Projects 1954 Ford Customline Resurrection/Build

Howdy, y'all. I've been on the H.A.M.B. for a while, but haven't posted in several years, not that I posted anything too special to begin with. I was but a whipper snapper then...

I finally have space to work on a project again and just picked up what seems to be a very solid '54 Customline, of the 2-door sedan variety. I'm pumped to get started on it.

I drove the car home about 20 miles on the interstate, so it obviously runs and drives, but it badly needs a tune up, brakes, and some work on the steering and suspension. It is a bit of a boat.

It has the 239 y-block engine and three on the tree transmission. I have not found any rust in it so far and was told by the seller that the floors have been replaced (haven't pulled up the carpet to check yet); trunk is solid. It appears to have taken a spray paint red paint job in its past, but the body looks straight. Can't tell if there is any major rust hiding beneath the paint but there doesn't appear to be any.

Everything under the hood seems to be ok. The seller hooked up a mechanical fuel pump, which is pretty much just dangling around in the engine bay, not sure if the mechanical pump works or not. Everything else seems fine. Wiring is another story.

Anyway, thought I'd start a thread here because I am going to need a lot of help and tips from you Ford guys.

Immediate plans are:
1) get the brakes squared away
2) rebuild the carb (it appears to be leaking badly)
3) generally work to get the car back on the road and safe to drive
4) lower it (open to suggestions)

Longer term plans:
A) rebuild the tired old y-block and soup it up a bit (open to suggestions)
B) make some rear end/transmission changes for easier cruising at highway speeds (open to suggestions)
C) paint?
D) new suspension?

Here are a few photos from the day I brought it home (yesterday).





Started tackling the brakes today as well:



All the brake parts appear to be in decent shape, someone clearly ran through the brakes in the recent past. Still, i couldn't get any fluid to come out while bleeding the passenger side rear cylinder, the one i started on. I looked in the reservoir in the master cylinder and it was bone dry. Filled it up and still nothing. I ended up rebuilding the wheel cylinder but haven't tested it out yet. Will get back to it tomorrow and hopefully figure out why I'm not getting any fluid to the rear, any thoughts?

That's all for now...






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Good looking car. Have fun. I have a few parts that may fit your car. I have the heater blower motor and housing. I see you are missing the motor on yours.

 

I've always gravity bled brakes on my cars. Fill the reservoir, leave the cap for the master cylinder loose and let it sit to allow atmospheric pressure to get the fluid flowing down to the wheel cylinder. Some cars start dripping pretty quick, but sometimes it may take a while for it to start. I learned about this method when no one was around to "pump" the brakes for me. It has always worked very well for me.
Love the car too! Keep us posted.
Mike

 

You just open the bleeder and let it run through?


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Does that go where the large round hole is in the vent ducts?


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Yes, that's correct. I was skeptical the first time I tried it...but it works well. I found that you would get a firmer pedal, faster. YMMV

 

Don't do anything to the 239, find a 292 and swap it in if you want more performance, all the 312 heads cam and intake will fit the 292 and lots of aftermarket parts. www.ford-y-block.com. Also check out www.y-blocksforever.com and there is a 54 ford website.

 

I have a '54 Ford Coupe. Your roof is awful long...
This is my 11th '54 Ford Coupe. Some were real fast, others were 'tight' and ran well.
I recommend the 292 Y block engine and if keeping a 3 speed, (for the smooth column shift) use a '68 heavy-duty all synchro 3 speed.
If you MUST lower it, use the Ford Aerostar (?) coils up front, they're progressively wound, and drop you 1.5"-2"", I'm told. (no 'bottoming out')
My fastest had a 427 side-oiler, this one I have now is getting the 406 I'm building for it now.
'54 Fords compare well to '55 Chevy 210s. Light, businesslike, everything Ford from 221, 260, 289, 302, 351...all Y blocks, and FE series is a bolt-in. (except the 385 type, 429-460. Mounts have to be raised to clear upper control arm brackets...)

