Junkyard Junkie

[@DavidByrd-i2v]

I swear, I enjoy Steve's knowledge and expertise in every video,...ALMOST as much as every gouge he takes at motor trend...good stuff

[@VinylMatador]

With every MT dig, I’m reminded that Steve’s channel is becoming more and more successful - it’s their loss and I’m loving it! Another great & informative video Steve!

[@Daniel-fd3wp]

@Ryan Coates MT stands for Massive Tragedy Getting Rid of Steve. He is his own Boss now. Great Videos Steve and Shane. 👍

[@rawbsworld6604]

Definitely another lol Easter egg! 👍

[@jasonformulaboater357]

I've watched 400 or so of these and look forward to the next one every day. Thank you Steve

[@mikepotter6426]

Katie owns that junkyard

[@samholdsworth420]

Indeed

[@danw6014]

My dad had a 52 Custom with the Flathead V8. When he was in the army and stationed in Missouri the block cracked so he drove to a junk yard and found another 52 like his but it was missing the transmission. That car however was in much better condition so he traded cars and pulled the transmission out of his and put it in the junkyard car and drove that one back to base. Eventually he painted it, black with a white top. The interior was red.

[@hughmarloweverest1684]

Love your videos, Steve. The 52 Ford Mainline was a car for the masses and you highlighted it well. The book you showed us I found desirable, and being a man of action, paused the video and bought a used copy online without further ado. Thank you!

[@donchandler755]

I look forward to each episode. There is so much information that you impart. I always laugh when I see the dog's face being blurred out. I guess he wouldn't sign the release form. Then there is always the reference to Motor Trend. Keep up the great work.

[@nathangibson564]

Thank you Steve for putting this one together, my Grandfather gave me his 53 tudor sedan mainline 6cyl manual with overdrive it was his car from his youth he met my Grandmother in the car.

[@ddellwo]

As someone who travels to California quite often for business, it’s hard for me to imagine a time when it was the hot bed for automotive performance and “hop up” culture! Now, the entire state seems hellbent on eliminating the automobile as a source of interest or passion, and replacing it with soulless versions of transportation that don’t even make a sound as they roll by…….😮

[@xfactorautomotive1496]

Isn't it sad what has become of our country? I never thought I would live to see the day that I would be worried about the future of our United States. Things need to change...and quickly

[@ddellwo]

@@xfactorautomotive1496 - Don’t even get me started! We have one, serious, horseshit generation coming up however! Unless you need someone who can peck at a keyboard, they’re useless as tits on a boar…….😮

[@tomwesley7884]

Can you imagine a cross between this Mainline and an early '90's T-bird? I've been seein' one around here, couldn't believe someone did it.

[@will7its]

Yeah the hypocrisy, kali is overflowing with cars. Maybe it makes sense.......

[@jamesblair9614]

As someone who has memories of SoCal back to the mid fifties, the people who live there now are different enough to be classified as a different species.

[@bk14nyc]

What an AWESOME episode! I wish Steve would have his own Talk Show late at night like Johnny Carson did! 👍

[@johntomlin3282]

What a great history lesson! Thanks so much for your knowledge and excitement for automotive history!

[@craigjones2878]

Here in Australia the Mainline was a Ute version of a Customline. They used a convertible chassis for rigidity and used a Dana 44 with 4.09:1 ratio. Keep up the good work Steve.

[@darrenwilliams-wy9gb]

'52 53, 54 this car has probably been the most customized car for years from head light area tail lights grille etc thanks for bringing it to us Steve. 👍😎

[@carlosgarza8936]

I saw the ‘52 in the background yesterday. I hoped, and today my hope came true. My Dad had a two door post he allowed me to drive to high school my last year. It was noisy and had mismatched tires, but it ran. It was parked and parted out during my army service. The engine went in an old F-1. The transmission went to a later model Fairlane. I believe I still have the radio mast. Thanks for the video. 👍🏼

[@jeffreysciortino1988]

Great melding of hardware, technology, and history! The 50 year sequel of that book: “Ford:A Century of Progress” is a favorite of mine.

