Vehicle Description
Everyone knows the late-60s muscle cars, but the horsepower wars
started far earlier using full-sized hammers like this 1964 Ford
Custom 2-door sedan. Stuffed full of Ford's nastiest 427 and fitted
with a bunch of upgrades to make it easy to drive today, it's got
an industrial-strength look that still resonates today.
If you wanted a performance car, you bought a Custom and stripped
it down. The Custom was the bottom-of-the-line, so it was already
no frills, but the smartest guys spec'd a 427 (known as a Q-code)
and little else. Most were Wimbledon White, partly because that's
how Ford painted them when they went racing and partly because it
was the most visible background for sponsorship decals at the drag
strip. Regardless, that's how this car was originally born and it
cackles and snarls just as you'd expect. The long bodywork is
straight and clean, and while the paint isn't show-quality, it has
a bare-knuckles look that's still intimidating. Somewhere along the
line this one grew a teardrop hood like the Thunderbolts (which
were one size smaller, on the Fairlane platform) and the center
headlights were converted to air intakes, both modifications that
probably could have happened when it was fairly new. Panel gaps are
good and it doesn't look like this car was actually used for
racing. Even the chrome shines up nicely and gives the Custom a bit
of an upscale look, just for fun.
The blue vinyl interior is bargain basement, but that's purely
intentional. Bench seats, a manual shifter sticking out of the
transmission tunnel, and a tach stuck to the top of the dash make
it seem very much like 1964 all over again. You'll note this car
has both clock and radio delete, and there's a heater only because
it was standard equipment. The big steering wheel looks great with
its built-in horn ring, making it feel at least a little civilized,
and the beautiful silver-faced gauges have a fairly contemporary
look. That Hurst shifter is now linked to a modern 5-speed gearbox,
so it's a lot happier on highway cruises, but the original
Toploader 4-speed is available (call for details). The back seat is
still plenty spacious, so bring some friends, because, quite
honestly, the dual-quad 427 won't even notice the extra weight.
There's also a huge trunk that's been stripped of everything but
the mats in the interest of drag strip functionality.
But the real story is all happening underneath, where that Q-code
427 is dressed for combat. With Holman Moody tinwork, 427 emblems
and a lot of period-correct details, it looks the way it might have
before its first race in 1964. Dual quads are always impressive,
but this one runs very well and they don't get at all fussy,
although you'd better be sure it's aimed where you want it to go
before you crack open the secondaries. With less than 500 miles on
the build, it's very fresh and hasn't been raced, so no worries
about getting someone else's tired, yet expensive, hi-po motor. The
5-speed transforms the big block into something that can be easily
used on the street and it bellows through a set of gorgeous
long-tube headers and a stainless exhaust system. A Ford 9-inch out
back doesn't seem to mind the torque ripping through it and it sits
right, especially on those skinny 215/75/15 blackwalls that emulate
the original bias-plys that it might have worn originally.
Most folks won't get this car, but if you're one of those Ford guys
who love the early muscle, this car hits all the right notes. Call
today!