Going to share this one to my Brothers David and Wayne. They Love the older cars. David, he is now blind and use to work on All his cars. So now I am subscribed to your channel and will share some of your videos. Now to watch your video. 🤗
Being a 70 year old Veteran the thought of bringing an old 50's model of any make back to life makes me smile. Finding one as solid as this one is a rare occurrence and should be completely restored back to showroom quality. I know the "patina mafia" wont agree but to me putting it back to the style it was off the showroom is as important as putting the mechanical back in shape.
I agree with you about proper restorations, albeit with upgraded electricals so it can be reliably driven. However, there sonny, I'm a 71 Y/O veteran and I like certain things in the newer model, and now that I'm in The Philippines, I have a 23 Y/O girlfriend so eat your heart out spuds. To upgrade the electricals, all you need are the battery, starter, gauges, generator (maybe a GM alternator), regulator and bulbs. The wiring is larger than in a 12 VDC car and unless it is damaged, no need to change it. My credentials: I taught Vehicle Maintenance in the USAF from '72 ~ '76 when we still had to teach A circuit & B circuit (Ford only) style generators, and batteries still had exposed cell connectors and would discharge across dirty tops especially when set on a cool, damp concrete floor. Then I ended up being an ASE Master Heavy Truck Technician and in all my jobs I was always recognized as the in-house vehicle electrician.
When the shoebox first came out, in 1949, they were advertised to drive so smooth you could put a glass of water on the dash while driving. That was unheard of at that time. A friend bought one and tried it; it worked.
No, not "unheard of." You could do the same with a Buick Straight 8, a Packard Straight 8, and even some straight 8 Pontiacs. I balanced a quarter on the hood of my 1950 Buick Special and won $10. You could fill the gas tank twice with that ten-spot back then!
I bought a '51 Tudor V8 w/3spd OD for my retirement toy in 2018 out of California. Patina is a little less than yours because it was repainted once, but it's faded fine. New 3/4" whitewalls look great Engine runs like a top and shifts great, got a cast aluminum air filter and was able to flush out radiator The interior was dry rotted so I replaced it with a complete kit from Cartouche via Mac's and changed dash/trim color to brown to match our family's '51 back in the day.. Swapped in a set of front discs and dual master w/stainless lines, dual glasspak setup w/chrome pencil tips and blue dot taillights. Changed it over to 12V so I could have electric wipers w/new wiring kit from Speedway, SW gauges in cast aluminum panel, w/tach on column, Mr. gasket floor shifter w/8ball knob and White Moon 3 spoke steering wheel. Put a radio in the glove box that when I turn it on, the lights in the original radio and the reverb I mounted next to the gauge panel light up, Put in dual cone 6x9 speakers front and center of rear package shelf for 4 channel sound! I'll be in process of finishing up glass weatherstrips and final assembly for '23 Summer action as soon as I get my garage addition finished.
What a sweetheart of a car! If you ask around, you'll find a few old-timers in your area who remember those cars and that'll tell you how solid and reliable they were in their day. You've really got yourself something! She doesn't need much more than just a good cleanup and some electrical and probably some tires, but all in all, that is a splendid, magnificent beast of a car. I personally would get rid of the silly low rider crap and just put her back to bone stock. Those things had a great reputation, and if you take good care of this one, you'll see why.
I agree. Lose the low rider. I think you got yourself a decent specimen there. If that is THEE original paint, I would keep the patina! ColdWarMotors awhile back got the motor running on a 1953 Ford with a V-8 in it. He managed to unstick the stuck valve. (keywords “ColdWarMotors” and “1953 Ford”)
Came home from las vegas, Nellis AFB in dec 1957 with my 51 sedan, hit eastern states in a blizzard, made it to New Hampshire with no problems. Rt 66 most of the way.
Really enjoying this awesome video of the 1951 Ford Custom Fordomatic with the V8 flathead mill. This is the car my Gramps taught me how to drive in way back when I was 15. It was the straight six with the three on the tree with overdrive. I'm now 77 and still love old cars. I have owned several throughout the years and now am the proud owner of a gorgeous 1940 Ford Sedan Deluxe in the color Morning Mist Grey. She's all original with 45,000 miles, beautiful original upholstery and interior and to top it all off, a gorgeous original paint job. I plan on doing some serious cruisin' this summer! McCool, I love to see you bring the old rides back to life. Keep up the good work Junior !!
Probably not, 99.999% the viberator will be bad. If it operating, will be a soft hum when radio is turned on. Still tubes require approx a 20 second warm up. It's another 99.999% the vintage wax capacitors will be bad.
Beautiful car Dylan, I know some people are saying it deserves a complete restoration, but I like the patina look and I'm 63. The thing is that when you completely restore a car like this and spend loads of money, they usually just end up being a garaged trailer queen.
I had a 1951 shoebox Ford as well. Mine was a standard (3 on the tree). I suspect the automatics for 1951 were not common. It makes your Ford a rare find, or at least not common. You were fortunate to be able to source, the parts. While you said you were not going to convert yours to 12 volts, naturally it is your decision. I converted mine over and kept the 6 volt starter. It worked fine. I also converted the vacuum wipers to two speed electric. I bought a 12 to 6 volt step down transformer for the radio, but added the 12 volt generator, voltage regulator and coil. To be honest, the car loved the 12 volt system. Great video….I really enjoyed watching it and waltzing down memory lane a bit. I will be 74 in a couple of weeks and get a little melancholy about videos of old cars that I used to see as everyday drivers. Treat her good and she will return the favor….
