Customs Advice for a noob with a 50 shoebox

Hi guys,

I need some advice. I've been a long time lurker and thought it was time I posted. I am a volksy guy and currently have a 57 bug in the shed I am working on. Anyway, I came across a car when I was working out in the country and decided to save it from the scrapper. The owner offered it to me for what I think was a good price and I couldn't bear the thought of it going to the car gods. Its a 1950 ford single spinner and it requires a lot of work. I brought it home but am not sure what to do with it. I don't really have the room to store it and i am pretty tied up with the bug. Shoebox's aren't that common here in Australia so parts can be hard to get and a little expensive to import form the US.

getting her off the farm









After a lot of work we got her home (as she has no front spindles or wheels) and I assessed the work. As you can see the doors are shot but the window trims in the doors are in pretty good condition. The chassis is solid with no holes and just surface rust. The floor isn't too bad with just a couple small holes. The front end is missing the spindle uprights and spindles. There is no gearbox and no motor but the diff is there and turns freely. The interior is rooted but the front and rear seats are there. The drivers side B pillar is rusted out as well.



























All up the total cost including delivery is $3000. As I am struggling for room and time am I better off stripping her for parts , or just move it on at cost to me knowing that someone will treat her right. My misses likes the idea of a rod with a coe or model T cab so another alternative would be to just keep the chassis. Ideas?

Thanks for taking the time to read the thread.

Maurice

 

It all comes down to your skills, and what you what it to look like.

The instant I read spinner, I look for steering wheel placement. And yes it was on the other side, so you must be upside down, or down under. [emoji12] clicking on you avatar gives me Australia. So I'm right there.

Good find, everything is fixable, if your skills are up to it.
Can you get the frame, trunk, engine bay and floorpan blasted? Best not to blast the roof and be very careful with fenders, hood, trunk and doors.

I would run the body over with a DA sander, grit 80-120. And see how bad it actually is. This will be make it easier to make make it a go or a full stop.

Before you sink to much in it.

Feel free to replace all wrong words with Bonnet, boot etc.
I can figure out if I should use one or the other, but I bet you knew that. [emoji12][emoji111]️

Keep the pics comming. [emoji4]

 

anything can be saved with a lot of time and money. this one would be a challenge even for the most experienced Ford guy to bring to life. you might want to just put this up For Sale as is and take what you can get. then find something in better shape to start with.

 

Probably rare for Australia but man she's rough. Everything is fixable but if it is not really what you want and you have time and space constraints I would move on.

 

It's pretty damn rough body-wise (especially that right side) , but not unrepairable . It will take some skills to fix it . I've seen some great transformations come from "down under" , so I certainly won't say it can't be fixed !
I wish I could find that RHD dash and steering box here in the US , I'll tell ya that much ...

 

Wow-That's a parts car or a money pit. Run away.

 

Save the good stuff and junk the rest.

 

Yeah, I agree with the others, It's really rough. I hope that was 3,000 Pesos... If not that farmer is laughing all the way to the bank.

 

Mine was pretty rusty,but nothing like that.I am in the same boat with you aussie guys:we dont have much shoeboxes around here,so i have to buy pretty much everything from states.
I dont say its impossible to resurrect that shoebox,but it will be an expensive project.
I hate to say this,but it looks like a parts car to me too.

 

me, too--parts car

 

When I first saw this last night, I didn't even think "parts car" at the price, but I didn't want to say anything since I don't know squat about the OZ market. But I have to concur with the rest of these guys. A Victoria, convertible, or even a coupe, maybe, but a 4DR? Nope.

 

I am confident you could import a nice running/driving two door for less that it will cost to restore that tired old taxi cab. Part car, at best. Crushing that car is not a sin

 

I'm with most of the guys---if you can part it out and get your money back, I would. She's just a little too rough and a 4-door to boot. Nothing really against moredoors--they are not valued as highly as 2-doors, ragtops, etc.

 

If memory serves me right , 4-doors are not as big of a sin down under

 

That body is incredibly rough. Take what few parts are usable for uou, and send it on its way