Vehicle Description
1951 was the first year for the post-WWII Victoria. This trim
package on the Ford Custom Deluxe is where Ford first really
satisfied America's new desire for great styling and premium
touches. And this example seems to really understand that feeling
with a cool vintage style and plenty of the right investments to
keep this a comfortable cruiser in modern times.
When you want a distinctive classic, the Victoria is the right
place to start. Its pillarless hardtop design with wraparound rear
windshield is a premium feature that makes this far rarer than the
standard two-door. Still, it's so darn attractive that Ford
Victorias actually outsold Chevy's line-topping Bel Air in '51.
Like any good 1950s coupes, this one has plenty of brightwork led
by the large front bumper and intricate grille that doubled down on
the previous year's bullet-nose style. There's great trim around
the hardtop and running down the side of the car. It's all set in a
nice two-tone of Greenbrier Metallic with a Sea Island Green on
top. It's part of an older restoration that happened in 1994, but
there's a quality here that tells you it has lasting power. And as
you dig a little deeper, the LED taillights, halogen headlights,
Buick back up lights, and the electric wiper and washer mechanism
are all part of the well-integrated updates that tell you the
investments in this coupe were not only about style, but also
making it a quality driver.
The two-tone continues on the inside with a deeper green and a
tasteful white. This has great pieces you expect from a time
capsule classic, like the original stylized steering wheel, the AM
radio for display, and classic Victoria badging on the dash. But
there are also some well-integrated features that make this a
better cruiser. For example, the big speedometer looks like a
factory piece, but it's a newer Classic Instruments unit with crisp
marking and nice extras, including a tach. The seats were redone as
part of comprehensive work in 2016. They have the classic look, but
now there are comfy velour inserts for where you sit. And the door
panels were done to match so this upgrade look uniform. There's
also plush carpeting and a cup holder center console. They even
added modern R134a air conditioning (will likely need a charge to
properly blow cold.)
Ford's flathead V8 is a legend all on its own for the power it
provides, and the 239 cubic-inch displacement would be the largest
installed in the Ford cars. This has the right look of a classic,
right down to the tall oil bath air cleaner. But just like the rest
of the car, there were also more recent investments for this
quality driver. This is a rebuilt powerhouse installed with the
work done in 2016 (the odometer reflects the low mileage put on
since then.) It has worthwhile upgrades like a 12-volt electrical
system, Pertronix electronic ignition, electric fuel pump, and an
electric fan. It fires up nicely, like a well-done cruiser should,
and this makes a sweet tune from the Borla exhaust. The rebuilt
steering system, automatic transmission, upgraded Wilwood front
disc brakes, and whitewall tires disguising modern treads are all
part of a very vintage package that you'll also love to drive.
The sale comes with some nice paperwork, including title
documentation, owner's manual, build receipts, and maintenance
records. There are also two boxes of components and previous owner
info. This is Ford that was premium when new and upgraded to make
sure you can still show off its serious style. So don't miss out on
this awesome Victoria. Call today!!!