Ford

Ford Custom

The Ford Custom is an automobile which was produced by Ford in the United States, Canada and Australia in certain years from 1949 to 1981.

Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Predecessor: 1941 Ford · Successor: Ford Custom Deluxe

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Custom and Custom Deluxe (1949–1951)

For the 1949 model year, the Custom nameplate was used for the top trim level in Ford's automobile range. It was part of Ford's first complete redesign of their cars post-WW2. In 1950, it had a 114-inch wheelbase and 196.8-inch overall length. For 1950 the name was changed to Custom Deluxe and then to Customline for 1952 when it moved to the midrange position between the new Mainline and Crestline models.

Customline (1952–1956)

== Custom and Custom 300 (1957–1959) == The Custom name returned for the 1957 model year along with a new Custom 300 series, these two models sitting below the Fairlane and Fairlane 500. The base Custom was the bottom-rung model, whose primary customers were fleet buyers. The Custom 300 was a step up and intended for value-conscious customers. The Custom and Custom 300 generally replaced the fleet-oriented Mainline and mid-range Customline, respectively, for 1957. The Custom 300 became the base model for 1958, but was dropped from the range for 1960.

Custom and Custom 500 (1964–1981)

From 1960 through 1963, the Custom nameplate and its numbered variants were absent from the lineup, replaced by the Fairlane and base Galaxie models. For 1963, base-model Fords were badged "Ford 300". The Custom nameplate reappeared in 1964, once again on the economy line of models. As in 1957 and 1958, the Custom range consisted of two series: a base Custom range and a slightly better-trimmed Custom 500 series. Most Customs were sold to police and taxi fleets during the 1960s - although anyone who wanted basic, no-frills transportation in a full-sized car could purchase one - while the Custom 500 was marketed toward budget-conscious buyers who wanted a low-cost automobile but not a stripped model. Generally, the Custom 500 models were differentiated from their less-expensive stablemates by chrome fender trim, roof drip moldings, carpeting (although by the late 1960s, even base Customs had carpeting), upgraded cloth-and-vinyl upholstery, and minor convenience items. Most Customs and Custom 500s were fitted either with a base inline six-cylinder engine or a small-block V8 engine (289 cid in the early years, up to 351 by the mid- to late-1970s), although the full range of V8 engines, up to the 425-horsepower 427 V8, and transmissions (from overdrive and 4-speed manual to SelectShift automatic) were available for law enforcement and performance-oriented customers who wanted the lightest car possible. As late as 1972, a powertrain combination of a six-cylinder engine and three-speed manual transmission was standard on the Custom and Custom 500 range; all V8-powered Customs had SelectShift made standard for the 1972 model year. Six cylinder engines and manual transmissions were dropped in 1973; all full-sized Fords from 1973 onward, including the Custom 500, had a V8 engine

Australian production

The Ford Custom Fordor was produced in Australia from September 1949, and Australian content on the locally produced Custom had reached 80% by 1950. A coupe utility variant was also offered by Ford Australia, initially as the Ford Coupe Utility, and later as the Ford De Luxe Coupe Utility. The 1959 model North American Custom 300 was also produced by Ford Australia from September 1959. Offered only as a four-door sedan and only with a 332 cu in (5.4 L) V8 engine, it was given a mild makeover in late 1960 which included the grille design from the 1959 Canadian Meteor. The facelifted model continued in production through to 1962. == References ==

Sections adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); text is shortened. Read the full article for the complete history and citations.

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Sources

• Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1436778CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_CustomCC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1370021731 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1949_Ford_custom_300_pic3.JPGCC0 · Photo: AlfvanBeem · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Car Model Index — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/Compiled record. Sources that do not permit reuse are not copied; this index is credited instead.

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