1948 Ford Other for sale $44,900

Ford called the color Maize Yellow and itandrsquo;s a cheerful alternative to all the maroon and dark blue Fords you see at shows. Itandrsquo;s not a bright yellow, but a creamy soft yellow that looks great and attracts a lot of attention whenever itandrsquo;s out in public. Paint and bodywork are quite good and there are no signs that this was ever a rusty car. The doors open and close properly and youandrsquo;ll note that the gaps are quite tight all around. All the chrome was refinished, including the bumpers and door handles, but the good news is that most the trim is stainless steel, so it can always be polished up to look almost new (not that it needs it). Other accessories include twin side mirrors that are cleverly integrated into the side trim, twin fog lamps up front, and a pair of spot lights on the windshield posts.

The seats are finished with a Bedford cord style fabric that looks right and the leatherette trim remains in excellent condition. Simple door panels include more stainless trim and ivory-colored plastic trim rings on the handles, and theyandrsquo;re not cracked or missing as you usually find on these cars. Black carpets fit nicely and are bound at the edges so theyandrsquo;ll look good for a good long time. All the gauges are fully operational and show beautifully ornate faces with a fun font on the speedometer. Youandrsquo;ll also be pleased to find that the clock ticks away reliable, the heater kicks out some serious BTUs for those cool evening drives, and things like the turn signals, lights, wipers, and horn all work properly. The radio powers up but doesnandrsquo;t play, but it seems to really want to. Overhead thereandrsquo;s a tan canvas convertible top that shows some age, but isnandrsquo;t ripped or torn and it seals up well. Besides, if youandrsquo;re using your convertible properly, youandrsquo;ll only use it in emergencies anyway! The trunk is neatly finished with new cardboard side panels, a rubber mat, and a spare tire with correct jack assembly.

But the real reason people love the early Ford V8s is because of the engine. This is a correct 239 cubic inch flathead which we believe to be the carandrsquo;s original engine, although thereandrsquo;s really no way to be sure. Given the way it starts and runs, plus the fact that itandrsquo;s not much of a leaker and thereandrsquo;s zero smoke or serious oil consumption, we believe that it was rebuilt when the car was restored. Today you will find a lot of recent components, including a rebuilt carburetor, new mechanical fuel pump, fresh tune-up parts, and an electric fuel pump mounted on the frame which weandrsquo;ve never had to use. We just installed a fresh battery and the little Ford cranks right over and fires without much effort, settling into an easy idle with just a bit of choke (yes, Ford still used manual chokes in 1948). Once itandrsquo;s warmed up, itandrsquo;s torquey and eager to run, pulling the yellow ragtop up to speed without working very hard and is happy to cruise at modern highway speeds without complaint. It doesnandrsquo;t seem to get hot or fussy, even idling in the heat, suggesting someone did their work on the cooling system. It isnandrsquo;t detailed for show, of course, but there are no signs of trouble and an afternoon of cleaning and touching up paint would really make the engine bay sparkle.

The chassis is likewise clean and solid, but not shiny and perfect. The 3-speed manual transmission shifts easily and clutch action is light, with just a little chatter in reverse for some reason. 3.55 gears in the banjo-style rear end make it feel quick and agile around town but still allow the V8 to hit the meaty part of its power curve at speed. Dual exhaust with glasspack-style mufflers was installed when