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Projects My 1959 squarebird mild custom build thread

Discussion in 'Traditional Customs' started by ynottayblock, Apr 23, 2013.

  1. ynottayblock
    Joined: Dec 23, 2005
    Posts: 1,954

    ynottayblock
    Member

    I'll give a little sneak preview of what I have in mind for the interior. Since the t-bird was a personal luxury car, I want the interior to reflect that. So I looked at the Lincoln Mark ii interior for inspiration...

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Nov 18, 2014
  2. flynbrian48
    Joined: Mar 10, 2008
    Posts: 8,220

    flynbrian48
    Member

  3. 40StudeDude
    Joined: Sep 19, 2002
    Posts: 9,536

    40StudeDude
    Member

    When you're in the midst of re-doing everything, I wondered if you were going to re-do the interior...Glad to see you came to your senses...!!! The seat design you came up with certainly overshadows the stock seat...it'll look great.

    R-
     
  4. Tin Can
    Joined: Nov 18, 2005
    Posts: 2,096

    Tin Can
    Member

    really digging this build! We have one of these cars sitting outside the shop awaiting its turn in line to get built
     
  5. Can't wait to see it on the street, I'll be watching for you..
    chris.
     
  6. dirtybirdpunk
    Joined: Jun 24, 2006
    Posts: 308

    dirtybirdpunk
    Member

    Cool 59 you have there. Your paint scheme plan is almost the same identical plan I have for mine. Its currently just base coat to seal all the body work thats been done. Im going to also do a bronze/ root beer bottom with the same pinstriped panels. but my roof is going to be a bit more elaborate (thanks to the guys @ Starlite, I hope) , with interior that looks a bit more like the factory 58 interior with some heavier tuck and roll... Ive been working on mine for 13+ years, after seeing yours, I wish I had started with a more solid base than mine, which had a tree fall and basically crush the fins...

    [​IMG]
     
  7. ynottayblock
    Joined: Dec 23, 2005
    Posts: 1,954

    ynottayblock
    Member

    dude, thats killer! almost twins
     
  8. BACAGrizz
    Joined: Aug 27, 2009
    Posts: 201

    BACAGrizz
    Member

    [​IMG]

    Love the Molotov Cartail!!
     
  9. ynottayblock
    Joined: Dec 23, 2005
    Posts: 1,954

    ynottayblock
    Member

    I aiming for July...gonna be alot of work to get it done by then, but thats my goal.
     
  10. Studebricker
    Joined: Mar 5, 2013
    Posts: 57

    Studebricker
    Member
    from TX

    Nice car! I almost went with a 58 since I prefer that grille and trim, but I just could not locate one in decent shape with factory a/c. Gave up and went with a bulletnose instead. There may yet be a T-Bird in my future though. Keep updating the progress...
     
  11. Incredible. Too bad you're 2500 miles away. I'd like to see this in person. What kind of paint did you use on Ian's steering wheel?
     
  12. ynottayblock
    Joined: Dec 23, 2005
    Posts: 1,954

    ynottayblock
    Member

    I will check with Ian and get back to you...that white we used only on the wheel and column. Its holding up pretty good too, however the wheel was originally cracked and we repaired it before painting and it held up over the summer. When we took it out this spring a new crack had formed, so we will need to re-do his wheel again at some point. Sweet looking olds by the way. And I too wish California wasnt 2500 miles away
     
  13. I have always liked that style 'Bird. Your plan sounds great and I look forward to following your build. Subscribed.
     
  14. the DutchDude
    Joined: Mar 11, 2010
    Posts: 282

    the DutchDude
    Member

    great thread!!
    love what youre doin to youre bird, and what a great shape it is in!!
    hope to someday restore my dad's 59, and hopefully add some custom touches as well

    also i agree on that the top makes the car
    choppin it or puttin on another roof makes a huge difference and i haven't seen any that have really improved it's looks..
    the one with the starliner roof wouldn't happen to be an orange one would it?
     
  15. ynottayblock
    Joined: Dec 23, 2005
    Posts: 1,954

    ynottayblock
    Member

    hitman...sweet bird!

