Work season starting up!

59Sky

Junior Member
Out here in Okieland the weather's been absolutely gorgeous the past few days and looks to continue for the next few weeks. (Course, "wait a minute, it will change" remains in full effect) With my work schedule at the Nissan shop being Tues-Sat every week, I'll be diving in on Monday.

First order of business is going to be stripping down and logging the parts that come off my '59 4-door donor car, which was kind enough to bring its air conditioner along for the build (Polar-Aire. Going to a Select-Aire before I'm done, but it has the 60Amp generator on board)

Father-in-law just bought himself a 292 1957 T-bird, and he wants to see if we can get mine to light off. However, after confirming nothing's locked up, I just want to get the 4-door gutted and the body off the frame so we can start getting the chassis sorted out. After that's done we can brace the body and start separating the Skyliner from her frame and start curing cancer.

Since the chassis work is the only thing I'm outsourcing on this build (I'll weld sheet metal, but I'll leave chassis work to an expert) and may take a while, the motor's going to be coming apart almost as soon as I can get it on a stand. The fluid in the Fordomatic is still cherry red and clean after 39 years (4-door has a 1973 Oklahoma plate) so I'm just going to change it and throw it on the trans dyno to make sure it shifts. Eventually need a Cruise-o-matic anyway, so if I find one before I'm done, so much the better. If not, I can drive the "2-spd" around for while.

Happy wrenching!
 

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That donor car doesn't look too bad from the phtot angle but appears to have some damage on the left side?

Being from the rustbelt Michigan, most cars from around here are a lot rustier than that one. Sounds like you're going to have a nice one when finished.
 
That donor car doesn't look too bad from the phtot angle but appears to have some damage on the left side?

Being from the rustbelt Michigan, most cars from around here are a lot rustier than that one. Sounds like you're going to have a nice one when finished.

It got wacked on the left front fender. Frame's still straight, and that's all that really mattered beyond the mechanicals. Just wish I could get that door open though. I try to save the data plates from cars I have to scrap when I'm done with them, since I'm a sentimental dork.
 
I know what you're going thru. When this kind of work is in your blood, it it difficult to let it rest. I did a body-off-frame on this 55 Fordor from 1992-1996, and then in sept of '96, I turned right around and bought a derelict '55 Ford Courier shell on a frame, and finished it 4 years later. I've owned the car since '72 and still driving it daily. still own the Courier also. It is sitting with about 4 inches of dust on top of it.
But those days are over for me. Too old and too worried about retirement in the future. But I remember the excitement of creating something from junk with your bare hands and crude tools (and a mig welding outfit, haha). Good luck and have fun.
 
A 59 292 may have G heads, the very best iron heads ever made for a Y block. Handle them with care.
 
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