"Some Old Ford" is My old Ford

Seems as if there are more than just a few folks that were wanting a smoke show at the end. To tell the truth, I never thought to light 'em up for the vid.
"Back in the day" I would have been happy to oblige. However, "back in the day" I may have done a few too many high rpm clutch dumps because now the low oil pressure makes me nervous. Need to check for possible wounds before I spin it up too high. I sort of ease around town now with one eye glued to the oil pressure gauge. One of the first things I need to do is make sure that the engine is healthy so I can take it out and enjoy it more. Plus, I still have the original flywheel and should change to a good one to prevent it coming apart.
Do you have pics of your '55? Would like to see 'em
Bill

 

Bill,

Wise not to hurt your engine, cause if you did, I would have to hope a Cammer would be in your future!!

Trust me, they are lots of fun, and it's always a good time to see the sbc guys crap their pants, when the see one!

Eric

 

Cammer? I'm gonna have to live that dream through you guys that actually have one, I consider myself lucky to still have what I have.
BTW - some pretty amazing stuff posted lately on your thread. Those two Galaxies shown by Travis are stunning!
Bill

 

Welcome......

 

I love that video and your car in it! Your car fits in here perfectly. Welcome from Amarillo!

 

Thanks! I found several threads here with '64s and try to follow them all. Great stuff.
Bill

 

Bill,

By far, your thread is the coolest. The history, the car, and the unassuming attitude you, and your car share. I hope at one of the future events, we can meet up, and I can see the car in person. As all the people here have said, Your car is a perfect fit, here!!!

My 2 64's, Fast Eddies 64, TroubleMakers 64, and all the others, need to form a clan!!

Eric

 

Welcome from East Alabama.
I have a P code 4 speed 64. I am keeping the original paint and as found condition because I saw your video.
Bill

 

Wow.....took me a while to process those compliments...thanks.
It is pretty humbling to see how that short video has impacted some folks.
I can sort of fill in the blanks about the filming for those that are interested, it was interesting for me to be a part of it.
First of all, there was no 'play acting' or 'directing' involved in the thing.
My nephew, Ben, and I had sort of bench-raced a bit about shooting some 'glamour shots' of the car (Ha! Glamour....yeah right). Ben had heard me talk about "The Galaxie", but had never seen it, probably didn't know what a '64 Galaxie was, for certain the words "R-Code 427" meant not a thing to him. He approached the filming as a technical exercise.
Ben had made a couple of short videos from a day at Lime Rock and posted them to his Vimeo page. I linked them from the FE Forum for folks to comment on, and the general idea was that the music was too much for the 'car guys', they would rather hear just the cars.

Anyway, one autumn weekend Ben was in town and the weather was cool and nice so we arranged for him to come over and film as I uncovered the car. I wasn't sure that it would actually run and drive, since it had been sitting for about 2 years....I think I had jacked it up, started it, and spun the tires in order to lube the trans and diff sometime during that 2 years.
There was no real plan on what to do and what to film, Ben just had me do what I normally do, sometimes he would ask me to stop while he relocated a camera or light.
The only thing that I really stressed to Ben was that he had to have some good recordings of the exhaust at idle....since Ben isn't really a 'car guy', he looked at me as if "Ummm, ok, whatever". Luckily he has a good recorder and got some good stuff for us folks that 'get it' when we hear that uneven rumble. And I reminded him that car guys weren't big on a loud soundtrack, but didn't dictate to him how to actually do anything. It was his film, after all. (turns out that he knows his craft!)
We did the filming of the uncovering, starting and driving, and then one of my brothers showed up with his minivan so Ben commandeered him to drive him while I followed. It was comical to see Ben wedged in the back of the van, trying to keep the camera aimed while holding the upper hatch from closing and making clunking noises while we motored around a bit.
I guess we shot for 3 or 4 hours and then packed it all up.

A few weeks later, I stopped by and Ben put a mike on me and asked me a couple questions about the car and just let me ramble on about all sorts of stuff. There was no process of trying to get me to say stuff as the film was running, we were just talking in his basement and I was just blabbing on.

