Customized 1951 Ford coupe inspired by early hot rods

In the world of hot-rodding, having a car with just the right mix of modifications is essential to having an attractive ride. Overdo it and it becomes tacky and outrageous; bolt on too little and you run the risk of blending in with the stock ho-hum crowd.

Every now and then a car comes along that finds the perfect balance and gets it just right.

Tim and Cathy Logan's 1951 Ford Business Coupe is one of those cruisers that has mixed all the appropriate elements together to get that much-coveted thumbs-up approval from the other gear heads cruising the streets. It's the unique touches on this ride that help set it apart, especially those that hark back to the early days of car customizing.

A pair of these vintage throwbacks can be found highlighting the seamed windshield, where you'll find dual working spotlights mounted at the base of the A-pillars.

Tim Logan explains their original purpose: "During the '50s and 60s streetlights weren't lining the roads like we have today, so finding addresses at night could be difficult. A movable spotlight was the best way to find a dark house number." And the rationale for two? "Hot rodders are always looking for ways to stand out and that was just one way for those early guys to be unique. Some would even mount non-working lights just for that custom look."

Functional spotlights were also used to entertain drive-in movie guests. During intermissions, a moving dot would appear on the screen, challenging the crowd to chase it with their car's spotlight as a lighthearted way to pass the time before the show resumed.

The keys to this flamed shoebox - the '50s nickname for cars of this shape - have been in Logan's pocket for six years now, after he purchased it in nearby Island Lake while looking to replace a '23 Ford T Bucket.

"We enjoyed driving the T bucket for many years but grew tired of the soft top and coming home from rainy car shows, worrying about water leaking in and getting all wet," he said.

If incoming moisture is Logan's concern, it's a safe bet to say it's a thing of the past with this cruiser, as the three-inch chopped roof doesn't let water, extraneous light or, for that matter, very much visibility in with its slit-like windows. The all-steel body has been shaved, tossing the door handles, nonessential trim pieces and badges for a much cleaner look.

The side mirrors are sourced from a '32 Ford and are now mounted on the upper doorframes. The car rolls on '56 Cadillac wheels, complete with front chrome caps. They are wrapped in Coker wide whitewall tires with cruiser bubble skirts covering the rear two.

Upfront, the toothy grin is courtesy of a grille snagged from a '54 Chevy, with added teeth and end caps for extra sparkle. The headlight housings have been Frenched - removing the chunky chrome trim ring, and recessing the lenses within the bodywork. The taillights underwent the same treatment, although modern LED's provide the rear illumination.

Mounted on all four sides of the underbody are purple neon tubes, providing a radical glow for those twilight cruises.

The custom work carries into the two-tone interior where you'll find charcoal gray and black upholstery on the roll and pleated, button-tufted bucket seats and door panels, stitched together by Moody's Upholstery in Rolling Meadows.

Looking closely will reveal the "voodoo spider webs" tailored into the material of the rear deck lid and front footwells. The macabre influence, as also seen in the toy shrunken head, miniature skeletons and dangling fiends, is period correct for a custom car of the early '50s.

"Hot rodding then was all about going wild and this type of design was just another way to turn heads," Logan says.

A trick machine-spun dash insert helps to brighten this ghoulish cabin with the engine vitals being monitored by a LED gauge cluster positioned in the original factory location.

Providing the forward momentum is a reliable 302 cubic-inch V-8 mated to an automatic transmission. The nonfunctional side pipes are just for looks, as the spent CO² being exhaled is actually routed out back through dual exhaust pipes. The car also sports power steering, cruise control and front disc brakes.

"As I started to get older, every year my wife would ask what I wanted for my birthday. I always replied with a time machine so I could go back to when times were simpler and much more enjoyable," Logan says, reminiscing. While he has yet to unwrap such a time transporter, he settles by taking weekend getaways with Cathy and the Ford coupe to little towns and villages all over Illinois, Ohio, Indiana and as far away as Minnesota.

He can also be found at local cruise nights and shows in the Rolling Meadows area - proudly presenting his custom set of wheels.

While he may not find the keys to a futuristic DeLorean with a flux capacitor after blowing out his candles this year, seeing the smile on his face when he slides behind the wheel of his '51, fires up the small block, cranks the oldies music and shifts forward, Logan appears to be transported toward moments of pure enjoyment.