My parents owned a 1957 Ford Fairlane when I was a kid and I remember that they also had to put it in neutral in order to start the engine!!! This video brought back memories! Thank you!
Great car had a 51 with Fordamatic years ago and loved it , 0:12 possible problem check or replace steering gear to frame they will snap off when stressed , ask how I know
Hey Dylan- I have a HUGE smile on my face right now. In 1970, my grandfather gave me his '51 Ford custom, because he knew how much I loved it. I cherished that car. BUT, I did not know any better, and, when I changed the oil, and put detergent oil in it, compression was lost. I was heartbroken. I STILL have the fender skirts for it, under my house. Thanks for the memories that you gave me, with this video.
I remember years ago emailing Dylan about my dodge d150 pickup truck. He was so humble and helpful and supportive. I'm still a subscriber and fan because of his cool, calm. And collected nature.
Nothing wrong with 51 Models ! I am an old Aussie & born December 1951 ! I got my licence in a 1957 Ford Customline of my Dad's which He had 2,& Loved those Cars Mate ! Did a Great job to get her going again & So happy U Did & for you too ! I Would like to get my hands on a Mainline ,a Utility along the Same form as ohv Customlines at the time ,But with not a box Chassis but C Chassis ,would Carry the World & built in Australia,& go Forever ! Thank U for Showing us all ,Cheers from Aus !
i am a retired professional transmission rebuilder, that was fords first year of automatic transmissions, it was called a Ford-O-Matic, and it is a 2sp. i have rebuilt a few of them back in time. you need to put type F fluid in it, because originally it had brass clutch disc in it. but they could have changed them to fiber if it was rebuilt,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
My first car at 15 was a black "hand me down" (from my mother in 1960) 51 Custom manual. By the time I took my driver's test in it, it had fender skirts, dual glass packs, Edelbrock heads & distributor, baby moons, Rambler reclining front seats, custom matching seat covers for front & rear, clothes pins on the fuel line and probably more that I have forgotten. Blew up the motor at the drag strip and replaced with a junkyard motor. If I ever get another one, I have some spare parts that I kept.
I had one, my grandfather gave it to me when I was 16. It was old when I got it and I drove it through out my time in high school. It was an automatic and had a real slip in the drive, but it took me to school and after football took me home. The engine blew up because of a hole in the oil pan, but I replaced the motor with a mercury flat head and had a little more horsepower. Great car and I enjoyed your program a lot. Made an 80 year old man happy
Overdrive too? My mother’s had the electric overdrive, essentially made it a 5 speed. Quick off the line yet relaxed on the open road. She never had any trouble with it for the 15 years she drove it until the rust got to it.
My Dad bought a new 51 Ford sedan in sky blue with three speed standard plus overdrive. i was six that year. He ordered it with 16 in pickup wheels The year I turned 17 the car was still running with 264,000 original miles with never an engine rebuild. I did a brake job like you did and changed out the overdrive and made it a standard. You really took me on a nostalgia trip.
Those 1st generation V8s from Ford, were used for 20 years, and were reliable...I would worry a little about the transmission, being so old. But what a wonderful example of when American cars-even the more affordable ones, were well-built.
Hi Dylan, I am so excited to see you trying to get this old classic car started. Frankly, I love old cars because they are traditional, beautiful, and their operating system is simple and easy. Gasoline and electricity.And every car carries a story for its owner and his family. I have a Nissan 83 jeep. Although I am not a mechanic, it is my favorite in my cars because I always work in it and it fulfills all the requirements I desire..Greetings from Riyadh.
I am wanting to say that 1954 was the first year for overhead valves on the Y-block; 1953 was the first year for balljoints. So, that car has L-head valves and knee action with king pins on the front end. I had a 1949 Ford tractor that had a positive ground; I was young and didn't know about such a thing. My 1962 Meteor has a tube type radio; a good friend of mine has a 1960 Ford Thunderbird with a tube radio. I just timed mine and it took about 15 seconds to warm up; I have an FM pilot tuner installed and listen to my local FM radio stations. I'll bet the one in your Ford would work! Great video!
My old boss has a 52 Ford Victoria, has been garaged since the late 60's, 6 volt positive ground, flathead V8 and it looks new, few bumper dings, but original and flawless. Those are really good looking cars
What a beautiful old timer! I love the dash, it is simple but very harmonic and classy. Nice job bringing it back to life, Dylan! And thanks for sharing it with us.
theres a chance the radio might be working, you have to let it warm up and in your case since it hasnt been turned on in a long time might take 5 or 10 minutes and make sure the speaker is not rotted away,probably needs a new one
I had an old man for a neighbor. From as far back as I could recall (around 1970) to the day he died (in 1989), his one and only car was a Packard built (I think) in 1954. I believe the man bought the car new and drove it until he died. For 35 years that car got heavy use because it was his only car. And, because the old man didn't have a garage, it was parked on the street in front of his house and subjected to the elements 24/7 for 35 years. I can't imagine a car built today holding up as well as the 50's model Packard.
Can't wait to see what you do to this 51'. I grew up a good part of my life in that exact model, same year, flathead V-8. My dad sold it to a young kid who fixed it up then brought it back to my dad to see. My dad was all excited to see what he did in making the car look new. We were standing right next to it and my dad asked if he would start it. The kid replied, "it's running" ! That's how quiet and smooth those flatheads were. One of the best engines ford has ever made. I can still see the seat covers my dad had put in the car today, and I'm 72 years old. Memories...... I'll be watching..........
