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Featured Hot Rods One Neat Pile - Shoebox Ford

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by ididntdoit1960, Jul 6, 2025.

  1. Tow Truck Tom
    Joined: Jul 3, 2018
    Posts: 3,328

    Tow Truck Tom
    Member
    from Clayton DE

    Never had seen a decent hot rod meet 'til We went to Macungie
    ( just the Philly indoor convention center winter show )
    My wife was laughing at my reaction as we walked in down rhe main drive.
    I froze in awe, losing my jaw
     
  2. jimmy six
    Joined: Mar 21, 2006
    Posts: 16,883

    jimmy six
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    That’s the way they should be done. Looks like you went to a bone yard in 1964-5 and found an engine for a swap. Bought a transmission adapter and “bolted” it in. Nothing looks better to me than a stock air cleaner with the proper decals. You just doubled the hp of your 51 and probably almost doubled the mpg if you’ve got an overdrive. Looks great.
     
    Algoma56 likes this.
  3. ididntdoit1960
    Joined: Dec 13, 2011
    Posts: 1,296

    ididntdoit1960
    Member
    from Western MA

    Thanks - that's exactly what I was after! I appreciate everyone's positive comments
     
    Algoma56 likes this.
  4. ididntdoit1960
    Joined: Dec 13, 2011
    Posts: 1,296

    ididntdoit1960
    Member
    from Western MA

    Well, I think I've settled on these caps (for now) - '60-'61 Ford. Kinda completes the early 60s street car feel I'm going after.
    Screenshot_20250913-203910~2.jpg
    Took it out for a long ride contemplating what's next - have an interesting trade offer brewing - we'll see what happens. My last outing of the year will likely be the hot rod fallout on October 11th. Then I'll take care of some loose ends I've been putting off because I'm having too much fun driving it and start the "winter mods"
    PXL_20250913_231555416.jpg
     
    Deutscher, Chucky, LCGarage and 4 others like this.
  5. ididntdoit1960
    Joined: Dec 13, 2011
    Posts: 1,296

    ididntdoit1960
    Member
    from Western MA

    One thing that has always annoyed me about the car was this ugly steering wheel, screams 70s to me.....higher trim levels got the same wheel and center but with a horn ring added in.....still ugly
    Screenshot_20250920-143130~2.jpg
    Any replacement still needs to be relatively flat to keep the stock column and aftermarket was out because I'm trying to keep the '58-'61 junkyard hotrod vibe - last January a friend of a friend was liquidating some nos 55 Ford stuff at a local indoor swap meet - and he had a bare wheel - only problem, it was green! So I found a nice used horn ring, sanded the wheel down and layed down some gloss black
    PXL_20250920_172813197.jpg
    Much better - '55 was the last year Ford wheels were semi-flat. Not a '59 impala wheel, but it'll do - blinkers still cancel fine too. Thinking I may paint the dash black and chrome the garnish. Just bought a nostalgia chrome tach for the column - that will go on when the floor shift goes in - still haven't decided if I'm keeping the stock trans, a Saginaw 4 speed I have or an S10 t4 - if I go with the sag, I may swap in an 8 or 9 inch too - gonna be a busy winter.
     
  6. flatford8
    Joined: Dec 12, 2012
    Posts: 171

    flatford8
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Lyman,ME.

    Nice!!…..my second favorite motor!……….Mark
     
  7. ididntdoit1960
    Joined: Dec 13, 2011
    Posts: 1,296

    ididntdoit1960
    Member
    from Western MA

    Snuck the tach in with the column shifter for now
    17592809970261731819583473244881.jpg
    Couldn't wait - actually like it angled and can still see the cluster and turn signal indicators. Matches the other gauges and compliments the dash bezels.

    Torturing myself over what to do about the transmission this winter - here's the options:
    1) keep it like it is - everything works fine - problem is no self respecting hot rodder would have a column shift in 1961 (the era I've been targeting) which brings me to the next option
    2) I have a vintage Fenton floor shift for this transmission
    17592814642727578497005273827253.jpg
    I have even installed the mounting brackets to the trans to see where I'd have to cut the tunnel - you guessed it - butcher city - comes through the side, close to the seat - I'm confident I could make it look good with some surgery - but I still have the stock week kneed trans with a non synchronized first gear and finally the last
    3) put in a more modern trans, this one just found me
    17592817371033099607762468055240.jpg
    Thanks Dave! It's a Camaro t5 with an S10 tail....all indications are it will fit nicely with minimal cutting and fabrication - the shifter will be centered but still reachable 2.95 first gear, plenty strong and overdrive to keep the revs even lower - more fun to drive but kills the idea of using old parts - I've obviously cheated with radials and gauges but this is major - as a variation on this theme I have this too
    17592821360626756007926966031850.jpg
    More of a vintage look/feel but I'm back to butchering the hump even more (yes, I know that's traditional)

    Which way do I go? Hitting my last show of the season on October 11th
     
  8. Dave G in Gansevoort
    Joined: Mar 28, 2019
    Posts: 3,615

    Dave G in Gansevoort
    Member
    from Upstate NY

    If nothing else, please clean the grime that I left on for you, off! I’ll contact you tomorrow because I’ve got an idea for you…
     
  9. warhorseracing
    Joined: Dec 26, 2006
    Posts: 2,782

    warhorseracing
    Member
    from cameron wv

    It has already been done with that shivrola engine.:mad: Who cares at this point.:rolleyes:
     
    RmK57 likes this.
  10. ididntdoit1960
    Joined: Dec 13, 2011
    Posts: 1,296

    ididntdoit1960
    Member
    from Western MA

    Thanks for that constructive help - no sheetmetal has been cut on this car, only a carefully executed notch in the crossmember that would be covered if reinstalling a flathead - all the floors, rockers, quarters etc are rot free texas originals - people like you confuse me, this is a "period" hot rod site - people got rid of flatheads and replaced them in droves with available OHV engines of the day (olds, caddy, chevy etc) throughout the 50s and 60s - SBF motors weren't available until the early 60s and were never a common swap in the time period this site focus' on - I'd love to see a build thread or details on any of your cars - I bet you'd appreciate my worthless comments too
     
    Last edited: Oct 1, 2025 at 9:42 AM
  11. 53olds
    Joined: Sep 7, 2008
    Posts: 2,860

    53olds
    Member

    I would do the 5spd. While yes may not be the most traditional but will make driving it way more enjoyable.
     

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