well here i go again,just got a 1951 Ford 2 door sedan,basket case,original flathead engine is locked up (of course)heads were off when i got it so i have it soaking,original 3 speed is present,it has the front seat,all the glass is intact,only one broken window,very nice frame,not rusted out,door bottoms are good ,floor is good,trunk floor is good,needs a tail pan,hood has a dent in it,left front fender has a dent in it,i got an extra set of front fenders with it and the headlights are already frenched,i want to keep it flathead powered but i want to go 12 volt,i want to rewire the car all new,any suggestions would be helpful,ialso want to rebuild the front suspension,i do not want to subframe the car,i want to keep the old drum brakes and rebuild the entire brake system,i also want to keep the car flathead powered,any thoughts on this would be appreciated.thanks Gerry
Congrats - hope that motor frees up - now is the time to do a complete rebuild - have radiator cleaned out - consider Aerostar coil springs to lower a bit - electric windshield wiper motor - add seat belts- your list to do and expenses will grow quickly - have fun Sent from my SM-G930V using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Between your local NAPA and Rock Auto, you can find most everything for the engine. Shoebox Central in OKC is a real good source for all kinds of things and they have an informative website. Mac Van Pelt, his business and his website, are a must to get familiar with.
Rewiring is probably necessary, even it it's all there, due to age. But you need to decide more than just 12 volts. If it's a simple build, EZ or Rebel. If you're going to add a bunch of accessories, maybe Ron Francis or American Auto wire. If you want to use old style wire and harnesses, Centec makes a nice panel with screw terminal connectors. There's a variety of simple fuse panels available for not a lot of money that are terminals only, no wire. Remember you'll have to deal with the gauges, heater motor, etc. on a conversion.
I would not worry about wiring the car now until I had a definite engine choice. The engine choice has a bearing on what wiring system to use. Six volts is a good option for the 8bA "V8", 7HA "I6" and even some early V8s "Early Y blocks and Cadillacs...ect ect... Without seeing the car, it could be a Business Coupe. One seat is all they had. In the back they had a floor panel instead of a back seat. Of course they were coupes. Below is my Custom Coupe. Untitled by Travis Brown, on Flickr This is a Tudor Sedan... The Sedan has a longer roof line, shorter trunk line, a rear window that rolls down and a small quarter window. The Business Coupes tended to be plain and the rear windows were fixed. The Club Coupes like I have a back seat and the rear windows would swing out. If it's a Business Coupe, it never had a back seat. The window is no big deal. For one piece, I would just order a replacement from a supplier. Local shops can cut automotive flat glass but those resources are going away. It's not like it was 10 years ago. You really need to have that car inside or in some type of shelter. No shelter on concrete or pavement is better than on the ground. A tarp? In Florida, you might as well pour gas on it and flick a match. It does not take long to ruin a car under a tarp in the humid South, it will always stay damp. Best case is a garage. If it has to sit in the weather...remove the floormats and carpet so it can dry. The car sounds real solid. The hood and fender dents may can be worked out....You have to really evaluate it the overall condition. You may better off having those panels worked while on the car. It depends on the damage and the overall condition. I have been fortunate that my shoeboxes were in great condition. I have not had to remove the front sheet metal. I can tell you from what I know about them, it's a chore. With that said it's a car; really more so, and it will come apart. There is actually some benefits for staying 6V. Front Suspension....I would not worry about that until I had the car running and driving. Get a shop Manual. This has the checks and the Specs... Brakes....Even a roller needs good brakes, especially a functioning emergency brake. To get a functioning E brake means having functioning brakes so this would be my first project on the actual car itself. (The engine can be done in the shop or...hunted for.) The folks below off replacement steel lines and rear Ebrake cables if you need them. They also offer fuel lines. 1951 Ford Special Super Manual Drum Brake Line Kit 5pc, OE Steel – Inline Tube Plan on new shoes and new wheel cylinders. I had planned on rebuilding my original 1951 wheel cylinders but only one was suitable. I would order all my shoes, hoses and wheel cylinders from Shoebox Central. They have the hardware too. I had a local shop turn my drums. Hopefully your drums are in good enough shape to be turned. I had to replace the bearings and races in my front hubs. I bought them from C and G Ford. It was all good quality Timken stuff. If your races are in good shape all you have to do is get the bearings. Rebuilding the brakes is a tough dirty job. I like doing one big job at a time. Waking up the flathead is a topic all it's own. If you want a flathead, finding a running engine may be the best option. It depends on how the engine in it now is locked up and the block condition. If you commit to a flathead powered car, it's not a bad idea having a spare. Maybe it's a good idea to find a running 8BA flathead and keep yours as a good builder.
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