In the years immediately following World War II, American-made automobiles were largely retreads of pre-war models. While Ford production resumed in 1946, its first all-new cars didn’t arrive until 1949 as design and retooling finally came through (the same was true for the other big manufacturers). The seller’s 1950 Custom convertible is said to be a true barn find, and it may have been out of circulation for 63 years. Located in Louisville, Kentucky, this rough ragtop needs a full restoration – if you’re up for it. This Ford find is available here on Facebook Marketplace for $5,000.
Before 1949, the last time Ford introduced an all-new car was in 1941. Quickly thereafter, auto production was shifted to the war effort, and there would be no new cars after 1942 and not again until 1946. The cars had the benefit of getting to market six months ahead of primary competitor, Chevrolet. Because of their layout and appearance, the 1949-51 Fords were dubbed “Shoeboxes”. But some of the hardware was pre-war, such as the 239 cubic inch “flathead” V8 in the seller’s car.
Due to pent-up demand from the war effort, the new Fords sold like the proverbial hotcakes. The 1950 models were little changed, and convertibles like this Custom convertible saw sales of more than 50,000 units in the first year of the fifth decade of the 20th Century. We don’t know the history of this Ford. We’re told it was last licensed in 1963 and may only have 4,000 original miles. It was parked for unknown reasons in some facility where Mother Nature had at least partial access.
Photos provided by the seller focus on sections of the car, so its overall condition is hard to gauge. Fair at best may be the assumption, and we can’t tell how much of a factor corrosion is. The paint and chrome are shot, as well as the canvas top and interior. So, you’re going to have to plan on a sizeable and expensive restoration project. But when was the last time you saw a Shoebox Ford that had a retractable top like this one? And thanks for another cool tip, “Pnuts”!
The seller saying this car could “possibly less than 4,000 original miles” and it’s a “pretty solid project” is ridiculous. It casts doubt on everything the seller has to say. They couldn’t even be bothered to hose out or vacuum the car. It might be rare, but even rare has limits when it comes to what’s worth the effort to restore.
Steve R
I’m Shoebox Curious. By the looks of the grill, this might be a ’51. The “Custom” had the target/circle grill style on the ’49 & ’50, then it looks like they switched to the more horizontal style in ’51.
That’s what the internet tells me. ;)
This is indeed a ’50, identifiable from the door handles and horn ring. It does have a custom grill (neither a ’50 with a single bullet in the middle nor a ’51 with two). The trim above the front wheels is also non-original, possibly from a Crestliner.
Even if free one would quickly be underwater on restoring this one. They are not that rare nor in much demand at this point. Hank
W.Lesser, I’m not positive, but I wonder if the grille on this makes it a CANADIAN variant? It also has the “Crestliner” side trim that normally was a mid-1950 addition to the coupe line (no Crestliner cvts. were offered) And the hubcaps on this one are `51 items, not 1950 but they help, visually anyway.
The Canadian thought occurred to me too. Definitely nonstock if American and too well integrated for a common custom job, though not particularly attractive. Just don’t look like the Ford nose you’d expect. Sort’a like GMC variants of the Bullnose Chevies. Just don’t cut it.
Agree Will on both – if not a Canada grille – could it be a Pontiac grille….has those JC Whitney chrome splash guards as well….
yes a 1950 the dash is the easy way 1951 has a total different dash
Hmm… the grill kinda looks similar to the one on the 51 Meteor.
That was my first thought, the grille might be from a Canadian model.
HI SM. 49 & 50 Meteors had Merc style grills while the 51 had twin horizonal bars with teeth in-between. That looks like a Chrysler product grill to me, but I was a Ford guy when young in Saskatchewan and was never too familiar with Chrysler products..
This is a 51 meteor. Looks like early production run when they used up some leftover parts.
I think it is a 49 Pontiac grille and side trim 51
Ford Crestliner
I agree on both your ideas…….
I never liked the body design on these. But their starting to grow on me. Especially a rag top. In my opinion, the soft top helps the body style. This car would truly be a labor of love. And I don’t love them that much.
at the end of the day this car was poorly stored and paid dearly for it. they should have sold this years ago. i think the 5k is way on the optimistic side. even 2k would be pushing it. not many people rushing to restore these when a nice 1 can be had for 30k or less.
Looks like a roadkill garage car to me. No restoration, drop my old 302 four barrel in and four on the floor and rip around gravel roads.
That is definitely a 1949 Pontiac Silver Streak grille. It may be slightly modified to fit in the opening, but that is what it is. Someone else mentioned the Crestliner chrome, and I do believe it. Back in those days, it wasn’t hard to transfer one car’s chrome (or other parts) to another. That’s what customization was all about.
Thanks for clearing – it’s a Poncho grillle…..
I am wondering if that Grill is a Pontiac unit. It would be a nice car restored with a Windsor engine. It has already been modified so why not mod up the brakes and drive train.
Yes JT in Oz. I suspected the grille was a Pontiac, so I googled a few years that I recalled from memory, sure enough, two Pontiacs removed from the ’51 I thought it was, up pops a picture of the ’49, with, yes, that grille, with possibly a few inches cut out of the center. Back in the ’60’s, I did stuff like that. Caught the bug from a REAL customizer in the neighborhood who let a snot-nosed kid like me watch and lend unskilled labor to his endeavors.
The grille work looks like period correct custom work. The bullet was simply removed and the hole covered as necessary. You can see where the hood was filled and top chrome bar has a chromed patch of some kind. The grille itself could have been a junkyard find. Somebody will know where it came from.
Can’t imagine this one being restored but there is a wealth of parts right there.
your rt about the hood and grille is dinifily a 51 or 52 Pontiac