NO NOMAD FOR ME

Discovering a Unique 1954 Ford Ranch Wagon

When we spotted Tom Schuman’s ’54 Ranch Wagon, we knew we’d found one unlike any other we’d ever seen. But like all cars, this one had a first life before its renaissance as a hot rod, and that story begins with the car serving as a genuine surf wagon. Originally the wagon was a Southern California car, which meant it was in pretty good shape overall. The previous owner had purchased the ’54 at an Arizona auction in 1998, but two years later, when he sold it to Schuman, he hadn’t touched the car. Schuman shipped the car to Joe Duellman and Denny Schmidtnecht at Valley of Rods (507/458-5609) in Fountain City, Wisconsin, and the build began.

Frame-Up Restoration at Valley of Rods

The builders completely disassembled the car and began work from the frame up. They stripped the frame and painted it basic black before upgrading some of the parts to make it a better driver. The first of the stock equipment to get the axe was the steering system, replaced with a Fat Man power rack-and-pinion system. Fat Man 2-inch drop spindles replaced the originals, and Valley of Rods also cut one coil from a set of new springs to set the nose even lower. Master Power disc brakes greatly improve the Ford’s stopping power and fit nicely inside a set of 16×7-inch American Racing Torq-Thrusts. Each wheel wears a 205/55R16 Bridgestone Potenza tire.

Rear End Upgrades and Suspension Work

Changes to the rear of the frame are few. The stock rearend now carries 3.73 gears to offer better performance without demanding excessive rpm on the freeway. Drum brakes remain in place and provide more than enough performance for the Ford’s aft end. Finally, to complete the car’s rake, the builders fitted the rear axle with a pair of 17×8-inch Americans shod in 235/65R17 Bridgestone rubber.

Modern Powertrain for Classic Performance

In 1954, Ford’s state-of-the-art V-8 was the 272 Y-block, introduced a full year before the small-block Chevy. But as good as the Y-block was, Ford did make an advance or two in engine design over the next 50 years, and the owner and builders decided to take advantage of that work. So they selected a fuel-injected 5.0 engine from an ’89 Lincoln Mark VII. In stock form, the engine produces 225 hp, but just as important is the reliability of the EFI system. Sanderson headers help fit the small block inside the confines of the wagon’s engine bay and then connect to stainless piping and Borla mufflers to produce a solid hot rod sound. The engine harness is from Ford Racing, while Lokar throttle and kickdown cables help adapt the engine to its new surroundings. The transmission in the car is an AOD plucked from the same Lincoln that donated its engine to the wagon. The AOD offers economical cruising thanks to its overdrive gear, making it a natural choice for this Ranch Wagon.

Keeping the Exterior Faithful to Ford’s Original Vision

The ’54 is the final year of the first generation of Ford wagon that was all-steel, and the Ranch Wagon was available in two trim levels. The first was the bottom-rung Mainline trim, but Ranch Wagons could also be had as mid-range Customline models. Schuman’s wagon is a Customline, and the builders left the wagon’s looks faithful to what Ford intended. Stripping the body to the steel revealed a car that is what you’d expect of a California car. There was some evidence of rust over the rear wheel arches, but that was the extent of the damage. Duellman restored the body before he applied the brilliant DuPont Porsche Red base/clearcoat. All of the original Customline trim remains—why remove it and lower the car’s pedigree? The only alteration at all from stock is the addition of tri-bar headlight lenses, a traditional hot rod touch that’s right at home in this modern ride.

A Modernized and Comfortable Interior

Unlike the exterior, the interior does not look just as Ford intended, and just as with the exterior, we’re fine with that decision. Valley of Rods replaced the original seats with Wise Guys components and then covered them in tan leather. The shop added the same material to the door panels, along with a darker insert, and painted upper door panels. The dash wears red paint, too, and Auto Meter gauges accentuate the original speedometer. The painted column is an ididit piece; the leather-wrapped steering wheel is from LeCarra. An Alpine stereo system and Vintage Air A/C make the wagon easier to live with on long drives, and further blur the line between new and old on this updated Ford.

The Ranch Wagon Hits the Road

After a year and a half of work, Valley of Rods completed Schuman’s ’54 Ford and the owner met up with his new car at the Back to the ’50s event in St. Paul, Minnesota. After the show, Schuman drove his Ford home 1,100 miles to Madison, Alabama—and we mean he drove it, not trailered it, home. He’s been driving it quite a bit since, hitting up Goodguys events as well as Shades of the Past and smaller local events. Along the way he’s earned Best of Show, Best Paint, Top 25 awards and more. After nearly six years of cruising, the car appears no worse for wear, and we imagine that Schuman won’t stop cruising it any time soon, either. That’s our kind of owner, and this Ranch Wagon is our kind of car.