I traded my '47 project a few hours ago for this '55 Customline. My original intent was to fix a couple of it's issues and flip it down the road for someone else to enjoy. Then my wife saw it in person and her mind went to keeping it around for a while as her car to cruise. Plans include: Lowered stance Fix all the paint chips and flaking (it's a 20 footer) Gather everything needed to swap in a Y-Block and Automatic (factory ish swap that I could perform over a couple weekends rather than a custom install) Need to paint the wheels or lose the whitewalls. Both light wheels next to WW together is making the wheels looks weird to me While I'm working in painting things I'll probably shave the hood and trunk some. I do tend to like some trim and emblems as I feel they make things look more finished in the end. I'm sure more will come up and this plan will change some as I go. I am only a couple hours into day 1 of ownership as I type this so things are bound to change right. 1st step is with be the body drop. As I ordered spring and blocks and have had them sitting on my tool box for a couple days now in anticipation. I only wonder if I should drive it further than from the street into my garage before tearing the suspension apart to lower it lol As for the weird and funky. Lots of screw holes to weld up. Paint flakes and chips to repair etc. And these extra funky antenna mounts. Cheers y'all -Adam Sent from my rotary phone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
It looks like a pretty solid car. I have a '55 Fairlane 4 door that my parents bought new. I actually like the Customline trim better than the Fairlane. Suggest driving it a while to see how that 223 6 performs before swapping. I like Y blocks a lot, but that old 223 six is a rugged engine and can be made to perform well. It might surprise you. My father worked at Ford's Atlanta assembly plant from '52-'82. If it's an Atlanta car, he leaded the seams on it. The third character in the serial number indicates the assembly plant. A indicates Atlanta plant.
I also noticed that you're missing the stainless trim around your windshield. I can probably help you find those pieces if you want them. Only Mainlines had the exposed rubber gasket with no stainless.
Yeah I'd noticed that too. How does the trim attach? Both the front a rear glass have that black rubber and no trim. If the trim attaches to the gasket itself then I think I have the wrong gaskets. There doesn't seem to be any place to attach it. Also just had to go check the serial # 3rd digit is a P -Adam Sent from my rotary phone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Painting the wheels was one of the first things I planned to do. The white wheels next to white walls makes the whole wheel look funny. Just want sure what color they should be. Took your black suggestion over to microsoft paint lmao. Just call me Moose from the Photoshop thread haha. Black it is. Even the crappy markup looks better than what's on there. -Adam Sent from my rotary phone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Looks to me like someone has flipped the rear spring hangers. If you flip them back to their original position it will lower the rear of the car somewhat.
Yep, just saw that too. Looks like a neat car to play with some. I think I would just paint the wheels like you said, lower it, and drive it. As long as the 6 cylinder isn’t worn out, I’m sure it could still be fun to drive.
It's 12v..... But none if the gauges seem to work so I'd doubt it was anything other than just putting in a 12v battery, starter and an alternator to replace the generator. -Adam Sent from my rotary phone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
@guthriesmith & @sidevalve8ba on the rear hanger either of you have a pic of how it should be? I was going to lift it up to do the blocks in the back today. Might as well correct that at the same time right. Drove it a little last night. It was pretty guttless. Adjusted the carb a little to make it run a little better. Got it good enough to do a donut in the fresh snow we're getting today in North TX. And for me to refer back to here are the measurements for the current ride height Front 12 3/4" to center of the side bumper bolt A hair shy of 25" to center of wheelwell Rear 21 3/4" to center of side bumper bolt 22 1/4" to center of wheel well -Adam Sent from my rotary phone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Unfortunately the trim attaches to the seal, so you'd have to pull both the front and rear glass to install the trim. Somebody bought the wrong seals.... You don't see that many without the front/rear window trim, the trim was optional on the Mainline and most buyers went for it.
Take a good look at the front crossmember. They were known to rust out due to lack of a drain hole. My sister was driving a 55 wagon in high school and called home. She said that there was something big and rusty hanging under the old Ford and it would back up but not go forward. The front crossmember had given way and dropped one of the lower a-frame front sections on the street. It was a brick street and the end of the a-frame would catch in the bricks if you tried to go forward.
I had one when I was 18 back in '66 The customline should have stainless trim around windshield and back glass as per the photo.
Adam, the rear shackles should be pointing up toward the trunk floor not down toward the ground when looking at them from where they attach to the frame. I don't have a photo to show you but I'll try to find one.
Yep, your spring eye should be above the mount on the frame. I don’t have a pic either, but they can be flipped with the rear hanging from the springs without taking anything apart with a pry bar. Pretty sure it makes around an inch or two difference in height when it is incorrect like those.
You can sort of “not see” the shackle in this pic as compared to the pic that you have posted here at a similar angle that shows it. Not sure if that helps any...
Thanks everyone Window trim I'd be willing to bet the seals for no w/s trim were a few cents cheaper when a past owner replaced the glass. Hense no trim bummer. Future plans probably cause the black seals stick out on the car. The rear shackle mounts will get flipped in the next couple days. Hopefully them being installed like that wasn't an attempt to hide worn out rear springs from a previous owner. The joys of playing with old cars that have been passed around like the village bicycle. I'll check out the front crossmember when I do the front springs if it's good is a fix as simple as drilling a drain hole? -Adam Sent from my rotary phone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I'm not sure if it would fit but I have an Offenhauser 4bbl intake made for a 300 CI that could wake it up. PM me if interested.
'Back in the day' it was common to flip the shackles to jack up the rear of the car, a 'no buck' hot rod trick. The problem is the springs many times would try to settle back to level, flip them back and now you're 'lowered'. As to the crossmember, Ford did put a drain hole in but it was too small and quickly clogged. Take a sharp screwdriver and poke around the a-arm pivots and lower edges for 'soft' spots. These rust from the inside out and it won't always be obvious if it's going bad. For some inexplicable reason Ford used metal about 1/2 as thick here as the rest of the frame. If I found a 'serviceable' OEM crossmember, I'd cut two holes in the top plate that I could seal with a rubber body plug, blow as much dirt/dust/loose rust/dead bugs out as I could, tape up any/all holes I found, then literally fill it with rust-inhibiting paint. I used Rustoleum red oxide primer back then, there's better products now. Thin the paint about 50/50, then after filling open the factory drain hole up to drain the excess. In the early '70s I needed a crossmember and cut every what appeared to be a good one I could find out of cars in the local boneyards. Bought six of 'em. Took them in for chemical rust removal, got one good one back... Reproduction crossmembers are available or if you're handy you can build your own.
I like it! Yeah it’s too bad they used the window seals without the trim but you can add that down the road. I drove a ‘55 2dr wagon for quite a while, same side trim and basic color. Mine had a lot of hidden rust in the rockers and rear fenders but the front crossmember was fine. It was always comfortable and reliable. Is yours a 3 spd or a Fordomatic? Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
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