Mary Knox's 1952 Ford Fordor is almost painful to behold in bright sunlight with its stunning pearl gold paint job. Gwynn Bilson sprayed the color after getting permission to replicate it from the customizer who developed it. For this application, the paint is known as "Knox Gold."
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At first glance, the Fordor appears to be a two-door sedan. But the rear doors are still there, just without the door handles, which have been skillfully shaved off.
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The '52 displays a wicked nose-down stance, thanks to the Air Ride Technologies Shockwave air bags up front and the Monroe adjustable air shocks in back.
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The rear of the "Knox Gold" beauty features '56 Oldsmobile taillights frenched into the fenders and a classic "flying eyeball" decklid design by pinstriper Ron Meyers.
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A closer look at the Olds taillight swap, enhanced by the bezels being molded into the fenders and accentuated by fine-line pinstriping.
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A closer look at Ron Meyers' graphics on the trunk lid shows the ultra-fine pinstriping details.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
A new-old-stock set of gravel guards was shined up and added to the flanks of the Ford. Builder Gary Knox said he wasn't sure about the color until he saw the chrome and stainless trim on the car, and then he was convinced.
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Tucked up under the fenderwells are a set of Intro Saltster wheels, the fronts wearing 215x50x17 Toyo tires, the rears carrying 235x55x17s.
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Power is now supplied by a stout 351-cubic-inch Ford Lightning SVT V-8 running a GT-40 plenum and throttle body and a set of Speedway headers that flow into a hand-fabricated 2-1/4 inch exhaust system featuring Cherry Bomb glasspacks.
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Mary Knox jokes that her car was supposed to be a ring for her 50th wedding anniversary. "A ring would have been a lot cheaper," says husband Gary, who had the anniversary commemorated on the radiator bulkhead.
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Joe Newlon created the "M" logo that accents the leatherwork on the Infiniti bucket seats by Rick Fisher Upholstery.
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The original style dash was retained, but updated with Dakota Digital gauges, a Juliano steering wheel and an added panel to house the outlets for the Custom Auto Air cabin cooling. Joe Newlon designed the dash and painted the faux leather "pad," while Rick Fisher handled the ultrasuede/Cessna leather upholstery duties.
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The Juliano steering wheel rides atop a tilt ididit column connected to a power Mustang II-style rack and pinion, while the custom-built shift linkage controls a Ford AOD transmission.
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Family friend Karen Fisher said the brilliant gold color of the car reminded her of her daylilies. So a daylily of the appropriate color, surrounded by butterflies, was added to the dash decor. Note the rear-view camera/DVD screen that neatly folds out of the dash.
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The stock '52 Ford rear seat was treated to the leather/monogram treatment to match the late-model bucket seats up front.
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A subtle mix of textures and colors reveals the planning that went into the interior design. Cessna leather is accented by complementing ultrasuede, while the garnish moldings are finished in paint that looks for all the world like soft leather.
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And if there's any question about whether the back doors are still functional, here's the proof. A set of solenoid door-poppers is planned to make opening easier since the exterior door handles are long gone.
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The two-tone leather/suede upholstery theme carries over to the trunk, which also features contrasting black carpet trimmed in leather.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
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