- Seller: Marisa H
- Location: Alexandria, VA
- Mileage: 76,665 Shown
- Chassis #: BOAT154552
- Title Status: Clean
While some people view a car as little more than a tool that will take them from Point A to Point B, others build a relationship that makes parting with their beloved classic unthinkable. That is what makes this 1950 Ford Tudor genuinely special. It isn’t every day that you will chance upon a seventy-three-year-old car that has been with the same owner since Day One. All good things must end, meaning the time has come for this gem to find a new home. Therefore, the owner has listed the Tudor as a No Reserve Barn Finds Auction.
Ford has a history of breaking new ground, and it certainly did so in June 1948 with what became known as the “Shoebox” model. American cars in the immediate post-war years were little more than lightly revised versions of models produced in 1941. The Shoebox marked a significant styling change, with Ford stealing an early march on the opposition with its new model. It remained on sale until 1951, with our feature car rolling off the line in 1950. It retains most of its original Bimini Blue paint, although the trunk lid has been repainted in a different shade. Many people will find it attractive that this survivor is essentially complete, making it the ideal candidate for a faithful restoration or the foundation for a custom build. The panels are straight, and any minor exterior rust is patchable. The underside carries a heavy coating of surface corrosion, and there is penetrating rust in the floors. However, it isn’t severe, and patches may also prove the ideal solution in that area. The glass is intact, with some pieces exhibiting the typical cloudiness that can develop over time. Trim pieces range from restorable to items requiring replacement. This Ford needs a total restoration to regain its former beauty, although nothing is visible in the excellent selection of supplied photos that suggests a competent person couldn’t tackle most of the tasks in a home workshop. That makes it ideal for a first project or an enthusiast who prefers the DIY approach.
The owner cannot obtain any engine photos, but they supply plenty of positive news. The engine bay houses Ford’s venerable 226ci flathead six that sends 95hp and 180 ft/lbs of torque to the rear wheels via a three-speed manual transmission. Both figures sound modest by modern standards, but that flathead is a surprise packet. It delivers its maximum torque below 1,500rpm, making it a remarkably flexible powerplant that can pull strongly from low speeds in higher gears. That means the driver doesn’t need to row the shifter in heavy traffic because the six will pull the car along quite effectively. However, it isn’t a one-trick pony. That sweet little motor also allows the vehicle to cruise comfortably on the open road while returning what was considered excellent fuel economy for the period. The owner states this Ford went into storage in 2019, but it ran well and was appropriately maintained until then. It rolls on relatively new narrow whitewalls, and returning the car to active service in its current form as a survivor seems a viable goal for the winning bidder.
This Ford’s interior needs love, but it is complete, apart from the missing radio and a couple of control knobs. Returning it to a serviceable state is an achievable short-term goal using blankets or slipcovers, but a retrim will almost certainly form part of this car’s future. It isn’t as overwhelming as it sounds because dismantling these interiors is straightforward. A person with reasonable skills could strip and refresh the painted surfaces, while the existing trim and upholstery might serve as templates for an owner considering the DIY or custom route. However, some companies specialize in upholstery and hard-trim items for Shoebox Fords, and one of those could be the best option for an owner seeking spotless originality.
A car with an ownership history like this 1950 Ford Tudor deserves preservation or a faithful restoration. That it has survived for over seven decades largely unmolested is a testament to the devotion of the person who drove it off the showroom floor and cherished it for life. Returning it to its former glory will be time-consuming, but I can’t spot many tasks that couldn’t be completed in a home workshop. That makes it a potentially affordable project, which is a significant consideration for some enthusiasts. It is also an ideal candidate for a custom approach, and I understand that thinking. If you have contemplated either build type, submitting a bid on this Ford could be the perfect first step.
Bid On This Auction
Obie bid $1,700.00 2023-10-29 05:38:30
Louie bid $1,100.00 2023-10-27 11:07:23
RoadTripRevivals bid $100.00 2023-10-26 11:42:46
My dad bought a new 50, except in black, with a V8, definitely the highlight at the time, as Plymouth and Chevrolet were still building stodgy school teacher’s cars. Gotta wonder how or why the original owner let the factory radio escape. Hopefully the new owner does this car right.
we down here in Australia thankfully only got the V8 with a 3 speed manual thankfully and only as a 4 door. No doubt there are Thunder Road cars in the states thats the way i would go a coat of grey paint and an OHV V8 .Thunder Road was the first movie i saw as a kid and made me a FORD fan/owner for life.Funny enough i have not owned a single spinner thats what us Aussies call them. hpoe it gets a good home.
This could also be a prime candidate if a person decided to put it on a police car version Crown Victoria with much more modern drive train and suspension and frame. I have one of those Crown Vics. It would be a tough choice because I also deeply respect this in stock form.
The body has a few crunchy spots down low, but the frame looks good. The pitting on the exterior pot metal parts is remarkable, repairing the pitting and re-chroming is expensive. The interior, lol, not so much. Making a new interior would be a good practice for me because it’s pretty simple.