[@Falasi4]

Such great stuff and putting them in historical context is fascinating as always!

[@holgerwittmann8419]

So crazy, being a designer in these times must have been super exciting!

[@bertonfeuchtwanger9779]

Thanks for the review about Ford. I think Ford referred to 1953 as their Jubilee year. My dad was a Ford guy he bought a new 1954 Ford Customline 2 door post. First year for the overhead valve V-8. It was the car I remember growing up in the 60’s. I also remember a family vacation to Detroit and seeing steel made at the plant. Thank you for bringing back some childhood memories.

[@scoobyroorogers]

Very cool story. Must have been cool to visit Detroit in the 60's..

[@michaelmcgillivray1624]

I currently own a 1954 Customline 2 door post. It has the drive train from a 66 Fairlane GT. (390/4speed). 😂 Car is a blast to cruise. It keeps this old man busy and out of mommas way. Thanks for sharing.

[@normenderle550]

My Dad still has his first car, a 1954 crestline 4 door with the 239 yblock.

[@ernielaw]

Keep it in storage.

[@SuperOperator4]

Coffee and Crawling!!!!!!!!!!!!! Great way to start the day!!!!!!!!

[@hankrobb6639]

Ah yes....could be the Ford Customline that Barney Fife almost got stuck with. An Andy Griffith episode that every first time car buyer should watch...in fact, we should watch this everytime we consider buying a used car..thanks Steve. I've learned so much from your channel.

[@unclebob7937]

Good morning Professor Steve. Thank you for sharing your immense 20th century knowledge. I learn something new every episode.

[@chrisscearce]

Hi Steve great video on the little '52 Ford. I once owned a 52 Ford Crestline Victoria. It was light blue with a white top, a beautiful car. Sold it in Carlisle, PA at a show there. Steve wasn't this the car that started the gas filler behind the license plate? I'm not sure but Ford is know for its enovation. Don't want PO any Mopar or GM guys by saying that. I'm not prejudice, to me they all make junk at some point in time. 3 night show starts tonight here in St Augustine! This is a beautiful city if any of you get a chance to visit. A lot of skin to see also. Some pleasimg some not so much 😂. Love you all! Have a blessed day and a better tomorrow everyone 🤙🏼Namaste 🙏🏼

[@will7its]

Gorgeous town, whales in bikinis taking selfies.....not so much......🤣

[@chrisscearce]

@@will7its Hi Kevin 👋 sounds like you've been to St Augustine before. 🤣 Thanks for commenting 🤙🏼 Namaste 🙏🏼

[@brianandglendaharkin9457]

👍🏻🇦🇺💯⛽️love these Fords . MOPAR lad here .

[@rixkafer56]

Another great class session today ! Thanks for sharing 👍

[@bobhill3941]

My high school gym teacher had a 52 Ford Coupe with flathead. I used to see it in the teachers' parking lot, it was burgundy when he didn't run to school. Also, I had a book similar to that, it was the first 75 years of GM.

[@ThePontiac98]

I have the same book

[@bobhill3941]

@@ThePontiac98 Cool, my aunt gave me my copy

[@jeffclark2725]

That was a cool magazine article, on that classic ford

[@HandleMitCare]

This is still gold in the junkyard. Go Steve!

[@rescuedandrestoredgarage]

Now that's some incredible history. Goes to show, even back then, great men still had a lot of issues with one thing or another.

[@anibalbabilonia1867]

Another great informative video! Great history of the new then for 50s Ford sedans.

[@johnkranyics281]

Good morning all. The flathead was in Canada a little longer.🇨🇦

[@c4az57b]

Also in Australia.

