Projects Major damage 1954 Ford Victoria Crestline Project

Hardtop and convertible doors are the same. I'd sure rather tackle that then a rust bucket, make a great car after it's together. Of course I got a soft spot for 52/54 Ford, particularly a hardtop.

 

Made a bit of progress have had some set backs preventing ,e from working on this heap. Mostly cutting rusty crap out and mocking up new stuff. Kinda like a puzzle just need to figure out the first piece.

 

Nice score! These cars are really cool and will look great cleaned up with some tasteful mods. If hate to have been the guy in the driver seat when he hit that post for a variety of reasons. I will be following your progress, keep up the great work!

 

Keep us up to date. HRP

 

That's what went though my mind.

 

Find the sum of the following: Ice, Corner, 390 V8, Idiot

This is from what I remember. But the scenario in my head has the idiot going around a right turn too fast in winter conditions going into major understeer and sliding into a bollard.

 

I was figuring it must be something like that to hit on the front door post.

 

You scored on those doors. The vent wings alone (those appear to be the early stainless ones) go for stupid money.

Good luck with your build!

 

hmm might have to check into that I don't need em.

 

Some more progress One of the body braces was a rusted crappily welded back together. So this is about building a new one.
I made a pattern the usual way using cardstock and matching it up to the good one on the car and compare it to this crappy one.

Since my brake can't handle 16gauge like it said it could because harbor freight. Some metal beam and a piece of square tubing clamped together did the trick like a treat. Lots of hammering later time for piecing together.

bending up the top and matching it to the sides. It was a little short because I wanted to use up cut offs. Just weld in a new piece.

Lazily tacked up the pieces with my new TIG looks crappy cuz I suck and didn't even clean the metal. Yeah probably gonna MIG weld the rest.

 

Realized there was like an inch of lead and screws in the quarter panel and rear of the rocker so I figured it would be good to replace the grot so I have good metal to weld the rocker and floor pan onto.
One of these days I would like to post a finished project, but I keep finding stuff to fix before fixing other stuff.

This whole lower door frame/rocker was filled with a mixture of lead and body filler but mostly lead and it was really like an inch thick..

 

Keep at it, it looks like it is coming around nicely.
It will be a Very Cool Cruiser when done!
I am enjoying the build and tech posts,
Thank you...

 

Watching. Great work, nice save.

 

Really nice work!

 

You did good getting 52 doors, they are the only ones that are stainless. Back in the early 90's I bought a complete less motor 52 HT just to get the vent wings because the only other place I found them the guy wanted $400 for a pair

 

well thats pretty crazy. why are the stainless ones better?

 

Very simple they don't get all pitted like the others.

 

And you can easily polish them by yourself,if you need to get them shinier

 

I figured it must be something like that but wasnt certain.

 

Not trying to be disagreeable but all the '52-'54 Fords all have stainless vent windows. HRP

 

Thats why i bought a pair of stainless vent window frames for my shoebox project.I have to modify them,because the top is chopped.So i dont have to take them to chrome plating,just buff them shiny again when i am done with them.

 

that would save some cabbage!

 

so are convertible and hardtoo also the same? I have been too lazy to compare. maybe I should take a second and pop some photos for posterity.

 

Coupes,sedans and wagons,the convertible may be different. HRP

 

Yes, all models have a stainless frame around the glass, but what Phat Rat was referring to was the frame that bolts to the door and holds the vent window assembly. The '53-54 hardtop/convert frames are chrome plated die-cast, the '52 versions are stainless.

 

I should have said entire vent wing assembly

 

Man, you're killing it! Keep it up!

 

Nice work. Going to be a cool car. Keep it up

 

Keep up the good work!