A 1951 Ford is a relatively plain car.

For this particular model year, the Blue Oval filled its model lineup with a Tudor Sedan, the Victoria hardtop, a Country Squire wagon, and the Crestliner sport sedan.

Engine choices fell between a 3.7-liter inline-6 and a 3.9-liter flathead V-8. These were modest cars for modest times. The version here that's rolled into Jay Leno's Garage is anything but that.

Wicked Fabrication got hold of a 1951 Ford Coupe and the car has been transformed into something amazing. The concept behind the build is vintage racer, so the fact that a custom Art Morrison chassis is sitting underneath the body goes a long way to helping that theme come to life. Under the hood is a 368 cubic inch V-8 that's backed up by a manual gearbox.

In the cabin, you'll find an interior that's been reworked so as to be on par with modern art. The shift linkage alone is worth talking about for days on end. Back outside, sitting at each corner are magnesium knock-off wheels, just like you'd find on a period Shelby Cobra or GT40 race car.

It's as if inspiration was gleaned from the Singer built cars, but all of that effort and attention to detail was focused on a Shoebox Ford. It's an amazing build that looks and sounds the business when Leno gets it out in the California sun.