1955 Ford Mainline Makeover

GREAT job on the '55. I like the green top best but it's your car, be sure to do it YOUR way, either green or white is good. Keep the progress pics coming.

re: trim clips, I asked about some window fuzzies yesterday for my '56 Ford project - and THANKS to all who responded! But this link below (sent to me by LowFat48, thanks) has a lot of trim clips, weatherstripping, and small, hard to find bits & pieces. You might want to check it out, I found several items besides just the catwhiskers for my Vicky:

http://www.restorationspecialties.com/

 

gonna keep an eye on this one. great job so far!

 

Busy week:

- First prime coat blocked out. Lots of small touch up's on body work are now done. Car is now primed again waiting for wet sanding today and tomorrow. I will be in the paint booth on Sunday laying it down!

Blocking is really boring for pictures but it's the thing makes the biggest difference in prep. If this were a show car. I'd probably prime and block it 3 to 4 times.










Also finished the inside of the deck lid. Originally I wasn't planning on doing any jams on the car, but I just couldn't leave it alone. It was pretty rough to begin with so i had to do it.



Look what arrived in the mail today. New tires and brakes go on next week!

 

Yesterday morning I decided I need to go ahead spray the jams in the engine compartment. The sides were pretty rough. The passenger fender had been replaced in the 60's and the work was less than ideal. I did the sides of the hood, the inner fender lip and the hinge areas.











I also had to seal up the seams of the roof cap. 55 year old seam sealer had given up.







After that, I blocked out about 50% of the car for round two. Not bad for a 12 hour work day. Today I finished the blocking, wet sanded the whole thing, went over it all for sand scratches and prepped the headlight doors. I'll be in the booth tomorrow.

 

What did you use for seam sealer? looks like my '54 will need that done too.

 

3m seam sealer - fits in a caulking gun.


Need to get some radial tires today. Any suggestions on replacing the 6.7 x 15 originals? 205/75/15 is the equivalent I think????

 

Man, I read every post and looked at every photo on this thread. Beautiful work. Can't wait to see it finished. I used to have a '55 Customline and I wish I'd had the time and money to do it this nicely. Keep posting updates!

 

Your mom thinks my white walls are sexy - even if they are fakes!

 

Sealed - white base - green and clear tomorrow.

 

I found some on Ebay. The guy posted on here and said he had them there. I put them on myself and they came out pretty good. Did new foam on the front seat.

 

Glad to see someone else is running the 223 with the original parts, including the Holley with the clear float bowl! If you need any parts for that thing let me know, a fellow Hamber gave me a box of parts and would love to keep it going! Great looking car!

 

What is that color?? I really like it!!

 

58 Darlene - I like the simplicity and the looks of the 223! It screms 1955 to me.

chad - It is "Snowshoe White" A 55 ford color.

 

And what is the turquoise??

 

Seasprite Green

http://www.tcpglobal.com/aclchip.aspx?image=1955-ford-pg01.jpg

 

Looks like you decided on white for the roof.

Car looks good bud! I love '55-56 Fords, but I never could get over the two-tone cars having headlight buckets being one color. One of those things I would obsess over on my own car, lol! Keep up the good work. You may eventually want real whitewalls, as portowalls tend to flop around like crazy when you drive. Look good parked though!

 

Yah I decided that white roof had the more vintage 50's feel and that is would make more sense to my dad that way. The white walls are purely economics. I did fakes and new tires for what two new real ww's would cost. Maybe someday....

Any tips for getting them to lay down against the tire better? Over inflate the tire???

 

Not really. Even with high pressure, radials bulge at the bottom, and over time the portowall cycling over that bulge will eventually make it floppy. I re-read my post and I think I sound negative. I don't mean to man, I really dig that little Ford sedan! It's going to be spectacular in those colors and with that trim. There is a fella near me that has a bunch of '55 Fords, a convert, a hardtop, a sedan, and a wagon.

 

No worries - I didn't read it as neg. I appreciate the input and kind words!

 

Nice, straight six wouldn't have been my first thought but the car is all original so its all good

 

Paint is finished! Two tone is a pain in the wazoo! I will bring it home tomorrow morning and park it until next week. The fam and I are leaving town for a weekend vacation trip. When I get back it will be time for some color sanding and buffing and final assembly.

It looks pretty lame without the trim - and the lights make it look more blue than it is in person - but here's the paint:

 

Looks good! My suggestion: Buff it right away. If you wait a week the clear will be hard as F***! Making it harder to buff, thus it will take more work and time.

 

That looks DAMN NICE!
This is a great thread...
I can't wait to see it all together..it's gonna look slick!

 

Holy hell you work fast!! Its beautiful!

 

WOW, your hard work is paying off, that 55 looks great. Love that color combo.

 

Can't wait to see this one finished. I'll be sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for you to present it to our mom and dad. Be sure to document the ocassion with lots of pictures and let us in on the event to if you don't mind.

Frank

 

Thanks everyone!

I'll be out of town until Monday night. Tuesday it is. I will certainly be letting everyone in on how the reveal with my dad goes - I can hardly wait!!

 

Great car, greater thread--thanks for sharing Bill!
Wonder if your grandpa's lookin' down, shakin' his head, saying "why's that boy wasting all that money and time on fancy two-tone paint and chrome trim?" At least you bought portawalls and not tires....

Figured out the trim attachment yet? Thought about using windshield urethane?

 

Man, this car is beautiful. You're doing a superb job, I can't wait to see it finished

 

Do tell.....