Featured Projects Bought a 51 Ford on Purpose

let the springs settle as it is a driver again now and get your donkey to work on your Merc..... or your '56
boy, you bounce all over like I did at your age.....

 

I’m trying. The block and crank are done at the machine shop for the 312 and he just has the heads to finish. I actually dropped off the two I got from you and one other that were all the same casting to get checked for cracks. I seem to have three good heads to work with so he is starting on two of those now. I just needed a driver to play with while rebuilding the 56.

 

Driving definitely helps them to settle which you probably already know from your ‘56. I had mine out today running around doing errands and parked it at Lowe’s next to a newer Camaro and a Nissan maxima. Look how much lower my car sits compared to the newer factory rides…..

 

Very cool! I hope to have similar pics soon. I still haven't been able to get to the tag office to get my title swapped over and get a tag for the car yet. Work has been crazy lately... Hopefully, I can find a gap today to get down there. If so, I may try to drive it to the local Sonic tomorrow evening since the car guys hang out there on Friday nights.

 

Well, ended up with choices and wall hangers. He wanted rid of this pile so I took them. He probably has 500 or so more hanging on the walls and I told him I might be interested in all of them if he ever decided to get rid of them. He is 86 now and still has one of the koolest 59 Olds 2 door hardtop mild kustoms I have ever seen. He has owned it since 63 and drove it on his honeymoon.

Oh, and got a tag today too.

 

Well, not sure I love these, but may see if they grow on me. I’ll polish up a set of four. I am sort of leaning toward some chrome lugnuts and running it nuts out. But, if I do that, I will need to paint the wheels since they are sort of rough. Or, I may break down and buy some decent Olds caps like the ones I have that are beat up.

 

I really like these

 

Well, I considered running Olds covers on one side and Lancers on the other to see what I like better and may still do that. But, I just put all four Lancers on for now. There are actually two different styles if you look close. But, can’t see both sides at the same time right? I have two original Lancer spinners, but they don’t fit these aftermarket covers too well…

If I decide I like these, I’ll probably get the ones Dan offered to me since they are new and 4 that match.

I really need to get it outside and clean up the car and whitewalls now. But, it has been raining pretty much all week and it is muddy in front of the shop now...

 

Really, Really nice!!

 

I am pretty sure I figured out the paint code. The original color is Hawthorne Green and I have some notes of two codes, one of which he likely used to paint the car. I may consider nosing and decking at some point, but that will be a little further down the list of things to do. I just need to get to driving this thing for now to make sure it is somewhat reliable. I have to lead a couple hundred cars on a 100ish mile drive on the two lanes of Oklahoma in less than a month. Hoping I can get some miles in this weekend and then maybe start driving it back and forth to work some next week to make sure I trust it.

 

How about refreshing my [our ] memory! What is the date for the run?

Ben

 

Lancer's for the win! The aftermarket ones I have on mine are more like the ones you have on the driver's side. I finally found some valve stem extensions that will allow the stem to stick through the hole in the wheel cover so you don't have to remove them to check/add air. Can't really tell if that is an issue with the wheel you have on there but if so, let me know and I'll send you the info.

 

Hey Ben! It is September 27th leaving from Guthrie and heading to Wakita which is up in the NW part of the state.

http://www.hotrodhundred.com/oklahoma-city.html

 

Thanks! Yea, information on the extensions would be appreciated. It doesn't seem ideal by any means to have to pull the caps to check or add air. And, it also seems kinda funny just having a hole with nothing in it as well.

 

Exactly my thought as well. These are on Amazon and did the trick for me https://a.co/d/gAy6lNH

 

Really a tasty piece you have there. Lancers look great and see you in a couple weeks.

 

Not sure why they make these bump stops so thick…

 

Definitely still too high in the front…. But, it will likely stay that way for at least a few hundred miles.

 

Did you get those camber adjustment plates from Chris?

 

Not yet. Does that change anything as far as height?

 

I had my front end aligned after I installed the Aerostar springs and they got it to factory specs with no "magic parts". Actually, the installation went as smooth as can be expected. I think if you went anymore (cut a coil or two), you would probably need the camber plates and different shocks. That's why I left mine as is. I think mine looks OK because the rear is at stock height and it has a little "rubber rake". I did replace the bump stops with shorter ones I think I got at Amazon.

 

Decided it could be like Christmas in August.

 

I think so it raises the upper A arm a little over an inch and after my springs settled I had almost 3” total drop.

 

Runs down the highway decent. Got it washed up too so took a few glamour shots.

 

Looks great! The whitewalls seemed to have cleaned up well, too. You never know about used tires.

 

Looks like a brand new one!!!

 

Nope, kinda figure 65-70 is top speed.