When you rapped it up at the end, seems like I could hear the rods floating. Not putting down the car, my first one was a 51 Victoria with overdrive. Nice car!!
Cool car and nice video. Had 2 1950 Fords ... one was a convertible! My first car!! The other was a 4 door like that one. Both V8 3 speeds...the convert had overdrive. Loved both of them...but the convertible more. Wish I still had it. Dad bought it for me for $45! And it ran flawlessly! Ah...the memories. Thanks... have fun with this one.
That's great to see an old flathead V8 run. That '51 will be a good driver I am sure with a little bit of work. It looks like it was well cared for before it was parked. I was born in 1950 and I remember these growing up.
So nice to see the old shoebox '51 went to the right owner! V8 Flattie has a great sound. This is the car everyone dreams of finding, she's in excellent shape with perfect patina. You earned a lucky break, with all the searching for, and work you've been doing, for old cars, Dylan.
This brings back a lot of memories I'm 74 years old and the 51 Ford flathead 4door was the first car I ever own I drove it all through High School in the sixties thank you so much for bringing back these memories!!
We had one of these as a family car in the 1950’s to mid sixties. Ours was a three speed column shift manual with the steering wheel on the other side of the car. In Australia the 1951 Ford Custom was called a “twin spinner” due to the two aircraft type propeller spinners in the grille. Watching your video brought back a lot of memories. Good luck with car and enjoy. By the way you really have to maintain the cooling system as these engines can overheat due to the way the exhaust is routed through the block. ❤
Definitely get rid of the lowering blocks and adjust the ride height with the air shocks. Snatch out that headliner insulation and put in some stick on hush mat for insulation. I wouldn't expect those trans bands and seals to last long. Just go through it and buy a couple waterpumps to have in stock. That thing looks fun. Just accept it for what it is. It wasn't designed for the kind of driving we are used to now. People drove slower because roads were narrower and just not as smooth. Headlights reached far enough for 40-60 mph at most. I want to see more videos of this car. I've always thought that I wanted one. I'll let you convince me whether or not I should look into one. Two of my uncles had shoe boxes when they were new. One a 49 Tudor in the same color you have and the other a black 50 business coupe. Both with manual trans and overdrive. The one that had the 50, kept it until 72. They both loved these cars.
Nice shoebox! Always wanted one myself. As to the Ford-O-Matic, it is essentially a 3-speed transmission that under normal driving conditions with the gear indicator in "D", it is a two speed, with 2nd gear being "Low" and 3rd being "High". 1st gear, or "Double-Low", is only attainable by manually selecting "1" on the gear indicator, then shifting into a higher gear. Enjoyed the video!
I was born Jan. 4, 1951, so the car is 72 years old, and, of course my favorite engine, the Ford flat head V-8. It's in pretty good shape for its age--like me and I'm Rusty. W Rusty Lane K9POW in eastern Tennessee (USMC '69 - '73, Vietnam '71 - '72)
Excellent video Dylan. This car brings back some great memories. I borrowed my buddy's same color 51 Ford Custom 2 door with manual to take my driver's test. That old car stood up to some hard driving. The flathead runs strong and this car would likely be a dependable daily driver. Hope to see much more of this car!
This is a great car. My first car was a 1950 Ford so I have an affinity for these. It is fascinating to see the cars in the background. Interesting collection.
Love it when old rides come back to life. You have quite a bit of work to do on the Ford, but at least it is running and driving. I can imagine finding parts is difficult. Love it.
Dylan, your channel never disappoints! It's all about the variety and you found another gem! Can't be that many '51's out there with factory automatics. Loved the backroads driving scenes,--for a second there, I thought I was watching Coldwar Motors!
That's an awesome example of a Shoebox '51 Ford Dylan! It'd be really cool to see this thing fully restored, repainted in the original color, and completely ironed out. It'd be a REALLY nice cruiser and show car. Everyone would love it.
Amazingly solid '51Ford! I'm a natural patina fan, but the body is so solid it wouldn't take much to prep it for a nice single stage paint job. I rode home from school in a '51 two-door. There's a '51 four- door here in a town with a flathead six. Yes, Ford made a six too.
That brings back such great memories. My Grandma had a 49 green 4 door similar to that one with the flathead V-8. I learned to drive a manual 3 on the tree transmission in it. Great video!
Dylan you may already know this but many 51 Fords still had a starter button. Generally located on the dash, the button is about 1/4 - 3/8 with a stainless bezel around it. Really enjoying this series.
Thats really Mc Cool Dylan, Love these old flat heads , Both the car & myself were born in 51,Drove many of them , My dad had a country garage here in Ontario Canada, 90% of the farmers had Fords. biggest problem was RUST , engines lasted not the body, Hope you keep her not many nice ones left. Gord.
The viberation might be driveshaft angle from where it’s lowered I’d remove the rear lowering blocks to correct the angle of the driveshaft. This is a nice example of a early 50’s ford. Before you consider a 12V conversion research about using a 8Volt battery in the car.
