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By flathead_jr - 14 Years Ago
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Just found a pretty straight, rust free 1954 Customline for sale in my area, I first heard about the car a year or 2 ago, but nothing was for sale then. However things are up for sale now, interesting how things change. Two things that concern me, no title, I can remedy this problem, the other is that it went through the Teton flood in my area 35 years ago, was in the same spot before, and hasn't moved in 35 years. I could probably get it for $500 bucks. I have many engines and transmissions to choose from so that not a concern. Oh, and it is a Tudor!
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By lovefordgalaxie - 14 Years Ago
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Well, if the car was in the flood, there are signs you can spot, even 35 years later. For the price, I assume the car is in need of a total restoration. Unless the car has serious rust issues, I would buy it, to save another one. Those cars are not getting any younger, and if you can save one from being scraped, or worse, having a sbc installed, I say go for it.
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By PF Arcand - 14 Years Ago
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I'm with Tulio, unless it's badly rusted up to the door handles! Even if it's realistically not reasonable to restore it, there may be many good parts that can be salvaged. There's people at the Crown Vic Assoc. that will be interested in it, or parts. Also there is a 54 Ford club that advertises in Y-block Magazine...
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By flathead_jr - 14 Years Ago
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Well when I was there and looked at it, there seems to be very little rust in the car, it's starting to a little bit in the front fenders, but the quarters seem very solid, which is far more important. I have seen where's there's a heavy layer over the floor boards,this seems to perfectly preserve the floors in these things. I'm not concerned about the engine, I have another engine just sitting around, the gears do a little, but I have plenty of transmissions as well. I think I am going to go out and offer the money on Monday, and on the weekend I'll go help the guy get it out. It's been sitting where it's been sitting probably since the sixties. And tudors are getting harder to find!
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By flathead_jr - 14 Years Ago
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I'll find out tomorrow morning, but looks like I may have this deal sealed tomorrow. If it closes for me could be interesting getting this car out. I will literally have to be surgically removed from it's spot that it has been resting in since the 60's. Gonna try and post a pic of this!
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By flathead_jr - 14 Years Ago
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Oh and here's the photo!
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By Daniel Jessup - 14 Years Ago
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It's worth $500 if it's worth a dollar, but I would say that you should be prepared to find more rot than what you originally think. That car looks a little bit "buried" from the photos...was there any way that you could get up underneath of it at all?
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By Fairlane62 - 14 Years Ago
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Yes, I would check the lower frame rails and front crossmember for rust out. But like you said, 2 doors are getting harder to find. James
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By PF Arcand - 14 Years Ago
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Your location hasn't been indicated, but if the climate there tends to be wet, I'd to be concerned with the bottom of the car. The high grass in the photo is not good news. Wet grass tends to promote corrosion..
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By flathead_jr - 14 Years Ago
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Well I have the car in captivity, and it's not as bad as I thought it was. The car is pretty straight all away around it, except we damaged one fender while trying to move it. The front cross member was rotted out, the first on I have had like this, but I have 2 parts frames that I can use, so I am not to broken about it. I just need to get some tires under the car that actually hold air. I live in southeast Idaho so the climate is actually pretty dry. I live in an area that they basically call a cold desert. We do get lots of snow though. The car was basically sitting on the ground, but the ground actually came up to the car. I think is was worth e 500 bucks!
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By 54mainlinetim - 14 Years Ago
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i paid $500 for just the body no front fenders to swap on my fordor running driving frame. so if you get a whole car minus the engine and tranny i say you made out. the front crossmember is rusted out on almost every 52-56 ford you come by and will need to be replaced. mine did...if your gonna part it out i might be interested in the front fenders, and people on the 52-56 social group here on the HAMB http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/group.php?groupid=332 may be intrested in parts and also the guys at the 54fordclub http://1954ford.com/forum/index.php?sid=76a027318b70d7c39afff41a89c8a366
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By flathead_jr - 14 Years Ago
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Yeah I'm not planning on parting out this car as I have acquired quite a few extra parts over the years, as this car has been sitting for around 50 years it's quite untouched. Just to bad it went through a flood 35 years ago. Most of the car is pretty solid still, and I have another complete drive train to replace the stuck, and rusted on that's in it. First on I have had with the front cross member rusted out too. So bad the right A arm dropped out had to chain it back up in place, good thing I have a couple extras. But now that I have this car rolling, and most of the flood mud removed from the car it's not that bad, front floor needs work, not a problem for me as I build drivers not garage queens. To understand better what flood this car went through look up Teton Dam flood 1976, Idaho, this car was not to far away from the break site, it just happened to be in a high spot so it didn't wash away.
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