1955 Ranch Wagon Cruiser

[zpi28]

Nice work on the dent. I have a couple pieces on my Buick that will need to be worked on. Thank you for posting the tools used and what grit paper to use.
[cl

 

[DJ3100]

SWEEEEEET!!!!! I'm feeling a little paint envious.
Really nice job on the bumper. Carry on.

Thanks Pops. The bumper really perked up my attitude. Finally something that is completed!

Nice work on the dent. I have a couple pieces on my Buick that will need to be worked on. Thank you for posting the tools used and what grit paper to use.
[cl

Glad I could help. Here's a link to the 3M EXL wheels. They are pricey, but work really well on most metal: http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/3MIndustrial/Abrasives/Products/~/Scotch-Brite-EXL-Deburring-Wheel?N=7581697+3293241548&rt=rud

 

[Torchie]

Great job on the stainless. You have the right idea as too many people use too much force and REALLY stretch the metal.
Love the bumper.... Love the paint.... Love the whole car.
That's a whole lot of love......
Torchie

 

[Bamamav]

Love the bumper.... Love the paint.... Love the whole car.
That's a whole lot of love......
Torchie

Me too! Can't wait to see it all together, this is one of my favorite builds this year! [cl[cl[cl

 

[DJ3100]

Great job on the stainless. You have the right idea as too many people use too much force and REALLY stretch the metal.
Love the bumper.... Love the paint.... Love the whole car.
That's a whole lot of love......
Torchie

That's what I found. At first I was using a body hammer and stretching it too
far. Just a light push is all that is needed. Thanks for the Love.

Me too! Can't wait to see it all together, this is one of my favorite builds this year! [cl[cl[cl

I finally feel like I'm getting some real progress. I feel that the posts have been pretty boring for the last several months, not much to show and everything is painstakingly slow. Glad you're still watching.

 

[soltz]

I finally feel like I'm getting some real progress. I feel that the posts have been pretty boring for the last several months, not much to show and everything is painstakingly slow. Glad you're still watching.[/QUOTE]

To the end with baited breath [dr

 

[DJ3100]

Thanks Soltz and everyone.

Yesterday I found a Craigslist ad for 55 Ford parts. The guy has a ton of parts, including 2 wagons. I got the missing sliding window parts and the missing trim that surrounds the front grill parts. And a lift gate glass without scratches. Today I'll get to polish out the water spots - so more polishing. Hey, but at least now I have experience.

Oh yeah, more stainless to polish.

 

[DJ3100]

I have been gathering door lock parts for some time. Tried to install them yesterday and found the guides on the levers were too long. So I cut it off - that's the one on the top.

Then the bent piece interfered with the door latch and the clip wouldn't seat - that's the scratches on the lock. After the bent piece was pressed off and some lathe work, silicon bronze rod fused the 2 pieces together .06 shorter.

A 10 minute job -stretched into 2 hours.

 

[DJ3100]

Stainless trim installation

The door have rectangular holes; the fenders and the quarters have round holes. The push-in clips don't work on the rectangular holes and I don't know how they would keep the trim from moving up or down.

For the doors I'm using the home made rubber washers, the fender washers and the Nylock nuts on the threaded stud. On the round holes that have no rear access I'm using the push-ins. The pre-made sealing washer works on the round holes where I have access and I'm using the stud.

Also there's a pic of the exhaust to the tips in the bumpers.

 

[Torchie]

Great score on the parts.[cl
The whole project is really coming together.
Torchie

 

[Snake Farm]

Wow, Christmas in March! Congrats on the parts find, the wagon is turning our great man!

[P[P[P

 

[DJ3100]

door windows

Finally, I have all the pieces to put the doors together. The handles and locks are on. Starting on the passenger side, I measured and drilled the inner door panel for the power window track and got it located. The glass run went in, then the glass and then the vent window. After a lot of goofing the window went up and down, but lacked 1" from going up all the way. The track was / is as high as it can go.

The instructions say to have a new piece of glass cut 1 1/2" longer if this happens. But I just had the glass cut and it was kind of pricey. Took me a while to figure out, but I realized the original glass worked with the original regulator. So I made extensions for the original channel to mate with the power window actuator and move the glass up about 2" (the gray piece in the pic). The clamp isn't used.

Then the window went down too far, so I made some adjustable stops.

(The pics loaded upside down again, sorry. Oh, and I'm running out of Photobucket space, so I trying to save them for better pics.)

 

[earthman]

Looks like it will be ready for a shakedown cruise to Viva in April.

 

[DJ3100]

Looks like it will be ready for a shakedown cruise to Viva in April.

I'm not getting my hopes up for April, but getting the doors done is one of the last big hurdles.

The other thing that may give me a time problem is the front springs. I ordered them based on the original weight of the car, but the new engine, trans, and suspension shaved about 300 pounds. I'm pretty sure they will be too heavy ,but it's just a matter of deciding which ones are needed and ordering them.

 

[Torchie]

Seems that a lot of builders are using the Aero Star front springs. At least when they are lowering them.
Great save on the windows. Nothing worse then buying a cut to fit part only to find that it doesn't fit.
This is going to be one fine cruiser.[cl
Torchie

 

[DJ3100]

Seems that a lot of builders are using the Aero Star front springs. At least when they are lowering them.
Great save on the windows. Nothing worse then buying a cut to fit part only to find that it doesn't fit.
This is going to be one fine cruiser.[cl
Torchie

Thanks,

Speedway has these springs in many spring rates for about $80. I knew there might be an issue going in. It just makes it hard to keep any kind of time line.

 

[DJ3100]

Today, I was excited to get the window in the driver's door. The glass run makes a pretty tight bend where it goes around the window. I had a bit of an issue getting the first one to work, but it came out OK. This morning I managed to kink it instead of bending it. I tried to fix it, but it just got worse. At any rate, it's scrap and I ordered a new one. I found a supplier that sells them pre-bent for less money than I paid before. I just need to wait a week or two.

I found a T bird console for $30. I think it's going to work out great with some modifications. Two ash trays and the front one has a light! (This pic just rotated 90 degrees instead of 180? Any help with this?)

 

[earthman]

What's the big holdup here?

 

[Old Iron]

Today, I was excited to get the window in the driver's door. The glass run makes a pretty tight bend where it goes around the window. I had a bit of an issue getting the first one to work, but it came out OK. This morning I managed to kink it instead of bending it. I tried to fix it, but it just got worse. At any rate, it's scrap and I ordered a new one. I found a supplier that sells them pre-bent for less money than I paid before. I just need to wait a week or two.

I found a T bird console for $30. I think it's going to work out great with some modifications. Two ash trays and the front one has a light! (This pic just rotated 90 degrees instead of 180? Any help with this?)

Yea, I haven't had any luck straightening them either
Yes, what's the hold up

 

[DJ3100]

Yea, I haven't had any luck straightening them either
Yes, what's the hold up

The week or two for the glass runs turned into 4 weeks. Then the clips were in the wrong location. I put them aside to work on some other stuff, but when I get back to them I'll remove the clips and put them where I need them.

Been working on the parking brake - should have done that when the body was off. Should be done tomorrow?

Decided on using buckets for the rear seats. The bigger tunnel eliminated the stock seat unless I spent a ton of time reworking it. Got seats that match the fronts.

Insulated the roof, quarters, doors and some of the floor.

Finished the console - cup holders, rear a/c duct, power window switches and stereo mount.

And a few other unexciting tasks. Really there's not much to show.