1952-59 Ford My 1954 Ford Customline build (clips221)

Well it's time to start a thread on my build progress f my 54.

I purchased a 54 Ford Customline Club Coupe a couple of months ago. Had never really paid this style car much attention but was told about this one for sale 90 miles from the house and decided to go take a look. I purchased this car from the original owners family (the original owner worked at the Atlanta Ford place and helped work on this car as it rolled down the ***embley line. We pretty much gave s**** metal price for it and trailered it home.
It had the original 239 engine and Ford o matic transmission. The engine was complete but seized up. The floor pans need replacing but the outside of the body is in pretty good shape. The trunk pan is in very good shape. Dash is like new, all of the interior is original as well as the original paint. I'll put some pics up when I figure out how to do it. Seems like i have to load them to my hamb account and transfer em over??

 

Over the past couple of months I've really grown to like this body style and have been reading and posting around here on the 52-56 Ford Cars forrum. I'm glad I got directed to you guys off of the main HAMB.
I pulled the 239 and transmission out. One of the pistons was stuck but got it broke loose easily. After reading posts on here about the 239 I went in search of and found a 56 312 engine that was complete with a generator and everything excluding the 4bbl carb. It also had a 4 speed bellhousing, clutch and pressure plate that I won't be using. Good trading material.
I pulled the crank, it had standard rod and main bearings in it. Sent the crank to the machine shop to be ground. The engine is clean as a whistle. It came out of a running 56 coupe that the guy wanted a 302 dropped in. Right place at the right time for me.
I read a thread on here by (chopd top) about self adjusting brakes for a 54. Very good thread with good pics and part numbers and all. Ordered the parts to do the brake swap, got the car in the shop today, and gonna get started on the brakes this weekend.

 

car looks sweet. Makes me miss mine. good luck with the build and keep posting pics of the progress.

 

Nice car, keep us posted.

 

I got alittle accomplished this weekend. I pulled my gas tank which seems to be in good shape. I'm gonna take it to a radiator shop and have it cleaned and pressure tested. Also pulled the rear end and leaf springs out. Pulled the axles and chunk out of the rear end for cleanup. The axles and chunk are in very good shape. One of the bearings on the axle is tighter to spin than the other.
Slow go but making progress.

 

While I was working on tearing down my front brakes this weekend I noticed all the bushings on the front end needs replacing as well as the steering rod joints. Upon further investigation the front frame piece that goes under the radiator support is rusted out bad on the bottom side. I guess this means I need to pull the whole front end to replace this frame section.

 

Hey clips glad you started a build thread, I see you choose to get rid of the 239 and found a 312 IMO your better off.....I also saw the thread on the self-adjusting brakes that is something else i plan on doing....I think your talking about the front cross-member that the a-arms bolt up to being rusted out, As far as that goes 90% of these year's fords have that problem, mine did i got lucky and found a original good one and cut the old one out and welded new one in. all in all easy job once you have everything cut out out and unbolted...There was a memeber remaking them dont know if they still are. but there is some companys remaking them...when I put the new one in i drilled some drain holes where the a-arms bolt up to help the new one rusting out again. Looking forward to your progress fun cars once they grow on you. Dont forget to take lots of pictures

 

Another option instead of a $300 front crossmember you could go straight axle and build a Y-block G***er Here is some inspiration http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=2265172#post2265172

 

I'm wondering how much trouble it'd be to cut out the bottom of the cross member and weld a piece of flat bar back in? Anyone did this or is just as easy to replace the whole cross member?

 

I have done a couple of these front crossmember repairs using Goodell Fabrications and would not muck around trying to bodge up a repair. $300 sounds a lot but the ease with which these fit makes it well worth it. Just make sure you ask for the crossmember specific to your car.
Replacing all the bushes at the same time is a good idea. Lower control arm pins are available if yours are too badly rusted in the crossmember. Usually you only need to replace the front two pins.
It is a pain having to remove the front clip but if you have some friends handy take the whole front off in one piece. You'll find that easier to line everything back up. It is probably two days work but well worth the time investment to have the front end all back together as it should be.
Regards

 

I got the front end clip unbolted and ready to set off last night. gonna work on that cross member and front end bushings next. I reckon I'll sand blast the front clip while I have it off the car.

