Vic Montgomery posted this shot of a ’53 Ford Courier, and it needs to be delivered to the rest of you. I cannot remember ever seeing another one in my life, but then it’s not like I can replay all of my automotive sightings from my early days like a movie. This is a rare find indeed. And it’s V8 powered, which means the very last year of Henry’s flathead V8. And just how many of these are left in the world? Is there another?
Saw this NICE ’54 for sale for $17,800 in Lake George, NY in 2010. Had a stock 239 V-8 with a three-on-the-tree and o/d.
Here is one that I photographed at the 2015 Daytona Turkey Rod Run—Groovy!!
These would be hard to come by.
I can’t find US production figures but did find Ford of Canada production for the 1955 model year. A total 1,064 Ford Sedan Delivery models (78A) were built at the Oakville plant. 324 sedan delivery models were RHD and broken down for shipment to Port Elizabeth, Africa. Only one other RHD model was built. There is no record to where it was exported. That left 734 sedan delivery models delivered through out Canada. You can imagine most were driven into the ground while being used for commercial purposes.
I would assume 1952 production might be close to the same number of cars.
I’m sure I must have seen a small handful of these when I was a child, but that was a long time ago. Make that a very long time ago.
The ’52-’54 Fords have always been far from my favorites, but this one speaks to me somehow. Rare find indeed!
At a car show in Pottsville, PA a few years ago, I saw that someone hotrodded the Mercury version of this car. I wish I had gotten a picture of it.
There is no Mercury version of this car. Your hot-rod guy put a Mercury front clip on his Courier.
They’ve always been rare but I manage to see one now and then – the last one was a thoroughly customized bright yellow car.
Ford of Canada did produce a Meteor Sedan Delivery in 1955. Only 398 of them left the factory that year. How many in 1953? Don’t know at this time.
This very-well-done Oldsmobile version is also a phantom. It’s based on either the Chevrolet or Pontiac platform.
It’s got all the proper Oldsmobile trim, front and rear.
A neighborhood grocery near where I lived in Grand Rapids, Michigan had the owners’ living quarters attached. Their vehicle was a 1951 or 1952 Pontiac sedan delivery with top of the line outside trim. They used it for deliveries and also personal transportation. They still used it in the early 1960’s.
The fire department in my hometown had a 1951 Chevrolet sedan delivery. It had been used as an ambulance originally but by the mid-sixties it had been retired to parade duty and occasional use by the chief making station visits. As with most fire department vehicles it was washed daily and waxed at least once a week; it’s a wonder that the paint hadn’t been rubbed off. A friend and I had a running conversation about buying the sedan delivery from the fire department and treating it to a modern drivetrain. Of course that was all it was, conversation, as we had no money to spend on such a project even if the town would have been willing to sell it. Eventually, when I returned to town after being away at school and then in the Air Force, the sedan delivery was no longer around. I hope it went to a good home.
Very nice ! .
I’ve not seen one of these in thirty years or so .
-Nate
Never seen a Ford panelvan this model we got no Fords from 52-54 from North America a few Chevy panelvans have turned up Ive only seen later Fords often panelled in Ranchwagons so not actually originals.
Paul, I keep meaning to find time to put together a “Ford Courier” essay for you and CC–though there’s plenty that I don’t know. You and I and this car are about the same vintage, and that may be a little part of the attraction. As light-duty “delivery cars,” these cars were perhaps more welcome in a tony neighborhood than a crappy pickup or panel van. I don’t have the options list at hand, but IIRC it was pretty bare-bones in basic form; driver’s-side seat only, single visor, and so on.
I’d be happy to give one of these a good home, even without surfboards, pinstriping, resto-modding, etc.
Ha! I had a 2 door ’53 that I drove for a while right after I got my license back (ahem) – it was a Crestline I believe and got it for $500 (1991). Had the 6 and Ford-o-Matic trans and actually ran pretty good. Suspension and body were shot. Took a co-worker to the airport once and he didn’t really like watching the left front wheel flop around through the floor! Got him there though.
Well, I guess Ford recycled the Courier name for those Pinto-powered, Mazda-designed, pickups they sold in the late ’70s.
Happy Motoring, Mark
That’s really annoying when your searching for parts. It makes no sense to reuse a name for a completely different vehicle.
I saw a beautifully restored one at a show a few years back, will need to dig out the photos though.
Just tripped over its auction listing from 2014 where it passed in, turns out it was actually a 1952 and also unusual in being automatic transmission.
http://arts.theodorebruceauctions.com.au/custom_asp/fullcatalogue.asp?salelot=as0146++++13+&refno=+++45611&saletype=
I am about to rescue this old 53 Courier from the hedge row…I’m going to need some expert advice from the 1953 Ford Sedan Delivery experts! Let me know if you can see the 2 pictures i posted. Thanks in advance, Brad.
By the way it looks pretty complete.
The vehicle in this photo is either a 1952 or 1954. The grill is th best way to determine what year it is. Here’s a photo of my 1953 ford.
I’m new to this site and discovered there are too many people named Paul on Curbside Classic. I’m changing my name to Paul.biker
We just purchased this beauty, hard to find history of these vehicles, mostly see that they are rare