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Projects 54 Ford Customline daily driver

Discussion in 'Traditional Customs' started by Shane Spencer, Jul 24, 2016.

  1. Shane Spencer
    Joined: Oct 3, 2009
    Posts: 2,160

    Shane Spencer
    Member

    Whatsup guys. Picked up a 54 ford customline, its actually my old 54 i owned back in hgh school. I bought this car when i was 17, and sold it before i did much of anything due to lack of tools and no place to work on it. Ive been looking for an old school daily driver and the car popped up on craigslist. I really wanted to get it back and do all the work i had originally planned, so needless to say im pretty pumped to have it back. Heres a few pics as i picked it up yesterday

    image.jpeg
    image.png

    The only change on the car from when i sold it is power steering. Its a borgeson box, and saginaw pump setup. The owner installed it for his wife. 239 y block runs like a top, 3 on the tree, 12v conversion was already done when i had it originally 6 years ago. Crossover pipe exhaust manifolds were swapped for true dual style manifolds into glasspacks. Car sounds good, the 3" slash cut tips gotta go
     
  2. Ford Freak
    Joined: Jan 5, 2005
    Posts: 827

    Ford Freak
    Member

    Looks great , congrats!!
     
    jhammer and lothiandon1940 like this.
  3. Jalopy Joker
    Joined: Sep 3, 2006
    Posts: 31,179

    Jalopy Joker
    Member

    Congrats - be sure to visually check brakes, etc - safety first
     
  4. 504640
    Joined: Aug 8, 2011
    Posts: 533

    504640
    Member

    You lucky stiff GG. The car is gorgeous. That brown paint is stunning. With the Cragers, your customline would look very good in my high school parking lot, class of 70! And it would have met my criteria as cool: 2 door, v/8, stick and duals. The good thing about that car today is it appears not much needs to be done, a timeless classic! Great Score!
     
    lothiandon1940 likes this.

  5. Shane Spencer
    Joined: Oct 3, 2009
    Posts: 2,160

    Shane Spencer
    Member

    Thanks guys! Brakes were gone through by the guy i bought it from. Id like to one day go to discs but the drums work fine now so why bother. The drop n stop kit with granada spindles that lower it 2" and front disc conversion looks nice but is close to $1000 when you figure in the whole kit and add on the dual master cyl and adj prop valve. Maybe down the road ill go to that option
     
    markmnotdead and lothiandon1940 like this.
  6. Shane Spencer
    Joined: Oct 3, 2009
    Posts: 2,160

    Shane Spencer
    Member

    Can any of you guys identify this car or the owner. The stance and wheel/tire combo is spot on. Sweet car image.jpeg
     
  7. You can drop the front with springs and A-arm spacers, and the rear with blocks or de-arched springs. Dropped spindles are cool, and probably the right way to lower a car, but since you won't be throwing this thing around on a race track springs and blocks will work just fine. Hell, even lopping a coil and a half off of the front will give the car a substantial altitude adjustment, without doing much damage to ride quality. Of course, going with 'bags is the best route, but also the most expensive.

    In terms of wheels and tires on that blue car, looks just to be 6.70-15 rubber wrapping 15-inch chrome wheels.

    About the brakes, I've never had trouble with my stock drum set-up. Going to a dual jar master cylinder is a smart move -- that can be pilfered from a first gen mustang (I think?). I've put a bunch of miles on my factory set-up and have yet to have a hiccup.

    Overall, looks like a nice solid car! What kinda trans is behind that Y-block?
     
    lothiandon1940 likes this.
  8. Shane Spencer
    Joined: Oct 3, 2009
    Posts: 2,160

    Shane Spencer
    Member

    I was thinking the same thing for the tire size on the blue car but would like to verify, same with the suspension. Great looking setup al around. 3 on the tree behind the y block....... For now. T-5 swap is in the very near future, i found the adapter for $160 online which seems to be a wicked deal. T-5's are all over craigslist, not having an overdrive gets old lol
     
    lothiandon1940 likes this.
  9. Peanut 1959
    Joined: Oct 11, 2008
    Posts: 2,179

    Peanut 1959
    Member

    That blue car is a nice direction to follow. Subscribed!
     
  10. Shane Spencer
    Joined: Oct 3, 2009
    Posts: 2,160

    Shane Spencer
    Member

    The car has some small bubbles in the paint which is no biggie, but the driprails do have some bubbling and light rust that need attention. My buddy russ said to strip the roof, any necessary filler and paint it hed charge me $500 out the door. Im thinking about a champagne color top. Heres a super rough photoshop of what im thinking
    image.jpeg
     
  11. 56premiere
    Joined: Mar 8, 2011
    Posts: 1,445

    56premiere
    Member
    from oregon

    My folks had one when I was a teen. Brown top and a creamy color bottom., seemed ugly then,would like to have it now. Good luck
     
  12. Car looks great and I like your photoshop ideas going forward. A lighter colored top will make the car pop, might consider gold flake instead of the tan. Just my thoughts. Glad you got it back, now don't let it get away again.:D.................................Don.
     
    Frankie47, 8x0x5 and i.rant like this.
  13. My first car, in high school, 1976-1215534178-9ab25ba556f2bc0b0ea746703db5014d.jpg was this '53 Mainline. That was many, many yrs. ago though.:(
     
  14. aussie57wag
    Joined: Jul 13, 2011
    Posts: 671

    aussie57wag
    Member
    from australia

    Looks great. Great it still has the why block. Id be keeping the 3 on the tree. It has old scool cool that you dont get with a modern 5 speed. If you want nice hiway cruising a 3 speed with over drive. Would be cool. And you have to keep changing lots of gears al the time.
     
