Award Winning Steel Deluxe Convertible 350 V8 700R4

Looking to kick the summer off in a super sharp cruiser that you can display at local car shows and parade down Main Street? You can always buy a nice Chevrolet -- Like everyone else… You COULD find a cool old Dodge, and raise a few eyebrows… Or, you can call RK Motors Charlotte and snatch up this unique 1951 Ford Deluxe! Winner of the Goodguys Cool Custom, Shoebox and Kustom of the Year awards, it packs a stout 350 cubic inch V8 in a completely massaged, all-steel body and a super clean, road ready restoration. If you're looking for a fully sorted weekend warrior that'll draw big crowds and big compliments wherever it goes, this impressive '51 Ford is the incredible value you've been waiting for!

Originally sold to Mr. and Mrs. George J. Ruth of Greentown, Pennsylvania by Haynes Motors of Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, this striking Deluxe convertible is a solid classic that's been transformed into an old school hot rod. When the car rolled into our RK Motors Charlotte showroom, two things were immediately apparent: 1) It wears a high quality restoration. And 2) whoever hammered its sculpted panels back into shape has either spent most of their adult life in a body shop or restored more than their fair share of vintage Fords. The build began with a solid, original shell that was completely disassembled and fitted with a newly fabricated floor. Once that floor was in place, the body's panels were fully prepped, a great looking coat of black urethane was accented with red, professionally applied pin stripes, and everything was buffed to a mirror-like shine. Today, from the top of its smooth doors to the bottom of its straight black fenders, this slick drop top is much nicer than when it rolled out of Ford's Chester, Pennsylvania manufacturing facility, and features a level of fit and finish which is more akin to a modern car than a 61 year old classic.

As a re-envisioned custom which mixes timeless style with a roster of well-executed modifications, this awesome old school convertible puts a fresh spin on classic Ford appeal. At the front of the car a heavy, body-width chrome bumper hangs two clear parking lights below frenched Eagle Premier headlights which perfectly complement a signature 'dual bullet' grille. Above that grille, a nosed hood props custom louvers and custom pinstripes in front of chopped glass and a Hydro-E-Lectric power cloth top that's complete with a glass rear window. Behind that grille, pristine chrome mirrors hang on great looking shaved doors which serve as the visual intersection for straight stainless toppers and modified “Custom” trim spears. And at the back of the car fully integrated rear fenders, which feature cool factory wind slits, lead the eye to frenched blue dot tail lights, a decked trunk lid, a second body-width chrome bumper and two spotless stainless exhaust tips.

When this main line Ford was transformed from basic transportation into the old school cruiser you see today, every detail was upgraded in the name of both performance and aesthetic appeal. The car's reliable but tired flathead engine was swapped for a modern 350 cubic inch Chevrolet mill which looks good and runs great. And its clean engine bay was fitted with a full assortment of dress up pieces, refinished in the same slick black urethane as its glossy exterior panels and fully detailed in stylish red pin stripping. The smooth 350 gets its air and fuel from an Edelbrock Performer RPM aluminum intake which props an Edelbrock Endurashine carburetor below a trick chrome air cleaner. Fire is provided by a chrome capped HEI distributor which sends spark around red detailed, finned aluminum valve covers via eight Accel Ferro-Spiral Core plug wires. Cooling is provided by a heavy duty radiator which is complete with two chrome flex hoses, two quick spinning Flex-a-lite puller fans and a familiar chrome cap. And spent gases are handled by a pair of appealing, and efficient, ceramic coated block hugger headers. The powerful small block is simple, looks good and is reliable enough to hit the road tomorrow, with everything from its modern serpentine system and aftermarket AC compressor to its Von Dutch decal and braided dipsticks fully sorted and ready to go.

Take one look under this razor sharp drop top and you'll find a solid, '51 Ford convertible exclusive X-frame undercarriage which has been properly maintained for the last 61 years and treated to some choice Fatman Fabrications upgrades which increase both performance and feel. Motivation is provided by a sturdy 700R4 4-speed automatic transmission which sends power from a B&M torque converter to a traditional Ford nine inch rear end. Steering is provided by an effortless power rack and pinion system which gives the car a lightweight and surprisingly athletic feel. And braking is provided by a combination of power front discs and manual rear drums which do an excellent job of providing fade free, drama free stops. Judging by the quality of paint on the car's suspension, it has been completely rebuilt at least once during its last few years, and is currently fitted with Mustang II components up front, a four link set up and beefy sway bar out back and a fully adjustable Ride Tech air suspension at all four corners. Just in front of the car's nine inch rear end, a pair of traditional glasspack mufflers ride in the middle of a mandrel bent true dual exhaust system which creates a fitting, gnarly burble through stainless steel exhaust tips. Keeping the car firmly planted on the pavement is a nice set of 15 inch chrome steel wheels which spin bold 205/75 front and 215/75 rear El Dorado Golden Fury whitewalls around appropriate bullet-style center caps. And overall, the bottom of this Deluxe presents very well with solid floors that display no signs of rust, a straight frame that shows no indication of damage, and a slew of road ready parts that all function just as they should.

Pop this cool convertible's doors and you'll find a tasteful and comfortable custom interior which is a classy reminder that, in some circles, style and appeal are still the central focus of automotive design. At the front of the car fully digital gauges, which are hooked directly to a new American Autowire system, ride inside a fully restored dash which hangs a nice combination of satin and gloss finish paint above a small Sunpro Super Tach. At the bottom of the car a small black console props a Ride Tech control panel and knobs for the Vintage Air heat and air conditioning system at the sides of an MP3 compatible Alpine CD player which sends sound from a trick Untenna antenna or a Custom Autosound six disc CD changer to great sounding pioneer speakers Pioneer speakers. And at the sides of the car, great looking custom door panels wrap like-new ultraleather around custom armrests and fresh chrome handles for the doors and windows. In the middle of the car, completely rebuilt and recovered red ultraleather bench seats provide the perfect spot for main street cruise nights. In front of those seats, a polished aluminum steering wheel spins a color-keyed rim above a color-keyed Ididit tilt column that's complete with billet stalks, an integrated gear indicator, a chrome shifter and a red Lucite shift knob. Below those seats, upscale black carpet rides under high quality floor mats and a chrome emergency brake handle. And behind those seats, a bright red convertible cowl snaps down over a fully restored trunk which mixes a large, carpeted storage area with custom, red ultraleather side panels.

This stylish hot rod's show history is extensive, and its list of awards impressive:

* Goodguys Cool Custom Award
* Goodguys Shoe Box Award
* Goodguys Kustom of the Year Finalist

Included with the car's sale is a giant stack of documentation which consists of an original Ford Service policy, original Haynes Motors warranty paperwork, some original registration cards, an original Ford inspection manual, a photo which captured the car in its showroom fresh state, two photo albums and two CDs full of restoration pictures, and a literal stack of receipts and components manuals.

This exceptionally clean 1951 Ford Deluxe is one of the coolest cruisers on the planet! And at just $59,900, it offers the best of both worlds: a fully restored car at a fraction of the cost of doing it yourself, and a unique hot rod that sets itself apart from the sea of restored 'tri-fives' and full-size land yachts. Solid, well-done early 50s metal like this doesn't come along too often, and given the attention it draws in our showroom, it won't last long either!