Most buyers want two doors, but if you are looking for a great classic that is affordable, fun and capable of hauling a few close friends, a classic four-door is a great option. Take reader Roger N’s 1949 Ford Custom as an example. It looks to be a nice car with a flathead V8 that runs great. It needs a little cosmetic work but could be enjoyed as is. Roger is asking $7,500 or best offer for this Ford and it’s currently located in Cody, Wyoming.
Asking Price: $7,500
Location: Cody, Wyoming
Mileage: 124,179
Title Status: Clean
VIN: 98BA634482
Seller’s Description: This Ford was purchased on June 20th, 1949 in the little town of Cody, Wyoming, which is 52 miles east from Yellowstone National Park, from the Motor Sales Company. It has been in the Cody area all of its life.
Body Condition: Body is very nice, looks like it has been re-painted many years ago, which is a very poor repaint job (patina type ). Seems to be mostly rust free, except for the lower rockers, looks like there might be some body-filler in these areas. Chrome and stainless are in fair to good condition. Interior is in good condition, all complete and all original. Will come with a new carpet kit from Trim Parts. New reproduction original style hubcaps are also included.
Mechanical Condition: The engine is a 239 V8 flathead, starts right up, runs very nice. The transmission is a 3-speed stick on the column, shifts very well, and there are no weird noises from the transmission. Brakes work very well with new wheel cylinders, master cylinder, and brake system was flushed out. Cooling system including radiator, water pumps, hoses, and belts are all new. New Coker tires are mounted on the original wheels (20 miles on the tires).
We recently featured a two-door Ford Custom and it’s bidding is already considerably higher than Roger’s asking price. Would it be fun to have the coupe? Sure, but it would be just as much fun to have this four-door! Plus, $5k+ premium would go a long way to making this car perfect (it would also buy some sweet speed parts for it). So, if you’d love to give this sweet Ford a good home, be sure to contact Roger via the form below!
If you have a classic that needs a new home and would like to sell it here on Barn Finds, you can read more about getting it listed here!
List your classified here on Barn Finds!
This is a beauty. I bought a ’50 last spring, and it’s the perfect blend of vintage car that can double as a daily driver since it’s not super-rare or valuable in some way other than just being old and cool.
The other side, with kiddo.
And with rims in red.
Jonny, with all due respect, your `50 is a far cry from this `49. But at $7500., this makes for an AFFORDABLE first collector car for someone entering the hobby. It’s not perfect, but it’s presentable, and alot of the tough stuff is already done–heck, you even get a new carpet kit for it! Shoe-box Fords (`49-`51) have a huge array of reproduction parts available, resources for flathead repairs, etc. so a buyer is not without what they need.
Oh, I know. It’s just a cool car.
Hey angryjonny, you have to change your handle man! It should be happyjonny. Nice rig and you have the kids involved. Take care and enjoy, Mike.
I like this one even better than the coupe
I saw yesterday. As I stated earlier, we
just don’t see too many shoebox Fords
at Old Town, so having this one would
be a real treat for the folks who come
to the cruises every weekend that may
have ever seen a Ford like this. Too bad
I can’t afford to buy it, it looks to be a
really nice car and someone will pick it
up–to bad it won’t be me.
Okay those in the know, this looks tempting. Thing is that I know and like inline 6 flat heads with overdrive. They are quiet, smooth, and easy to work on. Never even driven a flat head V8. How do they compare to a 6 and is overdrive a plus on these?
Thanks
Ford did indeed offer a 6-cylinder engine
option beginning in 1941. This engine
was also a flathead unit that had a 226
cubic inch displacement and was rated
at 90 HP, as opposed to 95 for its bigger
brother the flathead V-8. Like the V-8,
the buyer could order either a 3-speed
column shift or a 3-speed with overdrive.
By ’49, the V-8 was belting out an honest
100 HP, while the 6 put out 95. By all
accounts, the 6 was the much better
of two as it didn’t overheat or vaporlock
as much as the V-8 did. In ’52, the 6 was
redesigned into an OHV unit that again
made just 5 to 10 HP less than the V-8
(110 vs 120) and would stay that way
through ’54. Sadly though, cylinders sold
cars, and many buyers passed them over
in favor of the V-8–that was woefully
outdated by ’53. It wasn’t until ’54 that
Ford would offer an OHV style V-8–the
239 CID Y-block that would be the basis
for all of Ford’s great V-8s. The 6 would
soldier on unnoticed to become the
legendary 200-300 CID mill that would
power Ford trucks well into the ’90’s.
So there you go, and I hope that helps.
Good work Kenneth !! Nice capsule history.
Thanks Kenneth, that is just what I was looking for. A four door like this is right up my alley. A perfect distraction from life that the kids and I can keep up and cruise around in.
Two doors are nice, and if you have children between the age of 4 and 10, would be safer. But for most people, 4 doors would be nice as well. :)
+1. No need to limit one’s choices to the mob’s ideal.
Too easy to miss out on interesting cars because of some arbitrary prejudice.