Vince Ciganik's Second 1954 Ford

A photo of the Gypsy II taken in October of 2022. Photo courtesy of Fred Ritter.

Photo courtesy of Fred Ritter.

Photo courtesy of Fred Ritter.

Photo courtesy of Fred Ritter.

Photo courtesy of Fred Ritter.

Photo courtesy of Fred Ritter.

Photo courtesy of Fred Ritter.

Photo courtesy of Fred Ritter.

1954 Ford Victoria custom owned by Vince Ciganik of Allison Park, Pennsylvania. Known as "Gypsy II," Vince's Ford is a recreation of an old custom that he sold in 1962.

Victoria from Alabama

Vince started the build by locating a 1954 Ford Victoria Hardtop in the 1990s. The Victoria was located in Alabama, and Vince and his dad dragged it back home to Pennsylvania. The car needed lots of work and reconstruction before the custom work could begin.

Wacked off top

The top on the Victoria was wacked off before Howard Eggers started turning it into a convertible. Like the original, it was fitted with 1956 Oldsmobile headlights bezels. The sides of the bezels were reduced, giving them a thin and elegant look. The hood was then shaved and modified with a raised Buick-esq accent. Just as the original, Vince had a 1956 Dodge grille installed, and the soft radiused curves in the hood mirror the upper grille shell cavity. The bumper was shaved, smoothed, and re-chromed. 1953 Pontiac side trim was mounted upside down and 1958 Cadillac chrome spears were peaking out of the wind splits which had been opened up into scoops. Twin aerials were frenched into the quarter panel, and one of the antennas operated the electric door solenoid. While Vince's first Ford ran 1956 Oldsmobile taillights, the recreation received 1954 Packard Clipper taillights and bezels that were frenched in. The trunk was decked and the gas filler door was removed and relocated into the trunk. The rear bumper was also smoothed and re-chromed before Vince dressed it up with a 1955 Studebaker license plate guard. The top was chopped 2 inches, and it received a folding top.

Rebuilt suspension

While Eggers was working on the body, Vince resurrected the chassis with a rebuilt suspension and Jamco springs. He also built a hot 1957 Ford 292 Y-block for the car, using parts from an old roadster he and Jim Smith ran in the 1960s. The engine was hopped up with Jahns pistons, and Isky cam, a Mallory distributor, a Fenton intake manifold, and triple Stromberg 97s. The engine was hooked up to a T10 four-speed transmission and a 1957 Ford rearend.

Custom upholstery

Inside, it received a 1956 Oldsmobile dash, a 1956 Lincoln steering wheel, a 1954 Mercury front seat, 1965 Mercury rear seat trim, and 1953 Pontiac door panel stainless. Chuck Siscco stitched the tan vinyl upholstery top and Mercedes cloth top.

Fadeaway paint job

Howard Eggers is credited for the building of the car, while Joe Koscevic and Bill Strauser is credited for the finish bodywork. Jim Kunze of Kunze Designworks applied a beautiful fadeaway paint job. It was dressed up with homemade rippled lake pipes, 15-inch Thunderbird wire wheels with Lincoln starburst in the spinners, and pinstriping by Guy Shively.Rod & Custom October 2004 It took Vince 10 years to get the "Gypsy" on the road and he completed it in the spring of 2004.

Magazine Features and Appearances

Kustoms Illustrated Issue 4
Rod & Custom October 2004