I'm going to look at a 56 sedan next weekend. I don't need another project but a period g***er has been a dream of mine for a long time. Sticking with the time frame I'd like to build a 390 with a 4 speed. I've been scouring the internet for parts and ideas. There is a 57 F100 in a junkyard close to me that I plan on using the axle,springs,and steering components on the car. I'll post pics once I go look at the car. Hopefully it's not a complete rust bucket.
Hope it works out. The 56 is basically the same frame as my 54. I used a Speedway tube axle and used the stock 54 steering box with cross steering. The 57 truck has parallel steering. Either will work but the cross steering tends to have less bump steer due to the longer drag link.
I can get the 57 set up cheap. Thats why it's on the list. Plus I want to use as many period correct parts as possible. I can get the car for $200. It's just going to depend on how rusty it is. Right now I'm ***uming it will need everthing EMS makes and then some. Here is a pic of it.
If you go with the Pickup steering box the 57 is a gear on gear design and has a lot of internal friction. My 59 F100 even with a rebuilt stock steering box it was very hard to park, okay at higher speeds. I got a recirculating ball steering box from a 63 F100 and it felt like I had power steering compared to the original box. Just my two cents.
I think the 56 steering boxes in cars are gear on gear also. I had mine rebuilt and there is little effort required to steer it with bias ply tires. I think the 57 truck box should be fine after a rebuild. Especially with skinny front tires.
Yes the car boxes were gear on gear until 58. The stock box in my 54 steers well with the front skinnies.
Long… I hope it’s something you are will to keep for a long time. In my area of So Cal they have limited use and a pretty hard sell. For some reason they got very big in the build category but the guys I know had a hard time selling them when the “newness” wore off. Most of the ones today of any brand are very well built (probably better than their era) with way better design and especially suspension soft parts. It’s too bad there are so few places to race them for us anyway. If you’re on Facebook or just look at “Modified 55-56 Ford Cars” you will see a lot of them and you may pick up some ideas. Good luck.
Haven't looked at it yet. The weather here turn to ****. The guy that has it is a little north of me and it's worse up there. We agreed to wait until things warmed up a bit.
I tend to keep everything. I have three other rides to keep me busy if I get bored with one. I'm on the Facebook group. There also is a g***er group on Facebook too.
Yeah its been nasty down here as well but at least its above freezing now. Keep us advised how it looks.
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