Something for you Y-block guys...

[Heo]

Doug i have a small in toploader on my 292 Bolt on on a 56 bellhousing
Have to shorten input about 1/4 inch on small in toploader
Big in toploader is a straight Bolt on without shortening i believe

[Royce]

Doug I was referring to the small transmission bolt pattern on the T-10 and early top loader.. This is what a Y block bell housing will have. A dual pattern toploader should fit, as Heo says input shaft length will need to be checked.. Your 57 G head has big valves and the smallest chambers, So hang on to those. Also those 57 rocker arms have a 1.54 ratio vs the 272 which has 1.43 ratio

[cjshaker]

Thanks Heo and Royce, that's valuable info, and nice to know I already have some good parts to use on it.

Today I pulled out some of the NOS parts I have for the car, some of which I can use, some of which is for the Fairlane. Still have to pull down the bumpers and find the hood ornament and emblem.

[thatdarncat]

Sweet project, thanks for sharing and keep us updated.

[AlanCasida]

Very nice, Doug! Get 'er running and enjoy it!

[gregaba]

My first car I bought with my own money was a 55 custom 2 dr. in bronze paint and tan interior with an AM radio 292 3 speed with OD.
Bought it in 65 and modified it with the usual speed parts and then parked it for my summer trip the Army sent me on.
Came back fron Nam in Dec of 69 and the air was still in the tires.
Got a jump from my cousin and the 292 fired right off.
Drove it for 6 more weeks while I waited for Ford to deliver my Shelby.
While in Nam I had ordered a 68 Shelby GT 500 KR conv from the Ford dealer in Da Nang, so didn't need the 55 any more and I sold it. Wish I still had it.
Greg

[gdaddy01]

speaking of which , did anyone read the article in hemming's muscle machines about the lawman mustang ?   

[gregaba]

I sure did and it was interesting.
They did 2 tours to Nam while I was there but I was in the field both times and missed them.
I didn't even know Ford had a ordering dealership untill I was on a 3 day R&R trip to Da Nang and I stumbled on their small office at the navy base and wandered in.
It was about a 12x18 room with all the latest info and pictures of the new Ford cars.
You could order your car there and after you got back to the states it would be ready in about 6 weeks or a little longer.
No down payment required.
Never saw a Chevy or Chrysler office while in Nam and I bet Ford sold a lot of cars from there.
The guys in my unit didn't believe I ordered a new [68] Shelby until I showed them the paper work.
Greg

[gdaddy01]

thank you for your service sir , and thanks for buying a shelby .

[machoneman]

Cool find! Hope to see more pics as you progress on your plans for it.

[Falcon67]

That is just an outstanding find - very cool.  Would love to have something like that for a project. 

[turbohunter]

I’m with Chris.
I would love to make a project out of one of these. I think the body is much prettier than the bow tie version.

[shady]

The whole 1950 decade had the Fords much nicer than the Chevys. Just look at the '53 Ford and '53 Chevy. How did GM ever sell any of those? I guess family following traditions.  My grandpa Hick had a black '55 business coupe that had a 272 and zero options. He had all his fishing gear on the back platform as there was no back seat. I thought that was just the coolest car ever made.

[cjshaker]

The whole 1950 decade had the Fords much nicer than the Chevys. Just look at the '53 Ford and '53 Chevy. How did GM ever sell any of those? I guess family following traditions. 

Especially when Chevy was still using oil slingers to lubricate rods on their 6 cylinders, well into the '50s. Good grief! 

 I finally got the rear brakes broke loose, after cutting off the drums. I tried prying them off for a couple hours before I decided it wasn't worth it. Amazingly, the backing plates and everything inside the rear brakes still looked good, but it will all get replaced anyway. While I had the car in the air, I started peeling off undercoating from the floorpans and found that they also look new. I did find 2 body mount spots where the undercoating had come off, and it will need a little metal replacement in those areas, but very little.

Next step is to replace all the engine and fuel rubber and to get it running.

[Tommy-T]

You are a better and more civilized man than I.

I'd have started hacking and butchering that car as soon as I had indoors.

That thing's crying for a tube axle and hacked fenders for a 12" cheater slick. Multi-carbed FE motor and fenderwell headers.