1952-59 Ford Dagels 1953 ford customline

lets see 500 Cadillac and power steering and you want exhaust too

offley tight fight getting the pipes above the steering linkage and through the frame hole but 1 side down



wound up with 4-2-1 header

 

Got tied up on a customer 55 Chevy he wanted power steering , disk brakes, and a good tune up

fond the seat tracks bad and I cant believe it but there not reproduced for the 55 Chevy cars

any way it done ( if any one has a line on seat tracks for a 55 Chevy
let me know)

now back to mine even though EFI is a nasty word on the main board hopefully your more receptive here

NOW TO MINE
I have deiced to put F.A.S.T. Ez-Efi on my 53 since it will be driving all over the USA And Canada.

Got the system last week and a MSD dist and have a MSD6AL box I bought the full system but will be installing an in tank pump also will use Aeroquip stainless line from the motor to the frame then steel lines to the tank and back to stainless braded to the tank (I just cant get my self to run the rubber hose from fount to back that came with the system)

Also decide on the Vintage Air mark 5 hang down AC unit will look like it might have been put on the car a long time ago

I have gotten the exhaust done to the back, ****d the headers and pipes to the mufflers and also by the fuel tank installed heat shields above the mufflers
The rear end pulled and finished up and installed for the last time has 3.55gears, Curry posi track, Crown Vick disk brakes drilled and slotted rotors
the emergency brake done and brake line run from the rear to the boaster
The trans is done and drive shaft is in
pictures to come

 

Hear is the progress so fare EFI, MSD, and the eng wiring (Trying to keep the wiring clean in not easy with 3 different systems). Power steering box and AC Compressor bracket done.

I did not want to hide the EZ-EFI, MDS since these are all thing I do at the shop and this and the 69 ford truck are used at shows to sell work so the more thy stick out the better











Running the exhaust system in such a way that it is above the frame was a challenge also.
But this fall I plan to bag it to lay frame so the extra work now will make that easer




Heat shields and header rap should help keep the inside cooler

 

well finely hanging front sheet metal and doors (I forgot how much fun it is to put this jigsaw puzzle back together)

Plans are to have it running by 04-15-2013

In the paint booth by 04-22-2013

Final ***embly fist 2 weeks of May

Looks like the interior will have to wait till we get back from our Vegas

 

here some shots of the front sheet metal what a pain to line up the doors, fenders and hood where using part from several cars

 

Well learn something new
the 368-500 Cadillac flywheels are drilled for the large patter torq converter.
I knew GM has 2 patterns but just never thought about it

So the 2004r converter wont bolt up holes off about 3/8" and where you need to drill the fly wheel there a seam (lip) so that's out.

Did find a SFI flywheel for $189 with the duel pattern so here goes more money and time.

something I never noticed guise it my fault for wanting to get gas mileage

So if you plan to run a 2004r, 200, 350, 700r4 its some thing to look for most are small pattern converters


I did get to here it run sounder great

 

It run sounds great running a little hot 210 after 1 hour sitting in shop will have to try 16" puller fan the 10" helped so figure not getting enough air flow at idle with the fan clutch

but for now its in the paint room for final sanding , sanding sealer then paint

carpet came in and head liner is here

 

Nice build-- subscribed. I'll use this as inspiration to keep going on my 52 Vic

 

Tubrochick and everyone else

I ran in to a major problem can't get it to run cool at idle had a 27x19 2 row aluminum radiator with 7 blade fan clutch (climbed p*** 230) then tried a 16" puller and 12 " pusher and still climbed past 230.

Thought this set up would be enough

So ordered a custom built 3 row aluminum 28" X22" with 2-12" puller fans and shroud that's guaranteed to cool a 750 HP motor
should be here by June 25 will see then if the Cadillac will stay or get yanked and a small block installed

I know part of the problem is there is not much room for the air to get out of the engine compartment, my need to add lovers to the inter fender wells.

