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By PWH42 - 12 Years Ago
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Do any of the members on here live close to Pottsboro TX. that would be willing to go take a look at a car located there that's on ebay?My 56 got totaled a couple of weeks ago,and I need to find another one.
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By Rono - 12 Years Ago
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Paul; My wife and I have been looking for a custom ranch wagon like the one in Texas on Ebay, but you need to take a GOOD look at all the pictures he posted. Looks to me line someone gave it a pretty quick paint job over some shoddy body work to get it sold. Take a close look at the last two pictures of the underside of the wagon had you can see how mush rust/rot there is in the lower rear quarters and rockers. The interior isn't too bad, but I still think the wagon is a little overpriced. Just my 2 cents worth. Rono
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By Jerome - 12 Years Ago
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Paul, I am about an hour south west of Pottsboro. Tx and would be glad to help. I bought my last 56 Fairlane in Frisco, TX in 1980, but grew up in Michigan. My TX car frame and underbody doesn't have a spec of rust. Several tiny paint bubbles are showing up on the drivers side dogleg (old rear windshield leak sealed in 1980 - but rust never rests) and in the driver side hidden front fender "trash" pocket that is near impossible to flush clean but otherwise no other rust. The 56 wagon has either spent extensive time on an ocean side beach front or has been driven several years over road salt to have that much under body rust. It only takes 9 years of road salt to be able to stand on the pavement in the back seat of a 56 Ford driven in Michigan. Been there, done that. Salt induced rust is impossible to stop because no matter how hard you try to flush all the salt away, it is impossible. It is buried inside inaccessible spot welded and crimped seams, beams and channels. It will continue to collect moisture from the air and rust, rust, rust. The following craigslist search will pick up 56 Ford wagons in the craigslist dallas area or whatever legitimate craigslist city you wish to put in its place: http://dallas.craigslist.org/search/cta?query=1956%7C56+Ford+Wagon+-parts+-classifieds&srchType=T&minAsk=1&maxAsk=50000&hasPic=1 Just as and example, today there is a reasonable looking 56 Parklane 2dr wagon showing up in Edenberg, TX by owner in addition to the Pottsboro add you found. Searchtempest.com, a craigslist car search extension tool, is another way to expand your search diameter or regions even further. Best of luck in your quest. Jerome
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By Jerome - 12 Years Ago
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Paul, I found searchtempest.com has changed significantly since I last used it. To access it's full functionality now, I had to first go to autotempest.com and fill in their search blanks. I put in the following: Make: Ford, Any Model: skip, Within: 1000 miles, Zip/Postal: your zip, Keywords: Wagon, Price: skip, Years: 1955 to 1956. Then I clicked on Search. This brought up the automatic ebay results which were very sparce. Next, I clicked on the Craigslist tab near the top of the page to activate full searchtempest.com functionality. This will give you Ford wagons out the wazzo (well at least over 25 of them). Just narrow your distance to how far you're willing to travel and wait for the perfect catch. You can create smaller area searches around different zip codes in no rust areas of the country say like Las Vagas. The possibilities are endless. Happy searching, Jerome
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By PWH42 - 12 Years Ago
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Thanks Jerome and Rono......I noticed the same possible problems you guys did.That's why I wanted someone close to take a look before I drove 500 miles and got a big disappointment.
However,all is well,because yesterday I found a low mileage,almost pristine barn find just 60 miles from my house.I'll probably pick it up next week.
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By Ted - 12 Years Ago
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Sorry to hear about your ‘56 meeting its demise. Can you give any details on what happened? With Pottsboro being very close to the Oklahoma border, maybe there’s someone in Oklahoma that can go look for you. Unfortunately I’m in Central Texas so I’m too far away to do you any good.
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By PWH42 - 12 Years Ago
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Some of the details.......I was in the middle of a 5 vehicle pile-up on I-70,caused by one of the idiots that are so prevalent on our roads these days.I hit an 18-wheeler in the rear and was hit from behind by a large SUV.Result is that both ends of my car are destroyed.Fortunately,I had my car lowered enough that everything hit above the frame,which lessened the impact to my body somewhat and except for the alternator,water pump and motor mounts didn't damage anything but sheet metal.Only other damage is a bent steering wheel and two cracked ribs and a broken nose.
On a side note,I have my car insured with Grundy Worldwide and I couldn't ask for better service during this ordeal.They have been great in taking care of all the hospital bills and getting an adjuster here to get things settled.This happened about two weeks ago,and the check for my car is here already.Good company.
