We caught a sickness from Tripper

[donsrods]

Didn't realize you could catch stuff through a computer screen, but some of Trippers "car collecting disease" rubbed off on us! Yesterday my Son Don found a '49 Ford Fordor on Craigslist and it was only about 10 miles from home. He knew Dan wanted a flathead for the '30 sedan he is going to build once his '29 rpu is done, so last night we got a new member of the family.

Original plan was to pull the engine and save some parts to sell on Ebay, but after we spent about 6 hours scrubbing the old girl up she turns out to be very solid with mostly only surface rust. So now the plan looks like Dan is going to airbag it, slip in a crate 350 maybe with automatic and a/c, paint it suede, and turn it into a car he can drive almost daily.

We climbed over and under it and the frame and running gear is really solid, the car was stored for years. Last Lousiana inspection sticker reads 1966. For now we are going to push it into a corner of the shop until his rpu is done, then we can get started on it.

Here are some pictures after we washed it up last night.

Don

 

[Tripper]

For now we are going to push it into a corner of the shop until his rpu is done, then we can get started on it.

Don,
Nice car!!! Yep... this is how it all starts but don't blame me... I think you guys already have more than 1 car apiece!!! ; - >

BoB <----- problems resisting old tin!

 

[donsrods]

Bob, please turn your head the next time you cough. Yeah, we are as sick as the rest of us, can't keep focused on just one car at a time. Just when we were starting to get some room in the shop too.

Oh well, if it wasn't for cars we would probably be doing stupid stuff, like paying bills and eating regularly.

Don

 

[hotrodron]

Congratulations. Nice find. Looks pretty solid. With you guys doin the build, I can't wait to see how it turns out.

 

[cycledog]

Don,
At least you are on the right track. The first step to curing an illness is admitting you have one.

 

[Bonehead]

Take two carbs and call me in the morning....

Great find, you guys were saying there was no tin down there.... 10 miles from home?

 

[donsrods]

Yep, we were amazed too that it was so close. Usually when we see something like this is is in Montana, or Utah or someplace like that. No idea where this one has been hiding, wish it could talk!

Don

 

[22dodge]

Very Nice !!!

Great find there Don, looking forward to seeing this one progress...

So, I guess your "anti virus" program wasn't updated for protection against the "auto illness" '22

 

[Gastrick]

Good deal Don. How does Dan plan to dress the flatty?

 

[Tripper]

1/2 way house!!!

Just when we were starting to get some room in the shop too.

That car *knew* u were suckers & a space had opened up @ u're halfway house... cars are very sneaky like that!!! ; - >

 

[bob w]

A very nice score! Please find one 10 miles from my house (for me).
Bob

 

[donsrods]

Thanks guys. Gastrick, he is going to try to use the flathead for the '30 sedan that is sitting in our loft, if it proves to be a good block. Just the usual dress up, couple of carbs, aluminum heads, headers, etc. He is planning a crate 350 for this '49. I am trying to talk him into an adapter plate and using the '49 tranny. It is an overdrive unit and that would be great on the highway.

We saw lots of guys coming back on the interstate from Billetproof with shoebox Fords and Chevys, and we commented how nice it would be to have a car with some room to actually haul stuff with you. I think that is what is turning Dan on the most with this one. I just hope he doesn't go his usual route and start chopping it and turning it into a two door. He was already showing me "how easy it is to move the door jam back and make the doors longer" and he was reading our How to chop tops book, so I think I see the handwriting on the wall.

Don

 

[rustywrench]

one thing is for certain, in your and your sons hands it'll be one cool car someday. it couldnt have found better hands to end up in. keep us posted don. pete.

 

[Bob the Ferret]

I'm glad I didn't catch that disease .........wait...... what are those 4 cars in my driveway ? Eeeeeeek !!!!

 

[donsrods]

I bet there aren't many people on here who have just one project. Darned things are like potato chips.

I think we scored a good flathead in the '49 and I am really happy for Dan. While he was tearing out the interior tonight I tore the engine apart. I took the intake and heads off and surprisingly things looked very good inside. The rings were stuck so the engine was froze for all those years of sitting so I heated the pistons up a little with a torch then soaked them in Marvel Mystery Oil for a while. Finally a long breaker bar on the crank snout got it to moving and after liberal doses of more oil it now spins over like a new engine. Valves and all work up and down. Obviously I can't tell if it is going to exhibit any of the sometime problems flatheads have, like hairline cracks, but I have a good feeling about this engine. It has never been apart I don't think, and aside from being greasy looks pretty good.

Here is a picture of what he thinks he wants to do to it. Being that he only has $ 500 in the car and it is a not so desirable fordor, it makes sense to cut this one up. He has a line on a pair of tudor doors, so that will make the conversion to a tudor much easier. Hope we don't start having so much fun on this one that we shelve his rpu project.

Don

 

[Willowbilly3]

Why can't you drive it with a flathead in it? Or why not a 302 Ford?
I make no attempt to hide my distaste for 350 Chevy engines in Fords, sorry.

 

[donsrods]

I know what you mean...........I really hate to look at some car like a '50 Merc and see a sbc sitting where an Olds or Cad should be. But I understand why people do it, Chevys are compact, easy to swap, run great, run strong, cheap to build, and parts are available new and used everywhere.

Dan and I just talked about that tonight, and he wants this particular car to be one he can jump in and drive cross country if need be. Power brakes, power steering, A/C, cruise control, etc. The one engine that meets those needs is a sbc. Yeah, a sbf would do it too, but the length and front sump pan create some issues. Even with a rear sump pan like a Bronco, it still has some depth due to the front mounted oil pump.

I sheepishly respond when someone asks what engine is in my T......."just a 350 Chevy." It is the first one I have used in over 30 years, but I have to say I have learned to really respect it. It starts right up, has good power, just keeps ticking along mile after mile, and gets fantastic gas milage. It was also about 1/2 the cost to build as my usual sbf or Olds engines.

So because of those reasons it looks like a crate 350 will be getting the nod on this car too. But I am still a Ford and Olds lover deep down.

Don

 

[Willowbilly3]

Oh, I've owned them, one of my all time favorite cars was a 59 belair with a 283. Now there's a COOL sbc for sure. Don't ask me why there is a difference, just is. I guess if you are going to all the work to build a rod and then use a 350 because it was "easy" doesn't really make sense. Sorry I got off on this but you might want to remember if you ever plan to sell it that half the guys who love old Fords think the same way.

 

[Perx Motorsports]

you guys build some awesome cars. keep us posted for sure.

 

[BruceR&C]

Nice score, Don. I don't think y'all needed to catch the car sickness from Tripper. Sounds like Dan has a good plan for it. I'm sure it'll turn out real good seeing as whose hands it's in.