By comparison, the 1950 Ford coupe didn’t have a ton of flair to it. Designed to be a businessman’s transportation, it was just a car; nothing that really screamed style. David Moore of Sedgewick, Kansas initially seemed to agree.

Moore had previously owned a 1950 Ford that he says he kept for about a week and then sold it off to his brother-in-law. Though in 2010, something compelled Moore to haggle out a deal to purchase another. Moore intended on driving the car as-is, not giving it much treatment. That was until his grandson, Richie, gave him the necessary parts to fix up the brakes. “It just snowballed from there.” Says Moore.

Moore’s nephew, Lonny Moore, owns a collision shop in Park City, Kansas. Lonny decided to toss his hat in the ring to help his uncle rebuild the car. David Moore had a rust free 1950 Chevy truck that Lonny had been eyeing. The deal was set. David traded the ’50 Chevy to Lonny, added cash for materials and Lonny cleaned up all of the body panels and painted the ’50 Ford.

After being cleaned down to bar metal, the car was shot in Harley Davidson Root Beer to keep with the vintage original theme. Only one piece of chrome trim had to be replaced. All others were meticulously cleaned and detailed. Moore spent time and completely restored the original hood emblem. The metal base was detailed and polished and the original plastic was carefully saved from 60 years of weathering. The exterior of this car has many add-ons that are straight out of the 50s. A Fulton sun visor, plastic wind wing deflectors, curb feelers, and ribbed fender skirts all add to the now stylish car.

The car’s interior was upgraded by Don Bolain, who had installed a new exhaust system. Bolain did not like that Moore was going to use an Indian Blanket as a seat cover. He insisted that the car be taken over to Joe’s Custom Upholstery for a complete interior refresh. Seats front and rear were recovered with a vintage style cloth and brown leatherette that accents the exterior paint well. Moore took the time to revive the original steering wheel, adding a ruby red steering knob for a period correct feel.

The rear main seal was replaced on the 1949 flathead that was previously dropped in. Luckily for Moore, the engine didn’t need an overhaul. Under the hood, Moore added a 12-volt siren, which when powered by the vehicles 6-volt system, has a distinct old-school sound to it.

“That thing will run 80 mph slick as a whistle, but I don’t drive it that way,” Moore said. “This car is like a 30-year-old race horse. You can put it out there with the 2-year-olds and it can run with them for a while, but if you push it too far, it will fly apart.” Instead, Moore is content cruising at 65 mph and less and getting there when he gets there.

For more on David Moore’s 1950 Ford, head over to the cars section of The Wichita Eagle.