One Owner: 1952 Ford Crestline Victoria
We have the privilege of seeing some beautiful cars here at Barn Finds, and this 1952 Ford Crestline Victoria falls into that category. This is an original and unmolested one-owner classic that is in extraordinary condition. It carries all of the hallmarks of a vehicle that has been cherished and treated with respect, but the time has come for it to find its way to a new home. Located in Avondale, Pennsylvania, you will find the Crestline listed for sale here on eBay. It seems that I’m not the only person who is attracted to this survivor because there have been 26 bids submitted already. This action has pushed the price to $10,275 in a No Reserve auction.
The Crestline is finished in a combination of Sungate Ivory with a Hawaiian Bronze top. It has had a few touchups over the years, but it seems that most of the paint is original. It shines richly and shows no significant issues or problems. The panels are straight, with no dings, dents, or evidence of prior accident repairs. There are also no signs of any rust, and the fact that it has been garage-kept for its entire life will have helped in this respect. The owner recently restored the frame, which means that the car should be structurally sound. The chrome trim appears to be faultless, but one of the exterior highlights for me is the state of the light lenses. These can fade over time, and they can also develop a matte appearance. However, the ones on this car look nearly as clear and crisp as the day the vehicle rolled off the production line. The glass continues this trend, with no evidence of cracks, chips, or cloudiness.
When a buyer walked into a Ford dealership in 1952 to buy a Crestline, they didn’t have to agonize over the engine choices. Ford only offered the Crestline with the 239ci flathead V8 that produced 110hp. Bolted to the back of this 239 is a 3-speed Fordomatic transmission. The Crestline range made no claims to be a high-performance model, but the 21.3-second ¼-mile ET was considered respectable for the era. The owner claims that the vehicle has a genuine 79,000 miles on the clock, and given its ownership history, there might be evidence available that will confirm this. The transmission has recently been rebuilt, and the owner says that the Ford runs and drives perfectly. It seems that the open roads are beckoning the next lucky owner of this beauty.
The Crestliner’s interior is tidy, and it has no immediate issues. It looks like the carpet is relatively new, and this is in excellent condition. The majority of the upholstery is also good for its age, with no significant rips or wear. However, the seats look like they are wearing replacement covers. They aren’t new, and while they are tidy, they don’t match the rest of the trim. I performed an internet search and had no trouble finding a set of covers in the correct colors and pattern for under $700. They would bring the appearance back to factory fresh, and I can’t help but think that this would be money well-spent. This isn’t an interior that is brimming with luxury features, but a heater, a clock, and a push-button AM radio should make life pleasant on the move.
The Ford Crestline was only offered for three model years and was replaced in 1955 by the Fairlane. This car comes from the first year of Crestline production when Ford managed to sell 105,280 examples. Of those, 77,320 were the Victoria derivative. That means that they weren’t a rare car when new, but thanks to the ravages of time and rust, finding a well-preserved example today is becoming a battle. That appears to be what is on offer with this car, and it’s easy to see why it has attracted the interest it has. A new home is just around the corner, but I have to wonder if that home will belong to one of our readers. I’d love to think so.
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Comments
My mother’s first car all to herself was a ’53 Victoria, white over light blue, that she bought used. Great looking car.
My uncle gave me his 53 Crestline Victoria that he and my aunt bought new in 1954. I had to let it go when my family was struggling financially several years ago. I miss that car dearly. Green on green with a three on the tree. I still have all the original paper work from 1954.
Beautiful almost 70 year old car that apparently needs nothing major to be a very nice driver. No need to chase down a bunch of expensive and hard to find small pieces and parts and invest tons of money and work, only to end up frustrated. If everything checks out, it should go quickly at the price.
Not a fan of these but that is a spectacular car. Total time machine. Love it and kudos to the owner for keeping this car beautiful.
Let’s see: Pennsyl (rust) vania car; “…owner recently restored the frame…”, but no photos; paint overspray in the door jamb on the serial number tag, yet the writer opines “…it seems that most of the paint is original.” I think I’d want to inspect before investing in this one.
As soon as you see a taped up VIN tag – you’re in trouble
Also look at the firewall paint. Thats original, not the body paint.
Story does mention some touch up. I enlarged the pics & still can’t see or find the vin plate, or anything taped up. Under the hood, looks like there has been some, black touch up paint, & the shiny hoses look new. The Blotches, are just old stained paint, which are in many places, in what I see. You should have seen how nasty my CJ Jeep was under the hood. Nothing would clean it!
Look on the left A pillar. Firewall paint is factory, not the paint on the body.
It is near Philadelphia a major rust area. Check it out in person.
My dad had one that same color of the body even on the top!
If you are not in love with this car for the money amount then maybe you should by both of the rusty mustangs
I remeber using an axe to remove the roof on one of these. Just had to have a convertible–I think it rained the next day
Bahahaha! Best comment ever.
My second car was a green 1952 Ford Customline Tudor , two years old, with dual exhausts, a spotlight, vizor, radio, and an automatic transmission. I put a bored, stroked, and ported and relieved with a “Street Grind” cam Mercury engine that I built up myself. It would outrun the 1955 and up Chevy V8’s with the Power Pack. I would have a another. Oh yes, it would pin the speedometer out of sight. At Lincoln, Nebraska, our race car was a blue 1934 Ford Coupe Modified Stock, # 88.
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Very cool car. Not quite sure I believe all of the copy, but still a very nice, and uncommon these days, ride. Have to ask, though – why are the radiator hoses so shiny in places? And what are those blotches on the passenger side of the firewall?
I bought a 54 Victori from my brother in 68 for $75. It was two tone green 239 ohv automatic, electric seat, and windows power steering and brakes. It was a nice car but used a lot of oil. On my first day working for Boeing I was on my way home when it through a rod. My dad pulled me home where I began checking for damage, the block had a big hole in the side where the piston exited the engine. I bought a 272 t-bird engine from a wrecking yard that turned out to have a stripped timing gear. While working on it and working the swing shift at Boeing my wife at that time had a boy friend who stole my radiator. I got divorced and never finished the car. I guess the city of Seattle impounded it.
And life gets a little better as time goes by.
God bless America
I had a ’54’ 2 door sedan my Dad bought for me for $50. The frame section up front where the A frames bolt in – was rusty, thin, and unsafe. Bought the part, carefully burned the old one out with him coaching me – and tacked, and had a welder he knew arc it into place.
I suspect that might be what was replaced along with there paint repairs…
Once upon a time forty or so so years ago almost got a nice 53 like this for fifty bucks from a friend of a friend. Of course it got sold before we could get it .It was a V 8 three on the tree and nice.
If the car came with factory undercoating or a later application, it’s your lucky day kid. My ‘53 did so I “Got Lucky.” It EVEN came with a Phlathead. Presently it is undergoing a redo. You know, like when a woman goes to the beauty parlor and comes out looking 100% better???
What a clean Victoria. However as someome here mentioned its suspect that frame was restored.there must have been some rust issues involved there.
A 52 Victoria black with off white top with continental kit. Was my all time favorite of cars I have had over the past 65 years this when I was 17 WOW I thought I was
something. That flat head 8 was known to run hot and crack a block. But I’m still smiling.
Edelbrock started their company and made a fortune designing intake and carb conversion kits for these type flat head V8 cars. All American ingenuity and products.