1955 Ranch Wagon Cruiser

[Torchie]

As I and many others have said during this entire build. Fantastic.[cl
Unless they have done something like this before most people have NO idea the amount of work that's involved.
You will be cruising soon. When you meet up with POPS take lots of pics.
[P [P [P
Torchie

 

[DJ3100]

Back in March (Post 907) I met a guy who had bought a bunch of 55 and 56 Ford parts and a 55/56 Ranch Wagon. We have become friends and have been swapping parts and information.

He asked me what covered the inside of the taillight access holes. Which got me looking for the answer. Turns out I had one of the pieces and he had a couple sets of the rest. There are upper and lower pieces. Turns out they need to go in before the rear quarter windows. I got them in color today - clear in the am.

 

[I-R-POPS]

Man there is a lot of pieces to that wagon. Good to have some one that can share knowledge with on a project.
Stay after it.

 

[DJ3100]

Man there is a lot of pieces to that wagon. Good to have some one that can share knowledge with on a project.
Stay after it.

Yeah, In the last couple weeks I have discovered 10 pieces that I didn't know about.

Problems is, I have a few pieces that don't seem to have a home - yet.

The windshield is scheduled for next Wednesday.

 

[NickFish]

Ahhh the dreaded left over parts. I've been there more than once[S

 

[Old Iron]

Pays not to rush thru a project if nothing else but for the unexpected.

 

[Bamamav]

I always end up with extra fasteners......nuts, bolts, clips.....

 

[DJ3100]

I always end up with extra fasteners......nuts, bolts, clips.....

You should send me some, I never have enough.

Decided I didn't like all the different colors behind the grill so I blacked it out before installing the valance.

The bumper went on, but I seem to be missing the outer brackets. When I looked back through the pics and found the bumper before I took it apart the brackets don't make sense - one end doesn't reach anything. I think I'll need to make the brackets. Without them the bumper is very kinetic and it needs a change of direction - the back needs to go down and in.

I have had a nagging problem that I finally got fixed. The bolt that holds the bottom of the driver's side fender got cross threaded into the nutsert and the nutsert just turned. The nut is inside the rocker panel with only a 1" diameter hole for access. Finally got the bolt out and managed to mangle the nutsert enough to get it out. The fix is in the last pic.

 

[DJ3100]

Well I figured out the outer bumper bracket. I was looking for 1/4" x2" that bolted to the frame. It was 12 ga and bolts to the sheet metal.

 

[Torchie]

Ah yes..... Those pesky extra parts that don't seem to go anywhere.
Looking great.[cl
Torchie

 

[DJ3100]

Here's the rear corner trim installed.

I got the fuzzies on the window trim. I used the tool I made for installing staples and #4 flat head sheet metal screws. They disappear beneath the surface. A little black paint makes them disappear.

 

[DJ3100]

Yesterday a couple guys came and installed the windshield and liftgate glass.

Stainless trim fits into the gasket and installs with the glass. I spent most of today finishing up that trim. The windshield needed screws to hold the bottom piece. Had to drill the pinch weld for those screws (first photo). Of course the holes for the vertical piece didn't line up with the old holes. I ended up drilling new holes in the door jamb for #4 flatheads.

 

[DJ3100]

The back glass was a little more difficult. There is a small flange at the bottom of the trim. When the gate is closed the holes rest on the weatherstrip so the standard trim clips that are studs don't work. The clips need to be nuts. At any rate here's my solution, including the crappy drawing. I used long set screws as handles to find the holes.

Those guys sweated all over my glass - wimps (well it was 11 + at 4:00 pm when they were here) . Tomorrow - clean glass and install the interior trim.

 

[soltz]

moving along nicely [cl
someone once said "it's all in the details" yep

 

[DJ3100]

moving along nicely [cl
someone once said "it's all in the details" yep

Yeah, I'm starting to feel excited that things are finally getting finished. I can actually see the goal line.

It is all in the details and there sure are a lot of details.

 

[DJ3100]

Got the driver's side quarter window in. The front actually slides, but I don't have the latch on yet. The front, outer window has a weatherstrip seal that came as a rubber extrusion. The first one took an hour of struggling, the second one went on in a couple minutes. Big learning curve. I was a little bummed when I figured out that the inner trim will have to be removed to do the headliner.

 

[DJ3100]

Also got the interior windshield trim and dash extensions in. From the outside, the dash extension doesn't look too friendly with the dash. Not sure if they are in wrong of that's just the way Ford made them. The look OK from the inside.

 

[Torchie]

Don't think that they are wrong DJ. The fit and finish on these cars from the factory is way different that what we have come to expect from our modern cars.
And when we see them restored we see them as how people want them to look now. Not as they were when new.
Keep plugging away at it. You are nearing the end my friend.... [cl
Torchie

 

[Bamamav]

Looks great! [cl I see cruizing in the near future![cl

 

[DJ3100]

Don't think that they are wrong DJ. The fit and finish on these cars from the factory is way different that what we have come to expect from our modern cars.
And when we see them restored we see them as how people want them to look now. Not as they were when new.
Keep plugging away at it. You are nearing the end my friend.... [cl
Torchie

All the fit and finish details bother me when I'm putting them together - by next week I won't notice them.

Looks great! [cl I see cruizing in the near future![cl

I'm going to start on the mechanicals next week. Hopefully, I'm really close to at least a first drive.