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Projects 56 Vicky Build

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by venturesomerite, Aug 27, 2011.

  1. OahuEli
    Joined: Dec 27, 2008
    Posts: 5,243

    OahuEli
    Member
    from Hawaii

    The C3AE means a 1963 FE, could be anything from a 352 to a 427, the key is in the letters and numbers after the C3AE. The "u4te" or "o4te" on the head is probably C4TE. C stands for 1960s, 4 is the actual year, T stands for truck and the E is just the engine group. If you drop the pan and get numbers off the crank & a rod that will tell the story. That'd be cool if you had a 427 in there! The word "Sleeper" comes to mind. lol
     
    Last edited: Aug 30, 2011
  2. 1951Streamliner
    Joined: May 15, 2011
    Posts: 1,875

    1951Streamliner
    Member
    from Reno, NV

    Great looking car. I wont give you crap for the flat black because obviously it isnt the "finished" color, which is as old school as it gets. Run it in primer until you get to the paint. Maybe a red oxide colored primer would look better on this car though, help it stand out more. Maybe a cream colored roof or whatnot..? Just until you get to the final paint stage.

    Also, dont forget the bias ply wide whites.. those make almost any paint job acceptable ;)
     
  3. Yoi have it backwards, the C3AE is off the head, the u4te is on the side of the block, passenger front.
     
  4. Hot cap, rotor and some wires in today. Pumped the pedal twice and it started right up almost instantly, I am very happy about that.

    More pictures, because everyone likes pictures!


    Block casting

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    Head Casting

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    Front Cross Member damage (the real reason I can't drive at the moment)

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    Over all, not too bad

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    On a side note, can anyone tell my what car these wheels are off of, I have a full set in the trunk.

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  5. OahuEli
    Joined: Dec 27, 2008
    Posts: 5,243

    OahuEli
    Member
    from Hawaii

    Gotcha, but double check the "u4te". The first letter of a casting code denotes years; C is '60s, D is '70s, E is '80s etc. Don't know if they did it after the '80s, can't remember working on an engine that new. Sounds like you have a 1964 truck block with '63 heads. Being bored and stroke it could be anything and finding out would be the fun part. How many bolts are in the exhaust manifolds?
     
  6. TimeWarpF100
    Joined: Nov 9, 2010
    Posts: 310

    TimeWarpF100
    Member

    Thats clearly a D4TE block or 1974 Truck. 360 most likely.
     
  7. OahuEli
    Joined: Dec 27, 2008
    Posts: 5,243

    OahuEli
    Member
    from Hawaii

    Yup, didn't see the pic before I posted the response. (I type slow lol). Definitely has 1963 heads, time to drop the pan!
     
  8. It was built by the same guy who built one of my dads other 57 fairlane 500's. Sounds very similar. That one was a.030 over 390 with a nice cam.
    People have told me that this one "was bored and stroked and all that nonsense" and that's all they could recall.



    I would agree after trying to look it up, because there is no other letter that look like that other than d for the year. In person, it really looks more like a u or o.


    Two bolts per cylinder on the exhaust manifold. 5 bolts on the valve cover.
     
  9. I located the small metal tag that was glued to the engine block. You can make out the rectangle shape in one of the motor pictures above. I have absolutely no idea what it means though, perhaps someone can shed some light.

    My best guess is that it was put there by the engine builder, but I don't know what the codes mean.


    Tag reads:

    A85 J4944 030
    010 010

    Any ideas?
     
  10. Strange Agent
    Joined: Sep 29, 2008
    Posts: 2,879

    Strange Agent
    Member
    from Ponder, TX

    Why not leave it how it is for the time being? Put some red primer on the parts you're repairing.

    Just a thought, in my mind flat black is a step backwards from where you are now.


    Just because I have good taste doesn't mean I'm willing to pay for you to experience the same good taste. :D
     
  11. TexasDart
    Joined: Oct 11, 2007
    Posts: 853

    TexasDart
    Member

    Those wheels came off a 1980s Crown Vic.
     
  12. OahuEli
    Joined: Dec 27, 2008
    Posts: 5,243

    OahuEli
    Member
    from Hawaii

    Just taking a guess and think the A85 and J4944 might be some identifier from a machine shop or the builder like you said, 030 might be the overbore on the block and the 010 010 makes me think the main and rod journals on the crank were turned .010". You can drop the pan, pull a couple of caps and check the backs of the bearings to see if they are oversize. At the same time you can get the casting #s off the crank and rods. I'm really curious to see what you have there.
     
    Last edited: Sep 2, 2011
  13. gassercrazy41
    Joined: Jan 9, 2011
    Posts: 1,432

    gassercrazy41
    Member

    def. lower it....
     
  14. billys54
    Joined: Apr 16, 2006
    Posts: 1,295

    billys54
    Member

  15. So today I finally got her indoors for the first time in over 15 years.

    I stopped at an old abandoned hotdog stand along the way that my father always said he wanted to buy. Here's the picture I took.

    [​IMG]
     
  16. hotrodj54
    Joined: Jun 1, 2007
    Posts: 634

    hotrodj54
    Member

    very cool....john
     
  17. After years of anticipation, I have finally gotten to work on her!
    It's actually doable no because it is where I have tools, and don't have to bring things with me, and indoors, so I might actually get something done.

    Thank god my dad only bought the car, and did not build it! I know he would never do the kinda work that I found!

    Started out by removing the seats, and carpet. Front seats were held on my some bent carriage bolts, and rear seats were held on by hose clamps, yeah, hose clamps.