Another side note.......If any of you guys don't have seat belts in your old car,don't drive it until you install them.If you've got them,USE THEM!Without belts,I might not be able to sit here and post this.
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By pegleg - 12 Years Ago
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Paul, The important thing is that you are (mostly) OK. Gives you a chance to build another 56 the way you want it.
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By Rono - 12 Years Ago
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Paul; Just curious...Did you find a Custom Ranch Wagon with the full lenth side trim or the standard Ranch Wagon? Rono
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By PWH42 - 12 Years Ago
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Thanks Frank.........The only problem with building another one like I want is that it took me 8 years of part-time hours to get this one like I wanted it.At my advanced age,I don't have another 8 years or the energy to do another.So,I found one that doesn't need much done to it.It's not exactly what I want,but it will do.
Rono.........The car I found is not a wagon.I wasn't specifically looking for a wagon,just any 55/56 2 door.I just saw that one on ebay and thought it looked like a good buy,until I studied the pictures a little more.
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By junkyardjeff - 12 Years Ago
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That sucks your 56 got totalled so are you going to keep it or let the insurance company take it,the reason I ask is I am looking for a Y block I can just drop in my 55 and not have to go through a motor.
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By PF Arcand - 12 Years Ago
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PWH: Sorry to hear of the loss of your car & injuries. A real bummer to lose a nice 56. Can you salvage anything from it? If so that would be good, cause if you leave it with the insurance company, it's likely they wil just scrap it. I appreciated your reminder about seat belts..not for me, but for a couple of real doubters that I have coffee with, who decline to use or install lap belts, saying they are essentially useless. My thoughts have always been that the're obviously inferior to a three way seat harness, but 50 % better than no belts at all...
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By pegleg - 12 Years Ago
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They will keep you IN the car, which is a lot safer than being thrown out. Unlike the all the BS heard at the coffee store.
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By charliemccraney - 12 Years Ago
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You're probably going to be injured in a wreck even if they're only minor injuries. For most common wrecks, when presented with the potential options of bruises that seat belts will afford or surgical removal from the vehicle which no seat belts will afford, I choose bruises any day. These are extremes to illustrate the point. Obviously you can acquire more than bruises with seat belts and I've hit a pole square in the middle of the grille while not wearing a seat belt and came out fine. You ever hear that you can't hold on even at 10mph? BS! If it's your only option, you'll hold on!
Though there is a point beyond which you're probably just not going to make it, seat belts or not.
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By gritsngumbo - 12 Years Ago
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It seems like almost every fatality I read about in our area (mostly rural) involved the person being ejected from the vehicle and more often than not being run over or rolled over by their own vehicle. I'll take my chances being strapped in any day. Just my 2 cents worth.
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By PWH42 - 12 Years Ago
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Jeff............I did buy the car back form the insurance company,so I do have all the usable parts and pieces.I have replaced the car,so I'll use the engine in it,but I do have a spare 292 that I would sell and will have the 272 from my replacement car for sale as soon as I get it out.If you're interested in the 292,give me a call at 660-888-2213.
I also have a lot of other pieces of the 56 that weren't damaged in the wreck that I won't be using,if anyone needs something.The car was a 3-speed OD and my "new" car is FOM,so I'll sell the complete stick setup from the wreck.
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By PWH42 - 12 Years Ago
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There really is no argument about the use of seat belts.If you don't use them,you just simply are not using good judgement.
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By junkyardjeff - 12 Years Ago
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Is the spare 292 a runner that can be dropped in,I am getting lazy and looking for one I can just drop in and go if one could ever be found.
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By PWH42 - 12 Years Ago
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Jeff.........It is a complete engine,running when I pulled it back out of my car.I had it in there for about two months while I was working over my other engine.It has about 3,000 miles on a new set of rings,has a set of 55 heads that have about 35,000 miles,nearly new water pump.The bottom end is original.It came out of a 56 that had just under 100,000 miles.I don't know about the oil pressure,but it never rattled or knocked.The rockers were just resurfaced and the shafts are good with almost no wear.The cam and lifters are original to the engine.It's ready to go except there is no carburetor and the intake is just laying on it and would need gaskets.The intake is a later model two barrel.It does have a rear main seal leak(SURPRISE)but not real bad.It is still standard bore.It had very little cylinder wear when I put the rings in it.
That's about all I can tell you about it.
Oh,and it doesn't have a distributor in it.
It is a 292.
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