[@robbchastain3036]

SoCal auto styling cues being picked up by Detroit is like what Schwinn did with their Sting-Ray 20" bicycle in the early '60s. Southern California kids were modifying their 20" bikes to look like motorcycle choppers with high-rise bars and long Troxel bicycle polo seats. And acting on a tip about this trend, Schwinn sent a rep from Chicago to have a look and, ka-boom, a bicycle revolution began when Schwinn promptly rolled out the colorful Schwinn Sting-Ray and ignited a generation of crazy kids who used their Sting-Rays to start the sport of BMX and jump like Evel Knievel and just get out there and have a blast. And I tip my hat to those SoCal kids who pretended they were riding choppers, the OG cool kids who truly influenced their generation and beyond.

[@scoobyroorogers]

That's COOL ! I didn't know that . Thank you

[@robbchastain3036]

@@scoobyroorogers There is a truly excellent book titled No Hands, The Rise and Fall of the Schwinn Bicycle Company. It was written by two Chicago investigative journalists who clearly had a love for Schwinn and told, along with the sad events leading to their demise, many fascinating accounts of their success, including the Sting-Ray origin story. And just before the '30s Depression forced Schwinn to bail on its motorcycle manufacturing, it had bought and combined two sporty brands, Schwinn was third behind only Harley and Indian. Amazing stuff. Plus, and this was wild for me to learn, Ignaz Schwinn took his bike-building skills to the United States from Frankfurt in Germany in the late 1800s, and in my little thumbnail, I am jumping my Sting-Ray in a military housing area in early '75 in Frankfurt. So a century before kids like me were riding Sting-Rays bearing his name in Frankfurt, he was building safety bikes in Frankfurt and evidently dreaming of setting up shop in the United States.

[@scoobyroorogers]

@@robbchastain3036 Thank You. I will have to check this out.

[@robanderson6173]

I'm still laughing at the privacy screening the dog got.

[@unclemarksdiyauto]

My dad's friend had a 4 door with the V8 in a coral color. It was still being used as a daily driver into the 1990's as he has drove on some wet tar road back in the day and undercoated it very well. (part of the story was that when he got home he used a razor blade & probably gas to clean the tar off all the paint.) Who knows, probably something else going on that you would drive through such a mess!

[@Hyrev1]

Great video Steve! 👍👍💯🇺🇸

[@CODA-Improvements]

Great work Steve ! There’s a channel called Iron Trap Garage on YT. They have lots of tutorials and information for anyone interested in early hotrodding techniques. Great guys and lots of info on Ardun Hemi Head conversions , bodywork and mechanical upgrades to these flathead designs.

[@BobG-ic1pj]

The family car in the late 50s was a '52 Ford Mainline 2-door sedan OHV 6. By 1961 I had taken over the Ford and the family graduated to a 67 Plymouth. I bought boxes of pieces that when assembled became a 331 ci Chrysler Fire Power hemi. That led me to the project of dropping the hemi into the Ford. It was an interesting project. The original Ford 3-speed transmission was OK but the original rear end only lasted for about 8 miles, from home to my gas station summer job before it gave up the ghost. Luckily the mechanic there had a '54 Ford V-8 that he gave me the rear end from. I swapped it out to make the trip home. I tooled around in the Ford for a while and sold it to a neighbor down the block. Great memories...

[@LongIslandMopars]

My uncle used aluminum siding to remake the lower quarter panels on his 73 Duster. He countersunk rivets and smoothed them over with a little bit of Bondo. He found some gold paint in a rattle can that almost matched the "Gold Duster" body color (with a white vinyl top no less). Came out great and extended the life of the body until he sold it in 1984 and bought a Mercury Topaz.

[@googleusergp]

My dad made patch panels the same way out of sheet aluminum (not siding) and then shaped them into place on my sister's 1974 Gold Duster with the "Leaning Tower of Power" and factory ice cold AC. He then used a spare chrome molding and put it over the rivets so the car looked like it had a lower chrome molding. We got matching spray Dupli-Color to match the rest of the car. It actually looked like it belonged to the car. We sold it in 1985 for a 1979 Cutlass that my father got as a trade-in at the Cadillac dealership he worked at. The person that called for the Duster told my mom, "Your husband said he would take $1400 for the car". (We were only asking $900, so we're not sure where he got that but he gladly paid $1400 for the car). I saw the car well into the 1990s and then it was gone. When we went to pick up my sister at work, my Dad said, "Tell her that we painted it and it came out green". LOL.

