Ford Crestliner Still Sensational at 70

By John Emmering

As the new decade of the 1950’s rolled in Ford Motor Company was riding high.  Ford’s successful post-war redesigned line of cars had gone over with the public and were selling well.  Ford Motor Company had a new organizational culture and again was showing a profit.

There was however a fly in the ointment. For 1950 rival Chevrolet had introduced an innovative new model that would set the tone for years to come when they unveiled the Styleline Deluxe Belaire.  While the style, known as the “hardtop convertible”, had been introduced by General Motors back in 1949 in the more expensive Buick, Oldsmobile and Cadillac lines, Chevrolet had the first hardtop in the low-priced field.

Anxious to counter Chevrolet, Ford stylists found that that the 1949-50 bodies did not lend themselves to removal of the B-pillar located to the rear of the doors as the bodies would not be strong enough. Initial trials found use of the convertible body would be too expensive.  The Ford styling       department sought to produce a unique model that would take some of the spotlight off of Chevy’s two door hardtop model.

Surprisingly a solution developed when a member of Ford’s design department, Art Querfeld, purchased a new 1950 Ford Custom Tudor for his wife. Desiring to give the car a sportier look, Querfeld had a trim shop install a padded leather covering over the vehicle’s roof.   When he drove the car to work, some of the other designers took notice and soon it caught the attention of design department executives.  Querfeld’s customized Tudor was brought into the design studio and the decision was quickly made to produce a new model based on this example in an effort to counter Chevy’s hardtop.

In addition to the unique basket weave pattern vinyl top, designer Bob McGuire complemented the body with curved stainless-steel side trim, termed the “Airfoil,” separating the dual body colors.  Rocker panels received stainless steel moldings and special wheel covers replaced the standard “dog dish” hubcaps.  Items which were available as accessories on Custom and Deluxe Ford models, such as twin outside rearview mirrors and three ribbed fender skirts, were standard equipment on this car.  

Ford’s unique “Four-Spoke” steering wheel offered in ivory as an accessory for their cars since 1949 was also standard equipment, although in a black or brown version depending on the body color.  The dash boards also were given special two-tone treatment and the interior generally upgraded, including chrome plated windshield garnish moldings.  Originally dubbed “Sedanca” the new model’s final designation became the “Ford Crestliner”.

Thick pile carpeting replaced the usual rubber mats covering the front floorboards.  Crestliners came in the distinctive colors of Coronation Red Metallic and Black, Sportsman Green and Black and also Hawaiian Bronze Metallic with the lower body in Mahogany. 

Crestliner was introduced as a late entry into the 1950 model year when it was unveiled in July 1950.  The Crestliners were only equipped with the 100 hp V-8 engine and the base price was $1,700. Production of the 1950 Crestliner reached 17,601, which was reportedly more than Ford Motor Company had expected to sell.

As plans for the 1951 model year began the Crestliner model was kept in production by Ford Motor Company.  The 1951 model shared the twin spinner grill, wider tail lights and buyers could order the optional Fordomatic transmission.  For 1951 the    colors offered were somewhat different.  Crestliners could be ordered in all black as well as Greenbrier Green and Black and Hawaiian Bronze and Mahogany. The Coronation Red and Black and Sportsman Green and Black color scheme were also carried over on some early models. Crestliner prices dropped down to $1595 in 1951 but only 8,703 units were produced, making a 1951 Crestliner a rare car today.

By the spring of 1951 a genuine pillarless hard top, the Ford Victoria was introduced, replacing the Crestliner in the Ford line of cars. The Victoria was what the public was waiting for and 110,286 1951 Ford Victoria hardtops were sold, beating out the Chevy Styleline Deluxe Belair by 7,000 units. 

Ford had at last entered the hardtop market with the successful Victoria.  The two-model year run of the attractive Crestliner was over.   While very few in number, the Crestliners are the most unique cars of 1949-51 Ford series and greatly admired and prized by collectors and those who appreciate early Ford V-8 automobiles.