ANGRY BIRD, THE TRI 5 T-BIRD HOT ROD...

Through the years, I've never really been a fan of the birds.... stock that is... that goes for the people that own them.... first thing they always say is who ruined this car... they have to walk around your car and point out what is incorrect..... that being said... 55 t bird hot rods always catch my eye...my wife just bought this one... kinda cool I think...

she got both tops.. power window and seat car.. and yes,... i'm the one that will be fix'n shit...

 

I worked on one of these about 50 years or so ago... put a falcon rear... and re worked/ flared the rear wheel wells to match the front... mini tubbed the trunk

 

I like the first picture better !!

Mike

 

A hotrodded ‘55 T-bird is a bucket list car for me! Is the hardtop black for that one???

 

those t birds are tough.... need about 4'' positive off set...
the way to do it is to put a comet rear. and mini tubs... then you can pick a bigger selection of wheels..

 

it was, but primer spots and needs paint... need some one to photo shop a black top on it..

 

I can’t remember if it was a 55 or 6 but I almost bought one from a guy in Boston that had an Oldsmobile motor in it along with a 4 speed. It was all period correct and was built in the later fifties and parked. Still kick myself for not getting the car

 

Now we have races to move ot threads?

 

55 bird. 15x7 Salt Flats. 7”, 4” backspace rear, 3 1/2 front. 235/60’s rear, 225/60’s front. Skirts won’t fit. No tubs. Tight, but works.

 

In 1967, I sold Just about everything that would bring any money to buy me the '55 bird I always wanted. After I got it, I hated everything about it, except the looks.

I STILL love the looks of the early 'birds.

" Anticipation is far better than participation " !!!!!

 

Without a doubt, the ANGRIEST Thunderbird to ever grace the tarmac..........
The Doane Spencer Thunderbird

This article is a sort of multi-parter but well worth the read.

"Instead we talked about his legendary ’55 Thunderbird".
OK, focus guys.




The full article

Here:
http://www.dontwashmine.com/Chapter-33.html

 

Wife's good friend had one her Dad re-done from the ground up. Sweet ride but....if you were the least bit "portly" you were in trouble. ...
Steering wheel the size of a 55gallon drum head !
I guess power steer was the answer. (She nor my wife were anywhere near portly so.......a non-issue.)
6sally6

 

well, got shit done today...lowered it 3'' front and rear...put new front tires.. went with 185-65-15's she's down now... rides luxury sports car now plenty of travel and no tire rubs...

 

i'm still learning ... a model a with billet wheels and IFS, and a chevy C10 is ok in the traditional section, as long as it not mine..... right???

 

I looked for a 55 or 56 to modify. I grew up with Y blocks. No desire to go back even though with today's parts, they make more power. The cars of that era float down the road at 70 mph. I want mine to be firm. Brakes, what brakes? I want good brakes to match the power increase. That being said, I like the looks of the car and would change wheels but not much else. If the wife is happy and it's her car, there is no more discussion. I hope she develops a love affair with it. Happy trails.

 

Buddy had one trans planted 427 FE dual quad 4 speed , 57 rear axle , it was scary as a teenager . I know it’s OT , I would love to build a glass car with potent FE and 5 speed . They are not Vettes and never will be , but they can be made bad ass

 

Not just You , in pass before OffTopic
There was Many of us that had
Threads / Post deleted ,
@squirrel
@HOTRODPRIMER
@racer-x
My self ,,
I did not agree with deleting Pre 72
Or wheels Tunnel Rams ,
Nitrous Oxide
Big tires ,etc.
You have been here Long Enough for few years , & you post quite frequently
To know rules on Main site ,
I am glade No delete post now Unless Real off topic ,
The Off Topic has traction Now ,
Just have to deal with Advertisement

Around 83-87 there Was a
Red 55-57 Bird
In Hot Rod Or Rodding with
427 I Believe Tunnel Ram , Lenco NOS
Big Tires

 

as it is, She loves the car..and traded her 29 rpu to me for it...she picked the bird and went on a 2 day trip to go get it... she looked it over, and said yep. I want it... of coarse I had to pay for it....lol... but she said buy the bird and I'll trade in my pick up.....and like you said...it would float down the hi way...with the big tires on front it would grab at any thing it could find to bump and track steer.....stopping??? now that a differant story.... panic stop would put you in the ditch... the smaller tires and lowering took care of the wandering...she's firm and responsive at any speed now.. they sell a disc brake "kit" that goes on the stock spindles... so thats on top of the list... I haven't had a car that goes fast with drum brakes in years.... but remember it was a constant battle to get them to not pull when you panic stop...at some point... it'll get the lumps taken out and new paint...but she like it as is so thats way down the road...

 

The wheels are gonna be a big issue.... I get wheels and tires for free, so thats not the issue...as I would have done it yesterday...but like i've said before...never trust a car till you take apart and see what you have...the bird spent 2 days going on three on the rack... I put a wrench on and checked every thing that could be a safety issue...

back to the wheels and tries though....... Som ting wong!!!!!!!!!!!!

starting on the rear.... I'm starting to think the rear is maybe a mustang???
and I don't know enough about birds...but think the 55's had a bigger than 4.5 on 5 bolt pattern????????????? I don't know by looking.... but seems like the 55 rear was more rounder looking??? and if one knows how wide they were please post.....putting wheels on this car as is is gonna be tough.... then adding disc brakes on the front is gonna move the wheels out..

when they pulled the front tires off... I was WTF is that...there's 2'' spacers on the front... that would explain the positive off set wheels...the whole set up looks like... I got these wheels at the swap meet...i'm putting them on the bird... whether they fit or not... I'll make them fit.... so my idea is get the brakes done before I mess with the wheels, at least she can drive it for a bit..


I took her for a driving lesson... the first thing I told her... old school driving instruction.." make sure you have at least car length for every 10 miles per hour..."

 

I'm not un happy one bit....it's just funny the pointless point that being pushed... as you can see.. I don't post in the traditional section...fake is fake..old is old... about 95% of the cars don't qualify... poppys patina... what a fuc'n joke... every one knows that we used floor polish... holly brans made in china??? salt flat wheels made in tiwan... LMAO.. brookville bodys??? come on man... there has to be a point where you say...pre war and put up a wall... then there's no cars that qualify... every thing is just a copy.. to be real traditional...the rule would have to be nothing on the car can be manufactured after 1942...so.... no wire feed welders....no new strombergs...no date code tires after 1942... I personally post to give back what I take.. I they guy that cleans his camp site before he leaves...there's a lot good info and help here.... but, as far as the secret hand shake members here... I have found this to be true... for every set of hands ... there's a set of legs and an ass hole.... I ask a lot of people if they come on this site... most all say yeah, but I don't post...