Daniel,



Looks like a great project...I had to google Silverhill to find it, and I have lived in Alabama all my life!



looking forward to seeing the progress!!



-reed

Reed Patridge
Birmingham, Al
1936 Ford Pickup, Flathead powered cruiser
Model A Roadster, 292" Y-Block "project" vehicle

Looks like someone is in for a lots of fun.  Good luck and keep the pictures coming.  Gerry

Lake Forest California  5th inf 77 Armor Div. VN 68/69

If you put your town and state in your signature

help might be closer than you think.

I know a "little" about the cars.  Certainly no expert, just enough to be dangerous.

If the channel you are looking for is the metal u-channel that attaches to the bottom of the door glass, your best bet is to get repros.  I just found out mine were really rotted out.  Tee-bird prods has them for about $35 ea.  P/N: B21458-C for right side and B21459C for Left side... They are really pretty nicely made parts; nice heavy guage metal.  How do I know?  I just got mine from them friday!  However, they do not come with the corner bracket to attach the bottom channel to the "L" shaped trim.  For new parts, the guys at tee-bird products have always been spectacular to deal with.  Huge catalog, and VERY helpful.  For used parts, Ive dealt primarily with Bob Burgess in Bellbrook, OH.  Both advertise in hemmings and fomoco times; let me know if you need their contact info.  Also, be aware that there are a few odds n ends that are interchangeable between some t-birds and full size fords, but they dont always show up as listed compatible.  for example, the instrument jewels (rings/lenses for turn signal indicators) is the same on the 56 as it is on the 55 or 57 t-bird.(not sure which one.)... takes some sleuthing to figure out.  Another example is that the t-birds used a polished stainless cap for some of the pivot pins on the convt top (at least they are sold new from suppliers). I used those to cover the pin heads on my top frame for the pivots that were riveted in place.  I also used some of the smaller diameter pins to replace 2 that were missing on my top frame... i had to JB Weld in the groove and dremel a smaller groove for the e-clip, but it was the only option i had.... sorry i digress....T-birds catalog has good diagrams, as do the service manuals, etc.  Im mentioning all of this assuming you havent found these resources.... apologize if this is redundant.

As for the interor parts, on the 56's, the rear side panels are made up of 2 parts.  There is the lower portion that goes to the door opening and has an itegral arm rest, and an upper portion that is about where your shoulder/forearm would be if you sat in the rear seat.  Does that make sense?  If those are the parts, they are both metal, and the lower one in particular are prone to rot.  Also, if you dont have them, the lower mounting brackets for where the power top cyls mount are getting to be really hard to find....start searching now if you dont have them in your parts bin.

Hope this helps.  Let me know if you have any questions or need any pics, etc.  Ours is a 56, but they are more similar than different!  And good luck!!

Ron Grove

Wauconda, IL

Oh, and oone other thing.  Those front fenders (at least drivers side) is from a 56.  If you can get to a 55 fender, take a large sheet of paper and trace the holes for the mounting of the front stainless.  And dry-fit prior to painting.  I had to stencil my fenders (they were from a 55), and i didnt check prior to painitng (i know, i know) and my stainless is about 1/8" high at the door.  Drives me bonkers every time i look at it.  Same for front fender Y-8 emblems  Also, there are (at least on 56's) brackets on the front of the fenders that the grille mounts to.  Probably different for a 55 due to different grille design, but would be worth looking in a parts book to confirm. 

Ron Grove

Wauconda, IL

Daniel, congratulations on your new project, looks like a great start and will be a great car completed, my 56 sunliner was from CA and looked worse than your pics after being a pile of parts on 4 wheels but many years later and great satisfaction i have a  nice 50,s classic. If you use later transmissions with short extension housings, the front uni joint is further forward and the tail shaft may hang on that center cross member when jacked up, i have allways just trimmed the edges for more clearance. A nice xmas present. Regards Aussie Bill.

  AussieBill            YYYY    Forever Y Block     YYYY

 Down Under, Australia

Aussiebill,I've never seen a 56 Ford that I didn't love,but I believe yours is the most spectacular one I've ever seen!Just beautiful!

 

Paul,

Boonville,MO

Also, in the interior parts, i just found this...

http://fairlanecompanymi.com/ShoppingCart/RCatalog.asp

Ive never used them, but might be worth looking at if yours are trashed.

Ron Grove

Wauconda, IL

Daniel,

       thanks for letting me know on the trailor, we sure had a lot more problems out her in Vegas when trying to use/rent one. There must be different sizes and I probably had some inexperianced people that I was trying to rent from.

                                                       Michael

Michael

Sandy Valley, NV

Fellas,

I am down in NC this week visiting all of my family for Christmas and New Years, showing off photos of the 55 sunliner. My uncle charles has a 56 - he is a little jealous. He told me that he started with something a whole lot rougher and had to pay a little more (almost 20 years ago!). He gave some good info too, but unfortunately Charles is so old he has forgotten half of what he already knew. He also had 2 or 3 Y blocks sitting in his shed with the 56. One of the blocks had a double 2 barrel setup for the Y??? Never have seen that one before. Should have asked him about it, but we were so busy going over Sunliner information.

He did have a super straight, super clean door (drivers side, from a 56), and only wanted $200 for it. No glass, but the regulator and door mechanism are there. He has forgotten how different the 55 and 56 doors are. I told him I assumed that only the holes for the exterior stainless trim are different. The door had NO rust in the bottom end, and no dents anywhere!

Then my other uncle Franklin has a 55 4 door parts (272, 2 barrel) car he wants to sell me....for $300! It has a 3 speed and is mostly complete, but still missing that hood I am looking for. I will need most of the dash and the heater parts.

So...I am coming back when the ground freezes over down here in Mt Airy, picking up that parts car and getting that door. I showed Charles and Franklin the Y block magazine and some of the other materials, told them about the new heads about to come out, etc. Both of them are about in their 80's, don't know much about computers, and have forgotten quite a bit. But Charles said to me, "Well, sounds like the rest of the world has finally caught on to what we always knew - the Y block motor was one of the best engines Ford ever made!" (Then he picked up his claw hammer banjo and strummed a little...)

Christmas is still here

Dan

Daniel Jessup

Lancaster, California

aka "The Hot Rod Reverend"
check out the 1955 Ford Fairlane build at www.hotrodreverend.com

I would double check on the door. I know that the vent window assemblies are different between the 55 and 56 convt. One of them has a longer front mounting arm (among other differences). Ford used to make a bracket/fitting that allowed you to interchange the vent windows, but those are long gone. I cant imagine that they would have changed the stamping between years - the mounting holes, etc. might still be on the 56 door, but not sure? Someone who knows much more than I can chime in for sure.



Also, I think the interior arm rests attached differently between the years. Not sure if there would be the same provisions, etc for that or if you would have to graft or rig something up?



Sounds like some great resources and parts though! Im really jealous - I need another project!

Ron Grove

Wauconda, IL