Leif Wendel's 1955 Ford Sunliner - "Blue Heaven"
The car can also be found in this Kustomrama article from 2010: --> Örjan Lindberg og Staffan Lindberg's 1955 Ford.
Leif Wendel from Stockholm, Sweden started to modify this 1955 Ford Sunliner in the early 1960s.
Together with his friends Örjan Lindberg and Staffan Lindberg, the three could buy and finance the car.
Up front the car was fit with quad headlights from a 1959 Rambler. The car was nosed, and the hood was pancaked and louvered. The front bumper was removed, and new bumperless front end was created. A tube grille was fit inside the new grille opening. The car was shaved for moldings and handles, and 1959 Cadillac taillights were installed in the rear. The interior was swapped for a 1960 Chevrolet interior featuring a black vinyl upholstery by Allan Brun. The car was powered by a 292 cu. inch Thunderbird engine.
Credit goes to Josefina Wendel Carlsson, daughter to Leif Wendel, who found the photos in her fathers album.
As seen from the pictures, the car was modified many times and it was one of the first customs in Sweden. In 1962 the car was rolling in primer but the next year
got painted in bronze metallic. It was displayed at the first Hot Rod Show in 1965.
Around 1967 new owner became Hugo Dahlgren from Farsta. He refined and painted the car blue. And took the name "Blue Heaven" texted on the front fender sides.
Hugo also put on long fenderskirts over the rear wheels.
It was featured in Colorod #1 1970.
Another old Kustomrama article has some misleading information as Hugo did not build the car! --> Hugo Dahlgren's 1955 Ford
Hugo sold the car to Curt Lindberg in Uppsala. Next owner in 1971-1972 was Christer Karlsson in Kalmar. The car was then painted orange with white top and black interior. Christer traded the car to Ulf Nilsson in Sjöbo.
Ulf Nilsson soon had it for sale as he didn't have time for a restoration.
The story tells the car later was taken to Värmland, the body and chassies were separated in an attempt to restore back to original. The custom parts as grille, lights etc. went to a clone car called "New Heaven".
"New Heaven" was built by Pelle Åberg during the winter 1985-1986.
Today (2021), the remainings of the original "Blue Heaven" Ford is owned by Christer Öhman in Kil, Värmland county. He has the intention to rebuild it as it looked in the 1960s.
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