It’s been 42 years since this 1951 Ford Custom 4-door ran on its own steam. It had its last service in 1981; since then, it has been forgotten in a warehouse. And all these years have not been kind to it Ford. But considering how long it’s been abandoned, it’s still in pretty good shape. It’s a great example of the classic shoebox Ford that will look stunning driving down the road even today.
Popular YouTuber and trained mechanic Dylan McCool recently bought this 1951 Ford at a sale. And he plans to bring him back to life. Even though it’s the oldest car he’s ever worked on, he’s confident about this project. Plus, the fact that this Ford came with a trunk full of new parts will make his job easier.
McCool has documented the first part of this restoration project in a recent video uploaded to his YouTube channel. And it’s a truly satisfying experience to see this old Ford come back to life.
This 1951 Ford Custom hasn’t been moved in 42 years
Although the car has been neglected for over four decades, it is still in excellent condition. Unfortunately, the paint has faded in several places. But this gives it a nice patina finish. There is almost no rust except for the front fender, rocker panels and trunk floor. This Ford has not been repainted, which makes its current condition even more impressive.
The previous owner has not done any major work on this 51′ Ford. Instead, he replaced the tires, painted the wheels black, and put the car in a storage unit.
The interior of this Ford has also held up well over the years. All bits inside the cab are original. And everything is intact. The dashboard upholstery and seat upholstery are still in good condition. But since the car has been sitting neglected for a while, there is also some noticeable damage. The headliner has completely collapsed and the chrome inside has visible wear as well.
But all this will be an easy fix. As McCool says, you can’t ask for more, considering this 4-door Ford Custom is over 70 years old.
Will this 1951 Ford Custom come back to life?
This 1951 Ford Custom is powered by the legendary Flathead Ford V8. And McCool is very excited to work on this engine. Once he opens the hood, he’s delighted to see the engine compartment intact. All the fragments are where they are supposed to be. It has a new radiator hose and a 6V battery, which means someone has tried to run this Ford recently.
Before McCool could rev the engine, he connected the system to a 12V battery to get some power into the system. Fuel lines appear intact. Also check the spark plugs. They are a little nasty, but in decent enough condition for a first run. There is also enough oil in the engine to run it.
With the ignition system out of order, McCool crosses the starter solenoid to start the Flathead V8. It turns over, but couldn’t stay running for more than a few seconds. The engine is not getting fuel. So after trying several times with no luck and the starter getting hot, he decides to tow the Ford to his workshop and sort out a few things first.
Once the car is in the shop, McCool connects its battery to an external power source to drain it of juice. However, once the vehicle gets on the lift, it realizes that it will need more work than expected. The transmission is leaking transmission fluid, the brake master cylinder is cloned, the fuel tank is leaking, and the exhaust pipe has a large rust spot.
So, to get this 1951 Ford back on the road, McCool must first fix all of these issues. And as you’ll see in the video, that’s exactly what it does. First, overhaul the entire braking system of this old Ford with newer parts. So the old master cylinder is replaced with a new one, the drum brakes get new shoes, and the old brake lines are swapped out for new stainless steel ones.
He then goes on to replace the old fuel tank and also fixes the leaking problem with the transmission oil. McCool also had to replace the old fuel pump with a new one. This is because the old one was taking in fuel but not supplying it to the carburetor. The carburetor also needed a complete rebuild, as did the starter motor.
Eventually, McCool had to replace the Ford’s old radiator as it had developed a massive leak. Luckily, I had ordered a replacement in advance. And with a final oil top-up, Ford’s Flathead V8 comes alive!
Seeing this 1951 Ford Custom on the open road is truly satisfying
With all the major mechanical issues ironed out, McCool takes the old Ford out for its first drive in 42 years. And boy, what a satisfying experience. The car drives like a dream and indeed drives like one too. The Flathead V8 runs smoothly and McCool can easily touch speeds up to 45 MPH. And it sounds amazing through that old exhaust.
Of course, the car still needs some work. But as it stands now, and considering how long it was intact, this 1951 Ford Custom is a shining example of this stunning classic.
Source: Dylan McCool – YouTube
