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Photography by Terry Shea
Photo by Terry Shea
“It was a surprise,” Michael recalls today. “I don’t know why they picked it, but I was excited to get any car.” Still, he says, “I wasn’t thrilled about the fact that it was a six-cylinder four-door,” so he and a friend removed the factory-installed engine and transmission, replacing them with the optional 239-cu.in., 110-hp "Strato-Star" flathead V-8 and standard three-speed manual transmission. That still didn’t disguise the fact that the would-be teenage cruiser had two too many doors to be cool in that era, but a repaint in black at least replaced the somewhat whimsical’50s color with some gravitas.
Like most first cars, that ’53 sedan is long gone some 64 years later, but in 2021, Michael went looking for another ’53 Ford - and found this one in Albuquerque, New Mexico, via the Early Ford V-8 Club classifieds. He had stayed familiar with flathead-era Ford products in the interim, already owning a 1935 Ford that he still has. The trouble with the ’35, though, was that as a prewar car with an 85-hp, 221-cu.in. V-8, no overdrive, bulb-and-reflector headlamps, and non-self-energizing mechanical brakes, it just wasn’t quite as capable of dealing with modern roads. The ’53, as he well recalled, was a thoroughly more modern car - the high-tech sendoff for the flathead, which would be replaced domestically by a 130-hp, 239-cu.in. OHV Y-block V-8 for 1954. The 1953 Ford, Ford Motor Company’s 50th Anniversary model, is a perfect snapshot of the company in transition.
Henry Ford died the day after Easter, 1947, less than four years after his only son, Edsel, and only 18 months after ceding control of his eponymous company to his grandson, Henry Ford II. Ford Motor Company was in shambles - wracked by internal gangsterism and virtually nonexistent bookkeeping practices. On January 18, 1956, Ford Motor Company stock went on sale to the public for the first time; and started trading on the New York Stock Exchange that March. To get from the chaos of 1947 to the IPO of 1956 required a complete overhaul of the company and its products, starting with the introduction of some ex-General Motors executives and a team of World War II Army Air Forces officers known as the “Whiz Kids.”
Photo by Terry Shea
Ford bestowed a Jet Age moniker on its 110-hp side-valve V-8 engine: Strato-Star. Paired with overdrive, it's a remarkably flexible engine even today.
Under this leadership, the most important changes were to company culture and manufacturing practices, but the product decisions would have long-term consequences as well. One proposal made by the ex-GM folks was to eliminate Ford’s antiquated side-valve V-8 in favor of the new OHV six-cylinder planned for 1952 (Lincoln and Mercury, meanwhile, would likely have shared Lincoln’s new OHV Y-block V-8 and the ball-joint front suspension of the so-called “road-race” Lincolns of 1952-’55). It made sense on paper: That would have made for a lighter-built, cheaper-to-produce Ford, more akin to Chevrolet’s product and with equivalent profit margins.
It was a Whiz Kid-adjacent junior executive, Chase Morsey, Jr., who argued that the V-8 and Ford were synonymous to the public, and that going to a six-cylinder-only powertrain would leave the Ford car indistinct and uninspiring against Chevrolet. His arguments prevailed and the 1952-’53 Ford would essentially continue with the 1949-’51 chassis and optional flathead V-8. The new OHV six was the standard engine for most models, but in the heavier chassis suited to the V-8. Ford engineers made the flathead take what advantage it could of the new high-octane gasolines coming on the market in the ’50s, boosting its compression from 6.8:1 for the 100-hp 1950 engine to 7.0:1 for 1951’s 110-hp engine and finally to 7.2:1 for 1952-’53. The final bump in compression did nothing to the rated horsepower, but increased torque from 170 lb-ft to 211.
The holdover chassis design leads to another feature in its last year on 1953 Fords: kingpin-based front suspension. For 1953, Ford and Mercury cars still used the independent front suspension setup that debuted for the 1949 model year (replacing a notoriously outdated I-beam front axle). The 1954 models, while similarly styled to this 1953 and its 1952 predecessors, would have a new chassis with ball-joint-based IFS that would see use through 1959.
Photo by Terry Shea
The V-8 may have been old-fashioned, but if Ford had withdrawn its V-8 just as the first postwar horsepower race was hitting its stride, its questionable if the sporty ’55 Thunderbird would have been built, if Total Performance marketing campaign of 1962 would have occurred, and certainly as to whether the vaunted Mustang line would have come to be. The old flathead’s new Strato-Star moniker was at least a name appropriate to the styling of what Ford called its “Crestmark” body.
That’s one aspect of the ’53 that Michael is particularly fond of. “One thing I tell people is that in the early Fifties, it was the beginning of the Jet Age, and the stylists included a lot of hints toward jets, like the afterburner taillamps and the nose cone in the center of the grille.” The taillamp design would spawn a longstanding Ford motif, seen regularly through the mid-1960s.
As an Antique Automobile Club of America and Early Ford V-8 Club member, Michael eschews non-factory equipment on the ’53 as much as he does his ’35. Yet there’s no need for fancy period accessories here like mechanical-advance distributors, multiple carburetors, and high-compression cylinder heads. “It’s a comfortable drive,” he says. “There’s no trouble keeping up with traffic because of the stick shift. I normally stay off interstates around Charlotte, the drivers can be a little nutty, but in the early summer of 2022, I drove it to Nashville for the Early Ford V-8 Club National Meet. It was 400-plus miles each way and it did really well on the trip. With overdrive, the car had no problems maintaining 70 to 75 miles per hour.” After-the-fact calculations also revealed that the 69-year-old car knocked down over 21 miles per gallon along the way.