Thank you so much Dylan for sharing this with us, what a blast i had watching you repare this beautiful car. Beautiful landscapes as well, shoutout from France 🤙
Congratulations on a beautiful unmolested shoebox. With minimal effort you got her running very nicely, I'm looking forward to see what's on the agenda next. Keep up the good work 👍✌️🇺🇲
Always enjoy your projects Dylan, but this one can be something special. Get rid of the lowering blocks install some baby moon caps and cruise. Only thing I'd do is re-chrome the bumpers, too bad the cost is prohibitive for most of us. Maybe another solution? Carry on, can't wait for next episode.
Jeese Terence baby moons really talk about cheap, the black steelies look great for a fun car (wouldn't be much fun with hubcraps and bumper stickers *
Love this! I personally own a 54 ford customline that can sometimes be “Difficult” but watching your videos inspires me to wanna wrench on it and go for a drive. Keep it up Dylan!
Kool deal!! I had a 54 Crestline 38 yrs ago, like an idiot, I sold it....still love 54s. Astra-dial speedometer, way cool. I was always amazed how narrow they seemed when you're behind that steering wheel.
God Bless you for doing what you did, not only did you get happy, a lot of us old guys are grateful. My Pop had a 49 with the Flathead, I remember going out to the country to visit my grandparents, us kids in the back seat hanging on to the "ROPE" , which was actually for a blanket to hang, my dad floorboarding that thing,and my mom screaming SLOW DOWN!!! The country is gone now, but not the memory- please do the same👍🇺🇸
These old flatheads have outlasted the cars and trucks they were in and ended up in generators and welding machines. Had one at the two powerplants that I worked at. Reliable when nothing else would run. America built things to last back in the fifties and sixties. Seventy two years old and it doesn't even smoke. A long time friend from highschool his late father had a two door 50 Ford, awesome car.
I'm excited to see what you're going to do with the exterior. Will you keep the patina, or make it shine like new. I vote for the latter. Good job getting her running. She's cherry!
I can't believe that you didn't soak that carb in cleaner for a day or two before putting that kit in it. I remember selling a couple of those kits when I first got in the auto parts business in Tuscaloosa in 78.
Dylan you did this one proud! Nice work getting the old gal going again. I agree take it on a road trip when she’s sorted out. I’m retiring in about 6 years and have three “classics” 66 Toronado, 67 Thunderbird and 70 Continental Mark lll. My big decision will be WHICH one to take and where??? Lol.
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Going to share this one to my Brothers David and Wayne. They Love the older cars. David, he is now blind and use to work on All his cars. So now I am subscribed to your channel and will share some of your videos. Now to watch your video. 🤗
Hey Dylan that one you should put dual exhaust on it and paint it flat black and call it Moonie or Moonshine 😁
Is that Charger Shelby the manual 5 speed? Interested if you want to sell ?
Lucky Dog! I have a 66 Galaxie and a 76 Vette and I would trade one to get a Shoebox Ford and resto mod it.
Warranty is bull. Said same thing about my wedding ring
Being a 70 year old Veteran the thought of bringing an old 50's model of any make back to life makes me smile. Finding one as solid as this one is a rare occurrence and should be completely restored back to showroom quality. I know the "patina mafia" wont agree but to me putting it back to the style it was off the showroom is as important as putting the mechanical back in shape.
I agree stuff the worn out used and abused look.. And put it back to the way it should be ..
I completely agree
It also coincides here 👍
I agree with you about proper restorations, albeit with upgraded electricals so it can be reliably driven. However, there sonny, I'm a 71 Y/O veteran and I like certain things in the newer model, and now that I'm in The Philippines, I have a 23 Y/O girlfriend so eat your heart out spuds.
To upgrade the electricals, all you need are the battery, starter, gauges, generator (maybe a GM alternator), regulator and bulbs. The wiring is larger than in a 12 VDC car and unless it is damaged, no need to change it. My credentials: I taught Vehicle Maintenance in the USAF from '72 ~ '76 when we still had to teach A circuit & B circuit (Ford only) style generators, and batteries still had exposed cell connectors and would discharge across dirty tops especially when set on a cool, damp concrete floor. Then I ended up being an ASE Master Heavy Truck Technician and in all my jobs I was always recognized as the in-house vehicle electrician.
Thank you for your service 👍🇺🇸
I learned to drive a stick on my Dad's 3 on the tree '52 Ford Sedan like that one, in a grocery store parking lot. Great Memories. Big smooth tub.
When the shoebox first came out, in 1949, they were advertised to drive so smooth you could put a glass of water on the dash while driving. That was unheard of at that time. A friend bought one and tried it; it worked.
Or a bottle of beer.
Sounds like this little girl wants to run.
Bruh😂
🤣
No, not "unheard of." You could do the same with a Buick Straight 8, a Packard Straight 8, and even some straight 8 Pontiacs. I balanced a quarter on the hood of my 1950 Buick Special and won $10. You could fill the gas tank twice with that ten-spot back then!
I bought a '51 Tudor V8 w/3spd OD for my retirement toy in 2018 out of California. Patina is a little less than yours because it was repainted once, but it's faded fine. New 3/4" whitewalls look great
Engine runs like a top and shifts great, got a cast aluminum air filter and was able to flush out radiator
The interior was dry rotted so I replaced it with a complete kit from Cartouche via Mac's and changed dash/trim color to brown to match our family's '51 back in the day..
Swapped in a set of front discs and dual master w/stainless lines, dual glasspak setup w/chrome pencil tips and blue dot taillights.
