1951 Ford Custom

Description

This 1951 Ford Custom club coupe is a lot of restored V8 fun for not a lot of money. The rather unusual body style remains popular with Ford lovers, and given the restoration, this car is available for pennies on the dollar.

The all-new Ford was introduced for the 1949 model year, and by 1951 the Blue Oval was back in the black. Like many pre-war designs, this club coupe was ideally suited for travelling salesmen, a job that was quite popular in the early post-war years. Finished in Henry Ford's favorite basic black, the unusual shape makes a lot of folks do a double-take as they're not used to seeing these cars with 2-door coupe bodies. Actually, Ford offered two different two-doors, with the most common being basically a 4-door with the rear doors welded closed, but this coupe has a profile all its own. Someone spent a lot of effort whipping this one into shape and the extremely glossy paint makes it look far more expensive than it is. All the chrome was restored, including the bumpers, grille, and hood ornament, with the rest being polished stainless that looks fantastic. Period accessories like the windshield visor and oversized bumper guards help with the upscale look.

Interior styling was only just graduating to fashion rather than function, and this 1951 Ford definitely delivers with a swooping instrument panel that's more driver-oriented than most previous designs. Contrasting red paint and a bright metal mesh insert keep it from being too somber inside, particularly with the gray upholstery. The front seat is wide enough for three and quite comfortable, while the rear bench is probably best reserved for packages or small children. The stylish steering wheel hints at the jet age to come, and all the gauges are housed in their own round pods, including the large speedometer front and center. AM radios were still optional, but this car has one, plus heat and defrost for cooler months. That big dial in the center of the dash is an accessory vacuum gauge designed to help maximize fuel economy and it still works! And as I said, the trunk is positively massive, carrying a full-sized spare and a complete set of mats in the original plaid pattern.

The 239 cubic inch flathead V8 is dressed in the same copper engine paint as all later Ford flatheads and it's obvious that a good deal of energy went into getting it detailed correctly. No upgrades or modifications, just a rock-solid reliable flatty with its original oil bath air cleaner, downdraft carburetor, and twin coolant hoses emerging from the fronts of the cylinder heads. Note that the little stuff is right, including period hose clamps, shiny acorn nuts on the heads, and an accessory oil filter on the firewall. It starts with that characteristic flathead chatter and settles into a bouncy V8 idle that sounds great through twin glasspack mufflers. A 3-speed manual transmission with overdrive means it'll cruise effortlessly at modern highway speeds, and by 1951, even Ford was hip to the times with an independent suspension and reasonably powerful brakes. Steel wheels with deluxe wheel covers and trim rings are wrapped in flashy G78-15 whitewalls that look period-perfect.

A fun flathead Ford with a lot of performance and style for not a lot of money. Call today!