I've been watching this 55 for almost a year and finally talked to the guy and bought it. It's a 55 club sedan, with a 350 small block chevy engine with a front 55 chevy front clip welded in. Front disc brakes. Body is decent, interior needs a lot work, floors have holes. First thing I did was rebuild carb, new plugs, and cap/rotor. She's running pretty good now. I've been working on the brakes, trying to get them to work better by adding a new master cylinder and brake booster. I've having issues with a hard brake pedal. Spent some good time rebuilding the doors, with new key locks, striker plates, pins, and a new driver side window. (work in progess). Currently I'm taking a night class down the street for auto body, so I can fix the floor. Try to take one or two things at at time. Plan is to get floors fixed, fix a couple of rust spots the outside, fix the interior back to mostly original, and some decent tires. These bias ply tires look cool, but I want to feel safe driving this thing. I'm digging the dog dish hub caps, most likely leave them, just some new black paint on the rims.
Looks really cool! I would try my darndest to keep that patina. Running and driving are first concerns. That rust will hold if you have covered dry storage. Just repair the structural stuff first.
Yea the plan is to preserve and keep the patina as it's the original paint. Running pretty good now, just need to make it safe and keep the water out of it. I've got all new weather striping and felt kit coming for the doors and windows to keep the rain out. Right now after rain, I have wet floors.
Wow... a complete car.... that would be a novelty for me. Looks like a good project. See if it uses the dog-leg seals on the front doors, those help keep water out of the cab.
55 Ford was my first car, took out the 272 and put in. 430 Lincoln engine in. Had a lot of fun with that car. Bones
Nice car! Congrats. Not to be a downer but you will most likely find more rust behind the rear wheel opening stone guards.
Well at least you dont have to worry about the front crossmember being rusted out like these are known for, with that chevy clip (Built ford tuff with chevy stuff) Yeah thats a pretty neat ole car with its patina but if you were ever gonna think of painting it, Now might be the time if you could bring it in for a class project, I helped a guy build his roadrunner while taking a autobody class, Cost would have been prohibitive of building it if it hadnt been for all the free labor and I thoroughly enjoyed it and learned a thing or two from the experience
X2 on the front crossmember. Mine was a piece of fine Irish Lace when I got my '56. Then again, so was the rest of the car from the ground up 6"
Good looking car bud, if you ever need parts for it give Don Stickler in NC a call. he's got a ton of 55/56 cars and parts on hand.
Cool car! I especially like the chevy clip/engine! My last 55 was rust free except for the dreaded rusted front crossmember.
Nice car. The chevy clip and engine don't hurt anything. However If those bias plys are solid and you don't drive like a mad man. They are just as safe as radials made overseas that can fail at any given moment. And I like the look of the bias plys.
I'm jealous. I've always had a weakness for "55"-"56" Fords. You know you'll get static about the clip and engine. Have fun, enjoy and keep us posted on progress. I'm still jealous.
I had a 55 and a 56. Sold em both cuz I'm an idiot. Sent from my LGLS992 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
You can have the bias ply look with Coker radials,https://search.aol.com/aol/image;_y...oker+tire&v_t=aolbrowser-hyplogusaolc00000002
Third character in serial number indicates the assembly plant. A would indicate Atlanta plant. If it's an Atlanta car, my father leaded the seams on it. He worked there 1952-82. I have a '55 Ford Town Sedan (Fairlane 4 door) that my parents bought new.
Thanks for the info guys. From my serial number the car came out of the San Jose factory and was sold out of a LA dealership. I got a book that gives you all the details. I believe this forest green is the original paint. I think I'll hold off on the tires, as I do like the look of the white walls. I know Coker and BF Goodrich sells a radial that look like the old bias ply but are pretty expensive. I got a bunch of parts from tee-bird.com that will keep me busy for a while. I'm rebuilding the doors with all new glass and weather striping. I got patch panels for the floors as well. Interior needs work. Got it registered and inspected so shes good to go for now.
If you like a thinner white wall, go with Hankook 724 radials. I have them on my '59 with the black wall side showing. Fortunately the '55 and '56 have lots of parts available for them.
Started working on the floors. Plan is to cut and fit the new panels. I'll use screws to hold it together, then weld spot holes. Remove the screws and weld the holes. I have seam sealer I'll put on at the end as well as POR-15 the entire floor to seal it all in.
Tinted glass, nice! I wouldn't be afraid to paint it, and your auto body class would be a good time to do so, as mentioned. It looks like you have a green interior, which may limit your color choices. 2 tone green, or green and white, perhaps? Best of luck, my first car was also a '55 Ford, but extremely rusty. Rusted everywhere but the dreaded front crossmember, but that may have been replaced when a previous owner installed a 390 in it.
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