so i brought this 56 ford ranch wagon 2 door home and after much thought i decided to bring it back to life. its in pretty sad condition but i like it and i thinks its rare enough to be saved. with that said, its gonna take a bunch of work and a considerable amount of cash so i wanted to find out what it could be worth once i got it finished. hagerty has been my classic insurance company for years and quite a few cars. when i insure a car with them, i do it for whatever dollar figure they suggest. in this case they suggested 40-50K! i thought that was hi so i wanted to do some checking. after running the vin, i got info that said the car came with a 292 but there are badges on the fenders that state thunderbird V8 which i thought was a 312. was the 292 engine the thunderbird engine that year? so the question is how rare is this bird and when i'm looking for a replacement engine and trans, (the originals are gone) what should i look for?
I'm in the process of bringing back a '54 Ranch Wagon. Had a 239 Y block with 3 on the tree and a Dana 44. Going with a 302/AOD combo with an 8" rear end out of a Maverick. Pretty much a direct bolt in. Parts for the '56 wagons are more readily available as compared to the '54. Don't know how rare they are. I see '55/'56/'57's around but not every day. As for value when its done that's really a crap shoot. What I can tell you is that when mine is done it won't be perfect, just a reliable driver but I'll have more money in it than I can ever get out of it.
@gdrummer As I recall, on 1956 Ford models equipped with the optional 312, the front fender emblem said ‘Thunderbird Special’. Edit: In post #7, @Crazy Steve corrects my erroneous recollection, so disregard the above comment. I was around as an adolescent car nut in 1956 and quite familiar with such details of most makes. However…..time has passed and with it the accuracy of my memory…. Ray
All y blocks that turn over were running fine when pulled, all came from Thunderbirds, and all are 312’s. Seriously, the only way to id a 312 is the crank or the main caps. John Mummert’s site has all the casting numbers down in the “information center” at the bottom of the page. Pretty good reference to start with. http://www.ford-y-block.com/ HRP is probably the ranch wagon expert here for restoration costs. But you can buy an awfully nice 55-56 bird for under $40K, amd a lot of nice 57’s for under $50k. (This excludes the E and F code cars). So I’d say Hagerty is high. I use them too, and the premium is based on the agreed value. On a build, I’ve started out low, and raised the coverage (with appraisals as necessary) as I went along. I wouldn’t start out there unless you can do a 3 day TV build and have it done for next week. Motor of choice. Stolen from Rono’s build.
To figure out what you have, check the data plate on the driver's side doorjamb. At the serial number, the first letter should be either a M (292-4V) or P (312-4V). The next character should be 6, the model year. There's three versions of the 2-dr wagons. Under 'body type' there will be one of three number/letter combos; 59A which was the Mainline, 59B the mid-range Customline, and 59C which was the top-of-the-line Fairlane Park Lane. The Park Lane had a bunch of unique exterior and interior trim parts which can be very hard to find if missing/damaged. This is the one that would bring big money if fully restored, the other two not so much. Transmission choices are 1 (three speed manual), 2 (overdrive), and 3 (Fordomatic). @Hnstray, both the 312 and 292 got the same fender badges, the difference was the valve cover decal. Check for rot at the front frame crossmember, they're famous for rusting out.
According to the 1956 Ford wagon brochure, the "Thunderbird Y-8" was a 292. http://oldcarbrochures.org/United S...s_Brochure/slides/1956_Ford_Wagons-10-11.html
Anyone who looks at an old car as an "investment" has been watching too many auctions on TV. Hagerty appears to watch those auctions, too, rather than the real world. What distorts "values" is that I can break out my checkbook and pay a restoration shop $150/hr to restore the same year, make and model that my meticulous and talented neighbor rebuilds in his garage. My total comes to somewhat more than $80K, his total is about $20K, NOT including any labor (it's a HOBBY, remember?). So... what's the value of the two cars? And no... unless you are a pro, running a business, I am NOT interested in paying for your (hobby) labor! If you like it, break into the kids' college fund and build it, but worrying about finished value is (IMHO) a minor consideration. YMMV
bottom line… in my 71 years and my brothers and dads and friends experience… you’re doing well if you break even in the long run. (i don’t think i’ve broken even yet…)
One warning to all you wagon guys out there; if you like driving around with the rear window open for air circulation or need it open for an oversize item, DON'T run your exhaust out under the bumper. It will suck the exhaust into the car like nobodys business and gas you out. Ford bent theirs out to exit right behind the rear tires so that the side flow of air would dissipate it better. The through-the-bumper exhaust available on the Fairlane wasn't available on the wagons for this reason.
