The Rodding Roundtable
Motorhead Message Central => Rodder's Roundtable => Topic started by: enjenjo on April 27, 2021, 10:19:15 PM
I bought a car today. More pictures when I get it home
I know! I know! It's a Ford!
Looks good so far.
1954 ford
WAAAAAaaaaaa :0-0
Quote from: "Digger"1954 ford
Digger, is there something that makes you say 54 and not 53?
Has it been wedge chopped or is it just the angle of the pic?
Quote from: "58 Yeoman"Quote from: "Digger"1954 ford
Digger, is there something that makes you say 54 and not 53?
nope--My bad, I think they share the same body.
Was gonna ask if it was chopped as well . Neat project
Quote from: "kb426"Has it been wedge chopped or is it just the angle of the pic?
It's been chopped but the wedge effect is just the angle of the picture. That is the picture that set the hook. No idea who did the chop, but it is a very nice job. It is a 54, there are a lot of little pieces missing, but fortunately I have most of them from a car I stripped many years ago. All the unobtanium parts are there.
It's on a GM A body chassis. It looks to be a pretty nice job.
Ultimate plan???
Quote from: "Digger"Quote from: "58 Yeoman"Quote from: "Digger"1954 ford
Digger, is there something that makes you say 54 and not 53?
nope--My bad, I think they share the same body.
I didn't know for sure; sometimes there is one little thing that sets off one year from another. I didn't like the 70-71 Monte Carlo, but I did like the 72 because they put a vertical turn signal between the headlight and grille.
Nice project Frank. One more member of the wagon club. :)
Quote from: "kb426"Ultimate plan???
Custom. I haven't had one for nearly 30 years. About time for another one. I have a low miles 305 TPI motor and a 700R4 that will drop in there nice. Bucket seats and a console. Air, cruise, tilt, big brakes. Maybe 16" wheels
Looks like a great start, should be nice! I saw a woodie version of one of those today in northern Michigan on the way home from the U.P., in a junkyard!
I took some pictures today. Overall I am happy with what I got. The chop on the left side is further along than on the right, but measuring things it's even and square on both sides. I've fixed worse. The only part that was not chopped was the rear liftgate, that I can handle, but the glass may be a problem, unless it's laminated. The roof looks like it was stretched about 4"
The frame appears to be a 70 to 72 GM A body frame judging by the brakes. 10 bolt rear. The person that mounted the body on this frame transferred at least some of the body mounts the GM body to the Ford body and did a pretty nice job. They also transferred the GM column mount and brake box into this body.
Are you going to have a work week end? I've been vaccinated and I'll wear a mask. GPster
looks like a solid starting point. What color of flake are you going to use ? :lol:
Quote from: "chimp koose"looks like a solid starting point. What color of flake are you going to use ? :lol:
Well, the last wagon I had was painted metalflake silver from the beltline up. :)
That ought to make a nifty and unique rod wagon. 8)
Nice!
I got to look it over a bit today, and get it off the trailer. It does have a GM A body floor pan, but it is rusty and badly installed. So it should be no problem putting a good one in it. I found a few parts I didn't know about, the brake pedal assembly, and the stainless headlight door liners.
Well it appears that frame is a bit newer than I thought. It has a GM 7.5 rear end in it, and it looks unmolested, so it might be a mod-80s A body frame. And so far the only body mounts I can find are the front ones. I'll have to get it up on some stands to do more investigating.
Well...... let's see what you have done so far.
The pictures you posted as a teaser did not make it in the updated forum so Vickie thinks this is like Georges wagon. :lol: :lol:
Quote from: 416Ford on September 29, 2021, 08:10:29 AM
Well...... let's see what you have done so far.
The pictures you posted as a teaser did not make it in the updated forum so Vickie thinks this is like Georges wagon. :lol: :lol:
I'll see about posting the pictures again, but beyond that outside of gathering parts, nothing has happened.
here are the pictures that were lost. I have picked up a LQ9 for the engine, I am still looking for a 4L80 to go behind it. The only one I have found at a reasonable price has a broken Bellhousing, non removable. And they don't make a super bell to fit it. But I understand you can adapt a T400 super bell by making a spacer but I have to look into that further. I picked up a Fox Mustang rear axle for $150 with aftermarket 31 spline axles, a Detroit locker, and 4.10 gears. Even if it was a shorter Explorer rear end I would still need to be shortened to fit with the wheels I want to use, 16" by 9" 1986 Mitsubishi Starion with matching 16" by 7" wheels in the front. I want to powdercoat them satin black. I have picked a tentative color It's a 20 Buick metallic copper.
