55 Ford Fairlane update and idea?

Okay,
The car is coming along. It is now driving and slowly getting tuned to the point it is actually regularly driveable. I have the feeling it has not been on the road for a bit.

Here are some shots of where it stands currently. I am looking to get some inspiration. My wife loved Kevin's coupe from the HAMB BBQ (KA Kustoms) and wants to do a two tone with that green, and an off white. Green and white tuck and roll and lowered. The ass is already down, and the front will drop as soon as I clear the space in my garage to do the job. I am still looking for ideas on moulding, etc.

I have the original mouldings at the bottm of the windows and for the top of the rear fenders. I do not have the side mouldings, but I am still looking.

send me some ideas. Any input greatly appreciated.

 

My idea - I think that the headlight doors (eye brows) are too too much. I think you should take them off and send to me Otherwise, the car looks good. I hope you still have the Y Block.

 

Looking good so far.

 

I am going to paint it primer black after scrubbing the surface rust off, for the time being until I can find a new passenger fender and someone to do the paint and body locally. Starlite in Torrance is booked solid, and Ocean Drive body in hermosa Beach said they are booked for a year.

If any of you know somebody in So Cal, The only other guy I know is in Chico CA and I really dont want to drag it 9 hours north if I don't have to.

-Spence

 

I still have the Y Block and It runs STRONG. I put a new Holly on it and the only issue seems to be a slight stumble when i hit the gas that I cannot tune out of it.

Once It starts moving it keeps pulling, and I let out way before the engine wants to. Unlike some of my other cars, I dont have a spare built engine for this lying around the garage.
-S

 

Take a look at butt reynolds 56 chevy for ideas. I think your car would work out well in similar fashion. Lowered, metallic paint and flames or scallops. Maybe the body in pearl white and scallops in deep ruby or red garnet metalflake. Or if you do the interior in green and white then maybe scallops in emerald green metalflake.

You have the start of something good here.

My folks had a 55 Ranch Wagon in medium blue. It had a 6 and 3 on the tree. Great car.

Check the 55 FoMoCo color chips. There are some great solid pigment colors offered. There is a sort of Rose-Tan that looks great on post coupes. A neighbor of mine has one still in that original color and was using it as an everyday driver for years. It jumps right out at you because there isn't anything else like it on the road.

 

If you just threw a carb on there it might be what they call a load-a-matic distributor...and if have to match the carb that came off of it...Was it a 2bbl or 4bbl carb....That can be causing your off idle stumble timing might be an issue because that carb and distributor work hand and hand....Just an idea i could be wrong.......And here is my 55 ford for some ideas.....







Hope this gives you some ideas......

 

love it dude..one of my all time favorite cars..

 

I love your vicky.... thanks for the input...

it was an old 4 barrel holley that I replaced with a Holley 600 that i had in a box for my dodge. I am tempararely running it for now. What would be a good solution. Are their any good electronic ignition solutions for the y block?

-S

 

Personally I always liked the look of a fender to fender tube grille in those.

 

You need a '57-'64 dual advance (vacuum and mechanical) distributor. They're still available through NAPA. With this distributor, a Pertronix electronic conversion is super simple, too.

 

Okay update as of Monday March 13th.
My 72 chevy C20 is now out of the garage with a new cam, valves, carb, and HEI. She is purring like a lion, so I now have room to do some real work on the 55.
Based on the advice above I ordered and received a newer Y block dual advance distributor, and I ordered and am still waiting on a pertronix to replace my old load-o-matic.

I plan on degreasing the front suspension, pulling it apart and bolting on some newer and safer pieces. I have included some phots of the new goodies.

I do need to replace all the power steering lines and rebuild the ram. it seems that the bulk of the leaks are power steering related. (ANY IDEAS FOR GOOD SUPPLIERS?)

The brake kit looks great and I will try to tackle it this weekend if I can get away from the little one and my wife for some car time.

By this time next week the car will be sitting level for the first time in years.

-Sobastrace

 

I would consider a tube grille, possibly "frenching" the head lights, louvers for sure, metallic paint for sure, & full length lake pipes. Smitty's mufflers. That's a sweet 55! Good Luck in whatever you decide! ( Did I forget a tri-power for that Y-block? )

 

I was unsure of how the lights would look frenched if I keep the headlight doors. I have seen these welded into the front fenders, and that is a great look. I am still trying to get some ideas. I am leaning towards a 54 chevy grille with 11 teeth, but I have not seen many of these with tube grilles so I have to still think that thru.
-S

 

At the GNRS (I think) last year there was a 56 Ford Crown Vic with a 58 T-Bird grille/bumper. Looked pretty sweet. Got a pic on my home computer that I'll post if someone else doesn't beat me to it.

 

ANy ideas are greatly appreciated. I want to get this looking good ASAP, so I can get back to working on my dodge P'up.

-S

 

I had the 54 chevy grille...I am in the process of installing a 55 plymouth grille instead, I think the chevy grille is used to much.....So i went with something different...Do a search you will see plymouth grille's in some nice custom's.....

 

Find the side trim from a '55 victoria (2 dr hd/tp) It will be similar if not the same as what you have, real classy on a '55, and will make a good split for your 2 tone.

 

I suggest using 56 pontiac side trim to give you a different two tone look.......

 

Send me your email and I'll shoot you a pic of my 56.

 

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AMEN to that! I am driving 3 hours into PA Saturday just for a motor....just to get home to take the intake/dizzy out of so I too can rid myself of the Holley/Toadomatic. Its like 1 of 7 Lincoln Ys out there with the wide 4bbl intake on Earth lol...so Im drivin for it!

Car looks good, I see what you mean about the Chev grille, but it did fit nicely in the shell tho for sure! Its in Ohio as we speak![/QUOTE]


Wait till you see the plymouth grille in ...i'll post pictures when done....I think it flows better then the chevy grille....

 

I cant wait to see some shots of your car with the plymouth grile installed.

I finished sanding the roof to bare metal and got a coat of primer and enamel on there while I am working on the rest of the car. I also managed to find mouldings for the front two fenders, so I am getting closer.

-Sobastrace

 

Sure i cant wait either...LOL i will post them for you maybe if you like it i have an extra 55 plymouth grille im not using...maybe you can take off my hands after you see what mine looks like.....

 

How about this, keep the stock grill, extend it & lose the parking lights? Sorry bout the hack job (done in paint) but you get the idea.

 

Damn, I like that. So clean. So smooth.

 

The car has been moved into a spot in the garage and the real work is starting. I am cleaning her up and hopefully fixing the front suspension, steering and brakes.

The stripping is a dirty, messy, boring job, but it is coming along. The front end is another story. It does not want to come apart. I have been working on it for the last two days and I have made very little headway.

I am going to keep on it. I resoaked the bolt with penetrating oil for another day before attacking it again.

-Sobastrace

 

here are some detail shots of the front end.

This are the before shots, I hope to show some after shots in the next few days.

 

...

 

The grilles look great. I was playing around today with a 54 desoto grille that I have lying around, but the plymouth grille sure looks like it belongs. I know that I am going to remove the front turn signal bulls and replace with the signals built into the head lights. That will allow me some freedom with the grille.

-Sobastrace