Elite Dealer

1949 Ford Custom Deluxe

Michigan

$26,495

1949 Ford Custom Deluxe

Vehicle Details

Make

Ford

Model

Custom Deluxe

Year

1949

Mileage

7,685 miles

VIN

SMA148

Body Type

Coupe

Transmission

Manual

Fuel Type

Gasoline

Engine

239cid Flathead V8

Description

Ford Custom 2 Door Club Coupe This CLASSIC ANTIQUE vehicle was purchased by the current owner about 20 years ago, and is being sold as part of the owner’s estate. The car was the owner's pride and joy and was meticulously maintained. The actual mileage is unknown, but it underwent a total restoration before this owner purchased the vehicle.

The vehicle has been stored indoors, and started regularly. The vehicle was converted to a 12 Volt electrical system by a previous owner. The gauges, except for the speedometer, do not work due to the voltage difference.

The engine is a 239 CID Flathead V8 developing 100 HP with a single 2 barrel carburetor. The engine starts and runs very smoothly. The engine and compartment are nicely detailed with the factory air cleaner.

The transmission is a 3 speed manual with overdrive, so it travels nicely at highway speeds. The chassis is in excellent condition. Floor pans are painted body color, and very solid. There is no rust on the undercarriage.

Tires are new Uniroyal Tiger Paw blackwalls, size P205/75 R15, mounted on factory rims painted red, with Ford center hub caps and chrome trim beauty rims. 4 wheel drum brakes are featured. The interior upholstery is in like new condition with rubber floor mats. The dash and door panels are gray with an off white headliner, all in excellent condition.

Chrome handles, knobs, Steering Wheel and trim is all excellent. A heater, signal lights and a spotlight are also featured. A push button factory AM radio and Clock are also installed. The exterior paint is virtually flawless.

This club coupe has deluxe features including chrome trim around all the glass, sun visor, front grill guard and rear bumper guard protecting the spare tire continental kit. Spare tire cover has a chrome outer cover and chrome hubcap. All the lights and lenses are excellent and a third brake light is mounted behind the rear glass.

Stainless body side molding and rear fender skirts are the final finishing touches.

Ford Custom / Custom Deluxe Buyer's Guide (1949–1956)

Full guide
M
Mike Sullivan
Muscle Cars
1949–1956
~4 min read
Updated Apr 2026
The postwar "shoebox" Ford is one of the most beloved American cars of the early 1950s — clean styling that aged gracefully, a flathead V8 through 1953, and the new overhead-valve Y-block from 1954. The Custom and Custom Deluxe trims were the volume-sellers of the generation. Honest, plentiful, and still reasonably priced.
This guide covers
10-point inspection checklist
Common issues & what to avoid
In-person inspection guide
Market pricing by year & condition
4 FAQs answered
History & fun facts

Ford Custom Market Overview

Based on 84 Ford Custom listings currently on ClassicCarsArena.com

84
Listed Now
$26,080
Avg. Asking Price
1932–1972
Year Range
Price Position on Our Site — Average Range
This car: $26,495
Low: $1,750 High: $76,895
Transmission Distribution
Automatic 29%
Manual 37% ◄
Condition Distribution
Excellent 10%
Good 13%
Fair 8%
Data from ClassicCarsArena.com listings Browse all 84 listings →
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Ford Custom / Custom Deluxe Buyer's Guide (1949–1956)

The 1949 Ford was a genuine revolution. After years of wartime design freezes and prewar styling, Ford unveiled a completely new low, wide, integrated body that made every competitor look old overnight. The Custom Deluxe was the top trim of that generation — the car that most buyers stretched to afford. What I appreciate about these cars is that they're still findable at prices that make sense. You can buy a good driver-quality 1950 or 1951 Ford for what you'd spend on a mediocre late-model used car, and it'll be worth every bit of that and more in ten years.

What to Check Before Buying

Lower rear quarters — Inspect bottom of rear fender panels — primary rust zone on these cars
Trunk floor corners — Remove mat and probe all four trunk corners for rust penetration
Floor pans — Lift front seat carpet and check for rust or patch repairs
Lower door seams — Check bottom edge of door skins for seam rust
Cowl channel — Probe windshield base area for rust in drainage channel
Flathead head gasket check — Inspect coolant for oily film and oil for milky appearance
Cold start — Start from cold, verify stable idle and no knocking
Victoria seal check — On 1951 hardtop: inspect window seal condition at sill for water intrusion
Chrome trim inventory — Document all trim pieces — 1950s chrome is expensive to restore
Electrical grounds — Test all lights and gauges on 6-volt cars — issues trace to grounds

Common Issues

Lower rear quarter rust and trunk floor corner deterioration are the defining issues on unrestored examples. Floor pan rust from trapped moisture is common. Flathead V8 head gasket failure between cylinders and coolant passages is the classic flathead problem — caused by overheating and age-hardened gaskets; compression test and fluid inspection are essential. Y-block engines are generally more robust but leak at the rear main seal when O-rings harden. The 6-volt electrical system on pre-1956 cars requires correct grounds throughout. Hardtop window seal deterioration on 1951 Victoria cars causes water intrusion at the windowsill. Chrome trim on 1955–1956 cars is expensive to replate when pitted.

What to Look For

Lower rear quarters at the bottom of the fender panel — primary rust zone. Trunk floor corners — probe after removing mat. Floor pans under front seat. Lower door skin seams along the bottom edge. Cowl channel at the windshield base — probe through vent slots. On flathead V8 cars: check coolant for oily sheen and oil for milky appearance indicating head gasket failure. On Y-block cars: check for oil leaks at the rear main and timing cover. Verify the 1951 Victoria hardtop window seals are intact — the pillarless design leaks at the window frames when seals are deteriorated. Test all body trim for completeness — 1950s chrome trim is expensive to restore.

Price Guide

Driver-quality 1949–1953 sedans/coupes: $12,000–$20,000. Show quality: $25,000–$38,000. 1951 Victoria hardtop adds 20–25% at any condition level. 1955–1956 cars trade at similar prices with strong chrome content. Last-year flathead (1953) carries a modest premium among flathead enthusiasts. Hot rod–built shoebox Fords price on build quality, not year — a quality flathead build on clean steel commands $30,000–$60,000.

Did You Know?

The 1949 Ford design was so successful that it is credited with saving Ford Motor Company from near-bankruptcy following the troubled postwar years. The 239 ci flathead V8 in the 1949–1953 Fords was fundamentally the same engine Henry Ford had introduced in 1932 — continuously refined but architecturally unchanged for over 20 years. The 1955 Ford outsold Chevrolet for the first time in years, triggering the heated annual sales battle of the late 1950s that gave us some of the best-looking American cars ever built.

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