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Gasser build - 56 fairlane, victoria

63K views 364 replies 20 participants last post by  56 VIC 
#1 ·
GASSERHOTRODDERS,

Gotta get this thread started,,,thanks to the encouragement from others here on the forum,,,Here goes,,

Always liked the GASSER's since I was about 15. Had to have one when I saw a 1956 Ford Fairlane, "done up right" at a small, local car show here in El Cajon California.

The completed gasser (black and white) in the PIC below, is the car that grabbed my attention about two years ago, I have been on the hunt for a 1956 Ford Fairlane, Victoria, ever since.

The black and yellow 56 Victoria is what I purchased in December of 2012. Found it on craigslist. Shipped it from Missourri to San Diego. Got it home January 25th. Having your new baby transported across the USA can be stressful!

Been through alot of cars over the years,,THIS ONES A KEEPER! :D

My projects tend to accelerate a bit like a locomotive, slow at first but once I get rollin - I've been known to go a bit overboard,,gonna try and keep this one in the reasonable range.

56 VIC - Tom
 

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#7 ·
Prostreet Steve,
Yep, passion is probably the best word to describe what hit me when I saw it, had to have one.
56 VIC - Tom
 
#8 ·
flyn A - Andy,

406 Ford power is the plan,,,to stay in the era of how it might have looked if a guy built it up in the 60"s

As far as being pretty solid,,, it has some problems with rust, but mostly underneath,,going to be doing lots of cutting and reworking down there anyway.

One of the reasons I searched for the right car for this project was that I did not have the heart to cut up a perfectly good car, and of course there was the dough that I saved buying one that needed some work.

I figured the re-work underneath was the easy part compared to "piece-ing together" a car that needed a part here and there. You know how it goes, a stainlees piece there, and a roll up window crank assembly there,,, etc etc etc etc etc. Those piece meal projects can take all the fun out of it real fast, and lighten the pocket book real fast too, eh?

The plan is to keep it "road worthy" as it goes through its phases of upgrades ( keeping down time to a minimum). I have found that for me, I do not like it when the projects get so involved that it may be months or years till I get to drive them again.

56 VIC - Tom
 
#9 ·
1946 Austin - Vall,

I never bought into that war between the manufactures either, if we all liked the same stuff it would be a pretty boring hot rod world!

56 VIC - Tom
 
#5 ·
That looks like a great base for a start. That example you show is really great looking. You can't go wrong using that as a target look. They did a nice job on the rear wheelwells. Looking forward to seeing what and how you accomplish your dream. Mark
 
#10 ·
Marks63PontiacGasser - Mark,

Thanks, I think he nailed the look, I tried to buy it from him but that went nowhere, hahaha,

He drives it to alot of events and local hangouts too.

56 VIC - Tom
 
#11 ·
maddog3299 - Mike,

:):) Reasonable is a very subjective term don't you agree? :D:D:D

56 VIC - Tom
 
#12 ·
Home - safe at last

Here she is arriving on a Friday night at 8:00 what a great day.

Bought her off craigslist.

After many e-mails and pics back and forth to Missourri,,,

Transaction went well with the guy I bought her from but working with the car hauler company was not so great,,,geez.

If you guys ever want some insight into how that whole car-hauller-system works,,well, I have some insight that will save you lots of headache.

38 Days of aniticipation,,,,,My VIC was bought and paid for on the 18th of December. It's about a 4 day trip from Missourri to San Diego, I took delivery on the 25th of January.

GEEZ! 38 days,,,That was Tuff!

A 1956 and I bought her when she was 56 years old.
 

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#15 · (Edited)
flynA Andy,
I do not have the model, would be nice to find one though.

Sounds like you built a few models back as a kid? Were all just building bigger ones now. Lets face it we are bigger kids with bigger models, right?

56 VIC - Tom

PS, just checked E-bay,,there is a model 1956 Ford Fairlane "Strip Fowl" for 35 bucks,,,I resisted though for now anyway,,,I could see myself with WAY to much time gobbled up with that one,,,,,FOCUS FOCUS,,,,on the big toy :D
 
#16 ·
1946Austin Vall,

You got it on the car hauler stuff. My rig had team drivers so they were always full,,, each stop, if my car was in the way of thier delivery, they would back it off get the one out they needed, then the 56 would go back on.

My car has visited more states in the union than I have!

I found out some supposed history that it was originally a California car, so it is now back where it started.

Lived in a garage in Missourri from 1997 till 2010. I did track that guy in Missourri down but lost the trail after talking to him.

56 VIC - Tom
 
#17 ·
Carb rebuild and problems identified

The first project: A carb rebuild.

Posted mostly to hopefully help another gearhead and save someone some headaches.

It was obvious the carb was not right from the day I got it home (it wanted the manual choke part way out - just to idle) A little squirt of carb spray around the base and I found the RPM would build and then drop back immediately. Simple base gasket R & R should fix the problem and of course a quick rebuild while I have the carb off the car. Sounds easy enough, eh?

First I found that the carb was not original. It was from a 63 truck. I checked the numbers stamped into the base of the carb (drivers side-front corner of the base of the carb) and the numbers "102" cast into the same side of the float bowl. That information told me the carb had the right jetting and the right venturi's for my application. It should work fine for my stock V8, 292 Cubic inch engine.

I rebuilt the carb and found it was in pretty good shape inside. Went together easily. It was back on the car in a snap.

Started right up, but was real rich even when stone cold, then quickly got to be much worse. It was apparent it was dumping "false fuel" into the intake - somehow.

