Projects 59 Ford Fairlane

First off, I'm not on here everynight, but for the nights I'm looking for advice, this is sure a great place so thanks for the help to everyone. I have a 59 Ford Fairlane I'm restoring. I am currently working on restoring the interior and redoing the floor boards. They are solid with little rust. I am sanding down the rust spots with a wire brush on a drill and then cleaning the area before I lay down rustolium. I am trying to keep the job cheap. First question: Is this a good cheap way of restoring floor boards before I put in the carpet?

 

Yeah, sounds good so far. it aint cheap, but POR 15 might be better. You can also buy the same gauge sheet metal at home depot, I did. It was cheap. Im doing up my old 58 fairlane...you got any pics??

Hope your windshield seals are good, mine arent and after EVERY big rain, it's Puddle time in the floor board. It's on the list...
Hodge

 

Thanks, I've checked into POR 15 and it is really expensive. I've got many pics, but I'm new to the HAMB and trying to figure out how to post them. The windsheild seal is in great condition, but all the other Weather stripping has to be replaced including the truck seal. I've been buying some parts from Dennis Carpenter in Michigan. They have a lot of good stuff.

 

Hey Purds where you at in WA? I have a 59 custom300 that I am working on. Got to love the square fords.

 

If you've just got some surface rust that you're cleaning off and then putting some paint on top, that should be fine for under the carpets. But if you have holes in the floors, you'll need to cut those sections out and weld new sheetmetal in.

Assuming your hole spots aren't too big and you're on an extreme budget, consider getting an old hood or trunklid and cutting it up for sheetmetal patches. It's the correct gauge metal and it's cheap or free depending on where you get it from.

 

You guys should check the vent to firewall gaskets on your fords, Its a bit hard to get to, and you need to remove the fenders to properly replace them, They're a rubber o-ring/gasket that goes between the air vent and the fender in late 50's fords. The ring prevents water from getting into your floorboard. YOU can check under your dash at the very top above the kick panels for the hole, if you feel the rubber is cracked, that is where your water gets in thus the rusted floors. Sometimes it's not the windshield weatherstripping.

The part is B7A-7002207-A Windshield Cowl Drain Tube, not sure if the 59's have it but I'd look into that.

 

Often the drain tube gets clogged with leaf particles damming up the water.

 

Good advice guys, Ill get on that. i need to take the fenders of for some body work shortly any how, so it would be agood time to replace them.

Thanks!
Cheers
Hodge

 

Here is a shot of my '59 Fairlane 500 (before primer & after) and my friends '59 Galaxie.
Mine was from Santa Barbara, Ca. and his is here in W.V. both with rust but in somewhat different places.
Note the tops of a Fairlane 500 to the Galaxie!

 

I have a 57 and a 59. 59s don't have the drain tube.

 

i was wondering how many '59 owners were on here.... here's my Dad's car, he gave it to me a couple of years ago and i've been patching on it a little here and there. big job was replacing the 352 with a '68 390 from a truck, and having duals put on it. gotta recommend replacing the single fruit jar MC, too. Dad had the brakes fail in traffic once....
i need to get the paint done and have the seats recovered, and get going on doing a disc install (i have the spindles and discs/calipers from a late model LTD to go in). rebuilt the 4v carb last year to correct flooding and huge gas leak. almost burnt the car up one day... scary.
she's pretty nice for a fat chick.... big departure from my Falcons!

 

Here is a pic of my 59 custom 300.