Midsouthern Restorations

1950 Ford Sedan

Here is an interesting project by a new customer from Knoxville Tennessee. This 1950 Ford sedan was purchased to replicate the one his wife had when the couple first met. The old car appeared to be in good shape and for the most part was. This gentleman travels the country in a Prevost Bus and flat tows new vehicles behind them. His idea is to make a modern car out of the old Ford and start a trend in the Prevost community by taking his classic car when he goes on a jaunt across the country. Looking the situation over a phone call was made to Fatman Fabrication for a new chassis and they make the perfect one for the 50 Ford Sedan. A used 302 Ford was laying around in our shop and it was put on our new test run stand and proved to be in good shape. It will be freshened up and a Tremic 5 speed manual was ordered up when Tremic made it sure their transmission could be flat towed with out unhooking the drive line.

The body was stripped of paint to bare metal and just the side rocker panels had rust holes and they are being cut out and new ones installed. The body had a few dents and old bondo paved over them but it was solid. The car will be painted customers choice of a burgundy red from a car they owned a few years ago and the wife loved that color. We here agreed to purchase the old chassis and flat head and might find a home for it in another old car project. The new chassis includes rack and pinion power steering with Mustang II front suspension and disc brakes. The rear will be 9 inch ford with leafs. Car will have A/C and power brakes.

Once the chassis was complete the body had to be slightly modified to sit correctly. After all parts were checked for fitness, they were removed and chassis painted. During the fitness and custom made receiver hitch was made so the car could be correctly towed behind the Prevost Bus. Once the chassis was out of paint booth it did not take long to reinstall drive train and drop body on and bolt down. The wet sanding was then completed and a 1987 Audi color was chosen by the owners wife and at first we did not care for the choice but being customer cars we paint what they like. The color matched the old Fords body lines and does look period correct. Once painted and buffed more mechanical was completed and the car was hand wired and a set of Dakota Digital Analog Gauges were bought and installed. This took care of the 12 volt upgrade and these and Dakota's other offerings make for sweet set of dash gauges for sure. The Tremic 5 speed looks at home between the new bucket seat pirated from a new van. The interior upholstery will be reworked by the customer. The stock 302 small block Ford from 1971 looks factory in the car and it runs out perfect. The overdrive and gearing is near perfect making this a fun car to drive after you tow it there. A slip collar drive line was used and by pulling a cable under the seat the drive line is uncoupled for safe towing. the owner is a very experience tower and has taken car over to finish it out. He even towed it back to Knoxville.