    At least I know the colour combo will look good. Im pretty lucky with the car I started with (especially for the price) all the gaps on the car were pretty damn good to begin with.
     
  16. ynottayblock
    Joined: Dec 23, 2005
    Posts: 1,954

    ynottayblock
    Member

    Dutchdude, do you have that car over there in the netherlands?

    the only picture I could ever find of that squarebird with the starliner roof is this one, dont know if it ever got finished.
     

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  17. autobodyed
    Joined: Mar 5, 2008
    Posts: 1,943

    autobodyed
    Member
    from shelton ct

    i gotta say, that's one helluva job your doing on that bird. looks great.
     
  18. ynottayblock
    Joined: Dec 23, 2005
    Posts: 1,954

    ynottayblock
    Member

    While I got the attention of some of the other squarebird guys out there, does anybody have a extra working fuel/temp gauge? My fuel gauge works but the temp gauge is shot and I need to track down another while I have the dash and gauge panel apart.

    Oh and thanks for all the compliments so far guys, I appriciate it
     
  19. Jeff Norwell
    Joined: Aug 20, 2003
    Posts: 14,811

    Jeff Norwell
    MODERATOR
    Staff Member

    Really really awesome work Brent..... love it.
     
  20. Does it have to be stock style? Or is aftermarket okay?
     
  21. ynottayblock
    Joined: Dec 23, 2005
    Posts: 1,954

    ynottayblock
    Member

    Thanks Jeff, I think you'll dig the interior

    Mitch, yeah I want a stock one. Keeping the gauges stock but custom painting the faces
     
  22. Okay man, sorry I can't help you with that then. Sold all my Thunderbird parts a while back. Goodluck with getting one though!
     
  23. You could have saved work on the doors if you found some 1960's. What my son and I did for his 59 Bird was to install 1960 Doors that didn't have the spears on them and he wanted the Thunderbird Script that was on the 60. So all we had to do was switch door locks.

    We really liked the 1959 Grille so we kept that. The car is in the Detroit area.
     

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  24. ynottayblock
    Joined: Dec 23, 2005
    Posts: 1,954

    ynottayblock
    Member

    Movin/on
    Oh that definently would be the easy way to do it. But my doors were mint and my buddy really wanted to do it. But its saves alot of work using 58 or 60 doors
     
  25. ynottayblock
    Joined: Dec 23, 2005
    Posts: 1,954

    ynottayblock
    Member

    [​IMG]

    So i got a little more done over the weekend. We were able to get the drivers rocker and fender in primer. I wasnt able to get the passenger fender or rocker patch done this weekend unfortunately. But we did lower the car and push it out of the shop for a quick photo session. I used aerostar front springs in the front which dropped the front end almost a full 3", which Im happy with. The rear however is a different story, we made 2" blocks and took a leaf out of the rear, but it is still sitting way too high. It needs to come down another 1.5".
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Nov 18, 2014
  26. chaddilac
    Joined: Mar 21, 2006
    Posts: 14,021

    chaddilac
    Member

    Nice work, it's coming right along!!
     
  27. I'm not very familiar with these birds but are you sure the rear shackles didn't flip when you took the leafs out?

    btw - Really enjoying this build. Keep at it.
     
    wtatman likes this.
  28. How are the rear spring shackles? Looks like they might be "flipped". The springs should be above the steel U.
    Lowering the rear end of the car can be done by removing the steel U and boring a new rear spring mount through the frame. Did that on my son's 59
    It does require pulling the tank to drill the holes.
     
  29. ynottayblock
    Joined: Dec 23, 2005
    Posts: 1,954

    ynottayblock
    Member

    I was going to ask you guys about the shackles, because I thought the same thing and the rear didnt come down a full 2". I was pressed for time when we pushed it out to take a look, but thought the shackles looked flipped. This was something I was going to address next weekend when Im back in the shop.


    movin/on any chance you have pics of the new mount you made on your sons car?
     
  30. Hey Brent......I know a club brother in Brantford who owns a 59 convert that told me he has a pile of interior and exterior stuff he's looking at getting rid of....you intersted??
     

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