So, I had the 54 Customline towed in to the shop today! Put pics in my profile. Brakes are siezed pretty well, but we are getting it on the lift to inspect it this weekend I believe. Im going to go through the entire brake system, replace all I have to so its safe, figure out the no start...so on so forth...For once in my life, I don't NEED the car to run every day! So I can actually enjoy it!
Sounds great, keep us posted. Saw your pics, car looks real nice! If you decide you dont need that radio delete plate, let me know, if it will work on my 56 I need one.
As long as you are upgrading the brakes it would be a good time to add a dual master,the '67 Mustang is a bolt on in a '54 and half the price of a stocker,shoot me a pm if you need a part number and a few tips.
Hint: Take Jeff up on his offer. The Mustang dual pot master is many times safer than the stock master and is a bolt-in upgrade. Be sure to use the drum/drum version, not the more common disc/drum. Refer to Jeff's PN and you'll be okay.
I checked out your pictures..... I found it interesting on how you lowered it..... never thought of that! New way to see another type of "air" suspension! Great looking car!
Sent Jeff a PM, thanks Jeff...what a time saver in dealing with the "winners" that work at the parts houses around here! Yeah, im going for the poor-boy lowered look. Makes the performance kinda sluggish though!
Over the past week I found some morning time to put my hands on the 54...replaced all the brake parts (thanks Jim for those part numbers), the tires, tuned her up a little and cleaned underneath. All in all a good start! Got her running from a fuel can and she purrs! Dropping tank this week and replacing all the other fluids!
UPDATE:: Dropped the tank with my dad this week, and boy is it full of rust and varnish (thats another thread on the main board!). My dad and I ran a small can of gas, jumped in her and she fired up like a kitten! Man, she really runs well. Drove her around the block and she is a beauty! So, first drive. With Dad! How cool! Also, I know I have the coolest wife around. When I got the car, she said "I have a gift for you and the car". I told her to wait until I got it to move and stop...lol. So, this week, she told me to close my eyes and open my hand. Into my hand she dropped the little 3 inch Virgin Mary statue...not much, right? Wrong: Before we met I had a 68 Fury, on the package tray I had this Virgin Mary air freshener. Over the years it patina'd into a cool, stone looking statue. When I got my 55 Olds I put it on the Olds package tray. When my now wife, then friend, was in my shop one day, she kept bugging me about wanting that "statue"...finally, I reached back, pulled it out and gave it to her. About a year later, she bought the 55 Olds...But I never saw that statue again and had been looking for a replacement for years. So, she had saved it...dropped it into my hand, and now I have "my Mary" back....Car name...MARY...same as my 68 Fury's old name.. Ok, on with your day!
UPDATE:: Well, i got Mary running and HOME today! I am uploading some photos to my album if interested! A great way to spend my 36th b day! Wife, Mom and daughter, all playing in and around the "new car"! my Daughter LOVES it and the wife made me a killer Day of the Dead skull...so, happy days!
It's really nice to hear about a family that enjoys the simple things in life like a simple religious statue that brings much more meaning than what Mary stands for . It's also great to see the little one having fun in the car with you . Now you need to teach her how the shifter works so she can shift it for you when she gets older and can ride up front with you ! My Dad did that for me and I was shifting real good before long and driving on his lap too . Of course things were different back in the late 50's then today . When the brakes are working good and safe , take the family out for a Sunday drive and picnic ! What could be any nicer than something like that ? That's the way things use to be so long ago in that very same car you have today ! Make sure you take some more pictures ! Enjoy your new car ! Jim
Retro Jim, if only things were as simple today as they were then. I truly miss those days! Great looking 54 and family you have there Mr Rocket, treasure it all.
Old Patriot , so true ! My wife and I still take those kind of drives and maybe catch a few yard sales here and there . I live in a very small town in Pa. and the country is very close to us for that easy drive . Jim
Retro Jim, Old Patriot: We live a very different life than most around us...slower when it comes to Family. We take drives, spend Sunday mornings at the beach, or we hit the churches. We run own a business and make it a family affair. Retro, things are simpler today if you make them that way, way simpler. We really strive around here for it. Wife stays home, runs business aspects from home. I leave home at 6am and get home by 3:30 normally. Garden, make breads, cheese, yogurt, building a coop for chickens.... Always make the time for the family...
MrRocket, you have a great looking car and family. I envy you for having the ability to live the simpler life and own a business. I look to the future for my own simpler life and grow my own food.
Hey 54, man, its odd, I work a lot, I have 100 projects (not car related), never seem to sit for more than a few minutes, but I love it. I guess most people would see it a a LESS simple life, for we make more work for ouselves than most people would even dream of. But we like it. We have no cable, no credit cards for personal use (only an Amex for the buiness), we make "work" into "life", anyway, yes, im lucky...but I work hard to be lucky...lol
I think the "no cable, no credit cards..." lifestyle is excellent. I do pretty much the same and my life has become much simpler because of it. I've actually taken it one step beyond, and have no tv at all other than DVD player to watch an occasional movie, but I've got to admit I'm a talk radio junkie. I get a lot more done now, my business seems to run much smoother and by paying cash for everything personal my financial situation is improving all the time! And...far less drama in my life!
I've been on the cash plan for a quite a while now and I'm at the end of the bills left over from the cards. Life is quite easier now that I've become more distant from the world of debt and being owned by the credit world.
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