Photo by Terry Shea
The chassis and brakes are equally satisfactory, Michael says, although he admits that if it weren’t for the judging guidelines docking points for radials, he would probably switch to more modern tires from the original-style 6.70 x 15 bias-plies. Regardless, he drives the car a lot, especially on back country roads, exercising it “several times a week” in the March-through-November driving season. “I go to a lot of cruises and car shows.”
It helps, of course, that this ’53 received a considerable restoration, including an engine and transmission rebuild, at the hands of the previous owner, now deceased, from whose son Michael purchased the car. The only deviation from as built is the paint color. Ironically given how Michael got rid of the Seafoam Green on his first ’53, the restorer of this car selected the brighter hue shown here (including the addition of what appears to be a Sungate Ivory roof—the upper color originally offered by Ford in a two-tone combination with Fern Mist Green) from another, more muted, green shade.
Inside, the ’53 came with an unrestored interior, and Michael enlisted the help of Peterson’s Auto Trim Shop in Matthews, North Carolina. The original green-and-white Crestweave upholstery was still in fine shape, but other elements had suffered beyond rehabilitation. The original black-rubber floor covering in front was replaced, as were the headliner, windlace, kick panels, and package tray. Additionally, the sunvisors and assist straps were re-covered using headliner material. To bolster the driving experience without compromising the visuals, the original six-tube deluxe radio was converted to receive the FM band as well as AM. Michael’s only planned further changes from the ’53’s present state are to repaint the frame and possibly to convert it to dual exhaust—a non-factory, but certainly period-perfect modification.
Photo by Terry Shea
1964 Dodge WM300 Power Wagon
Reserve: $75,000
Selling Price: $80,850
Recent Market Range: $48,000-$90,000
Big, brash and unstoppable are three words that seem to properly describe the Dodge Power Wagon. Let’s try two more: highly collectible. This 1964 Dodge WM300 Power Wagon hailed from nearer the tail end of more than two decades of postwar civilian manufacture of the go-anywhere vehicle. It had been restored with an orange and black finish that was outgoing personalities only. Then again, it’s kind of hard to be discreet in a Power Wagon. Rather than a modern driveline or the restomod treatment, this one presented as stock with its flathead 250-cu.in. straight-six and Spartan interior. It’s net sale price landed closer to the high end of the market range, but still well within expectations.
1993 Chevrolet K1500 Sportside Sport
Reserve: $20,000
Selling Price: $28,875
Recent Market Range: $18,000-$29,000
With GM “square body” pickups long established as collector darlings, it was only a matter of time before the GMT400 follow-up line reached that status. And, in case you haven't been paying attention, that time arrived a few years back when these “OBS” trucks started climbing in value. This 1993 Chevrolet K1500 Sportside Sport ticked all the boxes for collectability when it comes to trucks: single cab, stepside bed, four-wheel drive and a V8 engine. To top it off, this one showed just under 3,000 miles at the time of submission. This Victory Red example appeared to be in excellent condition all around and underneath, too. It was no surprise that this one sold for a hair under the high end of the recent market range.
1946 Mercury Club Convertible
Reserve: $35,000
Selling Price: $34,650
Recent Market Range: $28,750-$41,500
Like the rest of the automotive industry, Mercury’s 1946 lineup was pretty much a restart of the 1942 line, which was suspended due to wartime production. This 1946 Mercury Club Convertible featured the one distinctive difference between those model years: a vertical grille treatment in lieu of a horizontal one in ’42. And, like the rest of the car, that grille appeared to have been restored to a high caliber. The paint, interior, engine bay and undercarriage all appeared to be in excellent condition, with some indication of limited use and some parts showing their age, like the steering wheel. Still, it sold as expected in the middle of the recent market range a post-auction Make Offer listing.
1998 Land Rover Defender 110
Reserve: $50,000
Selling Price: $52,500
Recent Market Range: $42,000-$59,000
The flow of vintage Land Rover Defenders into the U.S. the past few years continues unabated thanks to the federal rule that allows nearly any vintage vehicle into the country once it reaches 25 years old. This four-door 1998 Land Rover Defender 110, featuring a 2.5-liter turbodiesel engine and a five-speed manual transmission, was listed as having been refurbished with new carpets, headliner, leather upholstery and fresh Grasmere Green paint. The seller indicated that the drivetrain of was original. There were notes from the seller about glass issues and undercarriage corrosion. Still, for the mileage and condition, this vehicle still sold as expected via a post-auction Make Offer listing.
1984 Ferrari 308 GTSi Quattrovalvole
Asking Price: $104,500
Selling Price: $95,550
Recent Market Range: $70,000-$105,000
Ferrari has produced many icons over the years, and certainly the 308/328 models from the Eighties qualify for that status. Made from 1983 through 1985, the 308 GTS Quattrovalvole featured a 32-valve 3.0-liter V8 that featured a nice bump in power compared to its 16-valve predecessor. Sold via a direct Make Offer, this 1984 Ferrari 308 GTS was noted as having one owner from new and an extensive refresh “late last year” following long-term storage that included a drain and flush of the fuel tank along with many hoses replaced, such as those related to the fuel, coolant and vacuum systems. Many engine gaskets were also replaced. The net price achieved reflects the solid market for this Italian exotic.
1965 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray Convertible L76
Asking Price: $75,000
Selling Price: $70,875
Recent Market Range: $53,000-$85,000
Another week and another successful sale of a mid-year Corvette. It can be hard to overstate how important the C2 is to the collector car hobby. The seller listed this former NCRS Top Flight award-winning 1965 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray Convertible as being a “very nice, driver-quality” example. We think he might have been selling the car a little short as the included photos showed a very nicely kept drop-top C2. Even the L76 327-cu.in. V8 and undercarriage looked rather clean in the photos provided. The sale price on this direct Make Offer listing was right in the middle of the expected market range for a model that has seen a 20% bump in price on average since the middle of 2021.
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