1953 Ford Victoria Restomod

Description

Not only does this 1953 Ford Victoria Restomod coupe have a cool retro look, but it offers modern upgrades that make it a lot of fun to drive. A rather rare body style today, it embodies all that was great about the Fords in the early '50s, and with a modern fuel-injected 5.3L V8, a 4-speed overdrive automatic transmission, and an incredibly comfortable interior, it's one of the coolest Blue Ovals we've seen in a long time.

You can see immediately why the Victoria hardtop is special, particularly in profile, where its sleek styling was truly ground-breaking for the brand. Completely redesigned the previous year, 1953 marked Ford's 50th anniversary, and a facelift and minor exterior trim changes were ushered in that featured an all-new front-end as part as the celebration. The Crestline Victorias were the top-of-the-line submodels in a line of cars dubbed "the only modern styling in the low-priced field" by Ford's on slogan, so it makes a lot of sense that the restorers picked this particular car to build. Fortunately, this one certainly seemed to have always led an easy life, and it still looks pretty darned good today. Of course, super clean sheetmetal was only part of the equation, and the red-on-black paint job shows clear reflections, critical when the body is relatively free of ornamentation, and they wisely chose to keep many the original details intact. The driver-quality finish certainly helps with the eye appeal and this neat little Ford is anything but subtle, especially with the addition of the louvered hood, smoked taillights, and wide dual exhaust tops out back. All the chrome trim was likely restored at the same time as the bodywork, including the clean, simple full-width grille with its central bullet in the opening, cool side spears above the rear wheels, and those air-craft inspired simulated air intakes that adorn the sculpted rear quarters. Pretty much from any angle, this car just looks RIGHT.

The interior was given a comprehensive makeover that respects the original design yet adds several modern functional upgrades. Bench seats fore and aft are trimmed in supple black vinyl, so it has a '50s sensibility that's still a little custom and very durable. Matching door panels feature stark 'Victoria' scripts in bright red and all the factory handles were retained. A leather-wrapped, banjo-style steering wheel is pure Americana cool, and during the makeover the dash was repainted red to continue the two-tone theme. The big central gauge pod was updated to a billet bezel and is filled with Dolphin instruments that look cool and include speed, fuel level, oil pressure, battery life, and coolant temperature, so the driver always knows what's going on under the hood. A Pioneer AM/FM/CD/AUX stereo was neatly integrated into the center of the dash just below the factory clock, and the headliner above is freshly tailored and looks fantastic. Part of this car's original appeal was the massive trunk, and it's been laid bare to show one and all just how solid this Ford really is.

During the restoration, the original flathead was replaced with a fuel-injected 5.3L Vortec V8 that instantly upgraded this hardtop's firing power. With 862 heads, a cold air intake, and modern ignition system, it now makes more than twice the power of the original flathead, and a gigantic aluminum radiator up front keeps it nice and cool. Slick matching black paint on the inner fenders and firewall, a clean Vortec intake cover, and neatly organized components dress up the very clean engine bay and the dual exhaust system has a wonderful sound. The front suspension has been upgraded with a sway bar, upgraded shocks and coils, and a power rack-and-pinion steering system, the power brakes system stops the car on a dime, and a 4-speed automatic transmission makes for pretty effortless cruising. With a stock-style rear end and cruise-friendly gears, it goes down the road without working very hard. Black steel wheels were fitted with shiny hubcaps and blackwall radials which really give it a clean, modern look that finishes this car off perfectly.

Nicely built and sensibly modified, this Ford restomod offers tradition, comfort, and performance in equal measure. Call today!