Changed it over to 12V so I could have electric wipers w/new wiring kit from Speedway, SW gauges in cast aluminum panel, w/tach on column, Mr. gasket floor shifter w/8ball knob and White Moon 3 spoke steering wheel. Put a radio in the glove box that when I turn it on, the lights in the original radio and the reverb I mounted next to the gauge panel light up, Put in dual cone 6x9 speakers front and center of rear package shelf for 4 channel sound!
I'll be in process of finishing up glass weatherstrips and final assembly for '23 Summer action as soon as I get my garage addition finished.
What a sweetheart of a car! If you ask around, you'll find a few old-timers in your area who remember those cars and that'll tell you how solid and reliable they were in their day. You've really got yourself something! She doesn't need much more than just a good cleanup and some electrical and probably some tires, but all in all, that is a splendid, magnificent beast of a car.
I personally would get rid of the silly low rider crap and just put her back to bone stock. Those things had a great reputation, and if you take good care of this one, you'll see why.
I agree. Lose the low rider. I think you got yourself a decent specimen there. If that is THEE original paint, I would keep the patina! ColdWarMotors awhile back got the motor running on a 1953 Ford with a V-8 in it. He managed to unstick the stuck valve. (keywords “ColdWarMotors” and “1953 Ford”)
Came home from las vegas, Nellis AFB in dec 1957 with my 51 sedan, hit eastern states in a blizzard, made it to New Hampshire with no problems.
Rt 66 most of the way.
Good car
It's not lowrider crap it's just a 50s style of the time custom touch..so drop the crap part and dig it like it was 😮 thank you 😮😮😮
@@nonelost1bull shit😮😮😮
Really enjoying this awesome video of the 1951 Ford Custom Fordomatic with the V8 flathead mill. This is the car my Gramps taught me how to drive in way back when I was 15. It was the straight six with the three on the tree with overdrive. I'm now 77 and still love old cars. I have owned several throughout the years and now am the proud owner of a gorgeous 1940 Ford Sedan Deluxe in the color Morning Mist Grey. She's all original with 45,000 miles, beautiful original upholstery and interior and to top it all off, a gorgeous original paint job. I plan on doing some serious cruisin' this summer! McCool, I love to see you bring the old rides back to life. Keep up the good work Junior !!
The radio might work. Back then they were tube radios, and they had to warm up.
It was my 1st car in 1971. Yes, the radio was tube and a battery killer. 😄
I just Google it and they were tube radios so hopefully is he lets it warm up it might work.
These tube car radios have vibrators in them and they always go bad.
@@ImmitHYep contacts inside, corrode just like ignition points.
Probably not, 99.999% the viberator will be bad. If it operating, will be a soft hum when radio is turned on. Still tubes require approx a 20 second warm up. It's another 99.999% the vintage wax capacitors will be bad.
Beautiful car Dylan, I know some people are saying it deserves a complete restoration, but I like the patina look and I'm 63. The thing is that when you completely restore a car like this and spend loads of money, they usually just end up being a garaged trailer queen.
Great episode. Looking forward to more content on this old Ford.
I had a 1951 shoebox Ford as well. Mine was a standard (3 on the tree). I suspect the automatics for 1951 were not common. It makes your Ford a rare find, or at least not common. You were fortunate to be able to source, the parts. While you said you were not going to convert yours to 12 volts, naturally it is your decision. I converted mine over and kept the 6 volt starter. It worked fine. I also converted the vacuum wipers to two speed electric. I bought a 12 to 6 volt step down transformer for the radio, but added the 12 volt generator, voltage regulator and coil. To be honest, the car loved the 12 volt system. Great video….I really enjoyed watching it and waltzing down memory lane a bit. I will be 74 in a couple of weeks and get a little melancholy about videos of old cars that I used to see as everyday drivers. Treat her good and she will return the favor….
My parents owned a 1957 Ford Fairlane when I was a kid and I remember that they also had to put it in neutral in order to start the engine!!! This video brought back memories! Thank you!
Yes..my 1957 Lincoln had the same starting drill--the first time I tried to start it, I was stumped for a bit!
Great car had a 51 with Fordamatic years ago and loved it , 0:12 possible problem check or replace steering gear to frame they will snap off when stressed , ask how I know
Hey Dylan- I have a HUGE smile on my face right now. In 1970, my grandfather gave me his '51 Ford custom, because he knew how much I loved it. I cherished that car. BUT, I did not know any better, and, when I changed the oil, and put detergent oil in it, compression was lost. I was heartbroken. I STILL have the fender skirts for it, under my house. Thanks for the memories that you gave me, with this video.
I remember years ago emailing Dylan about my dodge d150 pickup truck. He was so humble and helpful and supportive. I'm still a subscriber and fan because of his cool, calm. And collected nature.
Nothing wrong with 51 Models !
I am an old Aussie & born December 1951 ! I got my licence in a 1957 Ford Customline of my Dad's which He had 2,& Loved those Cars Mate !
Did a Great job to get her going again & So happy U Did & for you too !
I Would like to get my hands on a Mainline ,a Utility along the Same form as ohv Customlines at the time ,But with not a box Chassis but C Chassis ,would Carry the World & built in Australia,& go Forever !
Thank U for Showing us all ,Cheers from Aus !
I know you mostly do roadsterations, but this would be great candidate for a restoration since most of it is still pretty solid.
i am a retired professional transmission rebuilder, that was fords first year of automatic transmissions, it was called a Ford-O-Matic, and it is a 2sp. i have rebuilt a few of them back in time. you need to put type F fluid in it, because originally it had brass clutch disc in it. but they could have changed them to fiber if it was rebuilt,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Wow that car is in great condition! Such a great way to start a new build. I look forward to seeing you bring it even more back to life.
