Projects Just picked up a family project

I have a '52 Customline 2 door sedan, you can see the longer roof well in this picture. I actually like the club coupe roofline better, like what you have.

I run those Moog Aerostar coil springs (with shorter shocks) and blocks in the rear, it's easy and cheap and it rides real nice. For a couple hundred bucks, it's well worth doing. I bet if you did it and drove it for a while, it'd be plenty satisfying without having to notch frames or put any kind of elaborate custom suspension in.

I like the car and I like the story that goes along with it. And for what it's worth, I think the price was still a bargain, even without the family history.

 

Very nice Sir.Great family history.Keep as is,and drive the wheels off.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

 

Looks like a great car, I dig the color. Enjoy!

 

Okay all the fuel system parts will be here by the weekend. I should have time to drop the tank after work.
I've been looking through old pictures and different makes and models and I really like the look of cars with more steel wheel exposed with a contrasting color. Maybe trim rings or the small center covers. I don't know how traditional that is or the colors I had in mind. My powder coater liked the idea of a heavy flake rose color when I brought it up to him.
53 was the first year of playboy so the pink wheels would go with a really really really mild theme of that. My wife does stained glass art and she makes these little play boy mirror hangers. Probably do something like that. As far as center caps go I can't really decide they all look cool so that's up in the air.
I plan on pulling the round cap from the grill and probably the upright parts from the bumper also. I think it'll look pretty clean.

 

The bumper guards unbolt easily and all you really have to do is add in one finished head bumper bolt in the hole where the old stud was. Sometimes the guards will have rubbed against the bumpers and left a shadow line where they touched but it's easy and easily reversible.

The center bullet, though, covers where the two halves of the grille overlap and has a flat spot with a bolt going through it right in the center. If you've seen cars in pictures that have no center bullet, they have a special cover piece bolted on in place of the bullet, one that was an accessory part available in the 50's but no longer produced. If you can find one, they're great, but they are not common, and the grille will look awkward with just the bullet unbolted.

 

I'll have to look again. And take a closer look. I'm sure it's something I could make . I appreciate this input.

 

I've collected some wheel pictures that I like.


Here is the color I like. Suttle pink capped with the wheel trim I think will look nice with the brown

 

Some old pictures from when her grandpa had the car.

 

Man, can’t beat all that family history and pics. Thanks for sharing them. Reminds me that I need to hit up the family that bought my 56 new and owned it until I got it. My co-worker that was the nephew of the original owner was supposed to be finding old family pics with the car as well.

 

You might try the photoshop thread. Post a picture of the car and ask if they can change the wheel color, hub caps etc. Give you a chance to try on options before making a hard commitment.

Pink wheels wouldn't be my choice...but it's your car and choices.

 

I've done a few photoshoot at home in my PC. It's really difficult to replicate the heavy flake color. I wasn't fond on the pink either so I totally get it. Seeing the swatch in person though makes a difference. We have 3 swatches pulled. But I'm involving the kid in those decisions. First things first though is getting it roadworthy. I'll post pics to ight after I pull the tank. Can't wait to see what's inside

 

You own a club coupe. It has a smaller cabin and a triangulnar quarter window. I have owned both a club coupe and a "sedan" coupe (tudor sedan) and much prefer the proportions of the club coupe. Excellent car, loved mine and often wished I kept it.

 

I like the way the car sits and looks now! And the pinkish wheels should go great with the brown. Although I really liked the gold wheels on this brown wagon a HAMBer was selling a while back.

 

Oh yeah that yellow looks great. The other color we have pulled is a blonde flake. "Disco lemon drop" thanks for the picture. I LOVE wagons.

 

Me and the kid pulled the gas tank tonight. Lots of surprises were found back there.
First of all, the gas tank isn't in great shape. I'm not sure I can save it so I'm going to see what it is going to take to find a replacement. The only idea I have to get the rust out is to fill it with nuts and bolts and slosh it around and clean it out. As far as the sending unit, I've got a new one that will be here Friday.



Well next up I found something extra special back there! A 6v electric pump! And I tested it and it works. Either I'm not getting power to the pump or the lines are plugged. That's the next step.
I'm going to have to do some research about leaving the mechanical pump in place with an electric pump installed. I'm assuming it was done to keep the old-school look. Maybe just remove the push rod.


Now I find all these odd looking wires that run to .....to the shocks?! Yes it has air shocks. I don't know anything about air shocks like this so I'll have to research them. This explains partially why it's so low in the back. Now idk if there was leafs taken out and the air shocks were used to level it or what is going on back there. Check out the shrader valves in the trunk.

 

My guess is that's a small air line.

 

Yeah they are definitely air lines. I was trying to joke around..

 

What a score!!! Love it!! Welcome the HAMB!!!

 

This is the look I'd go for with your car for wheels, tires, and stance. The wheel edge would be orange.

 

You might compare your gas tank with the Mustang replacement tank. A lot of guys use them in various replacement applications, and they are inexpensive. Hope it works out for you.

 

You might try these guys for the tank
TANKS Inc. gas tanks for street rods, muscle cars, custom cars and trucks

 

I now see that TANKS INC. skips '52-'54, for some reason..maybe a phone call to them?

 

I found some other places like that are the same way. This happens in every project I get I swear lol.

 

Solid tip, I'll check it out.

 

That's a cool ride. I don't really get the orange wheels though. Especially with the brown. I feel like it will start to look like it belongs at the bottom of a river lol

 

Tanks are available. My '53 has a new tank. The PO installed it so I don't know where it came from. But I have his contact info and I can find out if needed.

The '52-'59 social group crew will probably know who sells them.

 

I did find one online, but it was like 450 dollars. I don't know why it's so much money haha. Basically every other tank I've found is between 150-250 bucks.

 

Pulled the carb and fuel pump tonight. As expected there was no push rod under the pump. I plan to just plate of the fuel pump hole and go straight to the carb. I have a non return fuel pressure regulator on the way as well.



Also I'm trying something new...mostly because I'm desperate but maybe it'll be a good learning experience. All the years I've been playing around with old junk I've seen guy use electrolysis to pull rist from gas tanks and all sorts of stuff. Well I'm going for it on this tank and see what happens. I degreased it and threw a fused setup together. After the first hour it seems like it's working.

 

I've never tried electrolysis, but I have use vinegar and citric acid with great results. So scope your tank after your procedure, and if you're not happy, you might consider vinegar or citric. Please post your results. Thanks.
Good luck!