Vehicle 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!
