Vehicle Description
Cool '58 Ford 300 2-door sedan. Built 427 by Michael's Racing
Engines, fresh 4-speed. Every part used in the car is dated to the
early 1970s, giving this car a perfect period look. Fast, fun,
reliable, and easy to drive, it really stands out! The fellow who
built this cool Ford 300 specializes in re-creating cars that would
have been prowling the streets in the past. In this Ford's case,
it's the early 1970s and the car totally nails the look. There's
not a single part on the car that dates later than about 1973 and
as a result, it has a feel that will take you back to those awesome
days when cruising the streets and picking up races at red lights
was our primary form of recreation. The bodywork is entirely stock
and remains laser-straight with no patches or repairs, thanks to a
lifetime in a sheetmetal-friendly climate. They laid down a slick
coat of black with enough metallic in it to make it sparkle in the
sunlight, another '70s touch that works rather well. Nothing was
modified beyond deleting the front bumper, which was a popular
trick to reduce weight. The result is that the grille appears to be
floating in the center of the opening and the car looks lighter at
a glance. The 300 2-door sedan was the base model, but that was the
one everyone wanted since it was also the lightest and stiffest,
but despite its status as the entry-level Ford, it wears enough
bright chrome and stainless to look well-dressed. Note the faux
hood scoop up front, the bright stainless trim along its sides, and
the oval taillights, which are from a station wagon so they tuck
into the bodywork a little bit better. This car is all about the
details and the more you look, the better it gets. The interior has
been upgraded with a set of leather seats from an early '70s
Mercury-another detail that locks the car into its period. The
sparkling 3-spoke steering wheel was a staple at '70s AutoRama
shows and works perfectly here. Factory gauges are joined by a
column-mounted tach and auxiliary gauges under the dash, and they
all work properly. There's a powerful stereo system that actually
sounds quite good in the freshened 300 interior thanks to decent
sound deadening underneath. The Hurst shifter for the 4-speed
transmission racks through the gears with effortless ease and
offers a cool 8-ball knob that just works in the 300. Even the back
seat was upgraded to match the fronts, so it has an all-of-a-piece
feel that is indicative of this builder's attention to detail. The
headliner is recent so it's bright and taut, and the shag in the
rear window is funky enough to work just right. There's also a
good-sized trunk with a spare tire and battery box. The original
G-code 332 cubic inch V8 is long gone, replaced by a thundering
Ford 427 side oiler built by the pros at Michael's Racing Engines.
Punched out to 445 cubic inches and belting out an estimated 500
horsepower, it makes this 300 seriously fast if you're willing to
use it properly. But at the same time, it's docile, idles nicely,
starts easily, and is happy to cruise down the highway without any
fussing at all. The engine is dressed in early '70s components from
the carburetor to the headers, with the only modern piece being the
aluminum radiator to keep it nice and cool and a modern dual master
cylinder for the power front disc brakes. The 4-speed manual
transmission was recently rebuilt and shifts beautifully, and you
know it doesn't even flinch when that 427 is spinning at full bore.
Out back, the Ford 9-inch is full of 3.73 gears, which makes this
big Ford feel punchy around town, but it's actually quite
comfortable on the highway at about 2800 RPM. Disc brakes were
fitted up front and the steering, while unassisted, is actually
quite light and easy to manage. The glasspack-style mufflers give
it a great soundtrack but they, too, settle down at highway speeds.
And we really dig those vintage Torque Thrust wheels up front and
the painted steelies out back with sticky Racemasters for the
perfect finishing touch. We know this car isn't for everyone, but
if you were there in the early '70s, this car is going to bring
back a lot of great memories. It's beautifully finished and
exacting in its specifications, and it really does drive
beautifully. The attention to detail is what makes this car
special, so if that's your era, this is your car. Call today!
Harwood Motors always recommends and welcomes personal or
professional inspections of any vehicle in our inventory prior to
purchase.
