Not many people need to get a tow home after they buy a top-of -the-line, luxury car, but that's just what happened to Murray Edmunds of Halifax, Nova Scotia. He found and bought his 1954 Ford Crestline Skyliner in Toronto, Ontario in 1985, and had to get a friend to tow it half way across the country.

The frame off restoration was completed during the winter of 87-88. Everything was either rebuilt or replaced with factory original equipment. The total restoration was carried out by Murray, except the interior..

The story of Ford's classic 1954 Crestline Skyliner begins in 1949, even though it would not be for another five years that the Crestline Skyliner would roll off the assembly line. The 1949 Ford was a total break from previous styling when it was introduced on June 8, 1948. Everything was new and received an enthusiastic reception.

By the time 1953 and 1954 rolled around, Ford went with some minor cosmetic changes and increasingly larger engines. Three model lines were offered during these years, and these were the Mainline, Customline, and Crestline. Of these three, the Crestline Skyliner, a 2-door hardtop with a green tinted Plexiglas roof over the front seat, was Ford's luxury line car in 1954.

After 22 years of producing and improving the famous Flathead V-8 engine, Ford decided it had gone as far as it could go with that engine after 1953.

In 1954, Ford introduced an all-new engine with a distinctive profile: it was a 239-cubic-inch, 130-horsepower Y-block V-8 that produced 20 horsepower more than the 1953 flathead V-8. The new engine had a shorter stroke than the old flathead, had wedge-shaped combustion chambers and came equipped with a Holley 2-barrel carburetor.

1954 was also the year Ford introduced overhead valves as well as being the first year Ford introduced North American ball-joint front suspension. Ford was the first low-priced car with this type of suspension.

Most of the auto manufacturers of 40 plus years ago were big into naming parts of the cars. Ford called the spring loaded engine hood "Presto-lift" and the see-through speedometer "Astra-dial." Under the hood, off to the left side of the dual downdraft carburetor and beneath the oil bath air cleaner, is the "See Clear" windshield washer reservoir bag. Since this was only the fourth year for Ford-O-Matic automatic transmissions, the Ford-O-Matic label is proudly displayed on the deck lid. The shift pattern is the same as on current Fords.

Edmunds' 1954 Crestline Skyliner has come a long way since its first trip across the country. Today, Edmunds drives his luxury hardtop occasionally. He shows the Skyliner in many car shows all over the Maritimes, and he has won numerous first place trophies for his efforts. One beautiful restoration.