Great job! I just made a revival video of my 83 crownvic that sat for 20 years!
I’m impressed that 70 year old transmission still works!
My first car at 15 was a black "hand me down" (from my mother in 1960) 51 Custom manual. By the time I took my driver's test in it, it had fender skirts, dual glass packs, Edelbrock heads & distributor, baby moons, Rambler reclining front seats, custom matching seat covers for front & rear, clothes pins on the fuel line and probably more that I have forgotten. Blew up the motor at the drag strip and replaced with a junkyard motor. If I ever get another one, I have some spare parts that I kept.
I had one, my grandfather gave it to me when I was 16. It was old when I got it and I drove it through out my time in high school. It was an automatic and had a real slip in the drive, but it took me to school and after football took me home. The engine blew up because of a hole in the oil pan, but I replaced the motor with a mercury flat head and had a little more horsepower.
Great car and I enjoyed your program a lot. Made an 80 year old man happy
Very nice. At age 14, my first car was a 1953 Ford 2 door sedan with a flathead V8. 3 on the tree. Super clean.
Overdrive too? My mother’s had the electric overdrive, essentially made it a 5 speed. Quick off the line yet relaxed on the open road. She never had any trouble with it for the 15 years she drove it until the rust got to it.
My Dad bought a new 51 Ford sedan in sky blue with three speed standard plus overdrive. i was six that year. He ordered it with 16 in pickup wheels The year I turned 17 the car was still running with 264,000 original miles with never an engine rebuild. I did a brake job like you did and changed out the overdrive and made it a standard. You really took me on a nostalgia trip.
What an awesome find Dylan! I can't wait to see more improvements on this shoe box Ford. It's definitely a keeper.
Those 1st generation V8s from Ford, were used for 20 years, and were reliable...I would worry a little about the transmission, being so old. But what a wonderful example of when American cars-even the more affordable ones, were well-built.
Glad you're preserving the patina. This gives it character and effectively connects it to the past. The interior needs restoring though.
Man that old Ford is a gem. Nice car
39:41 The most beautiful sound!Total applause from Argentina ✨
That car is just lovely! I love those old Fords, those flatheads sound great!
A custom header and dual exhaust would make this car sound so cool!
Love the sound of an old flat head.
Hi Dylan, I am so excited to see you trying to get this old classic car started. Frankly, I love old cars because they are traditional, beautiful, and their operating system is simple and easy. Gasoline and electricity.And every car carries a story for its owner and his family. I have a Nissan 83 jeep. Although I am not a mechanic, it is my favorite in my cars because I always work in it and it fulfills all the requirements I desire..Greetings from Riyadh.
I am wanting to say that 1954 was the first year for overhead valves on the Y-block; 1953 was the first year for balljoints. So, that car has L-head valves and knee action with king pins on the front end. I had a 1949 Ford tractor that had a positive ground; I was young and didn't know about such a thing. My 1962 Meteor has a tube type radio; a good friend of mine has a 1960 Ford Thunderbird with a tube radio. I just timed mine and it took about 15 seconds to warm up; I have an FM pilot tuner installed and listen to my local FM radio stations. I'll bet the one in your Ford would work! Great video!
Flatheads through glass packs sound so good!
Sweet. I’m in North Georgia. That rig is a moonshine runner. Will run like a scalded dog. Yeet Yeet. She’s a keeper. Museum quality.
My old boss has a 52 Ford Victoria, has been garaged since the late 60's, 6 volt positive ground, flathead V8 and it looks new, few bumper dings, but original and flawless. Those are really good looking cars
I cant wait to see this beauty looking like new, Old is gold, let her grace the roads she once was on. Good luck Mr COOL.
What a beautiful old timer! I love the dash, it is simple but very harmonic and classy.
Nice job bringing it back to life, Dylan! And thanks for sharing it with us.
theres a chance the radio might be working, you have to let it warm up and in your case since it hasnt been turned on in a long time might take 5 or 10 minutes and make sure the speaker is not rotted away,probably needs a new one
Love the sound, Id drive it as a daily..easy to fix! Might have to wait for some parts but thats a nice little ride!
That is a beautiful sight seeing that car cruising down the road! They don't, and will never, build them like that anymore.
Thanks for bringing this awesome Ford back to life! You rock Dylan! You make me want to work on old classic vehicles. I enjoy your content man!
I had an old man for a neighbor. From as far back as I could recall (around 1970) to the day he died (in 1989), his one and only car was a Packard built (I think) in 1954. I believe the man bought the car new and drove it until he died. For 35 years that car got heavy use because it was his only car. And, because the old man didn't have a garage, it was parked on the street in front of his house and subjected to the elements 24/7 for 35 years. I can't imagine a car built today holding up as well as the 50's model Packard.
Can't wait to see what you do to this 51'. I grew up a good part of my life in that exact model, same year, flathead V-8. My dad sold it to a young kid who fixed it up then brought it back to my dad to see. My dad was all excited to see what he did in making the car look new. We were standing right next to it and my dad asked if he would start it. The kid replied, "it's running" ! That's how quiet and smooth those flatheads were. One of the best engines ford has ever made. I can still see the seat covers my dad had put in the car today, and I'm 72 years old. Memories...... I'll be watching..........