Top of the carb off while still on the car and I found there were no problems with the needle and seat (the most likely culprit).

Bench testing the carb I found there was a problem with a gasket that was supplied as part of the kit.

When I filled the float bowl with fuel, I found it was running out about as fast as I was pouring it in.

Turns out that on the bottom of the float bowl there is an "economizer valve" or a valve most of us refer to as a "power valve". That valve was not sealing properly against the base of the carb. The problem was the gasket that was supplied with the rebuild kit, it was not thick enough. I found this when I saw a bright ring around aportion of the valve that should not be making metal to metal contact (see the picture below and the tip of my exacto knife).

I double stacked the gaskets to fix the problem. I used the new gasket, and I salvaged the old gasket I had "saved" durring disassembly, "just in case" I would need it (finally my excessive compulsive personality traits paid off).

Carb on, and few normal adjustments and all it good!!

As far as the pictures go and the quaility of this project...you will notice that I did not take any time to make things pretty on the outside, just cleaned things up. This engine is not,,,,.. a big block, need I say more?

Hope this helps someone, someday!

Next project for posting,,the hood hinge - it was cracked. - Not exactly exciting stuff so far, but I am enjoying it!!
 

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#18 ·
Old hood hinge gave out

Hood hinge ripped - repaired with a little something extra.

Saw the tearing metal, took the hood off soon as I noticed it,, as we were taking it off, it failed completley, we were holding it firm, so,,, no damage to the car.

If I had lowered it one more time,,it coulda went through the windshield or bent sumpthin up real good,,,

The "God of speed" was with us that day.:D:D:D
 

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#20 ·
I've seen that before when things get rusty and dried out, and people don't take a few minutes to lube up the old hinges. Glad you caught it and saved it before it did damage! I just went through the Falcon yesterday and shot all the hinge pivots with spray lube. It was making those horrible creaking noises when opened and closed, and a few shots got it moving like new again!
 
#21 ·
Radiator had to go,,,this one will handle a big block.:D

Aluminum Cross flow, painted it black so it would blend in.

I scrounged for a while to come up with a 62 "T-bird" radiator core (also a cross flow, and its about the size and shape I need) to rebuild so I could keep that 60's era look going,,, compromised for now...I'll find one

56 VIC - Tom
 

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#22 ·
Found the right axle for the 56. 175 bucks, craigslist comes through again.

It was a running setup out of a 59 Ford truck. It came with a quaility aftermarket disk brake kit and the wide Ford, 5 x 5 1/2 bolt pattern.

Turns out the 32 1/4 inch Center to Center leaf spring width on that 59 axle is a PERFECT fit to center up on the frame rails of the Fairlane with a minimal amount of fabbing.

Looking around under the frame for the future fab work - it even looks like the factory Fairlane steering box may work for the steering set up that I will need, maybe just a pitman arm change!?

ALSO, while researching the right axle for my project I came across a website that is full of great axle information,,,, http://www.droppedaxles.com/FORD_AXLES.html#TXTOBJ7D81431412F231 ,,,,,Nostalgia "Sid" also turns out to be a nice, helpful guy that has tons of knowledge about axles and set ups.

Seems like the "God of Speed" is smiling lately!:cool:
 

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#26 ·
Gathering parts and brainstorming to make sure they are going to work is a great part of a build. Especially when things seem like there are going to come together without a big "hitch".

As far as the steering arm goes Vall I think you are right. I believe I will be able to buy a steering arm from speedway or ???,,,and bolt it to the passenger side upper mounts. I talked with a friend that has a 56 VIC with a similar set up and he said when he put his axle on he was able to use his stock box, in the stock location, and even use the existing pitman arm! He just had to make a drag link with the "S" curve in it for the cross steer.

This all sounds good, real good.

Next step is to ball park the leaf springs, length and weight rating, etc, etc.... kind sounds like,,,voodoo

56 VIC - Tom
 
#27 ·
Gathering parts and brainstorming to make sure they are going to work is a great part of a build..... 56 VIC - Tom
Gathering parts is fun! I especially like finding good used parts, as it's always a big money saver!


Finding "used parts" is like going on a "treasure hunt".....
 
#31 ·
Progress on my Gasser build, enjoying the project.

Progress:
Battery re-located to the trunk.
Bought Haibrands and Hurst pie crust cheaters.
Bought 9 inch Ford narrowed rear end (Currie built).
Mock up of tire and wheel combo with new rearend width (fun stuff!),,, Mock up is just fto confirm width was correct,,, axle is going forward and wheel well will be reshaped/radius'd ,,rear of car comes down of course.
Bought WC T5 Ford tranny and Mummerts adapter for T5 to Y-block bellhousing.
Rear springs have been re-arc'd and a spring added.
Rear end and tranny is out, work is progressing, never fast enough! :)
New (to me) bucket seats purchased, Chrome trim has been re-chromed, seats are off for re-upholstery.
Picture 4 (not obvious) just shows routing of battery cable at rear of car, towards trunk.

Oh, and other smaller stuff,,a couple of new chrome bezels and Fairlane emblems.
Also "tuned up" the trunk lock mechanism and got it working slick.
Fixed a broken wire on the Generator that had me sorta "stranded" during an outing when I had a idiot light go off on the dash telling me I had no charging.

Soon as the rear end and tranny stuff is complete, it will be time to get that 57 Ford truck axle mounted up front,,can't wait!!
 

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