Derek Bieri is the host of a new program on MotorTrend TV called Roadworthy Rescues, in which cars like this are recommissioned fairly inexpensively, with a minimum of work. Just get it running and do the brakes, and some other imperatives.
The end result being these machines are rescued, put back on the road, and enjoyed for what they are; his results are impressive….
This car is a perfect candidate, and if possible, check out the show, highly recommend!
👍🤓
Im a huge fan of Vice Grip Garage. Derrick does a great job resurrecting and preserving some great old cars. Always have to get a battery with the “To Go” handle.
He is quite knowledgeable and capable, but I can’t stand his banter, just over the top annoying. “The car smells like a Swiss watch . . . full of earwax”.
My Mom had one of these when I was
very small. I think hers was a 6 with
OD transmission. For a single Mom
in the early 60s, it served the purpose
until our ’50 Chrysler Windsor came
along. Liked it better because it had
a working radio and the Ford didn’t.
Mom drove a lot of neat stuff before
she married Dad. After that, she drove a lot of used Caddy’s. Think
she paid $50 for it in 1960. Not bad
looking for a car that looked just like
this one.
Why no pictures of the engine compartment?
The seller isn’t physically able to open the hood herself and the photographer wouldn’t open it for liability reasons.
It’s a sad commentary on our current times when your afraid of opening a hood for fear you might get sued.
The 6 beat the V8 in these cars in many ways. It was nearly the same horsepower, but with smoother low end torque, delivered slightly better fuel economy, was far easier to repair, and didn’t have the tendency to overheat that the flathead eights had. I would much prefer the six in either Ford cars or pickups in this era. The larger Ford trucks had a larger six cylinder engine that was a far better engine for heavy duty use, again partly due to the 8’s propensity to overheat. It was a champion “lugger” at low rims, unlike the 8’s. I hope some will restore this one as-is, and not hot rod it. It would be a time capsule example of a ” Midwestern farmer’s special” of that era, very desirable in my view.
The overheating issue of the flathead 8 in the museum’s Crestliner was resolved by an aluminum radiator.
I agree because my first car was a 4- door pea green 1950 Ford with a worn and leaky flathead 6.
Being ignorant, I tried to race against few others – and was SHOCKED to find it would outrun flathead V8’s, even one with dual carbs, in a quarter – mile drag race. Blue smoke from the 6 obscuring the view – Evidently it had more low end torque. If the race continued beyond the quarter mile, the V8 would eventually pass me with higher RPM
I bet that 6 has many after market mods available that would bring HP up to and surpass the stock V8. Beautiful project !
I believe this car has a V8 engine as that is what I think is indicated on the center piece of the grill. I had to look closely to make it out, but I think it’s an eight, so that means it came with a flat head V8. The seller might not know where the pull knob to open the hood is and that might be the reason they can’t get it open. It needs some work but it is definitely restorable.
Yeah I see the 8 in the center but there’s no pull knob hood release.1 or 2 crusty levers inside the grill to pop it open.
Jay, this particular car might not have a pull knob to open the hood, but it should have one. Google 50 Ford hood release to see a picture.
The hood release is there, beside the E brake. I own a ’50 so I spotted it right away.
A really nice driver 2dr. will run $15-20k, they are out there, this wreck could be a beater driver if you get it for $3500 tops, and fix yourself,not worth restoration costs with alot better out there.
I remember there were a few resto-mods of these where someone grafted the roof off a ’97 T-Bird onto these and put in the T-Bird’s running gear and interior. Let’s say the finished product was an acquired taste
Yup my 55 F100 has the V8 emblem in the grill and there are 2 levers to pull to get the behemoth hood opened. But underneath lies a crate 350/370 HP LT1 .030 over with roller cam and a crate B&M 400 turbo tranny. It’s got just a little “pep!
Bummer
Bummer
All of the 12 or so cars I’ve restored were to stock condition with only discreet safety or performance upgrades (brakes, T5 swap, etc.) I always wanted to do a full-on custom but at this point I probably don’t have the 3-5 years or the budget it requires. But I’d sure like to take this one on. It’s a rarely seen model with all kinds of potential. I look at it and see what could be. Heresy? Maybe, but it could be a real head turner and fun ride. I’d pull a vintage teardrop trailer behind it and head out for a camping trip and when I got home drive it every day the weather allowed.
Old age sucks.
I like your thinking Steven and old age does suck. I am a couple years away from purging 3 that I love dearly but can’t keep up with them like I used to.
Steven, I agree with you on your idea of a stock restoration with safety and performance upgrades. I would keep the flat head engine, but with appearance upgrades and probably multiple carbs, and a sweet sounding duel exhaust system. Then drive it often. Your last comment is so true for an old hot rodder. It sucks to still want to do things that you used to do easily but can’t do any more.
I was born and raised in a 51 Merc, just a Ford with different emblems. It had a V8 and was a Trojen Horse. It seemed that GM was always playing “catch up” with what ever Ford put out there back then.