1953 Ford Victoria Mild Custom..... Updated February 4, 2012.

[Peter Lombardo]

As we all know, inspiration for a build can come from many places and at any time. Back in 2007, I purchased a current issue of the Rodders Journal. I looked at that issue many times over the past four and a half years always drooling over the cover car, a spectacular 1953 Buick Skylark roadster in lavender pearl. The other morning while flipping through it, a different feature car caught my eye.

This is a 1954 Ford Victoria Coupe. I apologize for the poor quality photo, but I wanted the picture from the magazine so you can see exactly the shot that caught my eye. This car is a rather mild custom that has nothing of any consequence done to the body. I think it has a nice clean look to it. It is pure white with a silver roof and a black and white interior…..simple enough.

I have a Lindberg 1953 Ford Victoria Coupe that has been in my stash for a number of years now and I could never decide what I wanted to do to it. I know I would not build it stock, but exactly how I never really knew. As with most cars I build, I buy the kit and throw it on the pile and wait for the inspiration to hit me. Even though I am working on a scratch built 1956 Oldsmobile Golden Rocket body, I got the irresistible urge to start this car.

My plan on this car is a little different than the car in the magazine. I want the same kind of clean smooth look without any tricks or design gimmicks. For starters, I opened the doors and then I chopped out about 6 scale inches out of the roof. Basically, I dropped the roof “V” in the back pillar down to the top rear fender line, than removed the same amount from the front “A” pillars. This gives the car a nice subtle chop that does not look too noticeable. You it looks different, but it does not look like it was manipulated very much.

As you can see, I need to adjust the front vent window height yet, but that should be easy. Next you can see some putty around the headlights, from where I am filling in the headlight surrounds so they have a clean frenched look. (Sorry, this image is a little fuzzy….I must have moved a little)

As you can see from the real car, a major difference in the 1953 (model) and the 1954 (real) is the side molding. I like the clean long flowing lines of the one piece molding of the 1954, so the model’s two piece moldings will filled in and a new one piece molding will be substituted to help make the car look longer to the eye.

I am planning the same style wide whitewall tire with most like the sombrero style wheel cover (from the new release of the ’62 T-Bird kit) I will install the half rear fender “mini” skirts from the kit and most likely remove the bumper over riders that the kit has, just to lighten up the look of the car. And, obviously, the car will be lowered down. I am also planning to radius the lower edges of the hood opening to match the curves on the trunk lid.

As for color, I like the two tone look, but will most likely go with a pearl white lower color, rather than the pure white like the ’54 has, and do the top in a cinnamon pearl rather than silver….it will be similar, but different than the real ’54 in the picture. A nice clean flathead under the hood and a tan and white interior with some nice tuck’n roll, and it should be good to go.

Edited February 4, 2012 by Peter Lombardo

[High octane]

That is going to look like one sweet ride!

[rmvw guy]

Nice look on this one! I'll be watching.

[Dr. Cranky]

I've got the popcorn ready to keep watching this one. It's going to be another beauty. Keep it going, please.

[Chris M]

Subscribed, Jimmi Vaughan's vicky is one of the nicest mild customs around. I bought the 53 lindberg kit to do this exact same thing to. Keep up the good work.

[crazyjim]

I'll keep watching this build, Peter.

[CaptainAhab]

Keep it up! I really enjoy these Fords

[zaina]

got one of these in my stash. will be watching this one.

[Peter Lombardo]

I have made some more progress with the 1953 Ford Victoria Custom Coupe. Actually, the moldings have been updated more like the 1954 Victoria with the one piece molding running the full length of the car, rather than the two half moldings.

Side quarter windows resized…….doors are hinged and interior panels in place……front lower corners of the hood were curved……side moldings are two pieces with a small triangle piece between the rear of the door and the rear wheel bubble extension……three rear quarter accent spears added to the front of the rear wheel bubble extension….rear gasoline and license plate recess is filled in….headlight and taillight areas extended and Frenched……chassis finished with almost complete engine set…..front wheels are turn-able…..all wheels lowered……stock hubcaps were used because they look great, just like baby Sombrero’s.

Body is painted in white, still needs more sanding and filling in areas, but once set; it will be repainted pure white and topped with pearl white. The engine and suspension is painted with the same custom blend Cinnamon Pearl that the top and dashboard are to be painted.

[Deathgoblin]

I really like your work on this~! Keep it up!

[Modlbldr]

Peter-

This turned out beautiful! Nice custom modifications and paint work. I'm still slowly plugging away on mine. It's a custom, but a modern custom. Whatagreat kit this 53 is.

Later-

[Joker]

Thanks for the slide show. Like the door detail and the new side trim.