History 1956 Ford Thunderbird find, eventually buy, and get most of way home!!

My dang computer is acting up!!
I had this great thread almost complete and magically I somehow lost it!! Pictures and all!! Dang!
I'm gonna start again but I'm gonna post to the thread every so often so won't lose whole works again.

 

Hey, I didn't lose one of the pictures... it showed up with first post.
Thank you, computer gods!

 

Back to the beginning of the story... again!!

My son-in-law drills and services wells for businesses and homeowners. While working on a lady's well she asked him if he knew anybody that liked old cars and might be interested in buying one? Son-in-law said his father-in-law liked old cars and had a few. He asked what kind of car? She said 1956 Ford Thunderbird. Son-in-laws's ears perked up big time!! He immediately calls me and sent the picture posted above.

 

Patiently waiting for the rest of the story.

 

We agreed to go see it the following weekend. A third fellow went with us saying he would buy it if we didn't.
We got the car running and drove it around some and it ran pretty well but was smoking some. I took the owner for a ride in the car; I believe her first ride in a very long time, and the odometer rolled over 70,000 miles while she was in the car and made her very happy!

 

We agreed on a price that included a new pump and other well related service.

 

There was a snag.
She couldn't find the title.
We told her she could get a duplicate title by going online to VA dmv. We told her we'd be back with cash as soon as she got the new title. I gave her ONE DOLLAR to seal the deal. (She wouldn't take any more but it is a part for the good story.)

 

Two days later she calls and says found title and we could come get it.
I hated to tell her that the original title was no longer any good the moment she filed online for a duplicate title. She said the online process told her it might take 15 days! The third guy with us when we went to see it told us he knew of recent cases where it was only a week so I told her that and soothed her worries somewhat.

 

She got the duplicate title in the mail late Saturday and told me about it VERY late Saturday.
She said she was working Sunday until 4 pm. I told her we already had big plans for Mother's Day but we would be there to get it after she got off... if we could get a hall pass from our ladies!!

 

The car had new tires and seemed to run well so we decided to try to drive it home... that's what real car guys do... right?
We managed to make our ladies happy and get their full permission to go get the car so we set off in my suburban with both sons-in-law. I was extremely happy as he was gonna get the car!

 

We got there, paid the lady in cash and patiently waited for her to count it... she said not necessary but I insisted and helped her with the process. The money had already been counted several times and I had a bank to wrap(band?) it in chunks but I didn't want any doubt in the future about just how much cash she got for the car.

 

Opportunities?

 

I thought I was going to do this drive deal recently too for the same reasons...right before a water pump on a nailhead went out a couple days before the trip that I found out can't be sourced locally...curious how this turned out.

 

There goes two happy sons-in-law!


Here we are... just before things went south!!

 

We made a left after we had been driving just fine for about 30 minutes and it died at the next light... 100 yards up the road!
We pushed it onto a side street and began to look for the problem. I planned ahead and had my tool bag and a tow rope in the suburban. That's the good news. The bad news we couldn't get it to start at all even thought we had gas and fire to the plugs.

 

I guessed something in electrical circuit failed after it got too hot... we caught two stoplights very close together after driving highway speeds for 30 minutes.
The good news is the son-in-law getting the car had a buddy litterally two or three doors from where we broke down. He came to help and jumped the battery but made no difference. We also tried pulling the car to start it but no dice.
We pulled car around block and left it in buddy's yard; covered up.

 

I was afraid you were going to mention a crash or fire or something, so the story still seems positive so far.

 

I had to get blood drawn early this morning; driving by the Thunderbird on the way.
Coming back, I stopped to try it and sure enough it started right up!
I locked the suburban and took off for home as only another 20 minutes or so to home.

 

As I was feeling really good and rolling along going up a pretty steep bridge a few minutes later... don't get ahead of the story!

 

The suspense is killing me.

 

Yep, it died completely with no notice!
The car immediately started slowing down but I thought I had a good chance of cresting the bridge and could coast down the other side. I called my daughter and she said she would come get me at the bottom of the bridge but it would be a few minutes.
Back to the slower and slower rolling car... traffic started backing up as I continued to roll to a crawl.
But, I crested the bridge and started to gain speed; making the traffic backup very happy.
A little over half way down, I put it in second and turned the key back on, and popped the clutch.
Dang thing took off!!
I wound it up going down hill and up the next slight grade as I knew there was a service station just ahead.

 

Bad coil?

 

I got to the station and packed it with new high test gas. (And yes, we filled it with high test as soon as we left the lady's house with the car the day before.) I'm apparently better at packing the tank than my son-in-law as I put almost 5 gallons in it and it had only gone 30 miles.
The bad news is it would not restart nor make any attempt to fire; even with starting fluid.

A fellow rodder happened to stop for gas and he has a 55 Tbird. How's that for rare coincidence?
Son-in-law was in the area and stopped by by the time my daughter had taken me to retrieve the suburban and get back. We still couldn't get it to fire so pushed into parking spot and locked it up.
Station guy said fine to leave there all day.
A Uhaul trailer is reserved and we will try again to get it the rest of the way home this evening.
Cross your fingers.

 

This is sounding like my last ride in my Corvair that ended with a tow from my 16 year old with a tow strap.

Looks good sitting still.

 

Holding my breath! Come on!

 

Normally I would go try a new coil but today is day HVAC folks are replacing the AC coil in the new system I just purchased that has failed!! When he finishes I'm going for a coil and maybe try just that before son-in-law gets finishes work and can get the trailer.
Opportunities!!
I'll keep ya posted... if my dang computer will let me!!

 

Closer picture... but still not running!
I'm trying to cut down on eye strain for you guys.

 

Looks really nice.

 

Good story, Nice car.

 

Pretty Bird.