1949 Ford Custom

This 1949 Ford is a great example of an old-school custom and it has quite a history. Built by noted customizer Joe Bailon, it made its debut in 1954 at the legendary Oakland Roadster Show in California. This was a time when customs with radical body mods were all the rage. This one is chopped, channeled, and sectioned with frenched headlights from a Merc and tailights from a ‘54 Pontiac. It laid dormant for many years before being resurrected by Jeff Nickell’s Customs. Jeff lovingly restored the car — called the “Shampoo Truck” due to its use as a promotional vehicle for hair-care products — and it pays homage to a great period in automotive history. The PPG red and black paint is highlighted by period-correct hand pinstriping. The custom two-tone bench seat interior features more striping on the dash. A ‘57 Caddy V8 provides smooth torquey power just as it did back in the day. And extensive body and chassis reinforcements assure that this time capsule piece can be driven and enjoyed.