1949 Ford Custom Convertible

When you see a Mercury from 1949 to 1951—and its body was chopped, channeled, and otherwise reshaped—it's immediately recognizable as a “lead sled.” But like many other automotive terms, there's hardly unanimous agreement among gearheads about the definition of a lead sled. Purists might say that a true lead sled must be a two-door Mercury. But many American coupes from the late 1940s have similar lines. They're great candidates for the distinctive classic-car style.

For consignment an old school “Lead Sled” that has all the right proportions, has been chopped, shaved, channeled, and frenched to yield the final creation you are feasting your eyes on in this 1949 Ford Custom. With the knowledge of engineering as a career, this consignor & builder took like a duck to water with this custom build. All is right with it, and essentially we have a rolling work of art for you to consider, showing or going…Hey! Why not do both?

Exterior
A virtually seamless body on this beauty that started with a 1987 Buick Grand National frame and takes the body that has had its rear quarter panels shortened by 4-1/2 inches along with the rear quarter panel trim shortened 12 inches. The rest was sectioned 3 inches and all butt welds were performed to keep those pesky seams hidden. A 1-1/2 inch channel was formed over the floor pans. Add in a custom 51 Ford hood peaked in the center then both sides finished to perfection. Headlights were frenched as were parking lights too, and head lighting is halogen. The front grille is an amalgamation of hand made parts from a 57 Chevy to a 67 Camaro and it just gleams. Moving from the peaked hood, we intersect with a 3-1/2 inch chopped front windshield and roofline, including the use of a V butt windshield. Door handles have been shaved, new mirrors put on, and up top, a like new white canvas convertible power top with a plastic clear rear window is seen. For the rear, a hand built rear bumper hovers below frenched LED taillights and fits perfectly into the reconfigured rear of this car. All this is then bathed in PPG Lapis Blue (seen on some Ford Trucks). Ribbed fender skirts exaggerate the channeling and lower body look and frame red painted wheels with deep shiny dish trim rings, and center Ford badged moon caps. These are all wrapped up in wide whites and the totally seamless custom look is now accomplished…but our work is not nearly finished!

Interior
An electronic pop of the handleless doors opens up a white and silver more custom world for your further eye enjoyment. Silver sills in metallic paint are bordering white vinyl in tuck and roll and smooth panels and a simple silver armrest floating in this white field. Inside we can seat ourselves in some late model power bucket seats for the front. These are also covered in white vinyl and have some chrome accenting on the tubs. A little more of the 87 Grand National shows up in the center console, which houses the shifter, and window toggles and is looking very 1987 only in silver. A custom silver metallic painted dash has been fabricated with an arched metal in silver instrument cluster. Here we have a plethora of white-faced Dolphin gauges, neatly aligned, along with a few small warning lights and signal indicators. Moving along the totally trimmed dash are some shiny knobs for the Vintage air, heat, and a few extra knobs and pulls. Dark blue carpeting floods the floors and cozies up to a rear bench also in white pleated vinyl and looking clean and pristine. Also, I found an AM/FM/CD radio in the glovebox! We are ridin' in style.

Drivetrain
Under the hood sits a machinist dream all polished and heavy metal with some chrome accenting all attached to a 350ci GM ZZ4 V8 crate engine. A single 4-barrel carburetor is atop and on back is a TCI TH350 3-speed automatic transmission. A 10-bolt 3.42 posi rear courtesy of a 87 Grand National is on the way back. Nice headers are attached and a newer 3 row radiator from an 87 Dodge truck.

Undercarriage
After all that smoothing and filling and sanding, the body was gently placed on an 87 Buick Grand national floorpan painted Lapis blue and the frame black. All is very beautifully executed, and all buttoned up under here. Independent coil springs for the front, and a 4 link with coil springs is on back. Power disc brakes are now residing on front, and power drums for the rear. Nice shiny cherrybomb exhausts are on here too!

Drive-Ability
An all working example, simple to drive but very effective on the eye catcher front. Nice acceleration, smooth ride, top moves up and down effortlessly, and Vintage air and heat work fab! Stop on a dime braking and good cornering for this big rounded sled.

Hours and hours of custom fabrication work for nearly every surface of this car is custom. Borrowing from several donor cars, this creation has excellent proportions, and great looks and is very sound mechanically. The white and silver custom interior makes it a showpiece, (along with the rest of this car), but it is also a wonderful driver and head turner. We give you the Ford CUSTOM convertible, emphasis on the work CUSTOM!

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.