  15. Congrats. on finding her again. She still looks real nice. I sold my wagon 12 years ago and found it in a falling down garage just sitting for the last 10 years. I bought her back. She road worthy now and not going anywhere again..I have repainted the roof white again and now getting her ready for paint on the lower body. I am going back to the original lighter blue color.I have to have it done by Aug 20th for a big car show here. Good luck with her. Bruce. 008.JPG
     
  16. Il
    I like where this is heading....please don't " flake the roof " that's a 50's car....the champagne color would be nice...have him throw some extra pearl in it to really make it look nice in the sunlight.
    Just helped a friend with his 54 Victoria...went with spacers up front, de arched rear, has a nice stance. Also has the 6.70 15 whites and wheel vintiques o.e. Chrome wheels like in your pic...folks love his car
     
    3340 likes this.
  17. Shane Spencer
    Joined: Oct 3, 2009
    Posts: 2,160

    Shane Spencer
    Member

    Thanks guys, i LOVE flaked roofs and crazy 60's style paint but it wouldnt fir this car. I want the roof to be like a champagne but almost a pale gold. Still trying to find the right color. The brown has some metallic in it so i could get away with a light metallic or pearl in the top too but no flake. You guys think an interior with some gold in it would match well ? Thats the direction im thinking. Gold and white tuck n roll looks bitchin i think
     
    Last edited: Jul 25, 2016
    Atwater Mike and lothiandon1940 like this.
  18. Totally on the right track...think of the brown as " root beer" and go with a nice light gold pearl...and yes...bright white interior...with some gold piping, and some gold highlights
     
    lothiandon1940 likes this.
  19. Hdonlybob
    Joined: Feb 1, 2005
    Posts: 4,115

    Hdonlybob
    Member

    Love your car..
    Glad you got it back...that is a great story !!
     
  20. 55Deso
    Joined: Nov 7, 2015
    Posts: 244

    55Deso
    Member
    from Wyoming

    Sweet ride! Im a sucker for brown and i think your plans for the champagne top and chrome steelies with wide whites is going to be killer.
     
  21. Shane Spencer
    Joined: Oct 3, 2009
    Posts: 2,160

    Shane Spencer
    Member

    Thanks guys. Eventually when i get around to re spraying the bottom of the car id like to do more of a true root beer color
     
  22. Squablow
    Joined: Apr 26, 2005
    Posts: 17,390

    Squablow
    Member

    In case you don't know, the hot swap into these is 1990 Aerostar minivan front springs, can buy them brand new for $60, they ride great and give about a 3" drop. You'll use shorter shocks, (I don't remember the part number but there's a thread on it here somewhere) and lowering blocks in the back, everything you need to lower it for around $100

    That's what is in my '52, shown below.

    03-31-15 004.jpg
     
  23. Shane Spencer
    Joined: Oct 3, 2009
    Posts: 2,160

    Shane Spencer
    Member

    Thats a good lookin car man, i was planning aerostar coils up front and an a arm spacer. Im still trying to find more info though because i was talking to member voodoo kustoms on here and he said theres issues with the drop spring and a spacer. Waiting on more opinions there
     
    bcboy4ca and Squablow like this.
  24. Slopok
    Joined: Jan 30, 2012
    Posts: 2,919

    Slopok
    Member

    No need to use the spacer with the springs, it would be way too low. If you use the spacer with your stock springs that would be OK but it will ride way better with the new variable rate springs.
     
    markmnotdead likes this.
  25. Squablow
    Joined: Apr 26, 2005
    Posts: 17,390

    Squablow
    Member

    I don't think you want to use the spacer, the Aerostar coils are shorter even without weight on them and you have to lift the lower A-arm up to meet the top when installing them. If you want to go lower with the stock front suspension, you want the reworked Granada spindles, I think they're about an inch or inch and a half and would work with those springs.

    I think part of what makes the light blue car above look so low is it's parked in tall grass, the grass is up to the rim in the rear.
     
  26. Shane Spencer
    Joined: Oct 3, 2009
    Posts: 2,160

    Shane Spencer
    Member

    Im thinking spindles may be the way to go in the front with springs. Drop n stop offers either 1 1/2" or 2 1/2" spindles with their disc conversion kit. I may go with the 1 1/2" spindle and the springs. More money but the disc conversion would be nice too
     
  27. Shane Spencer
    Joined: Oct 3, 2009
    Posts: 2,160

    Shane Spencer
    Member

    I agree about grass making the car look lower but i try to judge things off of bodylines in relation to the rims. In the rear its tucking almost to the hub center at the wheel well opening. Its an inch or two lower than most cars ive seen
     
  28. JeffB2
    Joined: Dec 18, 2006
    Posts: 9,484

    JeffB2
    Member
    from Phoenix,AZ

    KYB KG5514 shocks front.
     
    bondojunkie, Squablow and Peanut 1959 like this.
  29. As a 1 time owner of a 54....One thing to remember when they get too low in the back that rear wheel can be fun to get off haha also really have to watch off sets on the back side too
     
  30. Squablow
    Joined: Apr 26, 2005
    Posts: 17,390

    Squablow
    Member

    Good info.

    Also a good point. I've heard of guys installing air shocks in the back on separate Schraeder valves so they can fill one side up and drain the other side, then jack at the axle for maximum clearance, never tried it but seems like a great idea. I have to use multiple jacks and deflate my rear tires to get them off with only 3" blocks, it's a pain.
     

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