For Sale: 1958 Ford Custom 300 - Two-tone 2dr Tudor Sedan - "Older resto, Runs & drives good" - Hagerstown, MD - Not Mine

[6T-FinSeeker]

For sale on Facebook: 1958 Ford Custom 300 2-door Tudor Sedan in Hagerstown, MD  -  $18,500  -  Must be a member of Facebook to access Seller's contact information.

 

On 3/22, Seller reduced price to $18,000 and relsited on Facebook

Link to relist: https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/429610799437586/-1958-Ford-Custom-300-Sedan

 

Seller's Description:

1958 Ford Custom 300 2-door Tudor Sedan

1958 Ford Custom 300 2-door sedan, 223 ci. with 3 speed fordomatic trans.

• Car was restored about 20 years ago & has been stored in climate controlled garage since. Perfect tinted glass through out. Inside trunk is still original paint. Solid underside & body. Battery has been moved to trunk in a plastic battery box. Driven enough to keep it running good. Oil changed every year & non ethanol gas only. Runs & drives good. Come take it for a test drive.
• Will not respond to "is it still available" emails will be deleted. Ad will be taken down when sold.

Thought car was sold 3 times now but people change their minds or their pocketbook is empty I guess?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 30 by 6T-FinSeeker
update info (see edit history)

[6T-FinSeeker]

 

 

 

 

 

 

[6T-FinSeeker]

 

 

 

 

 

[Dave Wells]

Nice clean car, rarely seen. Interior color choice maybe factory, but sure clashes with exterior paint. Price is still over the top optimistic for what it is - despite condition.

 

Was offered for $21,500. at Carlisle in June of 2022.

 

Production: 173,441 (6 & V-8)

Price new: $2,065

 

Featured in a Hemmings blog, Sept. 2022.

Edited January 20 by Dave Wells (see edit history)

[John_S_in_Penna]

From what I read in a magazine from that time,

the 1958 Ford styling wasn't so well received by

Ford customers when those Fords first appeared

in the showrooms.  But I think it's fine.  The soft

green color is appealing, too.  The interior may not

be correct, but it should be a good car for some

hobbyist when the price matches its value.

 

Thanks for all your contributions, Fin Seeker!

[kingrudy]

Something that I just cannot understand, is why do you put a nice paint job on this car and forget to install the trunk seal? It appears as though the seal was absent before the paint was applied. The seal is cheap, why cut corners on something as small as this? Nice looking car. GLWTS

[m-mman]

The trunk seal is (was) glued to the lid in 1958. 
The cylinder head and the valve cover are post 1960.  Possibly 1964.   I wonder if they used the 64 zero lash valve train? 

[JamesR]

Thanks for the education, m-mman. Another great reason to look for old cars on this forum: some astute observations from people who know.

 

Despite the engine changes, it looks like it might be a car worth owning, at least if it runs properly. It looks cared for and I even like the somewhat odd color! I can't speak to the price because I know little about '58's (other than I'd like to have one that looks this nice! 😉)

 

 

[m-mman]

5 hours ago, JamesR said:

Thanks for the education, m-mman. Another great reason to look for old cars on this forum: some astute observations from people who know.

The car is shiny and would likely be a fun thing to drive around but it has issues. The #1 (rather large) hurdle is that it is a 1958.  
1958s are very similar to 1957s.  However the styling of 1957s is significantly preferable to 1958s. Like maybe 50% in value for a comparable body style.
 

And even if you think 50% is too much then those who know will recognize that the pool of buyers for a 1958 is 2/3 fewer than those who want a 1957.  So you either heavily discount it to get it sold, or you wait a loooong time to hook a 1958 buyer. 
 

The current seller is experiencing this:

 

On 1/19/2024 at 7:44 PM, 6T-FinSeeker said:

Thought car was sold 3 times now but people change their minds or their pocketbook is empty I guess?

 No sir I think people thought that it is a neat 50s car, but before they handed over the cash they found out that they could get a (beautiful) 1957 for the same (less?) money and walked away. 
 

The car has issues in the dashboard. On 57-8 Fords there is a speedometer cover and 3 bezels; one for the heater, the radio and the clock. 57 & 58 are similar but not identical.  This car seems to have a mixture between the two.  
It is equipped with the (cheap) recirculating air heater, but the dash control is for the fresh air heater.  
These are of course warnings that there are corners cut in other areas too. 
(the door handles and window cranks are 1963 Galaxie, not 1958)

 

The wheels & tires don’t add to the looks.  It is a cheap Custom 300, blackwalls preferred maybe wide whites, but not narrow whites.  And lose the trim rings they are not a 1958 trim item.  
 

1958 Fords can offer an inexpensive entry into a 50s car, but as the saying goes: worth less when you buy it, worth less when you try to sell it. 

[John_S_in_Penna]

On 1/19/2024 at 11:11 PM, Dave Wells said:

Was offered for $21,500. at Carlisle in June of 2022.

...Featured in a Hemmings blog, Sept. 2022.

