Just got thru with an inspection of the 55 after the 790 mile trip, found a pinhole in the crossmember, tapped it with a hammer, it went thru.......sooooo, the car is done for the season. Any hot tips on where to get a new one and I once saw an article on changing it using angle iron and j-rods to hold the suspension in place, can't find it now. Any info will be very useful. Thanx, Gary 

       

Gary, 55 Vicky, St. Germain, Wisconsin

 

Goodell Fabrications

11986 South 267th East Ave.

Coweta,OK.,74429

918-636-7071

fbeene@cox.net

This guy builds these X-members for 55/56 Fords.They are a good product.I've used a couple of them the last few years and am very satisfied withe the quality and fit.

 

Paul,

Boonville,MO

Before you install a replacement check a few body shops.I was going to replace mine for the same reason but the shop where I dealt with had an "old time" body man who had repaired them in the past and redid mine.Turned out fine as far as I am concerned.Was I wrong to "repair" it?

  

they fill full of rust and crap which holds the dampness.the last one i had i cut it open and cleaned it out and patched it up.good for years.

I am sure you know WHY they rusted out.Ford failed to have at least one drain hole drilled to drain it.

  

Scabbing something over them is fine as long as it limited to the bottom of the cross member. However, if its gotten into the hole for the lower control arm bolt, you might as well buy one from Goodall. I have seen 55 and 56 that wouldn't stay on the road and it turned out they had a half an inch wiggle room in the bolt hole. And its not that easy to detect because the coil springs put pressure on the bolts. I used to cage the springs and wiggle the bolts before attempting an alignment. Before the Goodall repops, I even went so far as to cut a piece out of a low mileage wreck and weld it in. I just recently saw my old jig with the correct bolt hole spacing.

Kenneth

Fredricksburg, Texas

The Goodell Fabriations crosmember is so well made it is a no-brainer. Save yourself the grief and bite the bullet. You won't regret it. I am not a body man and I did it real easy.

Regards

Rick - West Australia
Do Y Blocks Downunder run upside down? Gravity Sucks!!

If anyone wants a look at the replacement crossmember go to Ebay item # 150464053787.

  

I thought of attempting a fix, but no matter where I check it, it's very thin, not much to weld onto. I hate for the driving season to be over so soon, but the engine was coming out anyway for a stick swap so with any luck before the cold weather sets in everything will be all done. Gary

       

Gary, 55 Vicky, St. Germain, Wisconsin