Just picked up a 54 customline!

Psyched to have a driveable project. Runs great. Stops pretty good. The breaks are a little spongey and need to be bled. i for sure want to switch out the master cylinder to a dual reservoir set up for obvious safety reasons. That'll probably be first on the list of things to do.

I've been lurking around the HAMB for a few days looking for ideas on what to do to this thing.

I know i'll for sure get that tint off the windows and put some smoothies on it or something. Those lowrider rims are cool but...not for this car.

Might do lake pipes...i dunno! I have too much running around in my brain. shouldnt be too much work to make it a cool mild custom eventually. i'd be glad to hear some suggestions.

for now im just gonna drive the shit out of it.

 

Looks like a great start, go with your gut because your the one that will be enjoying it the most!

 

Sweeet !

 

i agree, change the wheels and tires and get rid of the tint.

 

sick cruiser, I love the trim and front grill. nice score!

 

Very cool ride that runs!!! Wish my project was drivable (I know I can make it that way) What's the interior like?
I would look for some Olds tail lights and maybe look for some clear lenses up front. Remove the rear bumper guards, maybe get the body all one color or as funds allow get the roof painted with a nice white pearl......................... and like you said - drive the shit out of it. Love these cars. Have fun.

 

interior is pretty decent! the headliner is real dirty and has a few rips but other than that its not bad. ill attach a pic.

I know when i can eventually afford paint i want the roof either white or black depending on what color i do the rest.

 

Very nice, drive it and enjoy it!

 

Nice!

Watch that driver's side hood hinge, looks like the arm on it is starting to bend. Next stop is broken hinge and they are the one real bitch part on a '54.

Did you join the 52-59 Ford social group? If not, you need to. I drive the wheels off of my '54 and I love it.

 

Very Sweet! I love a '54 and I really love the 6 cyl. engine w/3 carbs. Cool surprise when ya lift the hood!
I'd put the wheels and tires on ebay and you'll probably get enough for a nice set of steelies with caps.
By the way, if that black Caddy in the yard had Vogue tires on it, it'd look just like my Dad's gangster-mobile! Gotta love a black Caddy!

 

That's what I'd do. Swap out the wheels, remove the tint, get some grey primer to undo the two toning, ditch the rear bumper guards, replace the tail light lenses and look for some clear parking light lenses instead of the amber ones. Paint it down the road when time and funds allow. I'm finishing up a '52 right now and I did a lot of the same stuff to mine.

I like the triple glass bowl Holley setup. I know it's none of my business and I'll totally understand if you don't want to say, but I'd love to know what you had to pay for that car.

 

My first car (on the road that is) was a 54 Customline with a 6 and stick trans, it later got a 331 hemi and ran just a bit quicker.Enjoy it.

 

haha thats my daily driver. got it about 2 years ago. they sure are nice! OT but it is the "vintage edition" if that counts for anything haha.

 

Agree.....

 

Nice car,,I have a soft spot for '54 Fords. HRP

 

Now you just gave me a really good idea

 

Wow good eye. Im gonna have to take a look at that after work. Does someone make the hinge or would i need to find one? or even try to fab one up? Probably be better off fixing it now instead of waiting til it breaks on me...

 

Steve,

Yup.. Look at them, that arm ought to be straight, it looks bowed out to me.

Nobody makes these hinges, however there's a couple of guys who do a real good job rebuilding them, for a price.

There's a real good discussion on the social group about them, the social group and the info in it are one of the big reasons I bought my car!

Fix it while it can be fixed, once they break they often break at a spot that makes repair very difficult. Granted I do t see why someone talented couldn't fab one.. Just sayin.

Oh, used ones can bring $2-300 each.

Otherwise parts for these cars are relatively plentiful and inexpensive, some of the accessories are big $$ but that's any 50s car (accessory steering wheel and hood ornament are big bucks for example)

 

Couple of puff cans can dress the engine bay is inexpensive dressup. Trick paint the valve cover - Pinstripe lettering 223cu in. SPECIAL. Love the triple carbs!

 

Great score! Congrats!

 

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/group.php?groupid=332

here is a cool group

 

Very Very nice start !!!!

 

enjoy the poop out of it!

 

Looks neat yeah change the wheels and tyres and drive the crap out of it , for the time being just look at a thousand old pics and choose a style you like best , enjoy

 

Nice start. I am in the process of prototyping a conversion kit to adapt a T5 with an 11" clutch to the 6 cylinder in my 53. It will use the factory clutch fork and be a pretty straight forward install. The only issues I've been told is that the 54's will need to have the crossmember modified to allow room for the trans. If all goes well I will be offering this package for sale. I'm going to produce a few of them to see if there is a demand. After driving mine all over hell's half acres for the last year and a half, I've realized the need for a modern, overdrive transmission. That three on the tree is cool but not when you're on the highway spinning that six at 3300 rpms and only going 65! So if you plan on using it daily, this would be an economical way to make the car more friendly on a day to day basis.

 

Neat lookin' ride. Minor changes is all it needs and then drive it.

 

i just checked out the hinges. they look like they're good. both are bent the exact same way and i didnt see any sort of stress cracks or anything. so i think i might be good.

 

ive been looking around on the HAMB and on Riksters photo archive site to try and get some ideas on wheels and paint. lots of good stuff.

 

Good stuff. It must have been the angle of the picture that had me a bit worried. Just keep them lubed and keep something of an eye on em, that's one bullet dodged!