[@LongIslandMopars]

@@googleusergp That's awesome!

[@googleusergp]

@@LongIslandMopars It was a good car. One time we let it sit for three days in the snow. Cleared the snow, got in, pumped it twice and it fired right up on the first try. The "Leaning Tower of Power" was a good engine. The carburetion and to a lesser extent, the ignition systems attached to it were complete crap though.

[@LongIslandMopars]

@@googleusergp My dad loved the slant 6. He had one in a 62 Plymouth, our 64 Valiant, and two Volares. We never had any issues with them. He doted over them religiously so maybe that explains it (not something the average owner would probably do). We had the quietest valves around (adjusted running and hot). 😎

[@googleusergp]

@@LongIslandMopars Nah. We never had to touch ours. That was the allure of the LTP. It sounded like an IBM Selectric typewriter at full speed in an office. We maintained them, always changing the oil, but the valve cover was never off any of ours and we had several of them. Also had 318 V8 cars. My parents stopped buying Chryslers by 1977 and went to GM products.

[@HotRod-wv4vm]

I once drove my neighbor’s 55 Ford Station Wagon, believe it was a squire

[@saturnfivehynrgrc581]

Morning Steve, good stuff man...

[@lilmike2710]

I already knew before that hood was even raised that the flathead V8 wasn't going to be there. Heck, it was probably yanked out decades ago. 🤔 I can't help but wonder what became of that engine...

[@theprinceofsnj]

Another great video. You did fail to mention that 52 was the first year for the center fill gas tank.

[@radiodeletedude]

never get tired of MT jabs. 😎 predictable but still funny.

[@xfactorautomotive1496]

Very much agree

[@mcsg_pelecan]

Always makes me laugh! 🤣

[@SteveMagnante]

You mean that entitled, self-righteous, screeching sound? I'll never stop! Thanks for watching and writing. -Steve Magnante

[@rayz8000]

My dad bought a 1953 Mainline brand new after being discharged from Army after serving in the Korean War. He kept it on the road until 1970 as it was his primary transportation.!

[@butcher390]

That assembly plant , Looks massive !! I sure wish modern cars 🚗 Would get back too , utilizing spare tire storage stickers Nice to see , Katie 🐶 checking on you You're absolutely 💯 right ✅ Dodge brothers did supply , Henry Ford

[@garyszewc3339]

The assembly plant was only part of the rouge complex. Today, all of the individual parts are made us wear and transport it to the assembly plant, where the vehicles are built. In the early days of the rouge plant every part of the car except the tires was made on-site. There is still a steel mill on the site but there used to also be a glass plant.

[@musclecarmitch908]

I remember my Aunt had a 53 ford and the horn button had 50th anniversary in it! Great memories!👍

[@terrencegiordan2775]

That was awesome the history about the and the car great video.

[@craigthompson8810]

Have a 52 Ford custom line 4dr another great video Steve

[@aa64912]

My grandparents had a ford like that. Wish I had one

[@dennisgallear409]

Hope to see you well soon Steve!

[@randyauer7303]

Another good video Steve get well soon

[@garyphelan8821]

Really cool how Ford picked up from those custom car guys to get that headlight style. Isn't the term called "Frenched" headlights? Thanks for sharing that Steve, I never thought that before.

[@jeffogden2982]

My mom.had a 52 Mainline 2 door sedan,it was sold when I was 5 in 66 but do remember the car well.

[@dougsilva8603]

Beautiful 🐕 Dog 🐕

[@garycrawford2256]

The styling flourish of the 52 Ford resembles the fenders of early Rivieras.

[@chriselliott5480]

Just riveting Steve!