I picked up a 54 Ford Courier rear door at a decent price out of Texas. I'll use that just to be different. I am looking for 55 or 56 Mercury upper quarters for an idea I have. Think Tucker. I'm still thinking of Ideas for the front end, nothing has come up yet that I like.
You have a vivid imagination. :) I don't think you'll need those quarter tops.
How about you build your own chassis and use C4 vette on the front. Run 4 2x4 runners from the front stub to the rear axle mounting points. 2 outboard and 2 inboard. or at least 2x3 for the inboard. Is using the Jag front end you mentioned the other day an option?
It's like you have been inside my head. You even have the wheels right. That is scary for both of us. :shock: The only change I envision is raising the rear wheel openings 2 to 3".
I have a chassis I built some years back setting here. It has a rear steer Nova subframe incorporated in the front and no rear suspension at this point. It's made from 3 by 4 by 120 tubing with the rails 38" apart, and a kick up at the rear. It was intended to have a 114" wheelbase but it can use a 115" wheel base with little to no modification. it's set up for air bags.
The Jag front end is 61" wide wheel to wheel, I'll have to check backspacing to see if it will work out. I know the rear end is too wide.
How about Nomad wheel wells on the Ford? You and I can barter for these, they are new.
I was going to say something about... Look out, Nomads and Handymen! :wink:
It was plain to see you have put some thought in. You laid it all out in a single mouthful and I just did the searches then plugged and played. Aaalmost raised the lips for ya, that was obvious once shading started but I didn't know how much. To get the qtr top ridge arch, I nosed the existing feature down in front a smidge to flow with the rear and support the Tucker style Mustangy scoop thing. I believe I reverse engineered the vision of chop man... the qtr feature front edge aligns with the new rear angle of the door window frame. Thats cool. 8) It was worth extrapolating, to see what you see. I'm impressed. Chop guy would grin big at that sketch, whatcha wanna bet? :D
I vote for nomad wheel wells. :)
Quote from: kb426 on November 05, 2021, 01:00:59 PM
I vote for nomad wheel wells. :)
I vote against. On the grounds of clash with front wheel openings. :)
If I were to do anything like that it would be a modified 54 front wheel opening. Enough to see the wheel, but not all the tire.
I like it. That's a car that'll stand out in a crowd.
I just looked at Nomad wheel lips. Oh. Three kinds probably available. I am betting 55 Nomads are the ones mentioned. The first gen Corvette-looking ones. Tall and street roddy.
What I envisioned whilst conjuring my earlier comment was the swoopy 56-7 kind. And I see the 55 Handyman has the cleaner or more mundane style depending on one's preference.
I dunno. Was going to pencil something but the water is muddier than I thought, after looking into that.
The 57 Ranch wagon fancy swoopy kind might be striking. That was the only thought I took away from the search. The fooling about with mix-match wheel openings tri-five Chevys did there is mildly bewildering but year to year style changes were a must.
What I've been most self-inclined to illustrate as practice is a milder version of the side view I already did. With no vent scoop thing and with the new expanded contour going flush at the rocker. Pulling back on the Tucker influence and just shuffling the existing character line to the top of the quarter plus raising the wheel lip as mentioned.
Just thoughts. I was showing my lack of 50s ride knowledge, nothing new about that. Curious now what manner of front end treatment is brewing in that noggin. :)
I love the whole quarter panel treatment, you hit it the first shot. My only thing is the rear wheel opening. In the first place Ford didn't continue the squared off raised lip in the rear, and even back in the 50s that bothered me. I thought the Rambler American was really ugly until they opened up the rear wheel openings in 59. I don't want to see the whole tire, but I do want to see all of the wheel, and have a raised lip similar to the front. This will serve two purposes, it will correct the mistake I think Ford made, 8) and it will allow me to run a bit wider rear axle with the tires and wheels I want to use. And I won't have to install the rear tires and wheels with the tires flat, and pump them up after they are installed.
I still have not come up with a front end treatment yet. I will say that I am not a big fan of the 54 grille. If I use a stock type grille, it will likely be a modified 53. I am also a big fan of rolled pans so that may happen on both ends, and you don't have the cost of chroming bumpers.
The first real work done on the 54. I am starting with the rear axle. I want drum brakes on the rear just because. I tore down the brakes on a Ford truck and sand blasted all the parts I will be reusing. I primed and painted them using Rustoleum products. I am impressed with their Hard Hat line of paint. High solids, covers good, and dries fast.
Rear drums are way plenty and the trusty review on a good rattle black for chassis stuff is always handy. Saw a neat thread at the hokey place the other day about grille swaps for those, lots of pics. Nicely, severely tucked painted bumper chunks can serve as roll pans sometimes maybe. 54 models have headlights a guy can only do so much with as far as customizing.
Good to see this activity. :) Enjoy the project. 8)