Thanks for the insight, Dave, on the car's pricing history.

That's interesting and could be helpful to a potential buyer.

 

Do you have a link to the Hemmings article?

It might tell us whether the interior is correct.

[suchan]

Agree that 1958 wasn't a stellar styling year for a lot of American cars including Ford, but I've always liked the looks of the Ranchero.

Nice clean car, and hopefully the seller will do what's needed to put it in someone else's garage.

[rocketraider]

58 Fords are growing on me. In their defense they're no uglier than any other 1958 American car. The entire 1958 FoMoCo lineup (Lincoln excepted) looks positively clean and restrained compared to the overwrought abominations GM was peddling that year.

[Dave Wells]

3 hours ago, John_S_in_Penna said:

Thanks for the insight, Dave, on the car's pricing history.

That's interesting and could be helpful to a potential buyer.

 

Do you have a link to the Hemmings article?

It might tell us whether the interior is correct.

 

Here 'tis...

 

https://www.hemmings.com/stories/an-economical-entry-level-gem-up-for-grabs-at-carlisle/

 

 

[George Smolinski]

12 hours ago, m-mman said:

The car is shiny and would likely be a fun thing to drive around but it has issues. The #1 (rather large) hurdle is that it is a 1958.  
1958s are very similar to 1957s.  However the styling of 1957s is significantly preferable to 1958s. Like maybe 50% in value for a comparable body style.
 

And even if you think 50% is too much then those who know will recognize that the pool of buyers for a 1958 is 2/3 fewer than those who want a 1957.  So you either heavily discount it to get it sold, or you wait a loooong time to hook a 1958 buyer. 
 

The current seller is experiencing this:

 

 No sir I think people thought that it is a neat 50s car, but before they handed over the cash they found out that they could get a (beautiful) 1957 for the same (less?) money and walked away. 
 

The car has issues in the dashboard. On 57-8 Fords there is a speedometer cover and 3 bezels; one for the heater, the radio and the clock. 57 & 58 are similar but not identical.  This car seems to have a mixture between the two.  
It is equipped with the (cheap) recirculating air heater, but the dash control is for the fresh air heater.  
These are of course warnings that there are corners cut in other areas too. 
(the door handles and window cranks are 1963 Galaxie, not 1958)

 

The wheels & tires don’t add to the looks.  It is a cheap Custom 300, blackwalls preferred maybe wide whites, but not narrow whites.  And lose the trim rings they are not a 1958 trim item.  
 

1958 Fords can offer an inexpensive entry into a 50s car, but as the saying goes: worth less when you buy it, worth less when you try to sell it. 

Not a buyer, but thanks for your insight. Sounds like you know your Fords. I see a lot of ‘57 300’s on a gasser page in FB and they are super sharp. Had a ‘57 300 years ago; rust issues above the headlights and the rear quarters. Is that a common issue with the 57 & 58’s?

[JamesR]

1 hour ago, rocketraider said:

58 Fords are growing on me. In their defense they're no uglier than any other 1958 American car. The entire 1958 FoMoCo lineup (Lincoln excepted) looks positively clean and restrained compared to the overwrought abominations GM was peddling that year.

 

I agree. I like '58 Ford styling. Not sure I concur with the disparity of values suggested between '57 and 8. The investigation I've done doesn't seem to verify that, though the '57's in good condition certainly bring more, generally speaking. There was a thread on the gen disc forum about buying a car from one's birth year, which for me is '58. Though not a styling home run, the Ford is one of the few cars from that year that I would enjoy looking at. As you've said, the full size cars from GM - Chevy aside - were often grotesquely ornate. And not all of the forward look Chryslers are appealing to my eye. I like the Desoto and Plymouth  in '58 and that's it.

[Dave Wells]

Ford must have thought keeping the '57 tail end arrangement on the '58 Ranchero was more practical than the passenger car/wagon design.

 

 

 

 

IMHO, it might have looked better with the "new for '58" design.   Here is a prototype/design study shown in this FoMoCo photo, but the extra weight and down-facing tail light lenses would have been a problem in a utility vehicle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

[m-mman]

1958 Courier sedan deliveries also use 1957 taillights.  
 

Decades ago when I was working in a wrecking yard a guy comes in to buy a 1958 Ford custom front clip.  Seems his car was wrecked.  
Talked to him, he had a 1958 Ranchero.  I talked to him about 57 vs 58 styling.  He told me that he really doesn’t like 1958s and wished that his Ranchero was a 1957……

 

I told him that a 57 front clip would bolt right on and he could have a 1957.   He got quiet, stared at me, asked if I was sure…..then sighed saying, “Oh well, I just bought this one.”

 

FYI the wagon taillight lenses are shorter. Put car lenses on a wagon, open the tailgate and you have 2 smashed lenses.  

[Dave Wells]

1 hour ago, m-mman said:

FYI the wagon taillight lenses are shorter. Put car lenses on a wagon, open the tailgate and you have 2 smashed lenses.

Sort of an "oops...never thought of that" moment.