In my earlier post I erroneously suggested the 312 Thunderbird Special had a different front fender emblem than the 292 Thunderbird. In a following post I was corrected by @Crazy Steve. However, emblem errors aside, according to the Standard Catalog of American Cars, the 1956 Ford (all models) were indeed available with the 312 Thunderbird Special Y8. The brochure linked to your post does not reflect that option, but that is not an uncommon occurrence. Brochures are often printed well in advance of actual production and are inaccurate/incomplete. Ray
What are your plans for the car? Show, drive, drag, kustom...I don't know your skill level but the Y blocks are pretty simple and will provide good power depending on what additions you add. Where are you located-as there are several Y block guru's around the country. OR if you want gobs of power you can drop in an FE big block as they are direct bolt ins with minor mods if need be. You can also use a small block in, you just have some minor mods to do. My two penny's worth, Mike
Please post some pictures? I have a 56 Park Lane that was turned into a Ranchero. I may be able to help you out with some specific parts.
Ford production numbers for the 1956 Ranch Wagon was 48,348, and 42,317 Customline Ranch Wagons, that's 90,655 total, not exactly what I would call rare, now if we were talking about a 1956 Parklane wagon with production being 15,186 and their rarity I could see the Hagerty quote, but not the Ranch Wagons. Spending all the time and money and doing it as a investment, I can't see it, build the wagon to drive and enjoy. Our '54 Ford Ranch Wagon took 7 years and more money than it will ever be worth but the value is sentimental and we built it to drive. HRP
In 56 the bird on the fender could be either engine. The original black rocker arm covers had a different sticker/decal for the 202 or 312. You really want to find the ones with this fender emblem.
I think the only reason to look at “investment “ is if you plan to sell it when done. If that’s the plan, best of luck But if you plan to invest your time and money into it and enjoy it for a period of time, get with it. Enjoying it is the pay off/ loss you might incur when you sell it. It’s much easier to spend time and money on a vehicle you want.
51504bat nailed it right on the head. No one can really tell you what the car you just drug home will be worth when you have it finished as there are far too many variables. The actual quality of the work and the fit and finish have a lot to do with it and then the selection of components. You it to a fit and finish level that our member Rockets hot garage did on this phantom it is going to be pretty valuable. That car has been taken to the Nth degree of customizing to make it look totally stock. The look on the gent in the photo's face says it all. You could pop a set of NOS 56 Hubcaps on that car and roll it into a big all Ford show and wait for the arguments to start among Ford folk as it does not look like a custom from any angle. It looks like a straight across competitor for a 56 Nomad. From there it goes all down hill value wise for cars that started out as 56 Ranch wagons. The quality of the paint and fit and finish, how the whole thing is set up chassis wise and drive train wise., The quality and to a degree design of the interior. Still today it doesn't take a lot for a vintage car to have a 40K replacement value. It may not be what you have tied up in it up or down but what it costs to go out and buy a very similar car in the same condition on the open market. I've been in two go arounds with insurance companies in the past ten years and both times they paid of on comparative value.
Very true there but I am believing that he is looking at "stated value" insurance wise. As I did with my mom's camper conversion van when it had an engine fire and was totaled by the insurance company. Pulling five adds for very similar conversion vans in the same shape (damned nice) from around the country gave it a value that the insurance co accepted and photos of the van showing it's condition in and out even with the engine fire cinched the deal.
