The attractive hardtop body style was still a relatively new and special thing in the early 1950s, and its seemed as if most makes had special names for it: Buick had the “Riviera,” Oldsmobile the “Holiday,” and Ford the “Victoria.” Considering that the hardtop was often offered only in the most expensive trim lines, as was the case with this 1953 Crestline Victoria, it was almost always a hot seller (128,302 units of this model alone), and it’s easy to see why; the hardtop was arguably the most attractive bodystyle offered, aside perhaps from the true convertible. There’s a lot to like about the ’53 Ford in general, and this Victoria in particular: It has the last of the Ford Flathead V8s under the hood, it’s “road ready,” and it has a three-speed manual transmission. Barn Finder T.J. found it on Marketplace in Pottsville, Arkansas, with an asking price of $16,500.

The ’53 Ford is one of those cars that make me wish I had alternate timelines in my life. You just can’t own them all, but I secretly would love to own a car much like this one (maybe in a slightly darker color, perhaps a medium blue with a dark blue top…and make mine an overdrive while we’re daydreaming). The flathead is one of those engines that everybody respects, even if it empirically isn’t all that powerful. In its last year (in America, Canadians will rightly point out that they got one more year with the venerable V8 than we did), it was a 239-cubic-inch version producing 110 horsepower. With the standard three speed, buyers got a 3.90:1 axle ratio standard and a 4.10:1 optional, good for getting off the line, but not so much for high-speed cruising. Of course, the Interstate Highway System was still a few years off in 1953.

The interior of the Victoria looks to be in good shape, if not brand new. I recognize the ripples in the upholstery well; I had my ’53 Buick Special’s upholstery redone last fall, and it needed new seat foam desperately. That’s not an immediate concern, however, and there aren’t any rips or tears that I can see, and it’s just a part of owning an old car.

The seller says that the Ford is a “beautiful car” that “rides [and] drives like a dream.” They’re probably right; these old Fords are simple and reliable. The only part of the ad that raises an eyebrow is the rocker panel/lower fender on the picture above; it appears that some older bodywork may be trying to find the nearest exit, but it may also be shadows playing tricks with us. Either way, it’s a good idea to inspect a Marketplace car in person, and if it checks out, the price is not out of line. Cars of the ’50s aren’t as popular as they once were, but they still have their fans, and it’s hard to go wrong buying a ’53 Ford Victoria, so let us know if you do. Some of us might want to live vicariously through your purchase.