A lot of the cars we feature on Barn Finds need work. Many of them need a lot of work, but we try to find homes for these cars because they are rare or special in some way. Perhaps we sometimes forget that a lot of enthusiasts lack the mechanical skills, tools, or garage space necessary to rehabilitate a down on its luck automobile. There are a lot of enthusiasts out there that would love to have a well sorted out car to play with, but it needs to be a car they can take to the local mechanic when things go wrong. For enthusiasts in that category, I think I have found a really good ride. In Easley, South Carolina, this pretty 1951 Ford two door is waiting for its new caretaker. It can be found on craigslist, and the asking price for this very nice car is just $11,500.
To Ford enthusiasts, these cars are known as “shoeboxes,” because of their slab siding. These cars were quite a departure from previous Fords. Ford had basically stuck with their 1942 design after the war, and there were little improvements all the way up to 1948. After the war, manufacturers sold all the cars they could produce to a country that hadn’t been able to purchase a new car since early 1942. It wasn’t long before buyers started looking for a more modern car, and Ford had nothing to offer them for a few years. This crippled the company financially, and forced them to make a radical change for the 1949 model year.
The new 1949 Ford design did away with pontoon style fenders, had a much lower center of gravity, and was a much more modern looking car. Mechanically, the frame was updated to a ladder type, the torque tube was done away with and replaced with a more modern driveshaft, and an independent front suspension rounded out the updates. Under the hood, buyers were given the choice of either the standard Flathead V-8, or a flathead inline six. Many Ford enthusiasts think the flathead six is a better engine, but they won’t say out loud at a meet! Ford ended up producing this model until 1951, and the success they had in sales helped the company get off the financial ropes.
This particular 1951 Ford is not a show car. It seems to be a well sorted out driver, which is the best kind of collector car to have. In the pictures, we see that the car has radial tires. While it technically should have bias ply tires, radials sure make driving a lot more fun for the guy behind the wheel. We can also see that the paint isn’t too shiny, but a good polishing may correct a lot of that. The seller states that every aspect of the car is good, and that it has received new wires (which I assume to be plug wires, not electrical wiring for the rest of the car) and new hoses. He claims that the engine, transmission, brakes, and basically anything else related to the enjoyment of this car is “good.” His reason for selling is that he has found his dream car, so this one has to find a new home.
Inside, we see what looks to be a fairly new interior, though I do not think that this particular material and color combination is factory correct, Still, it looks comfortable and presents well. The seller tells us that the floor is “good” (he likes the word good), and that is a weak spot on these particular Fords. That stalk sticking out of the steering column is not an automatic transmission. The new owner will have to learn how to drive a “three on the tree” manual. Its not that hard to learn. If I can do it, anyone can! In the ad, the seller did not let us know if the safety glasses and fuzzy dice are included, but a smooth negotiator could probably get them thrown in on the deal.
What we have here is a car that is a lot of fun to own, and it could provide an enthusiast who wants a fairly trouble free car with many miles of happy motoring. These Fords are sort of a bridge from the antiquated thinking and technology that hurt Ford in the post war era, and the more modern cars that the fifties and sixties brought us. They are simple in design, but they are reliable, can perform well in modern traffic, and are a pleasure to drive. Parts availability is fantastic, and the Early Ford V-8 Club can both educate you about your new purchase and help you network with other Flathead owners through their expansive local club network. This is the kind of car that you can use as a second car if need it in a pinch, or you can throw your luggage in the trunk and head off to that car show that you always wanted to see two states over. Its a usable classic that just needs a new owner.
Yeah, I’d dump my ’51 Ford coupe if I found that perfect ’84 Subaru Justy 4WD with the CVT too!
Used to see cars in this condition nearly all the time as a little kid. My
Mom had a ’50 Ford in very similar condition to this one. With the only
fault in that car being a punched out ignition key mechanism. She told
me that starting the car was a challenge at first, but she got used to it.
She also said that she didn’t have the car for a long time as a friend she worked with at Eureka-Williams (yes, the vacuum cleaner company)
offered her a ’53 Nash Statesman 4-door in trade for the Ford. Seeing
this car reminds me of the good old days when life was good and
anything was possible.
