Beginning in 1952, Ford used the Courier name on a variety of vehicles, usually delivery wagons or pickup trucks. At first, it was a delivery model based on the base 2-door station wagon, the Mainline. This 1954 edition was put into service as an ambulance at a horse track in the 1980s and needs a thorough restoration 30-40 years later.
Besides no side glass, the Courier differed from the station wagon by how access was provided to the rear cargo area. It had a unique door that hinged on its left side. That configuration debuted in 1952 and was used through 1956. In 1957, the rear access door became a combination of the lift-gate and tailgate connected through two connecting struts. The seller’s ’54 delivery comes with an unusual story that begins long after it left the Ford assembly line in Kansas City, Kansas.
It was purchased at some point by La Mesa Park, a former horse racing track in Raton, New Mexico. The facility hosted both Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing, opening in 1946 and was shuttered in 1992. During the 1980s, this delivery was fitted as an ambulance at the track, supposedly for jockeys who got injured. Some of the medical equipment that was used is still in the wagon, such as a gurney and mounts for oxygen tanks.
The body is rough, and the floors, trunk, and quarter panels are all going to need attention in the rust department. The seller believes the frame and the rest of the undercarriage are probably okay. There is a 239 cubic inch V8 under the hood with a 3-speed manual transmission plus overdrive. That combination was typical of these wagons in those days. It will still operate off a six-volt electrical system when you can get it going again. And that may be close as the seller was able to get it to start after pouring some gas down the carburetor.
This is a project vehicle with a lot of potential, but what’s the best end game? Restore it like the 1980s ambulance it once was, go back to stock as in 1954, or do some sort of restomod. What would be your vision here? Whatever the plan, the first challenge will be to get a title as this one is missing.
I was just telling my friend about that.