Projects official start to my 54 project!!

Looking good man. Glad to see your finally making some headway on this thing. Brake and Equipment here in the cities is your #1 stop for all your brake needs. I upgraded the master in my Tbird with a Ford EXP master. I kept the drums and was able to bolt the master up to the stock location after minor hole enlargement. We can talk more later.

Slim

 

Going to be a great ride.....Big Bad John

 

In terms of stopping, carquest has everything and its all good stuff (except I had some shoes separate on me. That was interesting.) I'm running stock everything (new but OE spec), and it stops okay. I plan on changing out MCs to a dual reservoir one someday.

For dropping it, its just 5 inch blocks in the rear, and 1.5" (I think maaaybe 2") a-arm spacers in the front, with a half of a loop cut off of the springs as well. It rides okay, it doesn't bottom often, and it bounces along.

A white dash is always fun! Mine was that same green colour as yours, then I started plating stuff, and painting stuff white. The dash SHOULD be chrome in a couple of years (as well as everything else ahah).

 

5 inch blocks? What size tire are you runnin? Don't ever get a flat or you will hate yourself. Did you at least cut the excess off of the u bolts?

 

where did you get your a-arm blocks from? i ordered some last year off of ebay for a 55 ford. but now i cannot find the seller. i know that butchscoolstuff.com sells them. but i was hoping to find the same person i bought them from before.

 

baggs, that looks like a great starting point.....clean body, no rust??. hey slim, your thunderbird is killer, Ive been lurkin on the hamb for a while, Ive had my 63 t bird for a long time. is there any way I could get some more info on your brake upgrades , ive been goin over different Ideas for a while now and havent come up with anything practical or good.

 

Nice score great start

 

You spelled it right the first timeGranada.

 

Cool stuff man, Too bad its a Ford and not a Merc. But same difference right?

 

If you haven't already, join the 52-56 Ford Owner's Social Group- those guys are gonna shit kittens when they see your car! I got my '53 Ford up in Minnesota 2 years ago- it was a peach, but yours is insane!

 

Oh yeah same thing! i just wish i could find a front bumper from a merc and somehow make it work on this car. I love the bumpers and taillights on the mercs.

 

A-arm spacer kits can be had from Night Prowlers (thenightprowlers.com, dont forget the "the" ahah) I think they're about an inch and a half thick and made of aluminum. I wanna say they come with all the hardware too, but I can't remember if I used theirs or bought my own. Its a job knocking those rivets out, thats for sure.

Making any progress?!

 

update 1/22/11

just loaded up all parts for blasting and powdercoating!! things are finally starting to happen. hopefully it will be on the road this spring!

 

1-24-11- all parts are drpped off at the powder coater! 10 more days and my main work begins. should be assembling car at slim53's house. (thanks) more pics to come once parts are finished. anyone know what steel wheels i should need for my front disc brake upgrade??????

 

Here's an idea for the plate, GRANDADS. By the way, love the car. You're so lucky.

 

Cool project. Looks like yours is in way better shape than mine. I have the same car, but mine sat in a dirt floor barn for 20 years. My grandpa bought in new in 54. Hopefully start on it soon. Keeping it a y-block?

 

im going to use the stock yblock yes. and when i can find a 292/312 or can afford one, i will be upgrading to that. i love the yblocks, and i love the idea of keeping a ford in a ford!!

 

There's a place in Modesto, CA that does custom steam-fitted and silicone stiffened/treated carpets for all sorts of passenger cars. Many years in business, google auto carpets?

By the way, sand blast that front cross member carefully. It is the rust trap on '54-'56 cars, many NOS ones on eBay. (My '54 is being built as a Gasser, have had 13 of them. The 'perfect' car! Good luck, lots of good vibes with Grandpa's car.

 

funny you say that, the guy that is doing the blasting and powdercoating said the same thing!!! he said he did one on a 55 that blew a huge hole in. he took a good look at mine and said i shouldnt have alot to worry about. this frame was blasted once about 18 years ago. so there isnt any major clean up, basically blow the surface rust off and powdercoat.

