1952-59 Ford Working on the '59

Bob
I, for one, really appreciate all the pictures posted. I'm doing something similar, and although I have all the parts, seeing them laid out, then installed really helps.
I have only one question: Why the hydraulic clutch?
Thanks so much
Jim

 

I figured on a lot of trouble getting a z-bar to work with the SBC swap. So the components weren't that expensive and I decided on it early on in the project.

 

Sharp!

 

Thanks, lots of hard work done, more to follow. Got some real sharp people helping out too.

 

$300 worth of drive shaft made by a local shop. All Neapco and ****er parts, welding is great, balanced, etc. Tube is 3.5", good for 600 HP or so. I'll have to paint it soon.

 

Welding is perfect.

 

I've been following along on your good work on the 59, good job, thanks for sharing.

 

Thanks all. My elusive battery box clamp was finally found... have Quick Car cable ends for it, have to make up cables as soon as I get the right battery in it.

 

Might be hard to see, but all the lights work. Gauges light up. Out of all that wiring I had one pair of flipped wires and a bad license plate ground.

 

Very ***iful.

 

The dash.. will try to get pictures with a real camera soon. Directional and hi-beam indicators work too. Will be using idiot lights for the oil and water to go along with the gauges.

 

Did some alternator wiring on Saturday, using a GM unit with built in regulator.. only $55 at a local rebuilder. Engine in the car is a spare (1968 Corvette 327 325 HP) we used to get the mounts going. Real deal 355 is still in the shop. The Dart top end kit showed up yesterday.

 

Looks like Christmas came early, I love it

 

I have to take some pix of the parts.. intake manifold **** to say the least. The heads are flawless, beautifully machined. I'm a bit off the original $2000 I figured the engine would cost.

 

Pics bob, c'mon..

 

Sunday, while working on the car I'm in the driveway and I hear this BONK from the front of the house... which means one thing, a bird flew into the front window of the house. My son saw it happen and I go over to get the bird out of the bushes. Usually their necks are broken and the bird dies in seconds or is dead when I pick it up. This one.. alive but in-op. So I look him over and figure I'll stick it in a box and see what happens. Check after 10 minutes, the bird is standing in the box. I pick it up and he sits on my finger. Not ready.. back in the box. Minutes later I hear it flapping around, take it out and it flies off. Pretty cool, me and the bird.

 

He didnt flew first time 'cause he got stuck to the grease on your hands!
Pretty cool Bob, regards.

 

I wish... that was POR 15 paint... still have some of it on me. The bird was pretty cool about being handled.

 

Great pic Bob! I guess it's true; a bird in the hand, yada yada yada.....

 

This is a great thread. Looks like really good work. I have the same clock as you. It was locked up when I got the car. I cleaned the internals with lighter fluid and low pressure compressed air. I also put a drop of air tool oil on each bearing. It has worked ever since and that was in Jan. of this year.
Please keep the pics coming!

 

I've always been amazed at how por-15 takes 4 hours to dry on metal, but only 4 minutes to dry on skin!!
When I did the underside of my car...body on jacks, no rotiserie, after 6 days of stripping, cleaning wire brushing, sandblasting, etc., I brushed the entire underside with a heavy coat of por-15.....When I got done, I looked like a Dalmation for weeks.

 

Thanks, I will take a closer look at the clock. The rest of it is in great shape.

 

I did the underside of the side grille moldings last week, of course installed them still wet. A little POR15 goes a long way, buying a quart was over kill. It does come off with lacquer thinner easily, but you have to do it right away.

 

Flipped the ring on the flywheel on Friday at a friend's shop. It had an area of chewed up teeth.

Heat it up, tap it off with a hammer and soft punch (block of s**** aluminum..) and it pops off easily. Let it cool a bit, clean up all surfaces with sand paper, get the blue wrench going again and it goes right back on. The whole process took 20 minutes.

 

20 minutes to swap the ring gear around, and 4 months to get the POR 15 off....go figure!

 

Well... have just one spot around my thumb nail to go. The rest is pretty much off. A messy product but supposed to be good protection.

 

Got the radiator fitted last night. Drilled 2 new holes in the radiator support and 2 in the radiator brackets. Looks almost factory.

 

Looks perfect bob.
Have you came up with something for the radiator do oscilate, I mean something to take vibration, or did you bolt it and its ready to go. I did...

 

I was going to bolt it in, same as the original one. It has to come out again of course. I have all new j-bolts to hold it to the support as well as new bolts and washers.

 

One of the things I dislike the most so far is to diss***emble the cooling system. Have done it to the ford some five times or so. From the caution one must have not to damage the fins, to checking for leaks at a number of spots...
Anyway what I meant to ask is if the radiator must be floating (as in the oe support that carries springs). Mine is well fixed to the support I created.
Keep it up.