 

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/album.php?albumid=29629&pictureid=355936

 

I'm trying to insert an image but it ant letting me. what am I doing wrong? I copied the URL from my hamb photo, used the little yellow box above but it's not inserting. any pointers?

 

I got the upper and lower A-arms pulled off the frame today. I'm reckoning the best way to get the old bushings out is to burn the rubbers out? Tommorrow's plan is to get the a arms cleaned up and start working on putting the rear end back together.

 

The lower control arm bushings can be pressed out pretty easy if you have a press that is adjustable. The upper control arm bushings are a little more complicated. I had to use an air chisel to get mine out. I suppose burning them out would work too, but there was a tutorial on here that said to use an air chisel. Anyway good luck and I hope its easier for you than it was for me.

 

Not too much progress today. Wound cleaning up shop. As much as I hate to do it sometimes I have to stop and put things back in their place so I can find em when i need em.
I am sending the front clip and A arms and front end pcs to the sand blast shop in the morning. I'm thinking about going with Poulan paint.

 

Anyone selling the front a arm bushings as a set?

 

Look here http://stores.a-resto-parts.com/-strse-3/SUSPENSION-STEERING-FRONT-END/Detail.bok

 

Macs Auto Parts (macsautoparts.com),Joblot Auto,TeeBird Products, or any of the other online suppliers.
You will probably need a couple of the pins for the lower arms. Usually the fronts are pretty rusted up.
Regards

 

I was able to get everything to complete my front suspension rebuild from C&G Early Fords. MAC's also has everything you will need, C&G is local os I used them.

 

I got the front crossmember cut out and then cut the bottom section out of it. I'm gonna repair the original one with a piece of flat metal welded back in the bottom. Waiting on it to quit raining and dry up some around here so I can get the car to the sand blaster. Making some slow progress.

 

If you're looking to save some cash you can usually find kits in eBay. I wouldn't be surprised if they're made by the same company that makes the kits Macs and them sell, they seem to be pretty decent.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1954-1955-1956-ford-p***enger-car-front-suspension-kit-/230576670720?pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item35af70c800#ht_500wt_1202

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1954-1956-Ford-1955-1957-Thunderbird-front-suspension-upper-shaft-kits-pair-/380402592517?pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item5891c2eb05#ht_500wt_969

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-Upper-Ball-Joints-THUNDERBIRD-CHECKER-54-55-56-T-BIRD-/140497948122?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Year%3A1954%7CMake%3AFord&vxp=mtr&hash=item20b6548dda

 

Joblot Auto do a complete kit with all shafts, pins, hardware and bushes, (B4A-3040-KIT) for $115
This kit is for upper and lower control arms.
You can download their catalogue and the kit is on page 11. This is the most complete kit I have found online. Joblot are good people to deal with.
The ebay kits are more than twice the price. My impression is that Joblot supply the parts that the other retailers sell after they mark them up.
Regards

 

Here is a link to their catalog http://www.joblotauto.com/pdf_list.asp?cat_id=18# They have an extensive hard parts selection for almost any 1949-59 Ford,but rebuilding these early engines can get pricey part of what makes a swap so attractive.

 

Very nice car, reminds me of my '53 when i got it some years ago, sadly i bought the expensive front axle kit, i wish i had known that it is available much cheaper.
Good luck with the build and greetings from germany!
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=20959&pictureid=243070

 

Got alot done this weekend. The front clip has been sand blasted, wiped and primed. Still gotta do some patch work on the bottom of the quarters. The hood was very wavy and required a good bit of work but it turned out good.
I've been debating on how to do my floor pans and last week ran across some sheet metal shelving (for free). Key word is free. The section under the seats and trunk is very good but the lower sections as well as the sill's under the doors were in bad shape. I started cutting out the bad areas, measuring, forming, grinding, welding, and am getting close to having the floors completed. It's looking very good.

 

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/album.php?albumid=29629&pictureid=361808

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/album.php?albumid=29629&pictureid=361807

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/album.php?albumid=29629&pictureid=361805