Until the overheating is worked out I am building my 58 Edsel Pacer got the complete drive train rebuilt and beefed up should here it run this coming week

 

Your build is coming along nicely, wasn't aware you could pull the whole dash out as I am wanting to paint my dash in my 54 Customline (Aussie made version which used the USA 52-53 dashboard design).
And I know what you mean about overheating, the engine bay on these get very hot very quickly. I run a 351 Cleveland in mine and during our summer had one day where the engine bay got so hot, it actually melted the plastic horn I had installed!
Anyway best of luck with it all!

 

Well they said it would cool 750 HP radiator, shroud, and fan kit so reworked the fount end again and still would not cool.



started to think maybe there is some thing wrong with the motor so pulled it out had it put on a dino and did 4 pulls back to back no over heating and hp was where I excepted to be put back on test stand and no overheating
idles at 185 for an hr

so put motor back in installed a 3rd radiator built a fan shroud to run a stock 17" fan blade and not over heating but 225 is hotter then I like for idle temp does cool down to 211 when the heater is turned on so guess it will need a remote radiator added or a smaller motor

o well back to the Edsel for now

 

Well the Edsel gets hot to got the aluminum radiator from the same company. Larger the what was in it and 4 row also had 17" 6 blade fan instead of the 4 blade fan

Pinched the upper hose and temp came down to 180 (was 230) in 10 minutes remover the restriction and went back up to 230

The construction of the tubes are like a copper radiator (3/8" long and 1/8" wide tube opening) not the normal 1" X1/16" wide like most aluminum radiator I have seen.

So only thing I can think of is the coolant is flowing to fast to get any heat transfer ( temp drop ) I know it don't make muck sense.

Here is what I had on the Edsel

coolant flows top to bottom 1 extra row 1"wider 2" taller and aluminum of course , motor is stock 361 with the exception of the cam Lanuat Voodoo and a higher flowing oil pump and HEI distributor ever thing else is stock with new bearings rings gaskets
.
1 with out the pinched hose the temp was 230 at top tank 230 at bottom tank
2 with restriction ( pinched hose) 180 at top tank and 160 at bottom tank

do not know on the 53 never tried to restrict the coolant just did not make since to I do know that I was only getting 2-5 Deg temp from top left tank to bottom right tank (it a cross flow radiator

So ordered 2 sets of restrictor washer going to try the ones with the 5/8 hole and see what happens

Hope this fixes both cars

 

Shades of the Ford flathead? Always had to run restrictors in those to keep them cool on my street and dirt track cars.

 

yep just goes against everything that I always try for lots of coolant flow big radiator and lots of air movement

I will say this is the first time I have seen aluminum radiators with the small tubes

Usually Aluminum radiators have 1 or 2 rows of the 1" long tubes.

If this fixes both cars I will probably go back to the 1" long tubes.

Not sure where they are getting the core stock from possibly commercially ac unites? but they have a bunch of them for sale on Ebay and there cheaper then most.

It looks like it would work right, maybe this is why the auto makers use 1" tubes.

any one elss using an aluminum radiator with the small tubes 3/8X1/8 in side??????????????????????????????

 

I had the same overheating problem with my old 58 Oz Cutomline with 351 Cleveland and FMX. The temp would climb up over 210 in traffic, with a three row Mustang style radiator. Put the biggest pusher fan I could fit on the radiator - think it was about 16".Then I fitted the standard radiator recored with the largest late model four core off road recore. Still the same. Finally checked the temperature of the engine with thermometer in the neck of the radiator with the engine running. Stewart Warner Mechanical temp gauge showed 210 thermometer read 180. Gave up worrying about temperature after that.
I would suggest you do the same first before you get too worried about it.