Disconnect rear brake line at the hose above the rear axle housing. Likely the hose has rotted and collapsed inside...

 

Awesome info, thanks. So no fabrication needed? Bolt-in power you say?


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Sweet ride! And it's a driver, you've scored on that Ford.

 

Yes it looks like this.^^^ plus the small pile of parts I have.

 

If the master has been run dry, toss it or rebuild it. Replace the flex lines, replace or rebuild the wheel cylinders, blow out all the hard lines with solvent to get the old fluid and crud out. Then it should bleed okay.

 

No fabrication needed, correct. ALL genuine Ford parts...engine mounts are to be selected, for engine or your chassis mounts; for instance, if bolting an FE into your chassis, use '57 Ford 332 mounts. The Ford site mentioned in the first part of this thread can give you specifics, but try and use MOOG or other quality names. China mounts broke 3 times on me in my '63-1/2 Galaxie, (left side, natch!) That was all in 2 weeks, from a NAPA store! Counterman finally called warehouse and got me some American mounts...Now all I use are RANCHO. (Urethane)

Like @bobss396 says: 'Blow out all the hard lines with 'solvent'; BUT, make sure it's 'flushmaster', or similar. Petroleum solvent will swell any rubber/neoprene part in the system.
The 'flush solvent' must be an alcohol product, not petroleum.

 

Anybody know what this thing is?


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It’s a tee fitting. Kind of looks like this one

https://www.4wd.com/p/crown-automotive-brake-line-tee-fitting-j0637432/_/R-BKMN-J0637432

 

It is a junction block where the soft brake line splits to the two wheel cylinder hard lines. Nothing inside it, just a fitting. It is attached to the differential housing with the differential vent (oily thing).

 

I have front brakes, but no rear, I suspect the lines are bad


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Looks nice. I'd go with an FE as they're easier to find and still at least somewhat traditional. Always loved the '54s.

 

Where do you all get your replacement parts? I see several websites specializing in old fords but don't know if there is a preferred site..

Thinking of replacing all the cruddy brake lines...


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I buy a lot from Dennis Carpenter, C & G Ford Parts, Concours Ford. I avoid Macs due to the shipping they charge, there are some good eBay vendors I like. Obsolete Ford Parts in Oklahoma is good too.

 

Tried my hand at making some brake lines today as opposed to ordering pre bent lines and waiting a few long days for shipping..

Didn't turn out as good as I had hoped but not bad for a first time i think.






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My only question is, did you double flare the new brake lines? Just doing a single flare on those lines will often cause cracks in the flare.
I like the car. I like the older Y blocks, but for practicality, I think I would look for a 390 FE engine. Parts are not difficult to find, and you will have good, reliable, performance at a reasonable price.
Bob

 

Not sure, just used the flaring kit that oreillys had on the rack

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To double flare there are inserts that you insert into the end of the tube and create a kind of reverse flare then you flare as usual. If you did not perform the first step the flare will leak and eventually fail due to cracking as stated previously.

 

I am sending this link showing the technique for doing a double flare, because the technique is difficult to explain. It is critically important that the brake lines get a double flare, so I am passing this youtube link along so you can double check that you did it right.

Bob

 

Thanks, missed the last step, guess I'll be climbing back under..


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Thank you, and to j-jock for referencing the video. The car is too nice to have a brake failure cause any unfortunate accident.

 

And, for your safety's sake, replace ALL the rubber lines and the master cylinder; at their age they are an accident waiting to happen.

 

Double-down on the double flare thing. I tend to buy straight sticks of brake line since it can cut my flaring in 1/2 on shorter lengths. I can get it in 60" pieces and unions work pretty well for me. I did the front of my '59 Ford that way.

 

When you cut the brake line use a fine hacksaw because a tubing cutter will work harden the line makeing it harder to bouble flair. After cutting file the end smooth and de blurred then follow the directions on j-jock video.