1949 Ford Coupe

1949 Ford Coupe

In automotive usage, a lead sled is a standard production automobile with a body heavily modified in particular ways especially, though not exclusively, a 1949, 1950 or 1951 model year Ford 'Shoebox' or Mercury Eight car. In the name, "lead" (as in the heavy metal) refers to the heavy weight of the body, and "sled" refers to the lowering of the vehicle, giving these vehicles the appearance that they were "slip sliding" down the highway. Period auto body repair, by an auto body mechanic used to be achieved through a combination of re-shaping sheet metal using specialist hand tools and the application of molten lead to damaged body panels, fulfilling the role of more modern polyester fillers.

Let's say ALOHA! to this wild Ford shoebox from 1949 as it is painted in Hawaiian Orchid with some hot ghost flames licking its straight yet rounded sides. Chopped, frenched and shaved we now have a snappy example of the quintessential lead sled. Plenty of highlight features to gab about, oops enough of this intro!

ExteriorThe roof was chopped 4-1/2 inches, the door handles and trunk handle were shaved for that simplistic clean look because who needs door handles interfering with their Hawaiian Orchid paint? Headlights and taillights were frenched still keeping that late 40's look but with a hint to European aero beginnings. A chromed toothy grille is within a blackened opening and below is a wide curved front bumper. Gone are the trim spears, belt line trimmings etc, just a set of lake pipes for the rockers. Two small horizontal trimmings do adorn the rounded "italicized shaped" fender skirts which are giving the appearance of that slip sliding down the highway look. On the back the beginnings of rounded fins flank the curved trunk, and sport squinting oval frenched taillights. Badges? we don't need no stinking badges!...just another wide curved bumper to top off the bottom end of this nice ass. Wide white Coker tires wrap shiny dish style wheel caps that have faux knockoff hubs on a Hawaiian orchid painted moon cap. Also, you'll need to look closely, but light blue ghost flames lick the sides and undulate rearward like a grass hula skirt.

InteriorAll custom upholstery and metal fabrication work for this interior and looking nothing like the original '49 shoebox that came from the factory. The door panels are two tone maroon vinyl with white inserts with some tuck and roll pleating around a formed armrest. A fabricated center console cascades from the back bench through the front buckets meeting up with a rising panel up to the dash. This "long console" undulates with white pleated panels and maroon sides, covering the hump on its journey to the front. On the rise panel, all in maroon, are Vintage Air sliders, a CB radio, an AM/FM/CD player and eyeball air vents. The dash front is all metal and bathed in maroon paint. Sculpted into the dash is an aluminum ribbed instrument panel with Dakota digital gauges offering up a blue glow. A Ford padded rally steering wheel fronts the dash and is topping a tilting adjustable column. Low back early Mustang style buckets with white tuck and roll inserts and maroon shiny smooth bolsters are in front, and in back a split bench has the inserts and padded built-in sausage headrests. Above is an interesting take on the headliner which shows in a smooth one piece maroon panel not padded or paneled, then white horizontal pleated padded panels running through from front to back. Maroon carpeting floods the floor and is nice and clean.

DrivetrainWhen you open the hood in this machine, you'll need a pair of sunglasses because the Hawaiian Orchid is inside along with some vented polished stainless panels that line the engine bay. In the center is the gleaming gem of a 460ci Lincoln V8 topped with a 4-barrel carburetor and a long oval open chromed air cleaner filter covering. On the back is a C6 3 speed automatic and a 10-bolt rear. All bolt ons are polished to the nines and this engine bay just gleams right down to the Hawaiian Orchid shiny ribbed valve coverings, and purple plug wires.

UndercarriageUnderneath has been totally restored and now sports an updated Ford front frame section, rack and pinion steering, 4-wheel disc brakes, and power steering. Exhaust is stock with resonators.

Drive-AbilityJust slip inside and turn the key and you won't even get out of the parking lot at Classic Auto Mall and heads will be turning, and arms will be waving. One of the kicks my partner and crime and I do is to take a special car through the adjacent McDonalds drive thru, and this car qualified. It's a hoot to drive and runs beautifully. Even the front seats feel as though they massage you and that's a plus. Supersize me!

A rolling work of automotive art takes a very creative person to pull one of these sleds together and this person was a master. All nicely done and totally custom. Mele kalikimaka is coming up like a jail house on wheels. Don't fret about the shortages or ships in ports waiting to unload all those presents, just pull this baby into your garage and you don't even need to wrap it!

Classic Auto Mall is a 336,000-square foot classic and special interest automobile showroom, featuring over 600 vehicles for sale with showroom space for up to 1,000 vehicles. Also, a 400 vehicle barn find collection is on display.This vehicle is located in our showroom in Morgantown, Pennsylvania, conveniently located just 1-hour west of Philadelphia on the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. The website is www.classicautomall.com and our phone number is (888) 227-0914. Please contact us anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in person.