1941 Ford COE Spent 40 Years in the Desert, Flathead V8 Agrees To Run

I don't know about you, but I'm a big fan of pre-WW2 COE trucks. There's just something really cool about their short noses and really tall grilles. It's even better if they have a split windscreen, like this particular Ford.

All told, I get excited whenever I see one of these old trucks come out to play. Especially if the said hauler is very close to stock, which is a rare thing nowadays when most of them have been hot-rodded. Well, if you're also a fan of unrestored survivors, this 1941 COE might just tickle your fancy.

Yes, I know it's in pretty bad shape, but that's because it spent more than 40 years in the Arizona desert. But it's downright amazing that it's still in one piece. It also got very lucky when YouTube's "Theetravisb" decided to give it a second chance at life.

And not only did he drag it back to his shop to save it from more years under the scorching sun, but he also brought its old flathead V8 back to life. Yeah, it required a few days of work and a few new parts, but the 81-year-old powerplant agreed to run.

Granted, the engine has issues idling on its own for now, but the fact that it fired up after sitting for so long is downright spectacular. As our host points out, the truck will need even more parts to become road-worthy, but hopefully, it will get the attention it deserves in the future.

Meanwhile, see it come back to life and flex its cool patina in the video below.

Oh, and in case you're not familiar with these pre-WW2 Ford COE trucks, they're a big part of the company's history. That's because these trucks were the first to get the brand's flathead V8 engine. Originally introduced as an optional mill for passenger cars, the V8 was offered in COE trucks in response to Chevrolet's six-cylinder engine.