What have other 55-56 ford car owners done about the front crossmember rusting, Did you make your own?, buy one or something else. I am getting my stance set now and need to finish the front end off right so any pics or ideas are helpful. Thanks
This guy makes new ones; perfect factory replicas $300, functional version with some simplified details $280: Goodell Fabrications 11986 S 267th E. Avenue Coweta, OK 74429 (918) 636-7071
After getting my 56, I started checking the front cross member on all the 55-56s that I see. There are a lot of them out there with scabbed on fish plates and angle iron. Mine was fine. I'd buy one of the reproduction cross members mentioned above if it were mine. You'll get the added cost back when you sell it and it will be fixed right. JMO
Yep...thats the way to go, fix it right the first time now, it will pay off later some day. Whoever is interested in your car some day will most likely look and ask about that. Very common problem on those.
There was an article in rod and custom awhile back that showed how to fab one out of what looks like 2x3. I guess I dont care if it looks factory so much as is strong. How do you guys feel about building one?
The 55 that lives here is good, one of the few. If i had to rebuild one, I would try to make a copy. I would never remove the clip on one of these cars. They were great front ends when new, still are when in good repair. Repair parts are easy to get and not overpriced, and Granada spindles and discs go on easy.
Ya know I'm a die hard do it yourselfer that has fabbed a few frames but in this case I think I'd spring for the reproduction part. Being that it locates the lower control arm, I think it's more than an average cross member. Without a jig it's a pretty complicated piece to fabricate. It's doable but by the time you buy the material and spend all the time to engineer it, you could have the replacement part in and done correctly. JMO
Im going to keep the factory clip since I have already installed granada spindles and replaced the ball joints and tie rods. How do you guys feel about installing a used original crossmember if it is in good shape? Any one ever try it?
Ive noticed the crossmember on my 55 ford wagon has a small bit of rust. However if I don't sell it and get around to installing the 62 T Bird 390 engine I have . I think I will cut the frame off at the firewall and weld a late model front frame clip on it. Because then I will get power steering , disk brakes and be able to buy a set of hedders that fit. The stock manifolds on the FE engines are POS performance wise.
That's almost a guarantee that the crossmember is bad. These rust from the inside out... Years ago (before reproductions were available) I went looking for a good used one in the bone yards for my '56. I had the frame dipped in preparation of paint, it came back with rust holes in the crossmember. Mind you this was an almost rust-free car with body rust repair only needed in a few small spots. I bought six of 'em, every one I saw that looked OK on the outside with what appeared to be just surface rust at most. I then had them chemically de-rusted, a dip process that only removed rust, leaving sound metal. I got back one good one, all the rest came back with rust holes in them, ranging from a dozen holes to swiss cheese.
I can remember the cars from the rust belt where they salted the roads. those ford cross members would rust and the A arm front come loose & fall down. down. The ford was usually junked because of frame damage. Ive got a spare 56 front frame clip that's solid that I saved from a 4 door parts wagon decades ago. But If I go with a FE I will graft on a newer clip. However I could straight axle and not need that crossmember.
I have a 56 customline and need one badly. I wanted one from Goodell, but I think they are no longer in business?? I don't care if it's oe cause I'm not restoring it. Does anyone have one, or info on where to find one, or even how to fab one? Info much appreciated!!!
I've had this diagram for some time. Don't even remember where I got it but the dimensions look right. Maybe it will be of some help to someone who is going to fab a crossmember.
For whatever it's worth I did this on my first '55 Ford when I was 17 back in the '80's. At the time I bought a new crossmember, there's a number of people that make them. What I've found on a number of '55-6 Fords and Mercury cars is that it is the same crossmember on both makes, but the Fords tend to have a high probability of rusting and the Mercurys tend to have a low probability of being rusted out. Both cars tend to have inner fender and front splash pan rust, but on Ford it seems the front sheetmetal does a better job of diverting rainwater into the frame crossmember.
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