Historic 1957 Ford custom by John North, mostly original survivor.

1957 Ford Other Original historic custom

The famous John North 1957 Ford Fairlane Custom survivor owned by singer/songwriter Gene Pitney. If you love a great looking historic custom car with tons of history and owned by two very famous people then continue reading.Information (847-668-2004) on this very historical John North’s (later owned by Gene Pitney famous rock and roll singer)1957 Ford Fairlane 2-door hardtop is that he purchased brand new with a manual 3-speed transmission and a factory E-code engine (300 HP).

See video of car, note we went with one of Gene Pitney’s songs because he purchased the car from John North.

https://youtu.be/L1Z3y37cBPw?si=KAOV4WG-vcqW3TYp

The e-code engine of course indicates that the car was factory ordered with solid lifters, two four barrels carburetors with a beautiful chrome air cleaner and 300 HP and the manual transmission was mounted on the floor.

It is interesting to note that in the 1950s, customizers in generalcouldn’t typically afford to buy a brand new car and send it right out for customizing like John North did, but rather they would go to the junkyard and pick up a car for $50 and work it back up into a custom car because that was the least expensive way to do it.

Evidently John North (considered the George Barris of the East coast in Connecticut) had the money to buy a new car and send it right out to the customizer shop.John North’s wife’s cousin was Gene Pitney (famous rock and roll singer) who lived nearby to the North’s.When Gene Pitney saw the Ford custom than known as the “White Pearl” when it was completed he begged John North to sell it to him and John North would not sell it to him for the first few years until he won numerous “best of show” trophies (see picture of John North and family with all the trophies).

The Gene Pitney ownership is documented on the steering wheel cover with the signature of Gene Pitney along with a video of John North’s son Mark North who in the last few years came to see the car in person and we videotaped him remembering the day that Gene Pitney came to close the deal and purchase the car from his father John North.

Link to video. https://youtu.be/20mwnV4oZm0

Another interesting fact about this car is that the engine, drive train and everything on the car is original from the 1957 – 1958 customizing by a professional custom shop.All the paint, all the tuck and roll interior on the seats and dash, tuck and roll carpet, tuck & roll steering wheel cover and the tuck and roll tonneau that covers up the back seat to make it look more like a two seater car.The car looks good with or without the fender skirts.

Yes, also all the scalloping is gold leaf and original to the car.Just take a look at the wonderful old time tachometer on the steering column.

Link to video.https://youtu.be/1ni9sU9-h9w

The car had even had a dummy tv set in the dash board.The car is nosed, decked and raked, scalloped, option Laker side exhaust, dummy spot lights (as required by law as only police officers could have two spotlights on their car working).The taillights are highly customized, the Nerf bars are what is used for bumpers.

Just take a look at that gorgeous engine compartment that is completely original with John North’s nickname “MOOSE” painted on the firewall.This car has been in the Bortz Auto Collection for close to twenty years and is one of my favorite customs that I am now letting go only because of my age.The car is a 100% rust free and the paint is totally original from 1957-1958 except for the paint on the trunk.

With all that above you would think that would be enough but the really best part of the car is driving it.

1957 Ford driving

https://youtu.be/9d1AbuvPCKo

The sound of the glass pack mufflers is almost as good as a Aston Martin V12 of today’s vintage.The shift being remounted on the floor really gives the car a sporty feel.Even the control knobs on the dashboard are specially made of tri-color plastics and spun on a lathe to give them their shape.

Any museum, any collector would be most proud to have this car in their collection as we have been at the Bortz Auto Collection for almost two decades.Just check out the recent photos.

Oh did I forget to mention that the car is super-fast with the manual transmission on the floor and two-four barrel carburetors from the factory come with the factory E-code engine with solid lifters and 300 h.p.And what a great sound with the perfectly tuned glass pack mufflers.Great looks, documented history, speed and again the best sounding glass packs that you have ever heard, make this car very special and could be totally drivable from coast to coast.

In summary, what I consider some of the really high points of this car is that it was purchased brand new and immediately sent out to be customized by John North who was considered to be the George Barris of the East coast in Connecticut and the fact that it was never a car that came from the junkyard and never had any rust from new and the only repair to it was made to the lid of the trunk.Also original to the car is the gold leafingfrom 1957-1958 when it was customized and shows beautifully.Furthermore this car was ordered as an E-Code that means that it came from the factory with the two four-barrel carburetors, beautiful air cleaner and a 300 hp engine.Further it was ordered from the factory with the manual transmission that John North mounted on the floor.To top this off it probably won more trophies in the first few years of John North showing it than any other car that we know of (check out the picture of John North and his family surrounded by trophies).

John North’s wife was a cousin of Gene Pitney who lived nearby and for years he tried to buy the car from John North and after John North won all his trophies he sold the car to Gene Pitney who would take the car to his various concerts.Just to top off all of this, it runs perfectly, cruises all day at 80 mph plus (note it does not have a radar detector so be careful).It has the best sounding glass packs that you have ever heard.This is a car for a serious collector who either wants to show the car as a fabulous survivor or drive the car on long tours with full confidence.

History on Wheels!Serious inquiries call 847-668-2004 cell, I do not text.

Check out the list of magazine articles that this historic custom has been featured in circa 1957 to 1965.

Some Magazines Featuring “The White Pearl”

Rod & Custom, July 1957 “4 Door Charmer” p. 60-61

Rodding & Restyling, June 1959

Car Craft, July 1959 “Battlegrounds for Glamour”

Rod Builder, November 1959

Car Craft, January 1960 “Stockers Are Not for Me”.

Hot Rod, January 1960 “Score with Scallops”

Hot Rod, August 1960 Cover Photo

Rod Builder, November 1959 “Cultured Pearl”

Custom Rodder, July 1959 “Tops in Tail Lights”

Custom Cars, December 1958 “The Big Show”

Custom Cars, November 1959 “White is the Color”

Car Speed and Style, June 1959 “Autorama Time Again”

Rod Builder Annual, November 1960

Old Cars News & Market Place, June 15, 2006 “Coast Customs Meet in the Midwest”

Automobile Magazine, September 2006 “Kustom Konvergence”

Cool Cars Square Roll Bars by Bernie Shuman, Fifties Hot Rodding in New England 2006 Hammershop

Hot Rod Deluxe Annual 2011 “1958 Auotrama Crowd Photo”

• Make: Ford
• Model: Other
• Type: Coupe
• Trim: Original historic custom
• Doors: 2
• Year: 1957
• Mileage: 47695
• Color: White
• Engine size: V8
• Number of cylinders: 8
• Fuel: Gasoline
• Drive type: RWD
• Drive side: Left-Hand Drive
• Vehicle Title: Clean
Want to buy? Contact seller!