ci flathead V8, a 3-speed manual, a rumble seat and a clean Michigan title in the seller's name. The seller says a restoration was finished about 35 years ago under earlier ownership and that the car is about 90% done. The interior and some wiring still need work, the passenger door handle needs a new shaft, and the tires are more than 15 years old.

Comparable 1936 Deluxe roadsters in finished condition sold for $55,000 and $59,000 in 2025. The bid was $20,100 when we checked, with the auction ending October 12. Reserve status is not stated, and bids usually climb in the final hours, so treat the current number as a starting point. Even so, a steel roadster body is the valuable part, and there is a wide gap between this bid and finished-car money.

The value check

When we found it, the bid was $20,350. Comparable cars in the same condition have sold for $55,000–$59,000, so the middle of the market is about $57,000. That put this car 64% under.

Two stock 1936 Deluxe roadsters sold for $55,000 (Barrett-Jackson, Jan 2025) and $59,000 (Hagerty, Apr 2025), both finished cars. This one needs interior and wiring work, so it should land below them, but the $20,100 bid is about 65% under the $57,000 midpoint with two days left.

Where the numbers come from:

• 1936 Ford Model 68 Deluxe Roadster, Hagerty, sold $59,000 (Apr 2025)
• 1936 Ford Deluxe Roadster, Barrett-Jackson, sold $55,000 (Jan 2025)

What to check

• The listing notes a reproduction serial number tag and a title that leaves off the leading "68"; check the frame number against the title before bidding
• The listing does not say whether the car runs and drives; ask for a cold-start video
• A 35-year-old restoration can hide rust in the cowl, door bottoms, rumble lid and lower rear panel; ask for underside photos
• Flathead V8s run hot when the cooling passages are scaled; check the radiator, water pumps and block for cracks
• Interior and some wiring are unfinished per the seller; budget for upholstery and a new harness

Making it drive like new

Many owners keep a roadster like this stock and add discreet updates: a 12-volt alternator conversion, hidden turn signals, a dual-circuit master cylinder and radial tires. For a hot rod build, the steel body is the prized piece, and a modern V8, independent front suspension and disc brakes are well-proven paths, though that ends its value as a stock car.

How it ended

Bidding reached $27,000 but the car didn't sell (ended Oct 12, 2026). Unsold cars often get relisted, so it may turn up again.