I guess I'm just starting a thread that I'll update as the build goes along that will kind of detail the buildup of my '55 Fairlane. It was built in the heyday of the gasser wars and has been a race-car for a good part of it's life. Unfortunately it sat out in a field rotting away the past 15 years, and being the midwest it didn't fair to well. However there are fibreglass fenders that I'm guessing were probably build in the mid '60s whcih are in decent shape - save for needing the passenger side front corner rebuilt as it's missing. This is where it sits right now. I've stripped the bay, gutted the interior and have the steel laying in my garage waiting for another project to be finished up so I can fab up and weld in the new floor panels - as it needs them badly from the firewall to the trunk. I also have to rebuild the 2 front body mounts, and replace all the rubber on the body mounts, along with welding the trim holes, patching (or radiusing, I've yet to determine which) the quarters, building the motor and trans, etc. etc. I'm doing a full frame off on it, and going back to / continuing school and working full time so it will be slow going, but as it goes I'll update. Hopefully I'll have it at Hunnert this year, at least running / driving, but if not I'll still drag it there on the trailer and throw it in the project section if it's anything worthwhile to look at. My plans call for a blown 460 down the road, with a manual trans. The car was originally an automatic and was converted to a manual sometime during it's life. I'm in the midst of trying to hunt down the history of the car - so I can bring her back as close to possible looks wise as she would have been in the mid '60s at the height of the gasser wars. Anyway, that's it. I've put in a lot more work than I showed, as I've welded up the numerous cracks and holes in the hood, started patching the doors, etc. etc. but that I don't have pictures of uploaded currently.
Kool find; looks like you got yer work cut out for ya but it'll be worth it; gassers rule! Love that patina! Hope to see you at the Hunnert!
Wow, don't feel too bad, my 55 Club Sedan needs about the same amount of work and it's been driving around for the past 15 years! Good luck, I'll be very interested to see how this turns out.
Hey Im a 55 ford guy also, I love you doing the gasser -vs- a sled or mild kustom deal, keep the pics coming!!
I'll definately keep you guys updated. Right now I'm finishing up a different project - so once that's done I'll have my garage back and can get cracking on the '55 again. I just ordered a new bead roller with a deep throat, so I'll be able to put some decent beads into the floor for strength. I also went and looked at the quarters and for now they're going to be radiused. Down the road if I decide I want to run uncut quarters I'll just section in new lowers as it would have needed the patch panels on the lowers any how so I'm not loosing anything. I also decided on what I'm doing saftey wise and that's going to be an 8 point roll bar out of 1 3/4" x .083" moly tubing - built to IHRA specifications. For the gauges I'm actually going to fabricate a panel that will be mounted inside of the glove box and run digital gauges (non tradtional, I know) in there, and have warning lights mounted on the A-pillar for oil pressure, water temp,& EGT's. It's the best solution I've come up with, as the car will be raced frequently, but I wanted to be able to maintain a period look to it while incorporating some more modern technology for saftey and tuning's sake. Other than no progress has been made, which I'm kind of bumming about.
why not mount some traditional gauges in the dash for some things and the fancy stuff could be electrical ones that bolt up under the dash (thread nut inserts) so that it can be unplugged and removed when needed
My wife said I should have built my 55 Ford into a gasser . I am going to build a gasser but it will be from my 49 or 50 Fords . I have a Ford 429 and 4 speed trans that I will be using for the car . Going for the old skool look and set up . Hope to start is this sumer or next winter . Need to finish up my 55 Ford rebuild first ! Good Luck with your gasser build . Retro Jim MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE !
Tommy1969 you do realize that you posted on a thread that until then hadn't had a post in six years? One of the things fng's need to learn is check the dates of the thread when you are coming here from a Google search. The OP hasn't posted on any running thread since May 23, 2010 and since then only and add looking for a part 12/4/2011 but for some of us life does get in the way.
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