The odometer reads 30k miles...with the types of cars I deal with this ALWAYS means 130k.  I asked my grandpa and he thinks it is really 30k miles...but he is an optimistic guy and I don't trust his memory too much.

According to my grandpa, he bought the car used from a couple old ladies for my aunt to use in college she drove it back in forth to college "a couple times a year" and around her college town.  Then my uncle drove it in highschool for a couple years before getting a different car for college.

The engine is caked in oil sludge and is all brown, the car is Rusty (but it was driven in Wisconsin).

What are the "signs" I should look for to make an estimated guess on the miles...other things in the car to look at?  Or would it be impossible to even guess.

The floor matts I don't think are original, not much in the car is anymore.  My uncle drove this thing in high school so he did all kinds of things like install a tape deck and speakers, shag carpet on the floor, dash, and rear decklid.  The front and back seats both are covered and I haven't had a chance to take the covers off.  I'm going to go over tonight and do some more exploring.

I can't figure out how to get the glovebox open yet..the button is under the shag carpet, when I pushed it nothing happened.  Couldn't figure out how to open it...maybe it is locked?

It sounds like it had problems from sitting out in the sun.  Apparently the dash had a soft plastic cover (dash pad?) but it desintegrated in the sun and my uncle just put carpet over the melted dash pad, I thought I was just going to rip the carpet off and see a nice shiney metal dash...but instead I grabbed a corner of the carpet and tried to peel it back and barely could, it seems a black layer of gooey nastiness is adhereing the carpet to the dash

Any suggestions for getting that off?

This is a manual brake car, and the brake pedal pad is indestinguishable from the other two pads, they look like new, no wear, deep clean even traction grooves in the rubber.  All four doors are tight as a can be, no sag and align and shut easily.

I was able to get the carpet off the dash, I can tell it had a padded dash becuase the ash tray doesn't shut flush with the metal dash, is sticks out about 1/4 inch+ so it would've been flush with the padding.  But it would be easy to sand off the remaining goo from the dash and give a quick shot of some paint to make it passable.

The seat are completely shot, I pulled the seat covers and the fabric was dry rotted and falling apart and the foam is showing through.

The rust is the bad part...I think there is enough rust in the car to eliminate the idea of a full restore..for now I'm thinking more of a "rat-rod" like driver...keep the rust..adds character.  Get it mechanically sound with tight brakes, get the engine purring like a kitten, re-do the seats, and just enjoy the super strong character and uniqueness of the car.

The frame is solid, but a lot of the body bracing where the body mounts are located is rotted away towards the outside of the car, the floors have some "see-through" windows, just little bit in the corners by the kicker panel by the drivers left foot and front passengers right foot.  Floors feel solid otherwise from inside, not soft or anything...but would need considerable work if I wanted to repair them.

I'll try to get some pics up here soon...I'm recently married which puts a crimp in my style..I now have to be careful how much time I spend over at the garage...have to be home for dinner.

The speaker cover was painted, but my dash doesn't appear to be painted..or maybe it was, but my uncle accidentally removed some of the paint when getting rid of the dash pad.  He used some type of adhesive to glue the carpet to the dash, but it doesn't appear to be too bad..I can pull the stuck carpet pad pieces off with my fingers leaving little behind.

The worst part is the seats...they are like dust machines..the foam had desintigrated and if you touch the seat particles of dry-rotted fabric and foam lanuch into the air like an earosol can.  I wonder what is the cheapest way to cover the seats if I rip all the original stuff off.  the hardware holding the seats down is rusted tight to the car...so removing the seast might be a challenge..but nothing is impossible with an angle grinder.

Yes, that is rusted pretty good..I can actually stick my finger into one of the holes and pull out rusted material.  I need to get my welder fixed so I can attack these things! 

The crossmember on my '56 was rusted out and found the place in Ok, its Goodell Fabrications

in Coweta, Ok, 918,486-6498. Fit perfect, $299. He has them for 55 & 56 Fords and Mercs. I

did mine in July so the price should still be good. Ask for Gary, he is very nice to deal with and

even called me back to make sure everything fit and that I was happy with it. Good Luck with

your project and new wife.

Mike

I agree, but I need an excuse to not go broke at this point in my life...I figure if I get it running and driving, then as life goes on I can do more when I have the time and money..(I know..you never have extra time or money).

I'm really afraid if I dig in too far now, I risk have a long interruption (18 years roughly) while the car is in peices and the car ends up a loss or have to sell becuase I lose my storage, and I lose pieces, etc. I feel if I keep it together and can drive it, then it will be easier to keep with me.

Maybe rat rod is the wrong term..I won't have a chain steering wheel and seats made from welded together lawn chairs...by rat rod I basically meant leave the body work alone for now, just get the mechanicals and interior in comfortable reliable shape.

Yours is prettier than mine! And I think mine is beautiful!