Projects SHOEBOX BARGAIN PROJECT

When I was 8 yrs, old in 1978, my grandparents sold the farm, and moved to town. This meant all the '40's and 50's cars my dad, aunt, and uncles had grown up driving, had to go to the nearby scrap metal yard. They didn't want to deal with selling them all. One of these cars, was a Brown, Tudor, '50 Ford. It had gotten a caved in fender, so it was parked long ago. I watched helplessly, as it was towed to the metal yard, with a Farmall "B" tractor. Once there, a large forklift, crashed through the side glass, and carried it away by the roof! Since then, I have wanted one of these "Shoebox Fords". They seemed so simple, yet cool. So the other day, I see an ad for a 1948 Ford with no title, selling to the first person there with $500! I can clearly see the car in the photo is a '49, not a '48, and when I rushed across town to check it out, I found a car that was stored under a roof, on a farm since 1964, with only one side exposed to the elements. I bought it on the spot, and had it towed home. All floors are solid, with only some rust in the lower part of both front fenders, driver's rocker and rear quarter, front hood edge, and the V-8 Flattie with 3 speed on the column all present. It originally was Birch Gray, and seems to be a time warp, with everything as it came. As you can see, it even has the aftermarket grill guard. Plans include a lowered stance, a mechanical restoration (with some hopped up parts on the engine), windshield visor, metallic paint in a colorful hue, and chrome steelies, or flipper caps. There is nothing like the sound of a Flathead with duals and glasspacks! This is a "Bucket List" car to me, and a keeper. I couldn't save the one in '78, but I can save this one!

 

Sweet! I am glad you are painting it and not doing the "patina" thing...

 

Great find and project. You’re right about the sound of a flathead. I remember riding in a friends when I was about 15. He would wind it up and back off going down main street. It would rattle the store windows. Have fun!

 

My Dad had a dark blue '49 cheapie model that he drove to work daily back in 1957 or '58. Like you, I loved that car and I was always out there "helping" him when he worked on it. I remember him cursing the blue paint that seemed to oxidize right away even though he waxed it regularly. It had a distinctive sound to the starter and exhaust as well as a memorable interior smell. I don't remember why it left but it got replaced by a very clean '51 Stude V8. My Dad always drove "fixer-uppers" from the back row of the local used car lots.
I'm not so sure about the grill guard but overall it looks good. Now the big question; where to start?

 

I have a pretty good idea how you feel right about now. I recently purchased a well cared for '50 Tudor survivor. It's a start it up and drive it kind of car I got, but it still needs some TLC (rewiring it right now) before I do any real driving. I too have fond memories of the flathead sound and can't wait for next spring to roll around.

Enjoy your shoebox StudeDude, as I will mine.

 

Cleaning all the junk from the floors for a full inspection, then begin pulling the engine and trans, to see if they can be rebuilt, resealed, etc.

 

Glad you found your dream car. Your Enthusiasm will get it on the road in record time.

 

You’re in that shoebox group on Facebook, right? I recognize that car. What a solid starting point you got there. It’s way better than mine was when I first got it.

Good luck and have fun with it! I hope the flathead is still good.

 

I am sir. I have seen worse cars around here recently, with $1500 listing prices. The engine and trans will be out this week.

 

Thanks! What color is yours?

 

Great find!

 

I like that car... a lot.
Good for you

 

Great looking project -- have fun and stay safe

 

Congrats! Never saw a grille guard like that before, I like its uniqueness weather I kept it on the car or not.
Could use it in front of a fire place or on the front of Santas sleigh???
Did you get the original wheels or did it come with the ford rangers?

 

The seller said the original wheels were lost to time. The wife loves the grill guard. It grows on you I hope, because she says it's what makes the car stand out. But in a good way?

 

Good for you! Now get after it! And post pics!

 

Great deal, the chrome doesn't even look too bad. Hope the engine can be saved.

 

I love the grille guard and would love to find one for my 48 business coupe project.

 

I love the 49/50/51. The 49 was the first new design after the war and there was a learning curve. The 49s rattled and needed more braces. The 49 was so bad that the 1950 was advertised as better in 50 ways. You might benefit from comparing your car to a 50 to see what was done to make the 50 a better car and then doing those things to your car.

 

Dark blue. The previous owner (recently deceased) had it painted a number of years ago and I've been trying to figure out what the paint code was for the color. No luck so far.

 

Nice score! Kind of "half a barn", find. Have fun, and good luck with the flathead. What was the mileage when put away in '64?

 

49 K miles.

 

Today's progress: trunk cleaned out, most of floor covering removed, opened the driver's door that was stuck shut for many years due to sagging a bit, one bolt away from the radiator being out, removed front exhaust crossover, cut all radiator hoses, and removed the hood, and found some cool factory writing on the firewall, telling the guys down the line to put a V-8 in this one! Back at it tomorrow!

 

Nice car!

 

neat old shoebox will make a nice cruiser. now not trying to rain on you parade,BUT before you get to deep try to get your paperwork squared away. I don't know how Neb is but some states are real pains about no titles goodluck with the project Tom

 

Thanks. I have 2 or 3 other projects on the go and I wanted a '50 but not another project. OK, so not too big a project. I looked for well over 2 years to find just the right car, but I think it was worth the time spent looking.

You have a bit of work ahead of you but if you keep at it you'll be driving it before too long.

 

I can give you a few of the '50 upgrades that they made; better door and trunk latches, better sealing weatherstrip, stronger hood hinge springs( to keep the back edge of the hood from lifting, then uncoupling the latch), improvements to the internal body structure to add needed stiffness in the trunk area and cowl; some of these are difficult to add to a '49 because the '50 used different parts to do the same thing; to be honest, Ford rushed the '49 to the market without due diligence and paid the price in customer aggravation. Still, '49-'51 Fords are in my top three of Ford products, warts and all. I think you've got a fine starting point right there.

 

Grandpa had a creampuff '49 coupe he bought new. He couldn't hear anything so every time he took off the engine was red lined and the clutch was slipping until he found second gear. He died in '62 and my dad got the car. I really would have loved to own it but my dad knew I'd ruin it so no chance. Even back then he would get guys trying to buy it at every stop light. Don't know what happened to it.

 

I have been down this road before, and you simply get a bonded title in this state, and 3 years later it becomes a free and clear title in your name.

 

I wonder how hard it is to put '50 door latches on the '49? The '49 trunk latch is horrible also. Or a guy can just go with the universal Bear Claw latches I guess.