What is your take on “new car smell?” The Car-Freshner Corporation is the company behind the famous “Little Trees” that we have come to know and love for decades. The company is headquartered in Watertown, New York, and was founded in 1952. It’s pretty perfect that today’s featured car has a Little Tree dangling from its turn signal stalk, since the car was manufactured just a year later.
The Pick of the Day is a 1953 Ford Crestline Victoria two-door listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Branford, Connecticut. (Click the link to view the listing)
“This Victoria has been modified to include a more modern 302 V8 engine mated to a rebuilt C4 automatic transmission, while retaining its stock rear end,” the seller says. I’m a fan of the two-tone green paint scheme which is comprised of a Seafoam Green body and a Timberline Green roof. I also think it’s clever that the build incorporates a two-inch-dropped front end but still retains period-correct wide-whitewall tires, steel wheels, and hubcaps. “Inside, you will discover new carpeting, a custom tilt steering wheel, and an AM/FM stereo,” the seller says.
The Crestline has a relatively short lifespan in the Ford family, lasting for only three model years between 1952 and 1954. It effectively slotted at the top of the model range and could be optioned in either the Victoria, Sunliner, or Country Squire versions. The Crestline’s successor in 1955 was the Fairlane.
The trim tag for today’s car gives us a few clues about the specifications:
- Body 60B: Victoria
- Color GE: Seafoam Green & Timberline Green
- Trim K: Green Interior
- Production Code 5C – 63: Manufactured the 5th week of March in Long Beach, California
- This means the car must have been built on Monday the 30th or Tuesday the 31st
It is fascinating to be able to get to this level of detail just based on the stampings from the factory. This car celebrated its 71st birthday last month, and I must say it’s still looking as good as ever. According to The Classic Ford enthusiast website, there were a total of 128,302 Ford Crestline Victoria hardtop coupes produced for the 1953 model year. The car retailed at $1,941 when new.
“This is a fine representation of the Crestline Victoria which remains a sought-after collector’s car, appreciated for its vintage charm and historical significance.” Included in the listing is a video which shows how effortlessly the car fires up.
The asking price is $26,500, which includes that appropriate air freshener. Why can’t someone invent “scratch and sniff” computer monitors so I can get a whiff of it from over here?
To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, you will find it in the archives at Pick of the Day.
