I need to finish the mid life crisis


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By junkyardjeff - 11 Years Ago
I have heard a mid life crisis consists of a younger girlfriend,motorcycle and a sports car,well I have the first two but not the third. The motorcycle hurts my back so time for the sports car,my idea of a sports car is a 55 Thunderbird so I am thinking about selling the motorcycle in the spring and look for a basket case 55 T bird to tinker with. It does not look like my 55 sunliner will not get a Y block so that would be the car to use the 292 and one of my 4 speeds in,one of those fiberglass reproduction bodies would also work.
By rick55 - 11 Years Ago
Well, I've got the younger girlfriend, my wife, don't have the motorbike as personally, I think grey haired men on the stout side riding motorbikes look pretty stupid - why do they always have silver beards and wear black helmets - and I don't think my body would allow me to get in, and certainly wouldn't let me get out, of a sports car.
So I will settle for my 55 Tudor Customline as my end of midlife crisis ( I do have a seniors card ). I am hoping for it to be ready for March this year unless something untoward crops up. There have been a few crisises along the way with the build, not the least being the GFC. And the soaring cost of postage.
By junkyardjeff - 11 Years Ago
It might take me a few years to find a T bird I can afford so the crisis might have run its course and I lose interest or find something else that catches my attention by that time,I do have a short attention span so who knows what will happen.
By NoShortcuts - 11 Years Ago

It always amazes me how many of the ’55, ’56, ’57 ‘Birds seem to still exist of the number originally produced.


Late Fall, I accompanied a friend to a stash of cars housed in a three story barn off in the boonies. It was like a junk yard under a roof! The number of ’56 and ’57 ‘Bird carcasses inside amazed me. These cars had rust-through in places that I’d never seen before. IF they had been other ’55, ’56, or ’57 Ford models in the same condition, I believe that they would have been crushed years ago. While impractical to ‘restore’, these rust buckets qualified as being possible donors for more structurally sound hulks with ‘potential’ that might lack ‘Bird specific mechanical parts.


IF you are looking for a little ‘Bird, and you’re thinking ’55, I’d recommend your doing a thorough comparison of the ’55 and ’56 before setting out. Like many, if not most new product offerings, significant tweaks, changes, and improvements are made in subsequent years of model production.


IF building a hot rod, the most significant improvements between the ’55 and ’56 that come to my mind that might influence your selection are:

- ’55 has no front fender to passenger compartment outside 'cowl' air vents, ’56 does… Know that the vents were not added for looks…

- ’55 frame is thinner than what Ford moved to for most of the ’56 and all of the ’57 model years… Bad ’55 frames here in the Northeast are very common. Rust through can occur on the later ’56 and ’57 frames, but is not common in my experience.


There are NUMEROUS other differences between the ’55 and ’56, but these are ‘tweaks’ in my view compared to the two I’ve identified. The book, THUNDERBIRD! an illustrated history of the Ford T-Bird by Ray Miller covers the years ’55 through ’66. Pictorially, it identifies the many differences and changes between the 5, 6, and 7 ‘Birds. The book is still available perhaps through some of the little ‘Bird parts suppliers or used in places like Amazon. My copy was published in 1973. I don’t know if there were later editions.


Comments:

  • Personally, I don’t like the looks of the continental kit on the back of the ’56. Additionally, it does affect the handling of the car. IMO, many ’56 ‘Birds have been tastefully modified by eliminating the continental kit and substituting the ’55 ‘Bird rear bumper assembly, many times without using the bumper guards that also were the rear exit for the engine exhaust.
  • In following Ford's revival of the ‘Bird in 2002, I was absolutely AMAZED at the significant changes Ford made between the 2002 ‘Bird and the 2003 offering. These changes were in spite of the supposed EXTENSIVE real world testing that was done before the ’02 went into production. Major engineering changes were made to the engine, transmission, suspension, and steering system for the ’03 model.

Hope this helps. Smile

By slumlord444 - 11 Years Ago
I have a '55 basket case that needs a new home here in Southern Illinois.
By junkyardjeff - 11 Years Ago
I would lie to see some pics of it if possible.
slumlord444 (12/25/2013)
I have a '55 basket case that needs a new home here in Southern Illinois.
By junkyardjeff - 11 Years Ago
I think I should see if I can fit in one before I even think about buying one.