Vehicle Description
1949 Ford Coupe
In automotive usage, a lead sled is a standard production
automobile with a body heavily modified in particular ways
especially, though not exclusively, a 1949, 1950 or 1951 model year
Ford 'Shoebox' or Mercury Eight car. In the name, "lead" (as in the
heavy metal) refers to the heavy weight of the body, and "sled"
refers to the lowering of the vehicle, giving these vehicles the
appearance that they were "slip sliding" down the highway. Period
auto body repair, by an auto body mechanic used to be achieved
through a combination of re-shaping sheet metal using specialist
hand tools and the application of molten lead to damaged body
panels, fulfilling the role of more modern polyester fillers.
Let's say ALOHA! to this wild Ford shoebox from 1949 as it is
painted in Hawaiian Orchid with some hot ghost flames licking its
straight yet rounded sides. Chopped, frenched and shaved we now
have a snappy example of the quintessential lead sled. Plenty of
highlight features to gab about, oops enough of this intro!
Exterior
The roof was chopped 4-1/2 inches, the door handles and trunk
handle were shaved for that simplistic clean look because who needs
door handles interfering with their Hawaiian Orchid paint?
Headlights and taillights were frenched still keeping that late
40's look but with a hint to European aero beginnings. A chromed
toothy grille is within a blackened opening and below is a wide
curved front bumper. Gone are the trim spears, belt line trimmings
etc, just a set of lake pipes for the rockers. Two small horizontal
trimmings do adorn the rounded "italicized shaped" fender skirts
which are giving the appearance of that slip sliding down the
highway look. On the back the beginnings of rounded fins flank the
curved trunk, and sport squinting oval frenched taillights. Badges?
we don't need no stinking badges!...just another wide curved bumper
to top off the bottom end of this nice ass. Wide white Coker tires
wrap shiny dish style wheel caps that have faux knockoff hubs on a
Hawaiian orchid painted moon cap. Also, you'll need to look
closely, but light blue ghost flames lick the sides and undulate
rearward like a grass hula skirt.
Interior
All custom upholstery and metal fabrication work for this interior
and looking nothing like the original '49 shoebox that came from
the factory. The door panels are two tone maroon vinyl with white
inserts with some tuck and roll pleating around a formed armrest. A
fabricated center console cascades from the back bench through the
front buckets meeting up with a rising panel up to the dash. This
"long console" undulates with white pleated panels and maroon
sides, covering the hump on its journey to the front. On the rise
panel, all in maroon, are Vintage Air sliders, a CB radio, an
AM/FM/CD player and eyeball air vents. The dash front is all metal
and bathed in maroon paint. Sculpted into the dash is an aluminum
ribbed instrument panel with Dakota digital gauges offering up a
blue glow. A Ford padded rally steering wheel fronts the dash and
is topping a tilting adjustable column. Low back early Mustang
style buckets with white tuck and roll inserts and maroon shiny
smooth bolsters are in front, and in back a split bench has the
inserts and padded built-in sausage headrests. Above is an
interesting take on the headliner which shows in a smooth one piece
maroon panel not padded or paneled, then white horizontal pleated
padded panels running through from front to back. Maroon carpeting
floods the floor and is nice and clean.
Drivetrain
When you open the hood in this machine, you'll need a pair of
sunglasses because the Hawaiian Orchid is inside along with some
vented polished stainless panels that line the engine bay. In the
center is the gleaming gem of a 460ci Lincoln V8 topped with a
4-barrel carburetor and a long oval open chromed air cleaner filter
covering. On the back is a C6 3 speed automatic and a 10-bolt rear.
All bolt ons are polished to the nines and this engine bay just
gleams right down to the Hawaiian Orchid shiny ribbed valve
coverings, and purple plug wires.
Undercarriage
Underneath has been totally restored and now sports an updated Ford
front frame section, rack and pinion steering, 4-wheel disc brakes,
and power steering. Exhaust is stock with resonators.
Drive-Ability
Just slip inside and turn the key and you won't even get out of the
parking lot at Classic Auto Mall and heads will be turning, and
arms will be waving. One of the kicks my partner and crime and I do
is to take a special car through the adjacent McDonalds drive thru,
and this car qualified. It's a hoot to drive and runs beautifully.
Even the front seats feel as though they massage you and that's a
plus. Supersize me!
A rolling work of automotive art takes a very creative person to
pull one of these sleds together and this person was a master. All
nicely done and totally custom. Mele kalikimaka is coming up like a
jail house on wheels. Don't fret about the shortages or ships in
ports waiting to unload all those presents, just pull this baby
into your garage and you don't even need to wrap it!
Classic Auto Mall is a 336,000-square foot classic and special
interest automobile showroom, featuring over 600 vehicles for sale
with showroom space for up to 1,000 vehicles. Also, a 400 vehicle
barn find collection is on display.
This vehicle is located in our showroom in Morgantown,
Pennsylvania, conveniently located just 1-hour west of Philadelphia
on the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. The website is
www.classicautomall.com and our phone number is (888) 227-0914.
Please contact us anytime for more information or to come see the
vehicle in person.