When you rapped it up at the end, seems like I could hear the rods floating. Not putting down the car, my first one was a 51 Victoria with overdrive. Nice car!!
Hey Dylan, just a super cool car! She really came around with your hard work! Hope to see more of the shoebox!!
Cool car and nice video. Had 2 1950 Fords ... one was a convertible! My first car!! The other was a 4 door like that one. Both V8 3 speeds...the convert had overdrive. Loved both of them...but the convertible more. Wish I still had it. Dad bought it for me for $45! And it ran flawlessly! Ah...the memories. Thanks... have fun with this one.
This one has fantastic potential. Really looking forward to what it can look like with a little love.
That's great to see an old flathead V8 run. That '51 will be a good driver I am sure with a little bit of work. It looks like it was well cared for before it was parked. I was born in 1950 and I remember these growing up.
Love the shoebox. Always wanted one myself. Looking forward to future videos on this ride!
So nice to see the old shoebox '51 went to the right owner! V8 Flattie has a great sound. This is the car everyone dreams of finding, she's in excellent shape with perfect patina. You earned a lucky break, with all the searching for, and work you've been doing, for old cars, Dylan.
This brings back a lot of memories I'm 74 years old and the 51 Ford flathead 4door was the first car I ever own I drove it all through High School in the sixties thank you so much for bringing back these memories!!
Hot rod power tour car 👌🏻, very cool car, can see a lot of small changes to make it look amazing. Great video 🤙🏻
We had one of these as a family car in the 1950’s to mid sixties. Ours was a three speed column shift manual with the steering wheel on the other side of the car. In Australia the 1951 Ford Custom was called a “twin spinner” due to the two aircraft type propeller spinners in the grille. Watching your video brought back a lot of memories. Good luck with car and enjoy. By the way you really have to maintain the cooling system as these engines can overheat due to the way the exhaust is routed through the block. ❤
I'm in love with this car! I'm a huge Ford fan!! Much love for bringing this beauty back to life.❤
Definitely get rid of the lowering blocks and adjust the ride height with the air shocks. Snatch out that headliner insulation and put in some stick on hush mat for insulation. I wouldn't expect those trans bands and seals to last long. Just go through it and buy a couple waterpumps to have in stock. That thing looks fun. Just accept it for what it is. It wasn't designed for the kind of driving we are used to now. People drove slower because roads were narrower and just not as smooth. Headlights reached far enough for 40-60 mph at most. I want to see more videos of this car. I've always thought that I wanted one. I'll let you convince me whether or not I should look into one. Two of my uncles had shoe boxes when they were new. One a 49 Tudor in the same color you have and the other a black 50 business coupe. Both with manual trans and overdrive. The one that had the 50, kept it until 72. They both loved these cars.
I think this is my favorite video you’ve done so far. Please do more videos on this car for us.
My first car was a '51 2-door Custom back in 1975. What a neat old car.
Same here but 15 years earlier
Nice shoebox! Always wanted one myself. As to the Ford-O-Matic, it is essentially a 3-speed transmission that under normal driving conditions with the gear indicator in "D", it is a two speed, with 2nd gear being "Low" and 3rd being "High". 1st gear, or "Double-Low", is only attainable by manually selecting "1" on the gear indicator, then shifting into a higher gear. Enjoyed the video!
christopher ansell, WRONG, they were two-speed A/T, NOT 3 speeds A/T.
This car is so cool
@@sergeantmasson3669 The two-speed Fordomatic was made from 1959-64. The 1951 trans was a 3 speed that started out in second gear.
I was born Jan. 4, 1951, so the car is 72 years old, and, of course my favorite engine, the Ford flat head V-8. It's in pretty good shape for its age--like me and I'm Rusty. W Rusty Lane K9POW in eastern Tennessee (USMC '69 - '73, Vietnam '71 - '72)
Excellent video Dylan. This car brings back some great memories. I borrowed my buddy's same color 51 Ford Custom 2 door with manual to take my driver's test. That old car stood up to some hard driving. The flathead runs strong and this car would likely be a dependable daily driver. Hope to see much more of this car!
This is a great car. My first car was a 1950 Ford so I have an affinity for these. It is fascinating to see the cars in the background. Interesting collection.
Nice car. I love the styling of those old Fords. Great to see it back on the road where it belongs. Saved
This is absolutely incredible. More videos about this car! I can't wait to see it refurbished with love.
Love it when old rides come back to life. You have quite a bit of work to do on the Ford, but at least it is running and driving. I can imagine finding parts is difficult. Love it.
Maybe not so hard to find parts...there are quite a few Ford clubs across the country...they would inform your search for parts.
i like the way they made the lights especially the tail light and how the turn signal works blinks just as slowly it has a good speed
@@amytaylor4407 thanks
Dylan, your channel never disappoints! It's all about the variety and you found another gem! Can't be that many '51's out there with factory automatics. Loved the backroads driving scenes,--for a second there, I thought I was watching Coldwar Motors!
I'm with you on that I love that car my dad had One and I love that car so I hope it stays on the Chanel
Great video, Dylan! Fun to see the difference from my '34 Fordor I had. Definitely want to see more on this project.
I just subscribed, you kept my attention. Glad you got the old girl going and she sounds great!
Great video! Yes, I absolutely want to see more of this car.
Have a 78 Chevrolet pickup that did not have a hood release cable. The lever was actually inside the grill.
