Technical Educate me on ford engines

If its not a car that you REALLY want, dont buy it. Voice of experience here...

 

Not what the OP asked for, and just plain BS on top of that lol... No belly****ons/ scrubs in Fords

 

Where else am i going to find a running driving 50s 2 door in the midwest for $2000 with a clean ***le? Thats why i might as well take the chance while i can.


What'cha got in there, kid?

 

Why not a Chevy 250, or 292 six? To the untrained eye most wouldn't notice. At first anyway....
-Dave

 

quick flip and find your gm dream

 

Hey exactly. The guy wants the car gone so i can have my fun with it and in a couple years, after i put some work into it i can sell it. I gotta admit though... Although i dont own the car yet, its starting to grow on me. Probably one of the coolest looking fords. It's almost a kustom right out of the factory.


What'cha got in there, kid?

 

That's more ridiculous than a sbc swap.

 

Then take a little road trip: http://stlouis.craigslist.org/pts/5552249870.html

 

At least the intake and exhaust would be on the same side as the 223.
-Dave

 

F o r d

Firing
Order
Really
Different

When hunting parts for your ford you need to know when it was made.

Finished
On
Right
Day

 

Cracked
Head
Every
Valve
Rattles
Oil
Leaks
Engine
Taps

 

This is a major tell. Sit in betting like you have a flush but you're really just "all red". There's a reason that 59 is cheap. Look that up on your own as my opinion will honestly have an ill effect on further discussion on that. I give advice to perspective buyers of collector cars all the time, but my most solid and honest is BUY WHAT YOU REALLY LIKE. This stuff has a market value. You'll find within these pages those who think it's the ultimate felony to bring up but it's a harsh reality when the "day" comes. If you like cheap unpopular **** that the majority avoids, great, buy it. If you like what most others do, work for it, hustle, flip, trade, whatever, but don't simply settle for something. Like a fine horse they all need more care and feeding than a daily "civilian" driver. Good, bad, ugly, no matter, there's special insurance, fuel and oil concerns, storage, seasonal needs and more. It can be as new as 72 or as old as 1912, those concerns exist and cross over. That car is still there for a reason. Buy your best car bud lunch or dinner and have him play devil's advocate for you. This could cost you more than you think, more than you'll ever "love" this thing, then you'll hate it. That's when costly lessons are learned. If you doubt this, ignore everything I mentioned. If it takes, even a little bit, calm down, think with your head vs your heart (not an insult), discipline yourself to get something more in line with your desires.

 

For 2k, I am ***uming this is a four door. I would keep the six, and just drive it for a while. Make it look as nice as possible, most girls don't give a **** what is under the hood.

 

Good advice. The 59 is not the most desirable of the 50's Ford's, though it does have it's own following. If it were a 55,56,57, or maybe even a 58, it would be easy to flip. If you are not totally in love with it, p*** and wait on what you really want, a GM product.

 

Don't listen to all these chevy people about how to fix your ( maybe) Ford.
FORD motors are for FORD cars.
IF it's a 2 dr with a six, leave it alone and drive the damn thing. That's how it was designed, and it's lasted up to now- you don't have to re-invent the friggin' wheel!

( coming from a guy that was "all chevy" at one point ( although I gotta admit, you can't beat a new 350 with a warranty, to your door, for just over a thousand bucks!!)

Welcome to the Monkey House!

 

This. So much this.

 

if the 6 banger isnt tied up you might just run that till you get some money together. but if not 302 or 351 if you stay with ford products.

 

My 57 Sedan delivery that I got from the original owners a while back still has its 223 and treeonnatree, and it runs fine and moves it around OK, and if I get time to go thru the brakes, would chug it around for a while- but I already have FE headers for it, and just picked up another std 427 block, so....

 

I remember your other thread, sounds like you just want an old car - now.
I agree with the posts above, get something you like. It takes a lot of work, time, sacrifice to get these cars back in shape, make sure it's a car you want to keep.

 

Any word on what you've decided to do?
Does yours look like any in the brochure that starts here?
http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA/Ford/1959_Ford/1959_Ford_Brochure_2/1959 Ford-a01.html

 

Yeah to be honest i just want something that I think is cool that i can fix up and be proud of. If i tried to buy only the cars that i really want, i wouldn't be able to afford the hobby. The only 58 and 59 chevys on craigslist are 4 door extremely overpriced parts cars. At least im making an effort to get something decent not just an overpriced pile of ****.


What'cha got in there, kid?

 

Tw0 easy swaps, a Y block or an FE. A MEL 430 will also work.

If you are a hot rodder you can stuff pretty near anything in their but when you get into big diesels you have to really beef things up.

 

Alright thanks. So back in the early 60s what kind of transmission would have been popular? I mean as far as column shift or did people put the shifter on the floor? I want to keep whatever i do pre 64


What'cha got in there, kid?

 

First learn a little respect for the guy.
It's Ford...not ford.

Mike

 

i vote for the small-block ford. pretty easy swap and probably the cheapest in the long run.

 

I think a lot of us can say the same thing; I know I can. The car hobby and attached culture has become a lot more mainstream over the last 20 years, and since old cars are a finite resource, more demand means higher prices for everything. All that cool stuff that everybody wants - '32 & '34 coupes, Tri-5 Chevys, 50's Caddys, Ford shoeboxes, anything with fins, etc. - ain't cheap anymore. Even cars that were unpopular two decades ago are rising sharply in value today. Look at '57-60 F-100s as an example.

There was an old Fram commercial that featured a mechanic who said "You can pay me now, or you can pay me later". This hobby is the same way - you pay in money, time, or more likely, both. And you do pay, whether that's up front, or out the back end. In my experience, it's actually less expensive and a lot easier to buy a nice example of a car you really want than it is to buy a cheaper car that doesn't ring your bell and needs lots of work. This isn't to say that you can't buy and build something cool for less cash - you'll just have a lot more work ahead of you.

I still think you should only spend your money and time on the cars you love, but that's just me.

 

I haven't had too much trouble finding cars I want, for a reasonable price. Of course, I have to put a bunch of work and some money into them! mostly

The Ford stuff from that era does seem to be more reasonably priced. But you can still spend a bunch if you decide you need to swap motors, etc. The 59 edsel I just got ended up being a nice driving car, that looks like **** (hey, it's an Edsel) for under 2500 total for the car and all the new parts to fix it. Oh, and a month's work.

 

Also how do i join a social group? I want to join the 52-59 ford group but it says i dont have privileges?


What'cha got in there, kid?

 

Well i do agree i should focus on the cars i really am interested in, but like i've said i'm only 17 i have to work with what i can get. Later when i have a stable job then i can worry about finding chevys.


What'cha got in there, kid?

 

I never was a fan of the 59 Ford love 58s There in a 1954 Desoto on the Peoria craigslist that might fill the bill.