1952-59 Ford Radiator side air deflection panels

Does the '55 have these rusted pieces in the attached picture?

 

Yes, my 55 has them

 

I just looked at my '55, I guess whoever put it together decided it didn't need them. What is their purpose and the consequences of not having them?

 

The fender around the grill surround bolts to them. Mostly structural I guess. My 55 and my 56 parts car have them.

 

What keeps your fenders and radiator from flopping all over the place?

 

I think a close look will show they are there other wise as asked what holds the fender.I think the hood catch panel also bolts to that.

 

They are there. I didn't expect them to go out so far as to tie into the front of the fender. Thanks

 

they are hard to see as you now know with grille etc.in place

 

They are the air deflectors too... the tunnels for air to cabin start there.

They bolt to the apron, bottom of the headlight bucket on the fender and the top where the hood latch connects.

Mine were knackered like those.
Having nothing to match them too I repaired them like this.

 

The real problem with this design is that the front wheel flicks up dirt and **** and it sits in the bucket that gets made where the fender meet the bottom. Unfortunately this means that they rust out pretty quickly below the headlight.

 

And really bad above the headlight in the snow regions.

 

What I can't understand from ford is why they made a splash guard for the rear end of the front fender well but not the front.

 

Ditto......that's why '57s at least almost always have rotted out headlight surrounds and need caps over the headlights.

 

You'd almost want to install a clean-out plug towards the bottom of it, blast it out with a hose a couple of times a year. Use a standard Ford floor pan plug.

 

speaking of rear splash guards... I just finished making a pair. Mine were AWOL.

Made a pattern off a mates customline vicky and even used his swage and jenny to turn the sides up.

Now I think the only panel thats missing on my vicky is the one that goes around the bottom of the radiator towards the motor... I'm also missing my y block "steady rest" but I'm not sure that they were always fitted.