Projects The Adventure of a Boy and His Edsel

Lookin' good! A drop can make any car look better.

 

Here is a “before” pic for comparison even for myself. This is where it started as far as stance. Right now, it has the Moog CC851 springs and 2” blocks in the rear which brought both the front and rear down 2” total. May need to drop the rear just a little more once we get the exhaust rerouted to get it to quit hitting the axle.

 

Hope you won't mind... here's a better comparison of "before and after".
I flipped one image just so they were the same.

 

Oops, a little quick on the post button.

 

Perfect! Thanks! That is much better than what I had.

 

My 59 rides about the same on the rear as yours without lowering blocks , the springs still have a curve and stiffen up
the front rides high so end so with tail dragging look
I have new short coils for the front , not sure what they were for but heavy coils same O/D as stock and same length as Aero Star , hopefully should level out stance when fitted , I have Monroe air ride shocks also on rear to stiffen ride

As a matter of choice on the wheel trims I prefer full caps as opposed to centre caps and 58 + spinners as opposed to stock 59 , I found a set of 58 caps over here in the UK that had been drilled for spinners so was thinking on how to fill the holes when i came across little polished rockets that fit in with the 50s Atomic theme

 

Much improved with a 2" drop.

 

Very kool! My son was also talking about possibly adding some air shocks to the rear to stiffen up the ride some. I figure he will definitely need to if we add another inch or so to how much it is lowered in the rear. I also suspect the front will still settle some making the need for more lowering in the rear a must to keep at least a slight taildragger stance.

Caps look good on your car and great thinking on filling the holes. I still think full caps is on my sons list (although the list is pretty fluid it seems). He has also been debating chrome OE style wheels or possibly supremes and narrow whitewalls. I figure he could use what he has and we can just paint the wheels and run full caps at least for a while until the tires are worn out. He is quickly learning that making a car payment to the grandparents on this takes away from his spending money to transform it to his vision of "kool".

 

Air shocks are a good solution to adjusting ride height when you've got a backseat full of people that put you on the bumpstops.

 

@Sancho I just noticed your flipping of the image fixed the rear quarter damage behind the wheel well. It also put the “E” back on Edsel (sort of since I suppose is is now a “Lesde”?).

If only I could fix it that easy.

 

I also tow a travel trailer so at the moment have to blow up the shocks to the max , also going to try replacing a couple of the rear leaves with heavier truck ones so can keep low but firmer ride all round

 

Pinners and Supremes sound good to me. Tell him that guy he never met in Missouri approves of this choice!

 

The original style spinners are easy to make out of polished aluminum. They are screwed together and screwed to the wheel covers. I used red thread locker and they have not moved in years.

DSCN5455web by bedwards posted Apr 22, 2020 at 8:21 PM

DSCN5453 by bedwards posted Apr 22, 2020 at 8:21 PM

DSCN5451 by bedwards posted Apr 22, 2020 at 8:21 PM

DSCN5465web by bedwards posted Apr 22, 2020 at 8:21 PM

DSCN5472 by bedwards posted Apr 22, 2020 at 8:21 PM

 

One other thing. I think he has the automatic and they have a propensity to jump into reverse from park when running. I'd sure teach him to watch for that.

 

Went to get the car aligned this evening and we decided we better go ahead and replace the lower ball joints and lower control arm bushings. Just a little too far gone to not go ahead and put new in... Good thing Silas gets paid in a couple days.

 

For reference, after polling some of the fellow HAMBers in the 52-59 Ford social group, I ended up ordering a kit from a-resto-parts including upper and lower ball joints, all the control arm bushings, tie rod ends and sleeves, stabilizer bar bushings and links, etc., so will report back on how that goes. Ended up costing about half of one of Silas’s bi-weekly paychecks. He was thrilled.

 

Colby is fixing to learn that very thing. Mom and Dad financed the Apache. He is financing his next project 100%. He will learn to appreciate the value of a dollar.

 

Sorry I must have been asleep. The new stance is just too kool. It will settle some. Its best to wait and see how much lower it will go. The Edsel looks like a mile long.....

 

That attitude adjustment makes all the difference.

 

Well, when I am letting Silas drive my normal junk daily while we are waiting on these suspension parts, I tend to check status of the order more regularly than I should. Anyway, was hoping they might be here so we could get them installed this weekend but the status still shows “awaiting fulfillment”...

Another reason I would like them to show up soon is that it appears I will have my first grandson early next week. So, that will likely keep us out of the shop for a bit.

I suppose I just need to be thankful to drive my 56 daily while the weather is decent right now.

 

Keep us posted on your deliveries, both of them.

 

So by the end of the week the little nose-picker should be ready to join Gramps and Uncle Silas in the shop, right?

 

And, don’t forget Uncle Samuel! But, seems reasonable to me. This kid doesn’t have a chance to not like this stuff with a grandpa, great grandpa, grandpas brother, and two uncles into it. We will be trying to ruin him from the beginning.

 

Just found this thread, the car looks great with the new stance.

 

Looks good Jeff

 

Hey Smith Boys, the more I see it, the more I LIKE IT. Love this thread....

 

Thanks guys!

Oh, and since we ended up all mushy about the new grandson...took a pic a few minutes ago at the hospital after my daughter got a Covid test prior to being admitted this coming Sunday evening.

May be the only pic of her pregnant to be honest.

 

You going to take her to the hospital in the '56?
It might make it an 'Okie Ce dan Delivery' for the day...
I know, don't give up the day job...just happy for you grandpa

 

Looks like the suspension parts will arrive tomorrow according to the USPS tracking. Grandson arrived early this morning.

 

Congratulations!!