Guys - Think I've finally reached a deal with a buddy over getting a crusty 55 T-Bird out of his hands and into my garage. It needs rockers so does anyone have photos of restorations in process they could point me towards, also looking for any photos of that awesome flamed black 55 with the polished salt flat wheels, interested in seeing more pics of it, especially the interior. Later Rick WI
Puh-leeze don't restore it to stock! I swear, if I see one more of those beautiful '55 T-birds with stock hub caps and wide whites and a continental kit on it, I'm gonna scream. Those things look soooooo good with a slight drop and some decent wheels. How about some pics?
Before you commit to the acquisition,make sure that the frame is not rotted. They rot where they go over the rear axle usually towards the rear of the car. Just a suggestion. Oldmics
There is a member on the site that was restoring a T-Bird for a buddy to fund the build up of his ride. Had a link on his posts and if I recall he replaced the floors and the sills, etc.. Hopefully, he will chime in..
If you want some ideas for modified T-Birds, you might dig up a thread from last night, where a guy here on the H.A.M.B. dug up some of his grandfathers super 8 movies and had them put on a CD. One of them was from Daytona beach in about '57. Tons of cool modified T-Birds and such in that. I saw it about 10:00 last night.
Is this more to your liking? Tube grille, no skirts, Crager SS wheels, aftermarket steering wheel and gauges under the dash. Jim
The front fenders are welded to the body in one big piece, they don't unbolt, so rockers need to be dialed in just right to get good door fitment, as do inner rockers. Also, the door pillars where the hinges bolt can also get rotten, and that's a tough fix without a donor piece, so be sure to check there. Post some pics if you get it. I worked at a T-bird resto shop for a while, I know these cars pretty well.
'55 is the one I always really liked. I couldn't have a stocker, it would have to be a little drag racer like the one on the RJ shirt. Congrats on the ride...
Pics!! We need pics Man!!! If you really want to "sly" about your build,post pics and what your plans are on the VTCI forums!
If you're looking for the "Boss" bird - a fellow named Kirk White has the clone/rebuild of one originally built by Doane Spencer. Not so much a custom as a "period" street racer......Bonneville participant. http://www.kirkwhite.com/1st.html Spencer rebuilt his original car with a new motor and different styling - and the "old" parts got put into White's toy. It was said to have never lost a race with a contemporary fifties 'Vette.
This thread has a great old car reborn........ http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=386640&highlight=thunderbird
I went back and found the videos I mentioned earlier. The thread was called Poll:Old Hot Rod Footage. Watch the third film on Daytona beach racing, (not circle track stuff, I promise!) and you will see some cool T- Birds.
X2 on carefully checking out the crusty-rusty before parting with any cash. IMHO, these were the prettiest cars of the '50s and pretty much hand built. However as stated above, once the tin worm gets in the rockers, door jams and frame, they are the ultimate money pit. If it were mine, I'd do a stroker 312" with 2x4s and a Paxton with the Borg-Warner T85 overdrive set up to split the shifts. jack vines
a54Studebaer - Thats what I'm talking about! Thats the car I was looking for, Love it! The crusty 55 is missing the orig motor and trans, but if I remember, it is supposedly a real early 55 car (like number 187 or something) it's black on black with power windows, power steering, power seat, power brakes. I helped my buddy haul it home years ago, havn't seen it since. Hope to get it out in the sun in the next couple of weeks and survey it, but some hevy machinery needs to be moved, it's kinda burried and land locked. Love to duplicate the wheels used on yours, but my plans are to got 429CJ with lo rise dual quads, Auto trans, 9" rearend & maybe even a mini-tub on the back to get some tires under it (have most of the drivetrain from a Mustang project that didn't get off the ground gathering dust in the ba*****t already) Anxious to finally be able to start my own build on here, I'll try to take pics of every step, even dragging it out of it's hidding place we stuffed it into something like 15 years ago... Keep you posted. Rick Wisconsin
a54Studebaker, Love that car!!! I'd have done without the flames, but that's me... One look at my avatar and you know I'm down with the wheels 100%! Do you have lot's of otherwise knowledgeable hot rodders wonder what the wheels on your car are? Kinda shocked me. I had a guy that is one of the "ultimate" traditional car guys around town here tell me he loved my car until I put those "billetty" wheels on it! I had to show him a '58 Halibrand brochure before he believed me!
Hey Rick, "Suede57Ford" on here has a '57 T-bird with a 460 and C6 trans, he might be able to tell you what you would have to do to install the 429 in your car. He bought the car with the 460 already in it but it has the x member cut out and it was butchered pretty badly from what he told me, he is also running a rack and pinion under it so I don't know if you would be able to run stock steering with the big block. Check out this thread, if I had a rusty 55 and a big block I'd probably go this route . I love the red 55 on second page with the wide whites !! http://jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=108351
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