    Cleaned out yet MORE ACORNS! Everytime I think I got em all, there's more.




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    Then I saw the trans tunnel for the first time. I knew it was a hack job, but I had no idea..... But atleast now I know why it was so hard to hit reverse, it was hitting the tunnel.





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    Then, it gets worse....





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    And what you see here is all bondo and undercoating, from the outside! Never mind what I chipped off the inside.





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    Remove some metal, find some bondo....Remove some metal, find some bondo....








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    And when all the crap is out, this is what I am left with.




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    All in all, there were 14 patches botched together to make a tunnel. I would estimate conservatively that there were 150 self tapping screws, and around 200 pop rivets, with give or take 3-4 gallons of bondo, and god knows how much of 3 different kinds of epoxy. If you're gonna go through all that trouble, why do that bad of a job? I mean, come on that had to have taken a long time to do.





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    Well, I guess it was worth it though, found two nice suprises. Didn't know I had a hurst shifter (whole shifter, not just the stick) and an ansen bell housing.





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    Stay tuned to see what surprises I find next!
     
    Last edited: Nov 15, 2011
  18. OahuEli
    Joined: Dec 27, 2008
    Posts: 5,243

    OahuEli
    Member
    from Hawaii

    Well at least it'll be easy to change the clutch.
     
  19. n.z.rodder
    Joined: Nov 18, 2008
    Posts: 1,016

    n.z.rodder
    Member

    Wow what a sleeper, hot FE, 4 speed, coil-overs, leaves and traction bars, looks like someone was up for a little Friday night stop light action. I hope the outside is not as bad as the trans tunnel!

    Scotty.
     
  20. The clutch was done the like a week before it was parked and forgotten.

    I hope the outside doesn't hold this kinda surprise. Gonna have to clean the hood and trunk and check the nose and decking job....

    Everyone feel free to share your favorite sheet metal places, I need to start looking.
     
    Last edited: Nov 16, 2011
  21. mjlangley
    Joined: Dec 11, 2008
    Posts: 196

    mjlangley
    Member
    from SE MI

    That is a big hole...

    Nice car, great drivetrain!
     
  22. But why? :D:D

    Vickys are pretty cool. Our first race car was a '55 Vic. We loved that car.

    Ours was the original tan and white BTW. But that was a long time ago and the paint was still solid all it needed was a serious waxing. Once we got it dialed in we had to wax it ourselves.

    The new project looks pretty cool.
     
  23. SchlottyD
    Joined: Feb 4, 2007
    Posts: 740

    SchlottyD
    Member

    First thing I would do, get it running nice and strong again, second thing I would do since the front x member is junk anyhow is tube frame the front and throw a straight axle under there. As for paint, there are so many other primer colors besides flat black and you can get it tinted to just about any color as well these days. I love the 55-56 Vickies and Fairlanes, I'm on the hunt for one now actually.
     
  24. Normbc9
    Joined: Apr 20, 2011
    Posts: 1,121

    Normbc9
    Member

    The '56 Ford cars were all classy to me. This Crown Vic is a sure fire stand out. The original 312 Y block has been warmed up a bit too. The Bright work Y block is a 332 that has another '56 Vic waiting for it too.
    Normbc9
     

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  25. Cut55
    Joined: Dec 1, 2007
    Posts: 1,979

    Cut55
    Member
    from WA

    Gotta' love the '56 Vicky. Lower it, level front to back, FE, shiny black. I want one! You have your work, ahem, 'cut out' for you here but it's worth saving.
     
  26. I had some time today so I got out the wire wheel to strip a few spots to see what I'm up against here.

    I am convinced that by the time I am done, the car will be 300 lbs lighter, there is more bondo on this car than I have ever seen.....

    On the plus side, there is a half inch of bondo over straight clean metal too, so maybe it was preserving it? Of course, found some more questionable repairs, and some not even tryings....

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    When fit and finish is critical, always reach for a big @$$ wood screw.

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    At this point I turned out the lights and went home for the night. I guess I'll start getting good at body work, or make some friends that can.
     
  27. OahuEli
    Joined: Dec 27, 2008
    Posts: 5,243

    OahuEli
    Member
    from Hawaii

    Whoa, I hate to say it but it looks like the car needs to be completely stripped to bare metal. No telling what other "surprises" may be under that paint (and bondo). Can you see the insides of the doors, fenders and inside the body? In any event, its still a pretty cool project and if it were mine I would definitely keep at it.
     
  28. metalman
    Joined: Dec 30, 2006
    Posts: 3,297

    metalman
    Member

    Damn, what a cool car. Other then the 4 speed that's just like the 56 Vicky I had in 77 (mine had a C6), nosed, decked, black upolstery, heathy FE. Brings back memories, most good like buying used tires Saturday afternoon and burning them completely up Saturday night! Some bad memories like having to sell it during a divorce. Make me want to look for another one!
    That tunnel is quite the piece of work, I agree, why would anyone put that much effort in such a poor job. Guess they did the best with what they had as far as skills, tools, ect. Sure am spoiled out here in the desert, you got your work cut out for you with the rust issues. I'm with someone else that commented, I'd replace the rusty front cross member with a straight axle!
     
  29. mjlangley
    Joined: Dec 11, 2008
    Posts: 196

    mjlangley
    Member
    from SE MI

    That is a lot of plastic...
     
  30. sted
    Joined: Nov 17, 2011
    Posts: 1

    sted
    Member

    new guy here old time hot rodder. this is my intro,love 55 an 56 fords u have a nice 1 here i like this place already.
     

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