1934 Ford Victoria - $59,900 - Orange Village, OH - Original steel body and fenders, 454 cubic inch V8, A/C, power windows, stereo, disc brakes. Rare, professionally-built rod with only 600 test and tune miles.
The Victoria is a rare bird, with only 20,083 being built in 1934, which is about 1/6 the number of tudor sedans built alongside it. The only 1934 Fords that are rarer are ones with tops that go down or bodies that are made of wood. And since the most important thing with hot rods is bodywork, it’s good to know that the steel on this one, except for the hood, is 100% vintage-1934 stuff. The top insert and cowl vent have been filled and smoothed so expertly that you can’t even tell they were there, and the hood is a trick side-opening piece with louvered sides, but the rest, including the fenders, is original. There’s a great deal of time invested in getting fit and finish to modern standards and even beyond, with doors that are flush and snug, body moldings that line up just right, and a finish that’s smooth enough to reflect like a mirror. They also chose a subtle and appropriate burgundy paint and laid off the metallics and pearls, so it has a classic old-school look with an impossible shine that looks like a million bucks.
The black ultra-leather interior is all-new, too, from headliner to carpet. Matching door panels retain the original window garnish moldings and hardware, and the factory window cranks now actuate power window motors inside, a very cool trick. A full array of dials from Classic Instruments were fitted in front of the driver and use slender pointers that are quite similar to the original ’34 Ford pieces. The center area houses controls for the ignition, lights, wipers, and Vintage Air A/C system, which uses cleverly hidden ducts and vents to keep it comfortable without spoiling the look. Overhead, there’s a neat little console for the JVC AM/FM/CD stereo head unit, which feeds speakers stashed throughout the interior.
Chevy power isn’t uncommon in cars like this, but finding a romping, stomping 454 cubic inch V8 is a very pleasant surprise. With more than 400 easy-going horsepower on tap and a towering mountain of torque, this Victoria lives up to the history of hot rodding with very impressive performance. Topped by a big Holley double-pumper and an Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, throttle response is instantaneous and the long-tube headers help bolster the already fat torque curve. A big Walker radiator up front keeps it cool and thanks to an electric fan, it doesn’t care about sitting in traffic with the A/C blowing.
Underneath, there’s a heavily reinforced frame that was stripped and powdercoated gloss black so it’ll last practically forever. The front suspension is polished stainless A-arms with coil-over shocks and rack-and-pinion steering, so it tracks like a cruise missile and rides pretty well for an old car. Out back you’ll find a familiar Ford 9-inch with 3.73s inside, all hanging on a 4-link with another set of adjustable coil-overs. A TH400 3-speed automatic transmission is about as reliable and durable as gearboxes come and you’ll note that aside from the suspension components, the rest of the chassis was intentionally kept low-key. Even the BFGoodrich radials are sensible: 195/60/15s up front and 235/70/15s out back, giving it a traditional big-n-little look without a harsh ride penalty. And yes, those are real-deal Halibrand polished aluminum wheels with genuine Halibrand knock-off centers, a rather expensive little detail all by themselves.
You could build a fiberglass facsimile of this rod for somewhere around the asking price if you did a lot of the work yourself, but finding a Henry Ford steel Victoria and giving it a professional makeover like this probably won’t happen without a lottery win. Take advantage of this opportunity to pick up a rare, unusual, and surprisingly practical rod that’s ready to go today.
For more details and photos, please visit www.VintageMotorCarsUSA.com.