History Restoration Ethics (Your Thoughts)

Seems like the saying went something like, Anyone can restore a classic, it takes a real man to screw one up!! I've always believed in that, and have screwed up my share. I did the maroon '57 when that look was "in".. The red and white one is just a reminder as to how a "real man" can be "real stupid"...... Way back, in the early 70's, I picked up this rough old Bird. I cleaned it up and painted it, but had no hub caps. I lived near Half Moon Bay, South of S.F. and was friends with the local AAA towing and shop owners. The business was right at the end of a really nice, curvy highway, 92 to be exact. It went from San Mateo to Half Moon Bay. As I was passing one day, I noticed this Mustang behind the station. It had been a "soft" roll over on 92. It had cool wheels, so I asked "Red" what the scoop was on the car. Turns out he was waiting for paperwork, then would store and crush it. I asked about the wheels, if I could buy them. Yup, says Red. Hells bells, for 75 bucks you can have the whole car. Nope, says the smart one, I only need the wheels....... Off that Shelby GT-500, that would still run and drive.....

 

The small block Ford came out in the early 60's so would still be period correct to the era of this car, and you could use that 4 speed trans that came with it, which I think would be neat. Dress it up in early 60's look, and/or keep the hood closed most of the time anyway.

Not that a hot Y block or a 390 with T-bird covers wouldn't be sweet, but if you can get a runner 302 for the right price, it'll work just fine too. Whatever will get it on the road. Honestly it wouldn't even need to be a Ford engine, just something period-possible that fits with the rest of the car. I just like the idea of getting to use that 4 speed, since it came with the car.

Sure, the car is unlikely to have ever been famous, maybe never even finished. But that doesn't mean you can't or shouldn't preserve the old customizing/workmanship that was done to it. Backyard/average guy builds are as worthy of preservation as magazine cars are, at least in my opinion. Since this one is undocumented and possibly never finished, you can save what's there and you can fill in the missing gaps as you see fit, with whatever might have been.

 

Now that is a conundrum. LOL

I once helped with a Bentley that was originally the property of Erol Flynn. That had to be exactly the way that it was when Flynn owned it. It would not have made a good hot rod anyway. It was an actual piece of automotive history.

That said this does not apply to your situation. I think in your situation you need to decide what it is that you want. As far as a historic vehicle unless it was a rare Thunderhawk with oddball options it is an old car. There is probably more than enough generic '55 thunderbirds.

I can think of things that I would personally like to do with it but that would make it my car. If I was inclined to give you advice I would suggest that you should make it yours. Just the way that you like 'em. That is of course unless it is a rare five five.

 

Early small fords look cool
The gold and black or the performance cobra versions.
an early version even had no hole valve covers with a oil fill/breather tube in the timing cover and generators.
Super easy to get a vintage vibe

 

@Buzzardking: The 5-on 5" hubs you are referring to are from a '56 Merc.
In the '60s, I bought my 8th '54 Ford Coupe, and it came with a 'parts car', a '56 Merc Tudor, stick shift!
I used the drive train out of the Merc, also the spindles, hubs, and brakes. Cool thing was the wide Buick wheels ('56-'57) fit, as they are 5-0n-5. Made the '54 Coupe look 'tough', and it ran well for a 312...

 

I have a 331 Hemi that I really wanted to use for a while, but I can't find the correct intake I want for it. So I thought of something temporary (at least to get it back on the road).

Believe it or not, the SBC fits the car pretty well. The only issue is that on all Birds I've seen with this swap the owners never go all the way. They have a 1955, 56, 57 Bird with a 1980s 350. Ugly as sin...

So this is what I'm thinking. Go all the way. Make mine look just like this:

This is as period correct as it gets. I also have a scattershield that bolts the Toploader straight to Chevy. Its vintage McLeod from either the late 1960s or the early 1970s. Still coated in the original gold coating.

 

That looks great in there. The only thing I can think of to aid in the swap might be a front sump Nova pan, since you'll probably have some clearance issues with the rear sump SBC versus a front sump Y block.

 

Id rock that SBC with a big ole grin.
A tri power set up would look killer.
Ive also got a 331. Not the most economical engine to build.
That would look great.
What intake?
The c300 factory dual carb iron intakes aren’t difficult. Or wasn’t when I was looking anyway.

