1953 Ford Mainline V8 Utility

During the 1950s Ford competed with Holden in the utility market with the Mainline, replacing the Twin Spinners when it was introduced in 1952. The Mainline was a locally designed and built utility version of the four-door Customline sedan, itself sourced from Ford Canada and assembled here in Australia. The second generation post-war Ford released in 1952 boasted longer, wider and lower styling with a greater glass area and one-piece windscreen. This basic shape remained in production through to 1954 with only minor changes, including a new grille, but numerous improvements were made to keep the Ford competitive with its main rival Chevrolet. The L-head 239-cid V8 had a compression ratio of 7.2:1 and developed 110 horsepower at 3500 rpm, with a three-speed manual transmission standard, with synchro on second and third. The extra grunt, space and luxury features made the Mainline a popular alternative to the local Holden utilities and country drivers were particularly fond of them thanks to the better cruising speeds out on the open road. With plenty of support from local clubs, no shortage of spare parts and tough, reliable mechanicals, the Mainline remains a practical proposition as a classic ute today.