Sometimes a line of cars gets overshadowed by the cars that came before or after them. For example, the 1949-1951 Fords were a bases-loaded home run for the company, and the 1955-1956 Fords were also well received. Ford automobiles produced from 1952-1954 sadly fell into a black hole of collectability. While they are just as well built as any Chevrolet or Plymouth of the era, they never seemed to carry the good looks of their earlier and later stablemates and their values are a reflection of that. If you are looking for a fifties car in good condition to drive and enjoy rather than sit and stare at, then reader T.J. has found for you a great car at a fair price. Take a look at this 1952 Ford Customline Tudor for sale on Facebook Marketplace in Clairton, Pennsylvania. This compact coupe has emerged from hibernation with a scant 32,000 miles on the odometer and is in very good condition for its age and originality. The best part is the price. Can you believe the seller is asking just $10,500 for this running Ford? Would you add to that mileage if it were yours?
The automobile market was moving fast in the fifties. Many of the upstart independent makers were still around to offer vehicles that stood out from the “Big Three’s” usual offerings. Customers were also enjoying an economic boom time. Purchasing a new car for the first time was possible for families who had never considered such a luxury just a few decades before. For first-time car buyers, the usual choices were Ford, Chevrolet, and Plymouth. Competition was fierce between the three nameplates, and sales were won and lost based on the two biggest desires of customers: horsepower and handsome styling.
In 1952, Ford offered a lot of value for consumers and had a version for everyone. The Mainline was the lowest-priced version, with the Customline occupying the middle ground. At the top of Ford’s range was the Crestline series. The Customline cars were offered in the two-door sedan (tudor), four-door sedan, two-door coupe, and four-door station wagon body styles. Two of the more desirable body styles were marketed with specific names. The coupe was known as the “Club Coupe” as was the longstanding Ford tradition, and the station wagon was known as the Customline Country Sedan.
The car you see above and below is believed to be a two-door sedan (tudor), but it is not specified in the ad. The seller doesn’t tell us much in the ad other than the car has 32,000 original miles. You can assume that it sat for a while because we are told that the brakes, gas tank, radiator, and fuel pump are all new. The seller also makes sure to tell us that it runs excellent.
The pictures reveal a car that has surely spent most of its life indoors. The black paint still holds a good shine, and the upholstery is in remarkably good condition. There is some damage and wear in the front seat area. What we can see from the rest of the interior reveals a car that has been well cared for. The unique, space-age dash is shown in a few of the pictures, and it is in great shape minus the usual chrome pitting. A shot of the trunk above is also evidence of how well this car has been cared for. The most impressive feature is the lack of rust anywhere on or in this car.
Under the hood, we see that the original buyer opted for the 215 cubic inch inline-six-cylinder engine for this car. While everyone wants a Flathead V-8, the inline six in these cars is a remarkably smooth and trouble-free option that never got the respect it deserved. It was a solid choice for anyone who wanted an easy-to-work-on engine that was economical to boot. Looking elsewhere in the engine compartment reveals a newer style dual-reservoir master cylinder and new brake lines. Single pot master cylinders didn’t offer much of a safety margin if a brake line blew out, as all of the hydraulic fluid was in that single circuit. At least with a dual reservoir, braking on two wheels would be available in case of a component failure. It is a bit of an assumption that this car is configured this way when the braking system was rebuilt, but it is a modification that should be done, when possible, on every vehicle not so equipped.
The good news on this one is that the price is quite reasonable for a 32,000-mile car in this condition. If it were from the 1949-1951 or 1955-1956 series of Fords, the price for such a car would be much higher and the ad probably wouldn’t have lasted a night. A prudent collector would see this as an opportunity to get into a very good car for high four figures with a bit of bargaining. The kicker would be that you could drive it home as well. Then, the only dilemma would be how much should you drive such a low-mileage car.
Do you think the Fords of this vintage are undervalued? Would you drive this low-mileage car as much as you want, or would you try to preserve it? Please share your thoughts in the comments.
I agree about the “black hole” for these, but seems all car makers were offering the same thing. Taking sometimes a couple years to totally redesign a car, companies were forced to offer warmed over versions of late 40s styling. The Ford here was a huge Hollywood star, from local cops ( Adam-12, Who won? a ’54) to Barney Fifes 1st car( also a ’54), and many movies. I have a Roku TV now, and they feature classic drag racing, and these actually did quite well. With a big block, they could do 12s, at least Reeds car did.
As with all these, it’s amazing it never got turned into a gasser, and was hidden well.
