PROBUILT STEEL '47, FRESH DEEP PAINT/INTERIOR, R134 A/C, FATMAN FRNT END, PS, PB

Fat-fendered Fords don't get much cooler than this 1947 coupe dressed in its best formal black attire. These cars offer full-sized comfort and distinctive good looks, making them some of the most popular for a full makeover like this. With a potent Chevy crate motor underneath, this one also drives as great as it looks.The first thing you notice about this big, black Ford is the ultra-glossy paint job. Not radical, but enough to know that some skilled metalworkers were behind the build, and the way it comes together makes the modifications entirely invisible. If you had another '47 Ford next to this one, you'd see that the rear fenders have been narrowed and the effect is that the formerly chunky coupe is now lean and sleek, with a distinctively muscular crouch. Then things like the hood ornament and door handles were shaved, the headlights were frenched, and what was left was treated to fresh chrome or a trip over the buffing wheel. The taillights are cool bullets that are recessed into their own chrome pods and the deck lid has been smoothed to give the whole car a seamless look. Finish quality is gorgeous and if you can't get attention with this big black Ford, you're really doing something wrong.The interior is the same kind of subtlety, keeping everything that works and simply smoothing away the things that don't. Supple tan vinyl covers the original bench seats and artfully designed door panels and there are plush tan carpets on the floor to make it feel luxirous. There are vestiges of the original dash in there, but what you see now is a tribute to the era, not a restoration. Beautiful VDO gauges look suitably old with slender pointers and antique white faces, while the bright trim atop the dash replicates a vintage radio speaker grille. The 4-spoke wheel is wrapped in black leather and details like A/C and a JVC AM/FM/CD stereo make it a pleasure to drive both around town and long distances. The great thing about these cars is that you also get plenty of trunk space for cruising, and this one is upholstered as neatly as the interior and includes a spare tire, because some rods are built to drive.A Chevy 350 cubic inch V8 provides motivation, and there are few better choices for your vintage rod, even if it is a Ford. Clearly built to run, it features an Edelbrock carburetor, dual exhaust with Flowmasters, and an MSD ignition system, all dressed up with billet details that make it sparkle. A '50s Cadillac air cleaner has been custom-painted and dropped on top and there's a big aluminum radiator up front that doesn't seem to have any trouble keeping it cool. The independent front suspension is from Fatman Fabrications and includes power rack-and-pinion steering, vented power disc brakes, and a fat sway bar, while out back a Ford 8-inch rear end offers 3.00 gears for calm performance on the highway. A TH350 3-speed automatic makes for easy cruising and unbeaten reliability, and it rolls on a set of traditional Torque Thrust wheels with spinners and staggered 215/70/15 front and 255/70/15 rear BFGoodrich T/A radials. Driven just over 1500 miles since it was finished, this first-rate rod is ready to rumble this summer. Professionally built for a figure that was surely two or three times the asking price, it will always be the center of attention. Call today!