1951 Ford Tudor Sedan

1951 Ford Tudor Sedan It's a common car. Ford's all new car after WW2 proved to be a popular and well-built car. Known as the shoebox Ford, it was common for hot rodders to lower the roof or chop it. The Model 1A-70B was produced in astonishing numbers, 317,869 in 1951 alone. This car has that chopped top and other subtle modifications to the original design. Elongated panels create subtle changes and produce a truly unique shoebox rod. Like a floating low bubble bathed in Pearl Beige Metallic and skating on Stiletto wheels you need to check out those glorious gams. Exterior Having that early 50's lead sled look the roof was chopped 5 inches and some of the pillars changed angles for better structural integrity. The back of this rounded bean was elongated just slightly. Door handles were shaved and now we have keyless entry. The car was also lowered, (dropped), to have it appear to just float above the asphalt. All this steel was expertly straightened and sanded, then bathed in Pearl Beige Metallic. Leading the way is a custom fit 54 Chevy grille with a shiny bumper below and some big chromed turn signal bezels that round the corner from the front to the beginning of the quarter. A trim spear runs from stem to stern and frames the top of the rear wheel well that also appears to have a subtle link change. A bulbous rear trunk deck with some rounded bump outs on either side to house the taillights which appear to be squinting at you in their crushed oval form. Just below another large wrap around bumper are dual exhausts with oval chromed tips. Billet Specialties \"Stiletto\" style wheels are shining on each corner and are wrapped in like new black wall rubber. Interior With the push of a button the door pops open and reveals a burgundy leather wonderland. Door panels have been embossed with swooping panels and a curved armrest. Window toggles are noted and a lower custom fabricated speaker covering is showing at the bottom of the doors. Inside are 2 large captains chairs like buckets also in burgundy leather and some white stitching. A phat custom rear bench with miles of burgundy leather covering stretches across the back of the car. Upfront for the dash is a single round large gauge cluster from Haneline. It has a beautiful old look and is in a burgundy painted full metal jacket dash. In the center is a Kenwood DNX 5160 GPS navigation screen. Alpine provides the speakers and preamps. Fronting the dash is a Flaming River tilt steering column and a snazzy cast three spoke widened, (think surfers cross design), leather wrapped rally steering wheel. Power steering, power brakes, power seats, and the windows all at the push of a button. Also installed in Vintage Air complete with taillight shape matching billet styled vents and there is a USB port in the glovebox. Red carpeting covers the floors very nicely and above is a padded panel on a smooth burgundy leather headliner. Drivetrain Under the wonderfully shaped hood is a very very clean engine bay. It is painted in the Pearl Beige Metallic and in the very center is a highly polished 350ci V8. It has an Edelbrock 4-barrel carb sitting on top of an Edelbrock intake. On the back is a TH400 3-speed automatic transmission with a Ford 9-inch rear axle. Braided stainless hoses are nice, plus headers and all bolt ons are chromed. Shine on you crazy diamond! Undercarriage This steel sled sits on an Art Morrison chassis that has a front end power rack with independent coilovers and a rear end coilover 4 link which is triangulated. Perfect floor pans and toe kicks, an all steel black frame, good clean exhaust from Magnaflow, and a red painted driveshaft are just some of the highlights of this mesmerizing underbelly. Drive-Ability Popping the doors and slipping inside I feel the excitement. This engine fires right up, and on the test track performed beautifully. A great low and slow cruiser which can come to life with opting some boot into the accelerator. Nice handling and solid power Wilwood disc brakes, and it is in perfect working order. Used mostly as a shower, the consignor/builder states that this car has less than 25 miles since the transformation. A beautiful lead sled which started out as an ubiquitous 51 shoebox. It's come a long way baby! Just look at the build photos in Street Rodder Magazine May 2011-Sept 2011!!