[@Tmrfe0962]

Another Great vid Steve….thanks for the entertainment and information….

[@bluehillcemetery2887]

Art deco train skirts looks like the Downeaster I saw stored on a work yard in Bartlett NH

[@joelmiller7]

1952 and 1953 production was restricted and the engine compartment was designed for the Y block, but was delayed until 1954 because of the war production act for the Korean War.

[@speedfreak8200]

Brings back good mamarries, bout 74' I bought a 53' mainline from a local wrecking yard (st.helens or.) $125.00 running 🏃‍♂️ and driving, first year for 215 ci overhead valve 6 banger, drove it a few years and then I traded for a 65' Econoline, that hauled my dirt bike,it was a yamahauler.Never ever broke down on me. I never mentioned I had an fc150 when you featured one, so this time I thought I would.... thx steve

[@tony-ps4qw]

Great history lesson!

[@sombra6153]

My dad had one around that Model year. He talked about driving along dirt roads one day at 90 mph. The next day a tie rod broke at about 30 and wound up in a ditch. At some point the motor got yanked and was disassembled in a junk pile. It was the flathead V-8. Don’t know what happened to the car. It apparently wasn’t anything he missed.

[@rupe53]

that "bird cage" blower is more commonly known as a squirrel cage or hamster wheel blower.

[@festerhairball6588]

I had a 53 panel 6 cyl w/3 on the tree. Got it around 2003 for $5500 it was a great deal & my 1st old ford. Being a GM guy, i gotta say i liked it & miss it too. It rode nice, ran cool & never gave me a minutes problems. I don't know why guys stick with just 1 brand or model even. These years don't have much value. Saw a restored 53 just like this one in about 2012 selling at a swap meet for only 6K. I should've purchase it, it needed nothing! O well..... try a Ford... you just might like it!

[@vettekid3326]

Back in the mid 1970's I had a 1951 Ford Tu Door sedan with the Flathead V8 with three speed and overdrive and also a 1953 Victoria Crestline, last year for the Flathead V8 but it also had the Ford-O-Matic "three speed" automatic that started out in second gear only. The only way to actually get it into first was to stomp on the gas hard enough to cause the kickdown switch to engage nut I think you had to be under 35 MPH for it to happen.

[@will7its]

I knew that engine was gone when I saw that tear in the fender.....yank

[@arthurmccarron4379]

Great. Styling. Great cars

[@funone8716]

I know this is a 53 but it reminds me of the 1950 Robert Mitchum drove in Thunder Road. Cool movie.

[@larrykroger3100]

that bellhousing is about the right size for a nice Hibachi !!

[@jamesblair9614]

The flathead V8 lived on for one more model year in Canada, we had one in a 54.

[@daviderickson9445]

It took 1 hr, 58 min from start of assembly line to finished car, but cars were produced at a rate of about one a minute.

[@jaylestingi]

Ford waited TOO long to introduce the Y-block, and even though it was a good motor (much better than it gets credit for) it was quickly overshadowed by the 265 small block Chevy in 55, which slowly but surely lured people away from their Olds and Cadillac V8s (double rocker Chryslers were still too expensive in junkyards for most hobbyist hot rodders) I think Lincoln got their bigger 368 Y-block in 52 but by 54, the flathead Ford was a DINOSAUR. The OHV offerings had more stock hp and FAR MORE potential! I think it alienated alot of Ford fans and made them jump ship to GM. By the time the Y-block was released, even the last division to get their own OHV V8--Buick had their 322 Wildcat (Nailhead) available. Nice looking cars those 49-54 Fords.

[@will7its]

Yes but now we love then for the same reasons.....

