On a recent camping trip near Flagstaff, Arizona, I caught glimpse of a 1951 Ford along a rural route.
Nineteen forty-nine marked the first model year of the first postwar Ford. Notably, it was the first all-new Ford to appear since its namesake passed away. Though the wheelbase did not change from the obsolete ’48, the new, thoroughly modern Ford was lighter, three inches lower, and handled better due to its independent front suspension.
The engines were carryovers, but the trim proportions and lighter weight allowed the Ford to make a swifter getaway. And if you were part of the scene that was modifying cars, then you’d discover the Ford dominated the high-performance world, though that era was coming to a close thanks to the advent of high-compression V-8s. Trim levels were Deluxe and Custom Deluxe (though often referred to as just “Custom”).
An attractive facelift for 1950 diminished nothing, while a new, glamorous Crestliner two-door sedan gave Ford two-tone style (and a fabric-covered top) in substitution of the two-door hardtop that Ford didn’t have (though, across town, Chevrolet had the Bel Air hardtop). Chevrolet also had the Powerglide automatic, while Ford customers would have to wait another model year to find an available automatic.
A heavier facelift for 1951 did not diminish the Ford’s good looks. Finally, Ford had a proper hardtop (based on the Custom Deluxe), which it called the Victoria; also new was the Ford-O-Matic automatic, which was developed with Borg-Warner. Interestingly, the Crestliner continued despite the introduction of the Victoria.
Available engines were either a 95-horsepower 226ci inline-six or 100-horse 239ci flathead V-8. Both were available with a standard three-speed manual on the column or the same with overdrive, while the Ford-O-Matic was only available with the V-8 — five available combinations in total.
Based on the trim (or what looks like where the trim should go), the car I spotted in Ash Fork near Route 66 appears to be a 1951 Ford Custom Deluxe V-8 Tudor Sedan, which was the most popular body style with consumers that year.
