LS6 1953 Ford Ranch Wagon Sits on a Z06 Chassis

More than meets the eye

At first glance, this car would appear to be a nicely cared for 1953 Ford Ranch Wagon with a few custom touches added, but upon examining the finer details of this hot-rod a bit closer, it is obvious that there is much more to it than initially meets the eye. In a stunning build, Troy Martin was able to seamlessly combine a C5 Corvette Z06 chassis and running gear with the classic Ford body.

Photos courtesy of Hot Rod Network

It began as a job

The Corvette-wagon mashup began when a customer brought the '53 Ford into Martin's Full-Scale Hot Rods & Customs shop (Ventura, CA) with the intention of having something built that would impress at his local cruise nights and hot rod club gatherings. Martin and the customer quickly came up with a plan to merge a salvaged 2002 Z06 with the body shell of the old Ford for an unlikely pairing of performance and style.

>>Join the conversation about this LS6 Ford Ranch Wagon/Corvette mashup right here in LS1tech.com.

Perfecting the size

Mating the two cars together was no simple task as Martin was required to lengthen the Z06 chassis by 11.5" and widen the entire ford body by 4" to ensure the two fit together properly. Martin was up to the challenge as he used some of his boat fabrication techniques to stretch the backbone of the Corvette chassis, but the real hard work was using a second donor Ford Wagon to add the extra width right down the middle of the car.

>>Join the conversation about this LS6 Ford Ranch Wagon/Corvette mashup right here in LS1tech.com.

Attention to detail

The seam welding of the body may have started at the roofline, but continued through the rest of the car all the way down to the grille, bumpers, and trim pieces. Martin even used two '53 windshields separated by a post down the middle to fill the extra gap. The work looks factory fresh with no joint lines in sight. Unless parked next to an original '53 Ford, it would not even be noticeable that Martin added in two additional grille ribs per side for a total of 12 as opposed to the eight factory ribs.

>>Join the conversation about this LS6 Ford Ranch Wagon/Corvette mashup right here in LS1tech.com.

Sheetmetal specialist

The great bodywork is a testament to Martin's skills as the body was less than ideal when it arrived at his shop. Martin was required to fabricate the entire tailgate assembly and rear fenders out of sheet metal as they were rusted out completely. Work also went into the front fenders and side skirts as well. Martin claims that original parts were either unavailable or did not fit quite right, so he made them himself.

>>Join the conversation about this LS6 Ford Ranch Wagon/Corvette mashup right here in LS1tech.com.

Luxurious leather

The Moroccan brown leather interior is a custom affair as well. The front seats are powered Chrysler LHS units while the rears are from a Dodge Durango. The center console was fabricated by Martin himself and houses the stereo system monitor, STOPP electric parking brake activation controls, climate controls for the Vintage Air AC system, and the obligatory cup holders, powerpoints, and USB outlets to support modern devices.

>>Join the conversation about this LS6 Ford Ranch Wagon/Corvette mashup right here in LS1tech.com.

Boosting the Vette

Under the hood is a rebuilt LS6 Corvette engine, but it has been topped off with a MagnaCharger supercharger setup good for 447 horsepower and 438 lb-ft of torque. The engine is paired to its correct 6-speed Tremec T56 manual transmission with a carbon fiber clutch system. A radiator courtesy of PRC ensures the engine runs cool.

>>Join the conversation about this LS6 Ford Ranch Wagon/Corvette mashup right here in LS1tech.com.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it

Martin recognized the handling performance of the Corvette and opted to retain the original suspension and steering components. A helper spring was added to the rear Corvette transverse spring to cope with the additional body weight and prevent the rear from squatting during hard acceleration. With extra wide tires mounted on oversized wheels, the car is said to corner much like the original Z06 despite the 4,000 curb weight and the higher roll center of the taller Ford body.

>>Join the conversation about this LS6 Ford Ranch Wagon/Corvette mashup right here in LS1tech.com.

A trade ensues

By now, you may be wondering how Martin ended up owning the wagon after being commissioned to build it for a customer. He actually completed the build, left it unpainted at the customer's request, and delivered the car. Apparently, the finishing touches never materialized and Martin received word that the Wagon was sitting under a tarp in the customer's backyard, and eventually struck a deal with him by trading a 1932 Ford and another undisclosed vehicle.

>>Join the conversation about this LS6 Ford Ranch Wagon/Corvette mashup right here in LS1tech.com.

Cruisin in Cali

Martin sent the car off to Body & Paint by Jeff in Oxnard, CA to complete the paintwork before painstakingly modifying and fitting all of the chrome trim pieces. Today, the wagon can be seen cruising the streets of Ventura as Martin regularly drives it to work and car shows, which is a testament to the build quality. Not only is the Z06 wagon fast, but can cruise at highway speeds and sip fuel all while allowing Martin to enjoy the modern conveniences he fitted to this awesome ride.

>>Join the conversation about this LS6 Ford Ranch Wagon/Corvette mashup right here in LS1tech.com.

For help with your maintenance and repair projects, please visit our How-to section in the forum.