Well, you can’t miss this one coming. This 1957 Ford Custom 300 is wearing one bright shade of yellow! Generally, yellow is not my thing but in this case, it works, and works well. This two-door sedan possesses a neat ’50s/early ’60s hot rod vibe, but it has undergone some modernization, so let’s check it out. Mitchell G. discovered the listing for this Industry, Pennsylvania-domiciled Ford, and it’s available here on craigslist for $9,000.
Ford had a bang-up year in ’57, knocking out about 1.7M copies. Full-size Fords came in four flavors, with the Fairlane 500 in the catbird seat and then trending downwards with the Fairlane, Custom 300, and finally the Custom bringing up the markers. Our subject car, known officially as a “Custom 300 Tudor Sedan” (there was a Custom 300 “Fordor Sedan” also), was a popular body style and trim level, with 160K reaching the market. The listing detail is light, but the visuals are obvious; besides the screaming yellow finish, the front bumper has been replaced with what looks like either a tow bar or a cop-style rammer, the grille and rear bumper are finished in flat black, and doggie bowl upcaps complete the look. All-in-all, the body appears to be solid and free of corrosion or notable mishaps.
Forget about a Y-Block under this Custom 300’s hood, as this Ford is sporting a 351 CI V8 of unknown provenance. Surprisingly, it’s connected to a three-speed manual gearbox – another retro characteristic. The engine is wearing an aluminum intake manifold that appears to be topped by an Edelbrock carburetor and maybe an MSD ignition system, but there’s no detail regarding mods or running/driving characteristics – just a suggestion of “call for details.”
There’s only one included image of the interior, and it’s not very revealing. More so, I’m always cautious when I see a blanket covering the bottom rest of the front bench seat. Is there anything wrong with the black vinyl upholstery? Don’t know but it’s reasonable to assume so. Beyond that, it’s a mostly stock environment. There is a column-mounted tachometer in place, a trio of engine gauges mounted below the dash, and a Hurst three-speed floor shifter in place to stir the gears. I’m not sure what’s stuck to the dash; it looks like a bevy of refrigerator magnets or decals.
I’d label this Ford a “throwback,” and a well-done one at that. Admittedly, the exterior hue might seem more appropriate on an NYC taxi, but that’s part of the hotrod allure – be noticed. OK, let’s talk price; what’s your thought? At $9,000, priced right or not quite?
Contact to buy; https://barnfinds.com/351-upgrade-1957-ford-custom-300/
