Vintage Ford that starred in 1980s hit film is being sold at auction

A 1939 Ford 91A V8 that was featured in a groundbreaking ’80s movie is going up for auction later this week, but do you recognize it on the big screen?

Having rolled off the production line in the US in late 1939, the vintage Ford reportedly arrived in the UK sometime in the 1960s and has remained on British soil ever since.

In the 1980s, the V8-powered sedan benefited from a lengthy restoration while spending time in a museum before its screen debut in 1988.

When the hammer falls, experts estimate it could fetch between £20,000 and £30,000.

The 1939 Ford 91A V8 was used in Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988), appearing alongside Bob Hoskins in multiple scenes and in promotional material for the film.

The Ford is one of a selection of vintage engines that featured heavily in who killed roger rabbitwhich is widely recognized as the first film to successfully marry animation and live action and won four Academy Awards along with many other accolades.

The Ford’s Art Deco bodywork ensured it was the perfect fixture in Toontown, near Los Angeles, the backdrop for the film, which shows cartoon characters living alongside real people.

“It was a central element of the famous iconography of the 1940s that gave the film its distinctive, noir tone,” the auction lot description details.

The Ford’s Art Deco bodywork ensured it was the perfect fixture in Toontown, near Los Angeles, the backdrop for the film, which shows cartoon characters living alongside real people.

The Ford’s gloss black paint and trim remain in excellent original condition, having last been sprayed and restored over three decades ago.

Despite being set in 1947 Los Angeles, who killed roger rabbit it was actually filmed at Elstree Studios in London with Ford appearing alongside Bob Hoskins in multiple scenes and promotional material for the film.

The last time it was repainted was in the mid-1980s, before its big screen debut.

Today the glossy black paint and trim remain in excellent original condition, confirming the quality of work some 35 years ago.

Ford’s legendary ‘flathead’ 3.6-litre V8 engine is equally original, but benefits from subtle enhancements, including a larger aluminum radiator to improve performance and reliability.

The seller has retained the car’s originality and condition over the past 27 years of ownership, making it a rare survivor, especially since many examples have since been converted to Hot Rods.

And aside from being mostly original, it’s also been used sparingly.

Today, the odometer shows just 21,659 miles, that’s an average of 258 miles per year since it rolled off Ford’s production line.

The odometer shows just 21,659 miles, that’s an average of 258 miles per year since it rolled off Ford’s production line.

The seller has retained the car’s originality and condition over the past 27 years of ownership, making it a rare survivor, especially since many examples have since been converted to Hot Rods.

Ford’s legendary ‘flathead’ 3.6-litre V8 engine is equally original, but benefits from subtle upgrades, including a larger aluminum radiator to improve performance and reliability.

Who Framed Roger Rabbit is widely recognized as the first film to successfully marry animation and live action and has won four Academy Awards.

A complete file of paperwork, invoices and MOT, an original Ford De Luxe instruction booklet and “break-in” instructions clearly confirm the care that its owner has lavished on the car.

It will be available to the highest bidder in a five-day online auction hosted by Car & Classic, beginning Friday (August 19) at 1:00 PM.

“This is a Ford with a very special backstory, playing a key role in a film many will remember for its unique mix of actors, both real and cartoon,” says Car & Classic’s Dale Vinten.

“Today the car not only has that appeal to fans of Roger, Jessica and Bob Hoskins, but is also a highly original pre-war Ford benefiting from subtle enhancements to be enjoyed and displayed for many years to come.”