Projects 1955 and 1956 Ford cars

It's great seeing vintage pics.

 

Our family car

 

Signage in the background. Supposed to be humourous but perhaps not?

 

^^ I know. The race was actually packed with Corvettes and a couple
of Camaros, and here the Ford is heading for the CORVETTE bridge.

 

Here's mine

 

My '55 Ranch Wagon

 

I remember those days racing in the Sears parking lot till some jerk started a fire in a trailer and that was the end of the racing.

 

Dale sold this 55 a while back and now has a nice 40 Ford coupe. I think he misses the 55 though!

 

Yes Nosford, Dale's red '40 coupe is also really cool.

 

I had a 56 Customline 4 door back in high school. That one looks WAY better than mine ever did.

 

Nice job on that four door. I have a Victoria but I have a big soft spot for four doors in that is what the vast majority of families had.

 

Thank you!

Thanks for the kind words! I've owned many 55-56 Fords, but this particular one has sentimental value. I first saw it when I was 8, bought it at 19, and it was our wedding car in 1998. My wife and I drove it over 4,000 miles to Memphis in 2018 for our anniversary.

 

I just bought this thing for 500 bucks (why must I torture myself?), nosed and decked with a 302 or 351 (could only partially open the hood and I haven’t brought it home yet), automatic and AC. It was last driven in the 80s supposedly although the license plate is from the 70s. Solid floors and trunk but the roof is all rotted out as well as of course the front crossmember. I’ll post more pics when I get it down here.


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That's a great find. Price was right too. How bad is the roof? Is it salvageable or will you have to cut off and replace? I still have to go dig up the 55 Victoria I posted earlier. Was used as rip rap but is far from the water now. Everything sticking out of the ground is really solid. I believe what's still buried may be salvageable.

 

It's easier to replace a roof than to replace interior and trunk floors. You can probably find a '55 or '56 that is rusted up to the door handles that still has a good top to donate to your project. I'm trying to get started on my '55 that has set in the shed too long. My parents bought the car new. I'm fortunate to have solid floors and a good roof. I've found several in junkyards or sitting and rotting elsewhere--most that have sat outside a long time have rusted out floors and many have roof skins that have rusted loose along the drip rails and across the top of the windshield and back glass. Especially if the car has been sitting under a pine tree or if it's been covered in wet rotting leaves.

 

I’ve been looking for a roof in Florida no luck yet but I did get a ‘54 Ford roof (cut in three pieces) with it as well as a ‘54-55 Mercury roof cut in two (also solid). If I don’t find a good roof at least I have two to work with.


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What is the main thing or things, that keeps more people away from these? Everyone has been all over the Chevs of the same era but seems like these old fords should have a stronger following.

 

I really like this one!