 

Corvette appearing Chevy engine sounds cool, and if you can utilize the old adapter and use that 4 speed, even better. It's exactly the kind of thing you may have seen at that time, and it still makes use of all the good stuff you've saved. The radius'd wheelwells fit better with a Corvette engine swapped car than one running the original Y block anyway.

 

Believe it or not, the Y Block in a T-Bird is rear sump. I even have the original rear sump pan that came from this Bird. I just don't have a running Y Block.

 

Wow that's actually good to know. Every Y block I've pulled out of a passenger car has been front sump.

 

2 seat birds have always been special cars to me. prices have not kept up with other things they are probably cheaper now than in the 80,s I vote mild custom /hot rod I would for sure use the louvered hood I bought this one a few years ago it was already purple & had a 57 motor in it. slight lowering tube grille wheels some cool gauges & have changed tail lights 3 times. car sounds great & is blast to drive except for the unsynchronized 1rst gear

 

I brought some pictures today.

I found this stuff as a lot from a guy in Florida. Told me it came off of a 1959 Corvette:

 

It's almost like you're in my head.

I'm even going to go as far as using the front mount engine mounts from the C1 Corvette to finish the look and the install. Not even using reproduction pieces. It will look like a factory Corvette V8 when I get done.

 

That T-Bird was a Colorado Springs car, a friend of mine Chris owned it.
I rebuilt the speedometer, generator and starter on it. If you click the link it will take you to more pic's

 

Wow! WOW! WOW-E! That is so cool.

 

kustom gasser? a fully plushed out rollcage with a chromed blower? might be neat haha.

 

there were "race" cars on the show circuit for decades....

 

@egads , has it nailed. Jmho. Snowman ⛄️

 

Hmmm....I'm on the fence with those rear big wheel arches. I do like the look of the factory openings without the fender skirt. The rear Dodge taillights look to be a cool BOLT ON modification with no changes to the sheet metal..

 

Not sure who's this is, found on web.
Great looking car.

 

I like that one above^^

I saw a magazine article from back in the day showing an early Bird with a 421 Pontiac Super Duty in it. That'd be neat.

 

What do yall think about the size of these tires in relation to the wheel openings? I believe these were 820-15 bias plys I had at one point that came off of a 1954 Chrysler:

I can't remember if the front's rubbed or not. I don't think they did...

 

8.20's on the rear and 6.70's on the front would work. I think the rear tires have to be bigger to make the radiused wheelwells work as a design theme. It would be strange to see all 4 tires the same diameter with the wheelwells. Doesn't necessarily need to have any rake, just a bit more tire to fill up the enlarged opening.

 

Try something like this.

 

I'm wondering if I can get the rear suspension to drop a little bit. The guy who installed the 9.3 Olds added leafs to the springs and the heavy duty shocks with the coils around them. Maybe if the suspension would lay out a bit, I wouldn't even need a bigger tire...

I'm going to try it.

 

No restoration ethic's left, or needed. Car say's drag car (not gasser)to me. Salty's Super Shaker style but without the 70's hood scoop. Apparently raced at Englishtown . Nice thunder chicken. Link to video after being restored:

 

I think Traction Masters still has the plans to build the old originals traction bars, if that helps.

IIRC, rubbing on the front tires was only a problem at near full lock bumping up a driveway. I know I ran a set of oversized recaps off Dad’s car in the 60’s, but can’t remembered how much bigger than stock.

It’s been years since I helped a friend pull a 265 out of a 56 Nomad/power glide car and put a crate motor in. But I’d bet the Chevy pan and front mount works out real close to the bird pan and center mount measured from the crank centerline. The bird pan is really shallow, but the block is deeper (it’s a Y block, right?).

Last thought. Ted Eaton, Eaton Balancing, a noted y block builder is just down the road by Texas standards. About 6 hrs, at Lorena. Might have a Yblock core, might even have an FE. Worth a phone call.

 

Well, I know you're not going to mess with the rear radius wheel wells. And I think the widewhites you threw on there look good. I agree with squablow on the taller one in back to fill out the space.

But I was still curious what passenger car lower quarters might look like. Here's my very weak attempt at photo drawing on a different car posted here. Less dramatic than I thought. It almost mimics the stock 'Bird with stock skirts, bringing the wheel opening down.

 

Here`s Tittus`s Merc and Watson painted t-Bird with a rake.