Best one of these I ever saw had an Olds V8 with four Stromberg 97 s on it.
You have to admit that the early ’50s designs were a lot better looking than the last half of the ’50s… with the exception of the ’57 Oldsmobiles and Chevys. We stuck our big Olds engine into a ’53 Stud Lowery coupe. Great fun!
Ah Fordsters Mercmobiles Studalaics cruising main street lookin’ for pretty girls I can hear Wolfman Jack can you?
My favorite ford steering wheel! I’m currently looking for one for my project…
And they kept that basic style for many years!
Well, I kind of doubt the new owner will have to learn how to shift a three on the tree.
I agree! I still keep a 67 Chevy C10 with 3 on the tree just to make sure the Grandkids had a standard shift on the column to learn on.
Nice little cruiser. Is that a fair price?
I had several 46 to 48 Fords and 2 50s. Yes, the flathead was a finicky bitch, hard to start especially if they were hot which happened a lot. Two of mine were 6s and I never had a problem with them. Having said that, I’d give up my front row seat in hell to push that starter button and hear a smooth running flathead 8 roar to life under my command. They have an unforgettable sound. I might argue a bit about that part where they have enough power to keep up with modern traffic tho. I’m currently driving a 52 Olds Super 88. Now that sweety will keep up with traffic
Has been deleted from Craigslist! My favorite Ford of the ‘shoebox’ era.had a friend in the 60s who had a the two-hardtop version he had bought from his Aunt. Low mileage and immaculate condition with the V8 and three speed. Light blue with a cream colored roof. Nice ride…..
The 6 was ohv not a flatty
Nope. Not in ’51. The 223 CID OHV Six came out in the all-new ’52 models. The OHV V-8 followed in ’54.
You are half right cyclemikey, yes this was the last year for the flathead 6. However, the first ohv 6 bowed in at 215 cubic inches for 52 and 53. The 223 arrived in 54 and was used until 64. It shared parts with the y block as well as the oiling problems.
wrong
In 1974 my high school graduation present from my Dad was a 51 Ford with the V8. The first thing I did was convert it to 12 volt. Very easy to do for an 18 year old with very little experience. I left the 6 volt starter installed and all you had to do was bump the starter button and she was running. Sold it for $700 in 76 when I enlisted in the USAF, I should of kept it. I had no problem keeping up with Los Angeles traffic back then, I cannot believe it wold be any different today. I remember the car doing 105 mph top speed.
Love to have this. I learned how to drive stick in my friends first on the tree then on the floor after we started changing things!
Drove my cousin’s ’51 two door a lot in the early ’60’s. It was beat compared to this one, appearance wise, but it would go 70 all day (V8), was comfortable, had a really good heater, but heaven help you if you stalled it when the engine was hot in traffic, it would not restart easily. Got used to asking who ever was behind me to give me a push, which given the sturdy bumpers of the time, they were always willing to do, put it in 2nd, dump the clutch, and once moving let the clutch out and off I would go! And plenty of room for the GF and I do to whatever we wanted parked at the lake.
Only thing missing were some Blue Dots…
Even back then I wondered what was with the blue dots. Just the cheapest way to customize?
Following a trip to Plum Island, Mass in 1951 where a freak sandstorm blasted most of the window glass in the family 50 Ford tudor, Dad bought a light blue 51 with V8 and overdrive. The sandstorm also reduced most of the beautiful maroon paint to a primer-like luster. It was cheaper to buy a new car than have the glass replaced and the car repainted, even in 51.
I always liked the new for 51 dashboard and Dad, the hotfoot that he was, loved the V8. OD could be used on 2nd and 3rd, I believe, and he once bragged (out of Mom’s earshot) that he could get 85 mph out of standard 2nd gear. Never did talk about top speed in OD but I’m sure that he bested the “ton”, as the Brits say, somewhere on the lousy New England roads of the day. My last ride in the car was in early 53 on a quest for prescription sunglasses for Dad which ended up with us returning home in a new sandpiper tan 53 tudor with a sun visor and fordomatic (a concession to 4 foot 10 inch Mom). He never did get the sunglasses.