Ford’s first post-war redesign was the Custom, introduced near the end of the turbulent forties decade. Its fresh, streamlined styling featured slab-sides and was considered somewhat radical for the period. However, as it aged, the car’s appearance was deemed sort of boxy, earning the Custom a nickname of “shoebox:”. This 1950 sedan here on Craigslist is priced at only $799, which seems reasonable for one the seller believes will run and drive again with just a tune-up and a battery charge. It’s in Eugene, Oregon, but unless you’re nearby, I’d probably trailer it home, since this Custom may require more than that before it can handle long-distance driving. Curvette, thanks for the tip here!
The only history lesson we get here is that this was a running, driving car, but there’s no information on when it last ran or why the owner stopped using it for transportation. The 1950 Custom had only two engines: an inline-6 and a flathead V8, and this example has the former. However, both were similar in size and horsepower, with the 226 under the hood here delivering only 5 less horsepower than the slightly larger 239 with two additional cylinders, so it’s not much of a negative that this one has the standard engine. The seller mentions a new gas tank and fuel parts, plus a new brake system, so a tune-up seems like the logical next step to get it back on the road.
The seller gives no specific details about the exterior, and with the amount of soot built up outside, it’s probably safe to say that this Ford has been sitting for a while. Soaping and pressure-washing this car would significantly improve its appearance, and fortunately, I don’t immediately see any major corrosion issues on most panels. The rear bumper and most of the front-end pieces are worn, but that’s a cool bullet nose, and with a respray and restored chrome, it would be a sharp cruiser without draining your bank account.
While the interior could use some work, the dash and steering wheel look pretty good, though it’s hard to tell about the floors from the photos. However, a couple of clues suggest this sedan may be more structurally sound than not. The side panels are missing inside, which lets potential buyers see inside the doors, and hopefully that’s just surface rust. In the shots with the doors open, the rockers look fairly solid, so there’s a decent chance this one may not need extensive steel repairs or replacement. For under $800, I’m thinking this 1950 Ford Custom is a good deal and a passable project. How about you?
Was running and driving, how long ago? Inexpensive for a reason.
Steve R
My advice to the seller would be to get it to a carwash and then relist.