Customs My barn find! 1950 Ford sees first daylight since 1968.

in case we are keeping count i vote for orginal. great lookin car man. have fun.

 

Incredible find!

 

what a rad story and a cool car. looks good. cant wait to see where you go with this

 

Great story and a nice car! I like your plans for it.

 

No kidding. That thing is great just like it is...

Congrats!

 

Great find, wow what great condition. All the hard work is done and no nasty surprises.

 

I'd be tempted to leave it too. It has the style of the future. Score!

 

very nice. Great find.

 

Super awesome! What are you doing with the paint?

 

X2.

Kinda reminds me of jivin jer being taken to task for cutting up his beautiful shoebox to create the Jr. Conway clone. Who's complaining now?

 

Exactly! A hopped up flattie with Wide Whites all around would be sweet. Keep the Patina, will be a show winner that way!!

 

Man what a score - your got mother lobe there - but please do her real justice, and take your time with her - like you said "this one will go to the grave with you".

 

Well, so far I have gotten only so far with this flathead...I am going to pop a head off. I am almost able to turn it all the way over and get it going, but something is blocking it. There was just some rust in the cylinders, but one may have more than the others. Now, I am almost POSITIVE it's the passenger side 3rd cyl, and here's where we gamble....I found one random brand new head gasket in the parts stash. I got a 50/50 shot here! I heard that Tractor Supply sells new batteries, 6v. After looking over the wiring quickly, I am thinking for now keep the car 6v.

Also...again...I appreciate the "don't cut up a survivor" keep it original mumbo jumbo, but later in this thread when I start digging into this car you will see how rotted the car really is. One door is sagging only slightly, but that's only because of how well preserved it was. There is practically no inner rocker left and the outer has been gone for some time. The rot on the front fender is blown out up past the trim. I assure you, I can't color sand and buff this car back, there is a LOT of rot. Doors are solid, and everything is there and operating, so I really don't care about the rot. That's just a minor bump in the road. Afterall...I'm from NJ here....I wouldn't know what to do without starting a project and not cutting off heaps of rot!

 

Get the sawsall out and have at 'er

 

SCHWEEEET ......find.
This is what behind the barn looks like .
B.B.

 

looks pretty decent there dood good luck

 

A guy walks into a parts store...stop me if you've heard this one...

But seriously, so I go to Autozone to return the loaned curse maker, labeled as an inner tie rod puller but actually does nothing but suck. As a favor I fixed some suspension and steering issues in my kid's favorite teacher's car, and no good deed goes unpunished! Anywho...

On the way out I axe the guy if he has any 6v batteries, surprisingly he says yes they stock them, and actually one is in the "used" section. How does an Autozone have a used section of batteries? So I ask how, and he says usually they are just past their shelf date, and that one just went out there that morning. So, I have a 50 Ford that looks to have great wiring as it sat indoors, and a halfprice battery. Lezzduit!

So, as you know, I had one stubborn cylinder left. I had been oiling that cyl and was going to take it apart one night this week. So, I chuck the battery in, no sparks. Sweet. Turn on the lights, they all work. Blower? Works. All different settings work, as each kicked dust out of various locations. Defrost blew some dust on the windshield, heat toward the floor. Cigarette lighter worked. Turn signals, no, and radio no (yes, I waited for the tubes to warm up), and only hi horn worked. Headlights work hi and lo beam, with corresponding light working on the dash.

So, I turned the motor by hand and it felt like it was SO close to giving way. I turned it all the way back (using hand on fan and belt) back to the other side of the dead spot. Got in and hit the starter button. Turned over and in the bad spot slowed every so much, not really noticible really, and spit a little dust out that cylinder. Then turned over multiple times smooth as silk. She's ready for the next level.

The ammeter works, as does oil pressure gauge. Fuel sender is probably crusty and displaying what it was put away with. Temp I have no idea but we will find out.

Next step, points and condensor, pop off the carb and soak/blow it out, and drop the tank to do the same. If I have any time this weekend who knows, it may just be driven around the yard.

 

Sounds like a promising start!

 

Keep it original? Wait... what site am I logged onto?

Not to mention, there aren't many cars more boring than a stock '49-51 Ford.

Great story. Keep us posted man.

 

There are plenty of stock/restored shoeboxs out there - so have at it - this is from a guy that restored 3 cars and had no fun with them because they were boring!! The last one of the 3 I turned a 180 and modified it - not only had a blast doing it, but also after it was done - go for it. Nothing wrong with staying 6 volt - I have - I like the head lights showing a nice warm like glow - LOL - put a spot light bulb in the center like I did, and you'll find your way home ok. Have a blast.

 

Lucky!

 

One of these days, I'll be the one posting a thread just like this.. Until then, feel my envy.

Great score!

 

Nice find. I am looking forward to seeing how this one turns out.

 

Really Cool............

 

Sure glad you kept your head and wound the engine back, then spun it with the starter..
That little dust poof was probably a piece of hard carbon from the combustion chamber, resting on top of #3 slug.

That's a nice find, all right. The presence of cancer is just karma's way of levelling out the otherwise Gold Strike.
Can't wait for the start up: Blue/gray smoke, (look like it's never gonna quit!) then...
Clear! (as soon as the oil/ATF gets dispatched from the exhaust)

My low mileage '54 Ford Coupe was like that: I used to see the car driven by the original owner, we both lived in Aptos (8 mi. south of Santa Cruz)
20 years later, my son saw a newspaper ad in San Jose, turned out it was the same car. It had been 'flipped' thru 4 buyers/sellers, still had the original pink slip.
Hadn't run in years, bought it and took it home on the trailer. Started right up with a 6 volt battery and a 'prime'. Smoked for 3 minutes, then ran clean and quiet. 239 Y-block.

 

Sounds promising that you'll have it up and running in no time.

 

Wow that thing is in GREAT shape

 

Boy, all these folks with the save it and don't cut it up...I thought this was a hot rod and custom site. No way man, you gotta build it to your plans, you just gotta. This isn't some 1 of none numbers matching 67 Vette big block....it's a 50 Ford seeedan.....these things were made for cutting up. Do it man, do it! Can't wait to see this one start heading the right direction. Great score!

 

Looking forward to more updates. As everyone has said, it's your money, your car, your call as to what you do with it. In my opinion, no shoebox chop has ever looked good. Nose it, deck it, lower it, paint it and drive it. My 2 centavos.

 

I'd cut it. Sometimes i forget to take the before pictures before i start changing stuff.