1952-59 Ford Progress is slow, on the Ranch Wagon, still looking for replacement parts

I have talked to my insurance man and to the adjuster, both were aware that these parts are not remanufactured and being a one year style the parts are getting hard to find, but not impossible, everything takes time.

I have ordered a rechromed bumper from Tri-City Plating in Elizabethton, Tennessee, these are the people I purchased the bumpers from when I was building the Ranch Wagon.

I have also talked with a fellow '54 Ford owner and member here on the forum, Paul2748 and he has a straight rust & dent free bullett and the two upper grille pieces, they will need replating but I think they will be what the doctor ordered.

I talked to Johnsons Radiator, they are the people that bought out Walker Radiator and they say they can't find any patterns on '54 Fords, Walker built the one in the car, So ~ as soon as I pull it out of the car I will take it to a old friend of mine that has a radiator shop, he has been working in radiator shops for more than 50 years and still knows how to re-cores radiators. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

I still need to find the Upper radiator grille panel,the upper radiator grille trim & a front splash apron. ( Thanks to another '54 Ford owner, Alan Freeman I will have these parts soon)

I am still in search for a '54 - 6 cylinder splash apron and have sent an email to a guy that has one, hopefully he still has it. I sent him another conversation and he says he has sold the splash apron, so I'm still looking for a replacement.

I'll send the grille parts off to be rechromed, do a little painting and try not to use a lot of foul language and a whole lot of work and the old Wagon should look pretty good again ~ I hope.

I have talked to several restoration shops looking for some help with the car, with all the health problems in the past year I'm really not up to the task but the professional shops tell me they are covered up and it may take two years, I will have to try and do the work myself and maybe get a couple of fellow Tri- City Rod & Custom members to help with the heavy lifting and paint work. HRP

 

Hope things go well!!!!

 

Danny.....as I mentioned before, I have the upper radiator grille panel and the stainless that attaches to it and you can have both parts for the cost of the shipping. Alan

 

Thank you so much for your generosity Alan. Danny

 

Thanks for the update Danny. Good luck with the repairs.

There was a fellow in Salsbury that only did 54, 55 and 56 Fords. He was pretty old when I went and got my dash and the Town and Country Radio from him. I can try to find his number if you are interested.

 

Do you have a list of all the parts you still need somewhere?

 

Auto City Cl***ic Inc. Shows having 54-56 radiators. They are aluminum but the tank stamping is pretty similar to original. I've used their radiators before with no problems.

 

PAUL 2748 is a great guy I have bought parts from him b4.!

 

Big M Automotive in Williams Ca. Talk to John. If he doesn’t have it chances are he knows someone who does

 

I have located all the parts with the exception of the gravel pan/splash apron so
I still need a '54 gravel pan/splash apron, specifically a 6 cylinder one the V8 pan is too wide.
I found one here on the hamb in Canada but the advertiser says it's been sold -

I also found a NOS one on ebay but it had been standing on end in the dirt for many years and is very pitted & rusty on the drivers side, I'll keep looking. HRP

 

I had a Walker copper/br*** like the conventual radiator of the times, we are fortunate to have a old school radiator shop in this town that still knows the art of re-coring a radiator.

I was fortunate enough to get some nice grille pieces from Paul,they are straight, rust free and without scratches & dents but they need re-chroming.

The rest of the parts just need cleaning and repainting.

I have received payment from the insurance company and have a shop lined up to do bulk of the work. HRP

 

Good to hear things are coming together.

 

Did you check this place out ? https://www.dvap.com/?s=any&q_make=Ford&q_year=1954&submit=Search

 

No I haven't but I will, thanks for the tip Jeff.

I hope your improving and feeling better. HRP

 

Who is your insurance company? Did they give much h***le on the claim?

 

No trouble what so ever, in fact the check they sent I was told if the amount didn't cover the parts and repair I just need the shop that is doing the work send them a additional bill and they would take care if it.

I have AMPAC it use to be called chrome insurance, they also offer a builders insurance package, I had it on the wagon when I was building the car, seems like it was about 75 buck every six months, if the shop was to catch fire and burn down it would have covered the car. HRP

 

American National Collector Car Insurance, formerly CHROME

http://www.anpac.com

 

Thanks I'll give them a try.

 

Got my replated bumper from Tri-City Plating today, it's just as nice as the one I turned into a pretzel. seriously, Tri-City Plating in Elizabethton,Tennessee does beautiful work! HRP

 

I need to take my rear bumper up to them.

 

I bought my Olds Cutl*** bumpers from them 20 years ago and they still look good.

 

They do beautiful work, call and talk to Chip. HRP

 

With the holidays & my daughter being in the hospital having thyroid surgery and spending a week in ICU, everything has calmed down and I have time to look the radiator today. HRP

 

Did you ever locate a valance panel for the front?

On my 56 I cut the v8 panel and used it to relocate the radiator to the forward position. a 6 cylinder panel would have looked better.

 

No Rod, I'm still looking. HRP

 

Today was a good one, I found the correct 6 cylinder gravel pan/splash apron, I think I now have all the parts ready whenever the guys at the repair shop let me know they are ready for the wagon.

I'm going to clean up and do some minor repairs on a few of the parts while I am waiting for Fazio's in Easley, South Carolina to give me a call when they can work the car in.

I appreciate all the help with parts from Alan & Paul and the suggestions of where to look for parts from many of you guys, thank you all. HRP

 

I am glad you have everything. Look forward to you getting it back on the road.

 

Thank you Rod, this down time on the wagon just gives me some time for some overdue maintenance on my old beater, spring is just around the corner and it looks like I will be driving the old Deuce to Cherokee,North Carolina in the spring. HRP