 

If you're wanting a bigger Y-block just have your 239 bored out, there is a lot of metal that you can take out of the 239 and if my memory serves me right can even get it up to a 272 with just maching costs, but it's just a suggestion. I am running a stock 239 in my 54 Ford F-250 with only 39,000 miles on it and it purrs like a dream.

 

Update 4/23/11

Well been awhile since ive updated. No pics yet but here is where im at. All suspension and frame has been blasted and powdercoated. Installed all new bushings in the a-arms. Cleaned up and painted the rear end. Next workday i plan to have the rear of the chassis sitting on the wheels. I have decided run a 302/aod combo instead of th y block. So for now im gonna make it a roller and get the engine/trans installed. After that its time to put the body back on. I will post pics up in the next week. Stay posted.....

 

Wow, nice car...If it were mine.... I would put a Y block back in it.
Thats way to nice of a car for a boring mill like the 302.

Good luck with it either way you go, Y blocks are so much cooler..put it this way, Y blocks are cool, 302s aren't...not even a little.

Greg

 

Well i couldnt agree more, but i cant afford to build the yblock i want. At least im keeping a ford in a ford. I love y blocks, the look, the sound. Building one is just out of my budget this time around. But i can drive it this way until i have enough to swap out to a y.

 

I LOVE your logic, gotta drive it sometime! You should grab that Y-block that Shawn emailed us all about. Might never find a deal like that again and if you never use it you could for sure sell it. Just a thought....

 

Just curious, what is the condition of the stock motor?

Greg

 

well its kind of unclear. the person that would know everything about it is no longer with us. but it appears to be rebuilt. it is the stock 239 with the fordomatic. im sure if i did some pulling of parts i could find out if it has been gone through. i still cant decide if i should sell the stock setup or just keep it. its hard to decide because its the stock setup that came in this car.


bryan- i thought shawn said his was a FE block???

 

here are some new photos of the frame, misc parts, and the difference between the rear end before cleaning, and after then some paint. also some homemade lowering blocks and the caliper brackets for the dropped spindles. next photos to come will be rear end installed and the rear end sittin on the wheels!!!

 

You're right, it was an FE. Looks good. Are you planning on installing your driveline before or after you put the body back on?

 

driveline will be as far as i can get it before putting the body on. basically everything except running fuel lines. i will be down there this next friday and the plan is to put the axles back in, new brake shoes in the rear end, and install the rear end in the frame and put the wheels on. then the next workday, which might be sun im going to get a start on the front end. see how far i can get before i either get tired, or i find out im missing something. Chad is going to get my engine this next weekend. so i hoping to get as much done with the frame as possible before i start my engine project. im going to be doing the engine at my work with some help of the mechanic. need to switch the front timing cover, timing set, pull the efi intake off, swap to the front sump pan, install carb intake, install mech fuel pump. oh yeah, and paint the block and trans. going to go with the stock color of the car for the block. and black on the trans. so with all that said. once the engine is running, and installed on the frame, brake lines ran, it will be time to mount the body back on. then i can finish with all the other stuff. i have plenty to do.

its funny though, im really in the groove right now and all im thinking about lately is getting back down there to work on the car. im really pumped to just see progress and know that its me and my hands that are doing it!! really excited right now about it!

 

Are you reluctant to use the 239 just because of the displacement?

239 still make that sweet Y music.

I know your on a roll with this 302, but wouldn't it be easier just to put the Y block back in it? Espescially if its fresh.

Two nuts you can pop a valve cover to see if its sludgy or if it is clean.

The 239 will get as good or better mileage than a smog 302.

I get14 with my 63 F600 with a 292 Y block when it is unloaded, and I'm not pushing it. It weighs 10k empty, and has a 16' steel decked flatbed dump.

Alright, I'm done trying to twist your arm, hope I haven't pissed you off

Here's a couple picks of my old Y powered Ford

Greg