1951 Ford Deluxe Coupe

Description

Not only does this 1951 Ford Deluxe business coupe have a cool retro look, but it offers a known ownership history back to day one and modern upgrades to make it a lot of fun to drive. A rather rare body style today, it embodies all that was great about the first all-new Fords following the war.

You can see immediately why the business coupe is special, particularly in profile, where its sleek three-box design was fairly ground-breaking in 1951. The redesigned Fords that hit the market in1949 were a huge success, but it is this design that's the biggest hit with customizers. Fortunately, this one led an easy life and thanks to the pros at Miller Speedsports in Reno, Nevada, it got a pretty comprehensive makeover in 2008. That's when the bodywork was done, among other things, and today it still looks fantastic. Super clean sheetmetal shows clear reflections, critical when the body is relatively free of ornamentation like this one, and they wisely chose to keep all the original details intact. Bright PPG Victory Red paint certainly helps with the eye appeal and this neat little Ford is anything but subtle. All the chrome trim was likely restored at the same time, including the clean, simple grille, cool side spears leading to the taillights, and the clean rear bumper. The more you look, the more attractive this car becomes.

The interior was given a makeover that respects the original design yet adds a few modern functional upgrades. Bench seats fore and aft are trimmed in striped fabric and gray vinyl, so it has a '50s sensibility that's still a little custom. Matching door panels are likewise pretty authentic and all the factory moldings and hardware were retained. That cool two-spoke steering wheel is pure 1950s space-race cool and during the 2008 makeover, the transmission got a T-handle shifter. The big central gauge pod was filled with brand new instruments that look cool and include speed, fuel level, oil pressure, and coolant temperature readings, with the auxiliary controls still doing their designated jobs. A Pioneer AM/FM/CD stereo fits neatly in the center of the dash and the A/C system was installed underneath in such a way as to stay out of sight as much as possible. This car's original appeal was the massive trunk, and it was upholstered in matching gray carpets with neatly trimmed side panels for a clean look.

During the 2008 makeover, the original inline-six was replaced with a Ford flathead V8, but in 2012 that, too, was removed and replaced by a 302 cubic inch crate motor from Ford Racing. With an Edelbrock intake and 4-barrel carburetor, it makes a healthy 340 horsepower, probably twice what the flathead was putting out and three times the original six. A big aluminum radiator and lots of chrome dress up the very clean engine bay and long-tube headers feed a Dynomax exhaust system that has a familiar sound. The front suspension was upgraded to a Fat Man Fabrications independent setup at the same time and a rebuilt Ford AOD 4-speed automatic overdrive transmission makes for pretty effortless cruising. With 3.31 gears in back, it goes down the road without working very hard. 15-inch chrome wheels with Ford hubcaps were fitted with 215/75/15 Goodyear wide whitewall radials which really give it a period custom look.

Nicely built and sensibly modified, this 100% Ford custom offers tradition and comfort in equal measure. Call today!