 

I am checking the temp in the top and bottom tanks with digital
probes slide between the hose and neck
top tank is snap on promoters bottom is a fluke so I know there aureate
the dash gauges goes to 240 it is a auto meter 10 deg hotter then the probes so closes enough ( probably right on the money)

I know its hot and I know the Cadillac wont last long at that temperature

so it has to be fixed I wont have a car I cant jump in as drive cross country any time I get a wild hair to go some where and

I cant see burning up a engine with $5000 worth of parts in it

 

well some progress on both cars

the 53 ford
used 5/8 washer in stead of thermostat
top tank (drives side) 201
bottom(p*** side)176

this is with the heater off so large number drop and can live with it
but going to try a 1/2 washer and see if its any better

201 is where it topped out at after 15 min and stayed there for 30 more

going to add 2 12" pusher fans to see if that will help once the ac is turned on at idle

the 58 edsel

used 5/8 washer too

196 top tank
175 lower tank
it only has a 16" puller fan

so my conclusion is the water was flowing to fast through the radiator for decent heat transfer
I never had this problem before but these 2 are the first ones I have used the aluminum radiators with the 3/8 long tubes (core looks just like a copper one) all other were 1" long 2 row these 3/8 long 4 row

I do know that you can flow water through a heater core and have poor cooling this is just the first time for a radiator for me

 

Car looks great

 

well 1 more customer car to finish and I can get back on the ford
wow fell down 20 pages this group is one of the best most groups I go back to after 3 moths and still on the first page kept it up everyone

 

Had a customer that wanted the 500 cady with a pocket full of money so it got pulled now in a 52 Buick




and my 53 get a 350 chevy with 3x2 the 53 may never get done my 59 has taken president over all other work



was fun finding a way to mount the AC PS and alt down low so when you look at the engine nothing is above valve covers

 

some shots of how it looks with everything down low also have done bags on back and trailing arms will get pictures when a lift is free

 

got sick last week and still feel punning so spent to day straighten and polishing the stainless. Going to see if I can sneak it in to the paint both next week and at least get it painted from the belt molding up
so I can get the head liner, stainless and gl*** back in before it all gets lost.

 

Well we have paint was planning some scallop's but ran out of paint on a Saturday night, so went a head and cleared it and started putting it back together. most of the trim is NOS all the chrome has been redone now just hr of resembling it .

It does not show well in pictures but lower part of car is a shade darker ( makes it look a little lower)as is the are under the head light and tail light( makes them loo longer then thay are). The bulge in the rear fender is a shade litter at the crease just trying to bring out some of the features of the 52.
Putting on the trim is where you find out you have to pull the door off again to get room to put the nut on the rear most fender trim .
the trim on the door and front fender is for a 52 Mercury. I like the spear end better then the word Customline at the front


the back is actually from a 53 wagon so it is longer then the stock trim just my preference got some extra holes to drill. again all NOS been collection for the past 5 years sure makes one look good

 

Got the grill in and the front lights, fans, and horn are wired in, 1 vent window rebuilt and in (new rubber and gl***
Next I guise its time to start the headliner I hate headliners but need it done so I can get the front and rear gl*** in

could not find a NOS hood bird or one with good chrome so my 52 Cadillac gall will have to do
pc by pc it getting there

 

and now the rear Quarter windows have made an appearance again new fuzzes and gl***.
Blasted the regulators and rebuilt them also



wish I hade welded up the backup light hole never thought about it till I started pricing a new one
It took 2 license plat- gas doors to make 1 good one look weird because it propped open to keep the rubber bumper off the new paint


Its amazing what a little trim and gl*** can do for the looks of a car

 

well we now have bumpers and side trim done guise I have no choice but to start the headliner tomorrow

 

Lookin good.

 

Spent 6 hr sowing a pc of welting to one side of my wind lace.




The 53 fords have a L shape pc of plastic sown to the wind lace and could not find any so improvising .




The L shape is held in by ear fold over to hold it in place about 8" apart (No take stripes )




my 225 Consew sowing machine did not want to cooperate guise it need a tune up been sitting for 3 years. and oil has gotten sticky


another 12 foot and I can start the headliner

 

Way to go man, talk about diy..

 

Do you have any more pics showing how you modified the radiator core support to work with the new radiator and condenser? Wondering if you have any remaining structural pieces going between the two sides or if the radiator itself is being used to tie everything together.