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Category: 1949
Parked on AutoHunter, the online auction platform driven by ClassicCars.com, is this restored 1949 Ford Custom two-door sedan up for auction.
During the Ford’s frame-off restoration, it was repainted in a maroon color, the wiring was replaced and the car was fitted with a new interior
We all love a bit of nostalgia, don’t we? Especially if it is a classic from the yesteryears. And every automobile lover has their own favorite classic car. Some adore the likes of Ferrari P4/5 for its rarity while others are admirers of the likes of GTO 250 purely because of the moolah they generate in today’s times.
Almost every big automobile company boasts a super-rich legacy in terms of classic cars. And so is the case with Ford. The American multinational automaker produced a bunch of timeless classics back in the day. And one of its classics was the Mercury Eight – a part of Ford’s Mercury brand that was established to bridge the price gap between Ford and Lincoln models. While the Mercury Eight enjoyed a successful 13-year reign, it is the 1949 Mercury Custom that gets us nostalgic.
After sticking with its well-received previous model through model year 1948, Ford completely redesigned its namesake car for 1949. Save for its drive train, this was an all-new car in every way, with a modern ladder frame now supporting a coil spring suspension in front and longitudinal semi-elliptical springs in back.
The engine was moved forward to make more room in the passenger compartment and the antiquated torque tube was replaced by a modern drive shaft. Ford’s popular 226 CID (3.7 L) L-head straight-6 and 239 CID (3.9 L) Flathead V8 remained, now rated at 90 hp (67 kW) and 100 hp (75 kW), respectively.
The 1949 models debuted at a gala at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City in June 1948, with a carousel of the new Fords complemented by a revolving demonstration of the new chassis. The new integrated steel structure was advertised as a “lifeguard body”, and even the woody wagon was steel at heart.
The convertible frame had an “X member” for structural rigidity. From a customer’s perspective, the old Custom, De Luxe, and Super De Luxe lines were replaced by new Standard and Custom trims and the cars gained a modern look with completely integrated rear fenders and just a hint of a fender in front.
The new styling approach was also evident in the 1949 Mercury Eight and the all-new Lincoln Cosmopolitan.
The Flat Spot is here
Here’s more about the ’49 Mercury from Rebel Without A Cause and where it is now…
The Mercury Eight line was brought forth by Ford’s now-defunct Mercury division; however, the nameplate tasted sweet success between 1939 and 1951. In 1955, the world mourned the death of the rising star James Dean in an automobile accident. Naturally, when the movie Rebel Without A Cause was released just a month after his demise, it became an instant hit. And James Dean was mourned even more after his acting skills made it apparent that he could have been the next big thing in Hollywood.
Everything Dean touched was gold at the time, so his 1949 Mercury from this very movie became a sensation as well, adopted by the hot-rodding generation with instant ease. Was the Mercury always destined to be a hot rodder hit or did the movie’s success further take it to great heights?
Since time cannot be turned back or altered, we can’t say. Perhaps it was a bit of both, further compounded by Dean’s untimely death. Either way, his 1949 Mercury became a huge hit and has carried on being a classic hot rodder to date.
If the Pick of the Day captures your attention, you need to know that it comes with more than just the usual challenge of the price its owner expects. The car is a 1949 Plymouth Business Coupe that its private owner is offering for sale on ClassicCars.com for $32,500.
But if you’re willing to cough up another 5 grand, for $37,500 you get not only the Plymouth but a vintage UHaul camping trailer in a matching shade of Solar Yellow paint.
Read the article here
Related – Salesman’s 1939 Ford coupe
As a hot rodder, Bonneville is the ultimate destination. For the past seven decades, it’s been known to push man and machine to their limit. Legends are born out on the salt, and now the golden years of Bonneville racing have been compiled into an unbelievable two-book set.
Order from The Rodder’s Journal library here
Authentic Ford Washington State Patrol car underwent a 5-year frame-off restoration
To celebrate 2019 National Police Week, the Seattle Metropolitan Police Museum took the wraps off a restored, 1949 Ford Washington State Patrol (WSP) Car at America’s Car Museum (ACM) on May 14.
This 1949 WSP Ford “Shoebox” sedan is considered historically significant, as the vehicle is one of the very first “police package” vehicles produced by a manufacturer, coming factory-equipped with a powerful Ford “Flathead” V-8 engine, heavy-duty brakes, 16-inch wheels, a spotlight and a steel reinforcement plate on the roof to accommodate lights or large antennas.
Read the article here
More here at The Columbian
The story of the 1949 Kurtis Sport Car, MT’s first-ever cover car
I climb in, twist the key, and press the starter. The Ford flathead V-8 fires up instantly and quickly settles down to a growling idle. I pull the shifter across to the left and back, engaging first gear in the three-speed transmission. Ease out the clutch, and the low, broad-shouldered convertible oozes forward, vintage whitewall tires squirming on the concrete.
Read the rest of the article here
The De Lorean is, of course, intrinsically linked to the Back to the Future franchise. Aside from its role as the time machine central to each film’s plot, it has that sleek futuristic sci-fi aesthetic essential to the tone of the films. But of the many other vehicles that joined the De Lorean on screen throughout the series, only two made it into all three films, and one of those — Doc Brown’s 1949 Packard Custom Eight Victoria convertible — will head to auction later this month (January 2019)
Read Daniel’s article here