That's an awesome example of a Shoebox '51 Ford Dylan! It'd be really cool to see this thing fully restored, repainted in the original color, and completely ironed out. It'd be a REALLY nice cruiser and show car. Everyone would love it.
Amazingly solid '51Ford! I'm a natural patina fan, but the body is so solid it wouldn't take much to prep it for a nice single stage paint job. I rode home from school in a '51 two-door. There's a '51 four- door here in a town with a flathead six. Yes, Ford made a six too.
That brings back such great memories. My Grandma had a 49 green 4 door similar to that one with the flathead V-8. I learned to drive a manual 3 on the tree transmission in it. Great video!
Dylan you may already know this but many 51 Fords still had a starter button. Generally located on the dash, the button is about 1/4 - 3/8 with a stainless bezel around it. Really enjoying this series.
Thats really Mc Cool Dylan, Love these old flat heads , Both the car & myself were born in 51,Drove many of them , My dad had a country garage here in Ontario Canada, 90% of the farmers had Fords. biggest problem was RUST , engines lasted not the body, Hope you keep her not many nice ones left. Gord.
This is a car I'd like to see more on in the future. It has potential to be turned into something nice.
The viberation might be driveshaft angle from where it’s lowered I’d remove the rear lowering blocks to correct the angle of the driveshaft. This is a nice example of a early 50’s ford. Before you consider a 12V conversion research about using a 8Volt battery in the car.
Thank you so much Dylan for sharing this with us, what a blast i had watching you repare this beautiful car. Beautiful landscapes as well, shoutout from France 🤙
Drove my 51 custom from las vegas to new hampshire in dec 1957 ,got to pennsyvania hit a blizzard all the way to home with no problems
Congratulations on a beautiful unmolested shoebox. With minimal effort you got her running very nicely, I'm looking forward to see what's on the agenda next. Keep up the good work 👍✌️🇺🇲
My first car. Canadian version was a 1950 meteor. Loved it. Paid $200 for it in 1960. Sold it to my cousin for $50. Lots of memories.
Always enjoy your projects Dylan, but this one can be something special. Get rid of the lowering blocks install some baby moon caps and cruise. Only thing I'd do is re-chrome the bumpers, too bad the cost is prohibitive for most of us. Maybe another solution? Carry on, can't wait for next episode.
the chrome powdercoat looks pretty good.
Jeese Terence baby moons really talk about cheap, the black steelies look great for a fun car (wouldn't be much fun with hubcraps and bumper stickers *
I had a 1950 ford flathead V8 They are great little cars and fast, too!!
Love this! I personally own a 54 ford customline that can sometimes be “Difficult” but watching your videos inspires me to wanna wrench on it and go for a drive. Keep it up Dylan!
Kool deal!! I had a 54 Crestline 38 yrs ago, like an idiot, I sold it....still love 54s. Astra-dial speedometer, way cool. I was always amazed how narrow they seemed when you're behind that steering wheel.
God Bless you for doing what you did, not only did you get happy, a lot of us old guys are grateful. My Pop had a 49 with the Flathead, I remember going out to the country to visit my grandparents, us kids in the back seat hanging on to the "ROPE" , which was actually for a blanket to hang, my dad floorboarding that thing,and my mom screaming SLOW DOWN!!! The country is gone now, but not the memory- please do the same👍🇺🇸
Can’t wait to see the old Ford in future videos! Love this car
These old flatheads have outlasted the cars and trucks they were in and ended up in generators and welding machines. Had one at the two powerplants that I worked at. Reliable when nothing else would run. America built things to last back in the fifties and sixties. Seventy two years old and it doesn't even smoke. A long time friend from highschool his late father had a two door 50 Ford, awesome car.
Anytime I see a new vid of yours,I perk up. I know my day's been good once I watch your vids. Keep up the good work man.
throw a few good magnets on the bottom of the oil pan to catch any metal break in dust, cant hurt,, best of luck with it.
I'm excited to see what you're going to do with the exterior. Will you keep the patina, or make it shine like new. I vote for the latter. Good job getting her running. She's cherry!
This is cool the you brong this car back to life 👌🏽. Especially being so old
Beautiful! Excellent job as always!
And congratulations on the future shop assistant!
Imho she'd deserve a rebuild and maybe some chrome and paint. It would make me very happy seeing it on the channel. My grandma used to own one.
Really liked the shot of it driving through the S curve. Looks so cool going down the road.
Love your video! I also have a 1951 Ford Custom 4 door. Great job, Keep It Running!
Oh yea, by the way, I did take mine across country from Ga to San Diego and back.
Heck yeah, I'm hoping to road trip my 51 soon 👍
Great car! Good for you for saving it. Definitely want to see more on that one.
Thats such a nice cruiser. Best idea to junk those stupid lowering blocks and springs, and put her stance high and proud.
Dylan, what a great car and I still love your channel after about 2 years of watching your content. Great job!
I can't believe that you didn't soak that carb in cleaner for a day or two before putting that kit in it. I remember selling a couple of those kits when I first got in the auto parts business in Tuscaloosa in 78.
Glad you were able to get this running. It is a great car. Keep up the awesome content. Look forward to seeing it road worthy.
Dylan you did this one proud! Nice work getting the old gal going again. I agree take it on a road trip when she’s sorted out. I’m retiring in about 6 years and have three “classics” 66 Toronado, 67 Thunderbird and 70 Continental Mark lll. My big decision will be WHICH one to take and where??? Lol.
Sweet car, look forward to seeing its future!