Art Lellis 39 Ford Convertible

Rikster has posted pictures and history of the Lellis car before in another post, but the recently-restored car is now up for sale, and worth another look. Its a fairly tasteful custom that has managed to survive 60+ years, and fortunate enough to be lovingly restored to its 1952 version by an owner with deep pockets. Here’s a little back story & sales talk on this historic late 40s custom:

“One of a pair of nearly identical cars, the Lellis car, offered here, was featured twice in Bob Petersen’s Hot Rod Magazine. Nosed, decked, de-chromed, chopped 3 inches, channeled 4 inches, with a matching 4-inch section of the hood, with grille guard, spotlights, skirts and a custom-made padded folding top, it was also a performer, turning 120.35 mph at El Mirage in October 1950.

Today, power comes from a 396 cubic inch bored and stroked Mercury with Offenhauser heads, dual coils and a four 2-barrel intake manifold. Color is a 1950 Ford Sportsman Green with brown leather upholstery and Naugahyde interior trim and a brown soft top. A 4.11 rear axle brings it off the line quickly while a set of lakes outlets behind the front wheels extract even more power and a great, lusty flathead V-8 exhaust note.

The custom dashboard contains an array of period Stewart-Warner instruments including a tachometer and its Cal-Neva Timing Association El Mirage speed plaque. The wheels wear Cadillac hubcaps, sombrero trim rings and whitewall tires.

Skirts, ’48 Ford bumpers with tips, grille guard, fog lights and spotlights complete the distinctive, period appropriate appearance of this Ford. It has been meticulously restored by Bill Dreist and is an important and well documented period custom that looks and drives great.”

I personally could do without the big amber foglamps and bumper bars, and the seat upholstery is a little funky, but overall its a sweet ride with genuine custom history. All of Riksters historic and modern pics are here.