Projects New Daily Driver - Squarebird

Understood. I got some yard work done yesterday before the rain.

 

Headed to hang out with a bunch of kool kats for the weekend for the StrayKat 500.

 

What a great weekend!

 

Agreed! Good seeing everyone as usual!

 

So, @straykatkustoms hooked me up with a couple center caps that made my smoothie chrome wheels look WAY better when I was up in Dewey for the StrayKat 500 last weekend. I finally got around to popping them on today after finishing some yard work before what appears to be a rainy week ahead. Now playing that whole “can only see one side of the car at a time deal” until I can come across a couple more.

 

Now add some lake pipes and then stick a fork in it.

 

Nah, I think a Watson style paint job would be just right.


Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.

 

Hmm...I hadn’t thought of that on this car. Only issue I see might be dragging them though since the rockers are actually pretty close to the ground and I keep thinking I will likely lower it a little sometime too.

Yep, agreed and think that will happen in a couple years once I can catch up on some other projects. Mainly just trying to keep it going and tinker with small stuff for now.

 

Maybe sum Bellflowers behind the rear wheel. Just sayin.

 

Second the lake pipes...

edit: looked again. Yeahhhhhhhh, I agree it would look better lower than with lakes...

 

Not much to update other than still driving the thing daily. I was able to find the other two center caps thanks to a fellow HAMBer, so both sides now look the same. My son took this pic last night and sent it to me, so I thought I would share.



Anyway, next on the list is to figure out why some of the OT stuff like the electric fans quit...this thing runs cool normally, but sitting in traffic probably isn’t good this time of year with no fan. I’m only getting away with it right now because my drive to work is all highway and no traffic. Thinking going back to one hanging off the water pump makes good sense to me. I also need to recover the seats in the near future. The drivers side seat is getting pretty bad and if I don’t fix it soon, I will need foam too.

 

Yea, yea, Duncan... I don't need more encouragement to do that. I just need time and money.

 

Same thing happened to me and it was a loose wire to the fan relay. I'm sure you have already checked but look at the ground wire as well.

 

Yea, I thought I found it when the grounds were less than ideal. I resolved that and just knew it was going to work. But, no dice... Anyway, I just need to jump power and ground directly to the fans and then troubleshoot from there. I have just been too busy to spend the time the last few days. Thanks for the info.

 

- many of us can relate to this

 

Well, bittersweet day today as I sold the bird and delivered it. It went up to Carthage, MO to a great guy. It was a fun year driving it pretty much every day no matter the weather, but I have some life things going on that necessitated selling it. On to the next adventure.

 

Well that ****s, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

Devin

 

Man, I hate to hear that. Least now you don't have to worry about painting it.

 

Bummer, but at least you got to enjoy it and share the time with us.

 

It’s fine, and has been fun. Just need to focus on some other things and honestly give the 56 some attention. It is about worn out since it recently went over 100k on original engine and transmission. These old cars come and go. It was fun. Thanks for the comments.

 

That bird was a cool old car, but I just gotta say it- the front end reminds me of a big ol flathead catfish

 

Great thread. Nice opportunity you had for the year to enjoy, and improve, an American cl***ic!

 

Great old car, man. You had fun with it and that's what counts.

 

Larry Watson?

 

My Grandpa had an all black 1956 merc hardtop I wanted so bad when I was a kid.
But of course he sold it!

 

Realizing that this thread goes back a little ways… I sent my ‘60 T-bird down the road too, sorta reluctantly. I found that I didn’t really have a safe place to park it where the expensive paint wouldn’t get chips and dings. Also, the wind noise from the wing windows and stuff drove me nuts when I drove it for any length of time. I messed with the seals and adjustments but it was noisy, even at 45 mph boulevard speeds. Other than that, it was a great car and a nod to my Dad’s ‘59 T-bird that I learned to drive in. He did get to drive and ride in it while I had it.
Candy pearl green with a black and white interior. Photos don’t do it justice….

My GF at the time felt better about all of the time I spent on it when it won a “Slick ‘60s” award first time out at a Goodguys event. She loved driving it, I think I held my breath hoping that it would come home in one piece!
I had bigger plans for it, like removable top, rolled rocker panels, ‘62 headlight doors and ’59 Pontiac taillights but, like now, I had other projects and I had to get it to the painter when he was ready for it.
I miss it….. prettiest car I’ve ever owned.

 

My parents bought a '59 new when I was in high school.... Loved to drive that critter. It did not inspire driving stupid, just because it was so nice to drive..... That was back when a cool song would come up on the AM and we'd stop in the middle of the road, jump out and do the bop, or rub bellies.... You could do that back then....... I just picked up a '56 Bird, one of three known to exist that was sold new in Mexico City. The ***embly plant code is replaced with "MEX" on the VIN plate..... It's not stock, so I am at liberty to make a few subtle changes. It was bought new in Mexico City by a future President of Mexico, and I bought it from his granddaughter.

 

Hello,

Your T-Bird was a good runner and had some great bones. So, I wanted to finish the artwork on a full fledge custom T-Bird for you. I had finished it and it was sitting in my file without color to match your own T-bird. I had to draw it in a bright color with the original design so I could see what was what on the artwork. Sometimes, black and purple or any dark color with black fades into the color, so it is difficult to see as I draw some lines and shapes. (the original artwork was orange and purple, just so I could see the lines intermixed with each other... Old, tired eyes...ha!)

from off of the old art files...

But, I guess I was too slow. Wow, that was fast…


Jnaki

So, to give you some kudos to buy such a cl***ic old cruiser and one who drove it as a daily, here is one last artwork I had created for a full fledged custom car/wagon, from the basic T-Bird body.

We all like more room, so with the enclosed T-Bird turned into a small Nomad style station wagon, cruising, plus utility, works together. Surf trips with a cl***ic style always works in So Cal. YRMV

 

That’s too kool @jnaki! Thanks for taking the time to do that. I can definitely see a Thunderbird wagon of that body style being a great utility cruiser.