[@joemcmillan5415]

Love those fords

[@privateprivate1865]

Awesomeness

[@willhorting5317]

This video brought back a memory that I had long forgotten about. Back in the latter 1980s, my first in-laws (yes, I was married more than once😁) bought a 1953 Ford Mainline 2-door sedan, with the intent of letting my teen sister-in-law drive the car to school. (Reality was that it was just an excuse for my father-in-law to be able to buy the car, because he liked it. My s-i-l hated the car.😁) IMO, the previous owner had done a decent job restoring the car. I recall that the car had been repainted a very dark red, almost maroon. The interior was done all in black. The original inline six had been rebuilt. And was a column 3-speed. I thought it was a good looking styling, even though I was a diehard Chevy guy at the time. I later found out that Ford only used the Mainline name for 4 years, 1952-1956.

[@ernielaw]

I remember the Mainline and Crestline coming out in 1952. They were the base and top line models respectively. The Crestline was the first model name to go as it was replaced by the Fairlane in 1955.

[@davidmckinney6577]

I like them body styles I had a 53 crestliner

[@johngranato2673]

Now, it's an Ain't line

[@Louis-kk3to]

One clean book

[@rawbsworld6604]

😂 Katie & Rudolph dieselhead 👍 , fun lil Easter eggs ✌️🤙

[@joe6096]

There's no sweeter sounding engine ever made than a flathead Ford with Offenhouser headers.

[@340MAGNUM8]

I kike how you feature all cars and not just the popular ones. Funny blocking the dogs head.

[@papasmodelcarroom8450]

Great video I gotta get that book 😮

[@TrashcanGarage]

Rust and a flathead 8 named "Thunderbolt". You should see my 53 Packard 2dr ht. Doubt many were ever turned into traditional kustoms tho. 😏

[@peterdaniel66]

I truly wish I could go back to 1952... what an amazing time.. simple

[@johnh8917]

Stubby bobs brother in that book!

[@debbiebermudez5890]

Mr. B. Here ! Good afternoon Mags fans , would not miss Steve , am on the in PA auto swap meet ! Here at show swap meet found two of them for sale one looks like the one Steve is show casting , the other $10;000 for sale . 🍸🍸🍸 🚗🚙

[@samiam5557]

The Flying Toaster style!

[@olivei2484]

I guess Henry Ford was an avid Square Dancer. He published a square dancing book on his favorite dances.

[@markbrookes6557]

I like that you blur the dogs face !

[@sasquatch440]

If they made 672000 cars that year, if the assembly line ran 24/7 365 they would of produced 76.75 cars per hour! Astonishing work back then

[@will7its]

You came home from work, had a drink and dinner and passed out from exhaustion, no need for ambien.....

[@richardthompson6366]

​@@will7its Things haven't changed much.

[@Steve.Cutler]

I always thought it was interesting that a lack of alcohol gave birth to the need for speed.

[@mikegibson6013]

First year of the "Jet Tube" tail lights and suspended clutch and brake pedal, also.

[@ernielaw]

Same set up as the Hudson Jet

[@danpettis1675]

I worked the parts counter at a pep boys and a auto zone years ago . and I will attest this is true lol. all the customers waited for me to help them. and avoided my coworkers. I was actually was criticized once for taking to much time with customers 😂

[@garyjust.johnson1436]

Experimental engineers means backyard mechanic! Good luck finding any today that can fix my 2009 PT cruiser!

[@scootergeorge7089]

3:06 Looks more like a jet intake but I can kind of see a speeding streamliner locomotive.

[@seed_drill7135]

Ford Mo. Co. was Henry’s second attempt to break into the business. After he was forced out of his first venture they became Cadillac.

[@butchkeenan2257]

...I see what you did there, bravo

[@christinamoneyhan5688]

That was back in the day when the money you made you got to keep. Not taxed to death.

[@garyszewc3339]

Ford did not use paychecks. People were paid in cash.

[@daveridgeway2639]

Hi Steve, nice video! Yes, cars kept getting lower and wider in the 1950s. Please respond. Dave...

[@lynnmccurdythehdmmrc2561]

Late 60's picked up a 53 Ford Convertible for a whole $40.00 Flathead V-8 with two 2 bbl carbs. Drove the wheels off it till the automatic trans gave out and sold it for $20.00.