Features Needed a family car so bought a 56 ford

It's easy for me to say im'e not the guy changing all the parts .....but if you and your family are healthy all the other shit will pass ...really like your car...he'll and your trucks...glad there's still some guys that bleed ford blue like me...and thanks for the info on the moot stuff,so far I think napa stuff is still good


Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

I had our 5 year old help. Redo a nice drivers door to replace the rough door that was on the car.



It turned out well and a decent match. But took me all evening to get it put on and lined up and the guts swapped over.

 

I decided to kill some time and see why the old door was so much heavier than the nice one I put on.

Well the old door had a dent on the bottom an instead of pulling and mudding the dent they rivited and brazed thick sheet metal over the door up to the trim then mudded over if up to 1/2". Thick in some places!!!!!

The patch itself is what caused it to trap moisture and rust. I welded a patch in it and with some mud it would be useable again. And weight 45 pounds less!!!!

 

I decided to add a tach to the car.

 

what a great car. and well thought out upgrades and improvements.

 

My windshield cracked yesterday. Today I found a replacement and ordered a new rubber.

Anyone know what is involved to remove the stainless?...I have replaced a lot of windshield but never on a car with so much stainless....

 

What I've done is cut the old rubber from the inside then slide the whole window out, rubber stainless and all. Install the new rubber on the new window and slip the stainless into place in the new rubber then use the rope method to install the window.

 

Thats if the stainless fits into the rubber. Which I think it does. Later then clipped into the body.

 

Lancer is 100% right,the new seal should have a groove in it you remove the old windshield,seal and trim as a unit and press the stainless into the new seal and install as a unit.

 

The two A-pillar trims should be screwed to the pillar; the screws may be behind the weather strip. the top and bottom trim installs with the glass/gasket...

 

Thanks guys......at least now i have a plan of action.......but am really not looking forward to this!!!!

 

I havent tackled changing the windshield out yet but did pick up a more suiting air cleaner for the car.

 

Cragers

 

I've had 2 '56 Vickies, one Crown, 2 Fairlane hardtops (thin chrome) and one white '56 Convertible. The convert was the terror of Fremont drags in its day...C/Stock, ran mid 14s. Torn down so many times the Chief out there threatened me.
Car responded to 'simple trickery', while the tech guys were checking cam duration, valve dia., etc.
Loved that car...292 stick O/D.

 

Sure do like your drive on these old fords I hate to say I helded destory way to may for stock cars. These were used right up into the mid 70's before newer stuff started to replace them. Roger

 

Nice car for sure.....around here we wouldn't call that " rough around the edges"

48 Poncho

 

The small block in the car looks like it was born in there. I like the oil filler cap on the pipe in the valve cover. I really like the 56 ford body style . However I believe the tri five chevys drove better. maybe the heavier engines where a factor. possibly with the much lighter small block ford the handling is improved?

 

Thanks!

As far as handeling it has a lot of body roll but is hard to judge if it is much diferent from stock...it is balanced a tad better now than it was when i first got it since it now has aluminum heads, intake and radiator plus a bunch of tools and emergency kid stuff in the trunk.

 

I put a limited slip in it last week and repared the front crossmember.





The crack in the windshield hasnt grown any so i havent mustered tge courage to change it yet.

 

I did a 351W into a '56 Club Sedan years ago, and there wasn't much improvement in handling. It did steer much easier though. I don't understand why more guys don't use the 351W as it's pretty much the exact same swap. Even the stone-stock 2V motor I used gave a marked improvement in performance, the same build that most do on the 289/302 motors will make the 351 come alive and give the same or better performance that the vintage 390 swap used to give but with better mileage.

 

The reason i went with a 68 302 is that the car got the drivetrain out of a wrecked 68 mustang back in the late 60s when the car was nosed and decked.... I basically just wanted to keep the car true to its 60s configuration......plus this our family ride and mileage is important since it sees so many miles.

I too am a fan of stroked windsors...have one in my black f1....and have another on the engine stand.....

 

The car has been pretty trouble free this summer.....the windshield crack still hasnt grown so i havent swapped it out yet.

My only "breakdown" was a broken drivers side motomount from drag racing against a friends sbc powered f100..... raced him twice. Beat him twice. Less cubes, skinier tires, less gearing and a heavier car....guess this machine runs better than i thought.