In February, Ben brought a DVD of what he had put together down to my shop and I watched it at lunch with some of the guys (one of which is a member here with the primered '32 shown in Norwell's thread). Ben wanted my approval before he went 'live' with it on the net.
We were all blown away!
For lots of technical reasons, that short film 'works' in a manner that appeals to all sorts of people, not just car folks. I was really floored by what he had done and of course gave him the ok to do whatever he wanted to do with it.
And I guess you all know the rest of the story. A lot of the car blogs picked up on it and mostly everyone was positive....better than having everyone hating on me and the rusty car, that's for sure!
Ben put all the pieces together and came up with a really nice short film, I'm pretty proud of him and his work.

As far as me and the car, I sort of wish that I had realized what I had and took better care of it, but I was away for sometimes years at a time and this is the way it played out. The car sort of 'fits' me and I'm ok with taking the heat from the restoration folks. At this point, any cosmetic improvements may sort of take away from the uniqueness of the car, I've grown to really appreciate it for what it is.

All the positive thoughts have motivated me to try and get it mechanically sound and I really hope to get out to some of the events where others gather with their iron.
I'm kinda nervous about long trips as I get older and more cautious...heck, when I bought it I had no problem running it up the Jersey pike at night with no dash lights and 5 gallons of gas in the trunk (those were the gas line days). Turns out I was pretty lucky, the rebuilder told me it had the wrong main bearings in it! It didn't even have an oil gauge or decent temp gauge, I just pointed it North and drove it! Kick the tires and light the fires, let it roll!
Now I read all about cam wipe-outs, broken rocker arm shafts, crappy oiling system, etc, etc. I was happily unaware of all these things as a young buck.

I greatly appreciate all the support and will try to get out and about, maybe meet some of the folks that share a fondness for these old cars.
Jeez, I got pretty long-winded again, didn't I??? Ah well, it happens!
Enjoy the upcoming holidays!
Bill

 

Excellent video, beautiful car even as it stands.....love the sound of it!

 

Hey Bill, I just found this thread and watched the video of your car and all I can say is, OUTSTANDING! Your nephew did a great job of speaking to us car guys, especially considering that he isn't "one of us".

The old Galaxies have always been one of my favorites, but a FE and 4SPD put it on top. I know they are huge cars, but they have the best lines of perhaps any car ever. I was raised in a Ford family with a particular interest in Mustangs, but I would take your rusty old girl over a 100% original Shelby Mustang any day simply because of the character and brute muscle your car has. Thanks for keeping her!

 

Thanks Jeff! Much appreciated.
There are several threads here that feature some stunning 63s and 64s.
Search for some stuff like: Dawsonville event coverage, SOHC frame Rolls, 63 - 64 R Code, I don't have all the links handy, but they shouldn't be hard to find.
The Dawsonville thread shows some amazing early Galaxies, and some folks are lucky enough to own an SOHC for their Gals.
There are folks on here that own some pristine P-codes and R-codes, too. I try to keep an eye on several of the threads.
Thanks for checking in!
Bill

 

Pulled the engine out today, should go to the machinist for evaluation within a week or so.
a couple of Pics here:

http://www.network54.com/Forum/7418...lintstone+Motor+Works+(minor+dial-up+warning)

Bill

 

Cool! Pretty soon you'll be able to go out & hammer on it again like old times!

 

Bill,
I read the post on the FE forum, and it made my blood pump, seeing you getting after your project.

Screw the resto crowd, that's your baby, and the old look is great!

I will keep watching your thread!
Eric

 

Weeeeellll, Eric, I don't know about the "screw the resto crowd"! I have nothing but respect for the guys that have the means to fix up their stuff, there are some very nice 64s owned by folks that chimed in here and I could enjoy any of those cars. I don't have a single thing against the "paint mark" folks, either...that takes a dedication that is amazing.
There's a white P-Code that is pictured here on a couple threads and over on the FE site, owner is Woods, and I dare anyone to find a single fault with that car, it is gorgeous. No flash and dazzle at first look, but it is done 'right'. Stunning car in all regards in a plain white wrapper. I'm sure that the flash comes with the firm application of the right foot.
Mine is the way it is due to a lot of different circumstances and I am ok with that. Over the years I've gotten pretty attached to it just as it sits, more so now with some clean bumpers.
Heck, my favorite aircraft is the A-10 Warthog, all business. There are more fancy planes and more swoopy planes but the A-10 has it's own vibe. My car is kinda like that (unless you happen to be an A-10 driver, I suppose...) and I guess I must be too. ( I'm not the least bit swoopy....low and slow)
I'm ready to get going on the rebuild, it has been a long time coming and I've saved up the $$$ to do it properly. Gonna be rewarding when it is ready to go back together.
Updates will not happen quickly, the machinist is really busy because he does such good work, I'm sort of last in line.
When something happens, I'll drop by and post.
Thanks!

