Hey everybody,

I just wanted to share with you guys my awesome birthday present from my parents and grandparents. Its a 1953 Ford Customline Club Coupe with a flathead V8. I'm really thankful for it! Ever since I was little I've always wanted a 50s car and now I've got one!
Here's some photos.

Awesome!! Last year of the flatty and dual carbs to boot. Very very nice!

Absolutely beautiful!! That is an awsome gift! Take good care of it and keep it!! I have kept my '47 for appox 25 years.

I am truly happy for you!!

Dave

WOW!! What a nice gift. Drive safely!

That's a pretty sweet ride! Congratulations!

I learned to drive in one of those. I was 12 at the time. Wish I was still on the farm.

Very Nice Indeed! Retro hotrod there. Duals and twin pots. An Olds Fiesta style
wheel cover even. (The flipper.)

Lyrics to an old song, something like; "I had twin pots on that Columbia bus. Now you
may think I'm in a rut, but to you folks that don't dig that kinda jive...Thats two carburetors
and overdrive." From the song; Hot Rod Race I think.

The Hot Rod Lincoln song picked up where the first song ended, years later. Charlie
Ryan did that song.

Wow, that car super nice, you will have a great time cruising in it.

Kudos to your parents and grand parents for an awesome gift!

Sal

PS: If you need a little extra horse power...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-Merc-Flath ... e0&vxp=mtr

You win a prize for having great parents and grandparents. Enjoy.
Sandy

My first car was a 1953 Ford Customline automatic trans. It was White with a Red top. I bought it in 1961 as soon as I had a drivers license from an older lady who bought in new and it only had 33,000 rust free miles on it. I loved that car. Gees...
Dennis

That is a very nice gift indeed.. My first car was a 1953 ford customline four door.. One of the best cars I ever owned.
Keep good care of it and you will have it for a long time.. mine had a radio and it was the best radio I ever had in a car.. I could pick up stations from all over..And that flathead is a breeze to work on.. I do envy you because I wish I still had mine..

Looks alot like my '54 Crestliner I had as a kid.
1st year for the OHV engine I believe.6 volt positive ground,converted it to 12 negative ground so I could add an 8-track!
Phil

OUT STANDING!! Congrats! And you're prolly the only one in town with wide white sidewalls!

My first car was a '54 Ford Mainliner.

My first car was a 1966 Ford Fairlane, the rear end rusted out in the early 80's and I traded it off to somebody for God only knows what.

Joseph's first car was a 1977 Ford LTD that I got for a few $100. It's been in the junkyard for a few years now.

Tim.

"We had twin pipes and a Columbia butt,
you people may think that I'm in a rut,
but to you folks who don't dig the jive,
that's two carburetors and an overdrive."

Hot Rod Race by Arkie Shibley and his Mountain Dew Boys, recorded in 1950, released in 1951. During the year 1951, at least three others had hits with covers of that song. Arkie Shibley recorded a Hot Rod Race #2, #3, #4, and #5. I've got 'em all (the recordings, unfortunately not the 78's). The follow-ups went along the lines of "we're stuck in jail but what the heck, me and that Mercury were neck and neck . . ."

You're right, Charlie Ryan recorded Hot Rod Lincoln as a follow-up, and he actually built the car and displayed it at performances. He kept performing the song until he died a couple years ago at age 102 I think. Most people have trouble making the connection, as the only Hot Rod Lincoln they're familiar with is the Commander Cody version, which changed some of the words. Charlie Ryan's version began with, "Well you've heard the story of the hot rod race, that fatal day, when the Ford and the Mercury went out to play, Well this is the inside story I'm here to say I was the kid that was a drivin' that Model A . . ."

Anyway, that 53 Ford looks VERY nice, and that is a VERY, VERY generous birthday present from your parents. As a teenager I know you'll be tempted to take it out, try and hot dog it, etc. -- please resist that temptation for your own safety as well as the longevity of the car. Baby it, be gentle with it, it'll be your pride and joy for many years to come.

My first car was a 1954 Plymouth Plaza; the car was, uh, not quite as old back then but was still old enough to be a curiosity. For the short time I had it, it was quite a prize. Unfortunately it was still my Dad's car technically, and when the transmission began to act up, he sold it off -- under my protest. The last I've heard, someone was driving it in Ft. Lauderdale, and that was nearly 40 years ago, but -- if anyone down there should happen to see a green 54 Plymouth Plaza with white top tooling around down there, please contact me!

That is a nice car, you'll have a good time driving it. Be ready for people wanting to talk to you about your car. Every time I drive one of my Studebakers, people want to stop and talk about Studebakers and the old cars they have owned or driven. Harry

Hello Jay,
Wow what great gift you must be a great son and one great youngman to get gift like that

Very true. Whenever I take the Thunderbird out, it certainly drives nice enough and I forget that I'm driving an antique car. But then I stop at a traffic light and the guy next to me starts blowing his horn -- for me to roll down the window. "What year is it?" "Nice car!" "Car looks great." Frequent reminders.

That is so sweet--I'm jealous. But a word of caution from someone who messed with flathead Fords for 25 years. Many of them have a tendency to overheat, and so you might want to resist the temptation to run it hard. Running dual carbs might require frequent attention, but when that motor is set up right, it will run great. I hope you have dual glaspaks on it, too. It's the sweetest sound out there!

Although devoted to 1949-50-51 Fords, you need to know about this resource: http://www.shoeboxford.com/. Eventually you will need parts, and this outfit is one of the better sources for vintage flathead parts. Join up and become a member. It's free. There is a forum where you can get lots of information (not as good as ARF, though! . The mechanical side of '53 models is not much different, so if you have flathead problems, you can get great help there.

Tom

NICE RIDE! You certainly are one lucky guy! 50th anniversary for Ford and LAST year for their flatheads! What's the history behind it? Is it restored or mostly original? IMHO, you really don't appreciate a car until you have restored one. My 1963 Falcon required WAY too much $ and 12 hour days for over 4 years-never had a new car, in fact. FWIW, I know that your car has oodles of grease fittings that have to be regularly serviced. My Falcon is the same way. I'm sure that you will take good care of her. Kudos!:)-Gearhead