1951 Ford Shoebox Chopped
The 1949 Ford is a line of cars produced by Ford from the 1949 to 1951 model years. The successor to the prewar 1941 Ford, the model line was the first full-size Ford designed after World War II, becoming the first Ford car line released after the deaths of Edsel Ford and Henry Ford. From 1946 to 1948, each of the American Big Three concentrated on the restoration of car production, offering updated versions of their 1941-1942 model lines. Released in June 1948, the 1949 Ford was the first major “postwar” American car line, beating Chevrolet to market by six months and Plymouth by nine.
In response to its design, the model line would become called the “Shoebox Ford”, denoting its slab-sided “ponton” design. While the design theme had been in use since the late 1920s to streamline automobiles, the 1949 Ford marked its widest-scale use, removing running boards entirely and integrating front and rear fenders into a single, smooth body form.
Engine is an 8BA flathead V8 that has been completely rebuilt and bored 0.060” over. Jahns pistons, Isky Max 1 cam and isky adjustable lifters, The heads are Offenheuser 400’s that have been decked 0.050” giving the flathead engine a 9:1 compression ratio. Carburation includes an Edelbrock intake manifold with three Holly and a Mallory dual point distributer The transmission is a late model 4 speed top loader that’s been adapted to the to fit the 8BA. Giving it the ability to purr on the highway!
One of the most unique features of shoebox are the automatic windows. No one believed it would be possible to pull off automatic windows with a chopped roof and raised fenders. After the completion of the painstaking body modifications, the Shoebox was shot down with its patented burgundy finish. The roof features beautiful hand-laid accents.
The vertical B-pillar, and what seems like an excessive amount of glass by today’s standards, contributes to the old sedan appearance. However by reducing the height of the roof several inches that sedate sedan takes on a sleek new profile. Now that 1951 Ford Shoebox looks like it’s slicing through the wind with ease. Of course getting from sedate sedan to sinister hot rod takes some work—a lot of work.
The 1949-1951 ‘Shoebox’ Ford is one of the quintessential American classic cars. Much like the 1932 Model A or the 1957 Chevy, it’s an icon. People have been hot rodding and customizing Shoebox Fords for over 60 years now, and you might think every trick in the book would have been done by this point.