 

Bill,
I understand your thoughts. I am not against the resto crowd either, but a flair for the custom, or resto-mod is fine with me.
I have been hammered for not putting the correct center oiler into my R code car, but I don't have it, and I don't care. It's my car, and I lke the Cammer/Big Spline combo!
"Your welding Cal Trac brackets to an R code frame".... You will burn in hell!! Oh well, it's my car, and has been since 83!!

Bill, stay with what makes you happy, because you, and that ford, are soul mates!!
Eric

 

PS, Allens P code is un-real..... I think it would look great at my place!
Eric

 

There's never a shortage of opinions or advice when it comes to this hobby, eh? That can be good or bad, depending on how you take it. Hell I've been hammered for just owning and neglecting mine!
Since the car got 'famous' and made the rounds of all the different forums I've tried to read what everyone wrote and weigh all the different viewpoints. Not all of them mesh well with my thoughts, but always give me different options to consider.
The good thing is since my car is as rough as it appears, anything I do can be called an improvement. (At least that's how I"m gonna play it).
Bill

 

Was at a show in my car several years ago. I was parked "out of class" Because I did not want anyone judging my car. I did not make it to make them happy it is for my pleasure. I had just got the car to a running and driving point. I had bought the car 2 years earlier and the same car show / swap meet. It was basically a rolling chassis. PO had shaved all the chrome and installed 3 in lowering block to rear and cut to loops of the front springs. I got it so I could enjoy it while I was working on it. I had a older gentleman come up to me and say well I see you ruined a good car. Tore off all the chrome and painted it flat black. He then went on to tell me in the 70s he short tracked about a dozen of them. I keep it to my self but was thinking " I ruined mine"? I think you need to make it how you like it and screw what any one else thinks.

 

Absolutely, no difference of opinion there. That has always been the way. But I do find it interesting to hear how others think.
It will take a while, but I'll get it back together and then get it out more.
Thanks!

 

i like all rods, appreciate what people have done with them and all that, but...there's just something about those big fords that really gets me. i love to see 'em, hear 'em and especially watch 'em at the nostalgia drags. i agree with the others that the nephew did a "pro only" job on the video. i'll be watchin' for more on this car.

 

Thanks, Smitty, I'll post when something interesting happens.
BIll

 

Bill, we are all chomping at the bit, and need our fix!
Eric

 

Things are moving slowly, wouldn't be much of a fix for ya.
Carbs are overhauled, have stripped all the blue paint from the manifold (looks really good) and need to fill some corroded spots in the water passages...not blown through, but pretty deep pits.
And I know this is silly, but I took out the radio to have it checked - it works! and a good friend is a watchmaker and pestered me to get the clock out so he can restore it. Will stop in at the machinist next week to see where I am in the queue. Did some blending on the oil filter adapter and had an interesting discussion about that on the FE forum.
None of these make for fascinating updates, but things are moving.
And I'm watching your thread as folks poke you with a stick to get YOUR'S moving

 

Bill, they are way past the poking stage, it's all most abuse!!
I read the FE Forum talk, too.

A little progress, is better then none at all.

All I have done is spend more money on the things you can't see, like body mount kits, and powder coating the bumper brackets.

I keep watching!

Eric

 

Looks as if I've showed up late to the party, again, but I'd like to drop you a line to say how much I like your car and the video you guys put together.

When Jeff first posted it up, I put it on my Facebook and my friends enjoyed it. I then showed it to my dad and he really dug it.

Take care!

 

Thanks, guys!
I pass these sorts of compliments on to Ben.
Eric, a lot of what I'm doing now is stuff that won't be seen either.
Just doing little piddly stuff keeps things moving forward....just not very fast or in a postworthy manner.
Bill

 

Cool car, welcome from N.W. Conn., also!

 

Thanks! I saw you and your truck at Litchfield NAPA last summer, I believe.
I should have introduced myself.
Bill