There is another solution for the carpet problem if you want to do a lot of fabricating. There is a previous post here on what I did to my '57 with a toploader. I fabricated an adapter plate to move the hurst shifter back and to the left so it was centered in the original shifter hole directly below the hole in the factory chorme plate. Cut the Hurst handle off and welded the original Bird shift handle to it at the same height and angle of the original. Have the original handle with the Hurst and 4 speed under it. Had to lengthen the shift rods. Was a trick to get the bottom of the shifter to clear the frame but it does. Carpet will fit as per original.

Update for 6.2.12



As I posted over in my electrical thread I started, electrical is done, safe and legal! Whew, took me 7 hours but it's ready to roll.



Today we're replacing the pressure plate with a NOS unit we snagged off E-Bay. First however, it is time to tackle replacing the rear seal. . Dad seems to think 4hrs at the most as he did this in 1963 when he got the car. Him and his Dad did this in the driveway, engine in car obviously. Soooooooooo, we shall see. Hoping it isn't an entire day's project. Wife and I are gonna roll under there and start making our way to the rear seal this morning. Once that's buttoned up the clutch set up goes back together, trans back on bellhousing and get that bolted back together. MAY get the exhaust installed while we're under there but hedging on that idea. Forgot how TINY the factory exhaust was. Kinda thinking about taking our new pipes we got from Larry's up to the exhaust shop and having them duplicate in larger diameter. We shall see.



Meanwhile, got our truck load of parts from Larry's the other week. Box was big enough I could have been shipped in it! . Got carpet and weatherstrip, some various emblems, hardtop weatherstrip kit, etc. etc. Carpet is nice but afraid the shifter location isn't gonna work with our 4 speed. Not sure how to get around that fact, might have to send back and find something else. I've seen carpet on E-Bay that is offered with or without the shift hole in the carpet. Ugh, swear I am going to be on Xanax before this project is done .



Off we go. Should be going for a spin tonite. Least we got properly functioning exterior lighting now. Heehee

Glad to hear your "improvement" was a Y-block. Normally it's stick a late model Ford (or heaven forbid a scrub) motor in it. That motor & that Bird will be one fine piece !!!! Oh, & to find rotation just look at the fan blades & see which way they would have to turn to suck air through the radiator ...

Doing Fords for 45 years. '56 Customline Victoria

E.J. in Havana FL

That's well within the limitiations of a Y

Lawrenceville, GA

Interesting info on the radiator flow. We'll check it out. I kinda was wondering because it was cooling ok, water in radiator was cool........thermostat opened and water in radiator got hot. So, figured all was well.



Far as a my reference to a "more interesting engine" goes. My Dad wants to build a stroker out of our 292 we have. I kinda wanna do a 347 Stroker or dream engine would be a 406 Ford. Either way, it's gonna get more ponies and noise



Exhaust, I ordered up the 4 tail pipe pieces from Larry's. Car has new headpipes and "mufflers" on it. The mufflers are actually resonators off a 421 Pontiac. Sound pretty nice, not too annoying, not to cheesy. They currently exit under the car like it did when it had the 421 Pontiac in it. I think it'll sound pretty good with full exhaust. Amazing this little weenie motor sounds pretty stout.



Well, far as the clutch issue. We're really leaning towards a bum throw out bearing of which was new. One of my theories is the pressure plate went "home" once it got some heat in it and everything changed. I extended the clutch rod with adding a lugnut as a spacer behind it late Saturday nite. Wife pushing clutch in/out I could spin the clutch disc when disengaged, and it was engaging solid. Dunno, trans has to come out and I am not looking forward to it. It's quite the acrobatic feat.

Like someone said before, I'd take it to a custom muffler shop for the exhaust. What do you mean you are going to put "a more interesting motor in it"? Nice paint for being stored that long.

Doing Fords for 45 years. '56 Customline Victoria

E.J. in Havana FL

Red55Bird you ask why you can't see water flow in your radiator. Some of these rads have a baffle plate which isolates the top of the rad header tank from the bottom with a small hole in the centre to allow water to flow through to fill the cooling system. If you car rad has this baffle you will probably not see water flowing. With the cap off if you stick your finger in the rad you should see or feel this baffle. Don't do this with the water hot.

Regards


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

Thanks for the pictures.  By all means keep ‘em coming.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Ok, finally sat down and got some pics uploaded to my server. Nothing special and nothing too very recent. Car looks a tad different now, expecially with some fresh BFG Radial T/A's stuffed under it. I need to get a pic of it once we get the emblems installed and fresh new red center hubcaps. Tire/wheel combo turned out nice, took me awhile to decide. After LOTS of measuring and sleepless nites I decided. It's got 15x5 wheels up front, 15x6's out back. Front tires are 215/70-15 BFG T/A's and rears are 235/70-15 BFG T/A's. Thought we might have to lower the front a bit but the ride height is perfect. Rear will have to be dropped about .500 to .750 with some alum blocks I'll make. Not gonna be a low rider but the very top of the tires will juuuuuuuuust be up in the fenders. Front tires clear fine so no worries.

Anyway, here are the pics I managed to find. The first few are from the first day since 1969 it saw daylight. . Very last picture is how the car was put together in 1964 Rest are random I guess you could say. Didn't have any engine bay pics and no interior. Did but have no clue which phone, laptop, desk top or flashdrive they ended up on Will without a doubt get pics up of it in the coming weeks at it's present stage. Onto the pics.

Two steps forward and one back is normal. When it's one forward and three back that's depressing!

Frank/Rebop

Bristol, In ( by Elkhart)