The Park Lane was an outlier in the Ford lineup. I referred to it as a Fairlane Park Lane but that's actually incorrect; Ford didn't identify it as a Fairlane, it was a 'Park Lane'. You won't find the word 'Fairlane' anywhere on one. You will run into some 'restored' versions that have the small crest and Fairlane script on the hood as found on the cars, but that's wrong; the Park Lane used the same Ford crest as used on the Mainline and Customline wagons on the hood and tailgate. Ford did install the small 'Fairlane' style crest on the doors, but where the Fairlanes also had the script identifying the model below it (Crown, Victoria, Club sedan, etc), the Park lane moved the script to the fin area near the taillight, leaving the crest looking rather lonely. Other unique exterior parts were the stainless cladding around the door window openings/B pillar, and the lower greenhouse trim that wrapped around the car as well as the short trim pieces on the top of the 'fins'. The interior is where you'd find the most changes from the other wagons. The Park Lane used the 'cutaway' hardtop/convertible front seat, along with a similar rear seat. The rear seat was narrower than the other wagons to clear the 'Fairlane' style door panels/armrests, as well as having a unique-to-the-car chrome trim piece similar the Fairlane hardtops. It also featured full carpeting of the cargo area along with stainless skid strips. The 'standard' galvanized tailgate slides and rear window hinges were replaced with polished stainless pieces. I'll also note that 312s were fairly common in wagons from what I recall. I can only assume was because of their 'utility' nature (camping, towing a boat or trailer, etc) that many buyers opted for more power. That may explain wagon rarity a bit, as rodders looking for 312s would happily rob them out of a wagon.
hey ya'll thanks so much for all the replies. i' haven't had a chance to read them all but i wanted to respond just to say thanks and briefly say that i will post some pics and that i do realize that it is pretty much a lost cause to expect to make money on these type of projects. this level of restoration will be a challenge and i'm looking forward to the work. will post pics and reply more tomorrow, thanks
so i got this thing up on blocks and worked up the nerve to look under the car with a light and a screwdriver and i found out that i am the proud owner of a really bad car. the front crossmember is rotten as are the first 2 floor supports on both sides of the car. not really too worried about the support pieces as i have already talked myself into the floor and the new panels, all 6 and inner and outter rockers are on the was from ems so i'm ok with the supports but now that the crossmember is shot i don't know what to do so i'd like some input please. the way i see it, my options are to look for a replacement crossmember or find a car with a newer drive train, disc brakes, etc and do a front clip on it. oh by the way, never did that before. third option, sell the thing at a fraction of what i paid, (5K) and chalk it up to a costly lesson learned. i'm not too shy about the work. my skills are pretty good but i'm not sure what to do at this point. thanks
There’s been a number of discussions about replacing the front crossmember, either here or the Ford barn. Someone used to make them, but IIRC he retired. A search should give you some leads. The front suspension is pretty good on those Ford’s, and a rebuild and crossmember is way less work that the alternative (not to mention being OT here).
The front crossmember shouldn't be a deal-breaker. If you've got welding skills building one shouldn't be out of the realm of possibility. As Mike above says, these have a pretty good front suspension when in good condition. A old-time Ford mechanic told me once that Ford ended up scrapping most replacement parts for these because they never sold any; with anything close to reasonable care they didn't wear out.
The 52-59 Ford social group is here: https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/social-forums/1952-59-ford-social-group.282/ Click on tools and join the group. Here is a thread from the Ford Barn: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=278069 Here is a drawing from the Ford Barn thread.
I would bet this shoe box could NOT be bought for 40/50 thousand if you paid a shop to do the work!! Obviously a PROFESSIONAL job performed in a HAMB'ers garage ....just for fun and enjoyment. I doubt he built it with flipping in his mind. One of my favorites! 6sally6
so just to update, i have ordered all the floor pans, inner and outter rockers and floor supports from ems. i'm tracking down a new front crossmember so i'm in on this. having said that, i have some experience in replacing floors on a few cars but not rockers. i'm at a loss as to where to start. any info or links to good instructions would be great. i have been watching countless videos on youtube and such, but all is helpful! thanks again
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