Not to sound like a broken record( I realize that dates me) the stick shift will hold back any sales. I don’t think the price is too out of line, but not many will spend $10gs on a car that’s a hassle to drive. If I was a younger man, I’d buy all these nice examples, the motor is fine, but I’d retro-fit them with an automatic, they’d fly off the shelves. Time will tell, I suppose, if I was full of it, or spot on.
There’s a reason that automakers upped the horsepower on cars of this era which were produced with automatic transmissions- the automatic slush boxes of that era sucked up horsepower. The overhead valve 6 was arguably a better choice than an obsolete flathead- there are claims that the 6 would actually out perform the V8. This is a nice, clean, original, low mileage car-offered at a reasonable price. If it flips your switch, buy it, drive it to “Cars & Coffee” and enjoy. If you’re not committed, or coordinated, enough to drive a stick, buy a Prius
The one bright spot in early ’50s transmissions was GM’s 4 speed automatic. My dad had a run of Buicks in the early ’50s and the automatic slush boxes must have felt like putting your foot in mud.
parents had a 1952 six ohv 3 speed and yes off the line faster than the flathead v8 they had it in 1954 I was 9 years old traded it in 1956 for new Fairlane with the new for that year the 312 ci 225 HP
We older guys still drive stick shifts, out here in fly over country. And, it’s the cheapest anti- theft device around, if we drive into the cities.
Had a ’53 Tudor I pulled out of our local junkyard. And like this one, it was a nice original car. The only thing
being that the flatty had 2 stuck valves that needed to be replaced so I
rebuilt the engine after reading an article in Rod & Custom Magazine on
how to rebuild a flathead V-8. I followed the steps and before I knew
it, I had a nice running V-8 til my kid sister spun a bearing while driving it.
After that, I yanked the flatty and dropped in a 299/C-6 automatic from
a smacked ’65 Galaxie sedan. When all was said and done, I had a sharp
looking car that was a real sleeper.
And yeah, I had a 2 pot master cylinder and disc brakes put on it to
make it safe to drive and use daily.
Nothin’ fancy, just a nice old Ford sedan my Mom could use whenever
she needed it.
The 52 represented a design change from the 49 Shoe Box…this is the first year for a OHV 6 cylinder in a Ford,,,,this is a milestone Ford…in so many ways. Hope someone buys it and treats it like the dignity it deserves!
I would love it, just can’t do it anymore. I love my Fiesta Ford, probably the last car I will own!
Ahhh.. my mother drove us around in a ’53 when I was a kid.. all I remember.. couldn’t see much straight ahead from the back seat, but could observe, while raining.. starting up from a stop, the wipers would really struggle until she let off the gas a bit!
lol good old fashion vacuum wipes remember them well
Same with my father’s 59 Galaxie.
I got out of basic training in 1959 and got a 52 with a v8 that you could see the street through the floorboard. Rusted out really quick in Wichita, Ks. You could floor it in any gear and it would just keep going. Used a lot of oil too.
The 49-51 series I thought were better drivers.
I love this, especially with the 6. If I had that building I want to put up in my backyard I’d be all over this.
In the 60s my dad had a 54 , straight axle,406 Ford, 4 sp. Ran 10s.
My mother had a ’53 2 door hardtop with the V8 and automatic transmission. Wasn’t fast but it was a nice driver and a good looking ride. If I had this old guy here I’d be hard pressed not to upgrade the engine and transmission as well as the mentioned brake upgrades. The automatic transmissions were real power killers but Mom’s car suited her and the way she used it.
Funny thing is while the flattie is the preferred option if someone put some time into that straight 6 you’d probably have a quicker car!
53′ Ford Victoria Coupe Flathead
V-8 with manual transmission for $ 7 k out here in Phoenix.
wow that’s the 50th anniversary car.
Beautiful, understated instrument cluster.
To all above: the 1952 Ford, which actually ran through 1956, with a massive face-lift in 1955, was ahead of its time in styling (just compare to the dowdy Chevrolet — puh-leeze!). I would love this one, except for ONE THING: visibility from the driver’s seat: I would need an old Manhattan telephone directory under me, to see over the hood! I tried driving a 1953 Ford once, and that was enough for me! For SOME reason, this was NOT the era for people who are short from the waist to the neck! My 1946 Ford was easy to see out of — but so many cars between 1949 and 1959 were NOT! Too bad for me, because I liked the all-new 1952 Ford. Because of the Korean War shortages, chrome on the bumpers was a problem on these — it used to peel. But the utter reliability of Fords from this era is attested to by how many of them graced our roads in regular use as late as the early 1980s (come to think of it, 1949-1954 Plymouths and Chevys also!). If I could see out over the hood, I’d drive this one in a heartbeat — just as it is! And I PREFER a standard shift! Wasn’t 1952 the first year that turn-signals came as standard equipment?