Hot Rods looking to buy a 1953 Ford Customline tomorrow need input!

looking to pick up 1953 customline for 7500 wanted to know what others opinions are?
It has recently (3K miles) rebuilt drive train all factory the transmission is thought to be from later truck
has fatman upright front end and linked suspension in the rear.
thanks

 

couple more pictures

 

It appears to have some pretty modifications nice done to it like the suspensions upgrades and the smoothed, rechromed bumpers. And it's a real live coupe, not a 2 door sedan. I like it and it seems like $7500 would be a good deal with today's prices as they are....might want to run a magnet around the lower part of the body, looking for thick bondo.
I'd like to have one of those someday..my choice would be a 54 but a 53 would be just fine too.

 

Could you explain the differences between a 2 door sedan and a real live coupe?

 

i believe the difference is in the length of the roof. you'll notice that the back passenger windows are a bit smaller than the 2 door sedans. And there is a bit more space between the back edge of the deck lid and the rear window. Someone can correct me if i'm off about the roof length.

good luck with your buy!

 

theres also a 52-56 ford/merc group that knows everything about these ol fords

 

If you get it join up here: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/social-forums/1952-59-ford-social-group.282/

 

Hey coupes are real cool - have you ever had a flathead? You know they can be a real PITA sometimes. Has a after market radiator so there could be a story behind that. Get under it and check the floors and front cross members real good. IMO the '52-54 are not as heavy built as the '49-51. Seems like the metal isn't as heavy. Just my humble opinion since I've owned both cars. Good like and keep us posted.

 

hey thanks for the help, I am going to go check it out today. its a few hours out so ill let you know what i find!

 

Rebuilt ones are famous for cracking around the exhaust valves. The price looks to be right.

 

Looks Great, BIZ Coupes are something like 1.5% of production, go get it! My 52 RANCH is getting a 408 FE, 52 - 56 Fords are a family.

 

............Some folks refer to that panel as the "cat walk".

 

Looks like a pretty nice car,I really like the coupes. HRP

 

Could be a good deal, they get rotten in the inner rockers and floor supports, if that stuff is all clean, could be worth it. Rebuilt flathead with twin carbs and a big radiator is cool too. Although we're still talking about a primer black car with blankets on the seats, for $7500 it should be pretty nice.

 

I have one and please check the floors. The factory connection between the air intake for the heater and the heater/vents inside often decays and allows water to seep in thus allowing the floors to rust.
By The Way Mine has a BBF with a C6 in it.

 

Nice! TBH after driving it I am impressed but I already know I want to do a motor swap I'm thinking sbf or possibly even coyote depending on cost. A buddy who works at a machine/fab shop went with me and check it out not a spot of rust found or filler only other way to check would be to go inch for inch on a lift. The engine in it runs great I just want something I can reliably drive out of town and not be in the slow lane. I wonder what I can get for the drive train.

 

not a lot of coupes built after '51!

 

Be sure to check the hood henges, They are bad to rust out on the bottom of the case which also is parrt of the ventlation system. and the arms will bend very easy. New ones are avaiable but cost a lot to me. These cars rust around the rear fender wells so us the magnet as another post. EMS makes patch panels. Pinion nuts will loosen up on the 3 rd member. I just take a chisel and tighten them up. The wind wings or vent windows have the bottom pin break very often. I think the price is very reasonable for a 50 aniversery car. I think the 52 thru 54 fords look very good. I have owned 14 over the last 55 years. Have 2 now.. Good Luck Bobby

 

Thanks I'll double check those spots and everything again i haven't seen any rust yet. What do you think I could sell a recently rebuilt flat head with dual carb and after market radiator or even the whole drive train?

 

Sorry to be a dick, but a motor swap would be super lame. No reason a flathead can't drive highway speeds reliably. It might not blow your doors off, but that's not the point of a flathead. This really is a place for traditional cars, and coyote swaps aren't a part of that.

 

From what your saying it sounds and looks like a nice ride the way it is.
That flathead just adds to what a cool ride it is.
.

 

While I share your sentiment on the flathead I don't know if I'm comfortable driving out of town or especially around some of the steep grades. While I'm sure the engine can handle it though. I have read plenty threads here with engine swaps.

 

Engine swaps are fine if they're period correct. How about a 390 with dual quads? That'd be more than enough power to push that car up the hill. Build the rest of the car in a 60's style and you'd be right on the money. I have a '53 Ford with a '61 348/4 speed in it that's got plenty of power. Traditional engines don't have to be slow. Even the flathead has plenty of potential to go fast. That's what we do here.

 

Before you start on a motor swap. If you install a Ford with a front sump you will need to put a box in the front cross member for the oil pan. It is not a big deal. Also if using an early transmission, automatic, use one with a round bell housing. If you use a later one with a slanted bell housing you will need to cut, massage, the floor at the fire wall.
Good Luck!!!!

 

My 1st car was a '53 Mainline. Cost me $35 in 1966. Great car. Rebuilt Flathead from Sears, '54 DeSoto grille, '56 Olds tailights, Dechromed hood and decklid. '56 Ford full wheelcovers.

 

While the Ford Coyote motor is a marvel, it's not swap friendly. The electronics involved definitely puts it out of the 'traditional' category, not to mention the degree of difficulty. Plus the sheer bulk of the motor makes fitting it into a vintage compartment yet another issue (it's nearly as large as a 427 SOHC).

A SBF (or even a 351W) makes a very nice swap and parts to do so are readily available. And to those who say it's not 'traditional', I'll remind them that it was a production motor in 1962, unlike the 'accepted' BBC which wasn't a regular production motor until 1965....

 

From just searching it seems a sbf is pretty simple, what else would be needed besides the the engine and tranny? Would a rear end needed to be swapped?

 

Again, that massive front cross member dictates rear sump pan (pickup or Bronco?) and its related oil pump.
Mustang type rear is a bolt in, most 8 inch. (need a 58" outside flange to flange IIRC.) Same lug pattern, etc. That's dependent on final ratio, automatic or stick.
I'll bet someone will insist on Tremac 5 speed, for its overdrive.

 

The stock rear axle is strong enough to handle a 302 or even a 351 if you don't get carried away on power and/or run an automatic trans. It does have several drawbacks though; one, parts aren't as readily available, and two, most came with rather low ratios, typically in the 3.5 to 3.7 range unless the car was overdrive-equipped. Those would be 3.9 to 4.1. Most are a bit low for highway use, but really snappy around town... LOL. I believe the tallest ratio offered was a 3.3, but it's a bit rare.

A C4 automatic is an easy swap, as are most manual trans, but an automatic overdrive will need some frame hacking at the crossmember for trans clearance. Rear sump oil pan setups are commonly available just about everywhere as new kits (pan, pump pickup, etc) or can be found on most late '5.0' motors as well as truck/bronco

Bolt-in rearends can be found under 57-59 Fords, '62-65 Fairlanes, '63-65 V8 Falcons, and '64-66 V8 Mustangs (and their same-year Mercury derivatives). Not many of those around anymore, late Ford explorer rears will fit will relatively minor mods.

 

Would not change anything other than the oil.