The pads were much taller on the birds than the passenger cars which act as lowering blocks, but they were welded to the rear housing so not really a removable lowering block.

-Gary Burnette-

Did the 55 and 56 birds really com with a factory lowering block?

  Vic Correnti

At least on the 55 birds I've had, it's actually the perches (if that's the right word) that are different. The one back in the 60's needed lowering blocks when I put the wagon rear end in. Don't know about the u bolts. The wagon rear end was removed with a torch. I do remember having to get the lowering blocks to make the original u bolts work. I hadn't noticed before.

The one I have now had bad welds on the perches. Just figured it was a Monday production job. But when I went to replace the bearings, it had truck axles, and needed the larger bearings. I figure the rear end had been replace somewhere along the way. Still, it was a better job than the piece of plywood under the floor, so the wood screws could hold the gas pedal down.

miker
55 bird, 32 cabrio F code
Kent, WA
Tucson, AZ

55 and 56 TBirds came with the Dana 44.  As an added bonus, they had factory lowering "blocks" to make the Tbirds sit lower.  I believe the length was the same as the sedans.


54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ

...and two extra leafs in the spring pack (total of 7) so as I found out, passenger car U bolts are too short to use on the wagons!
Rono

  Ron Lane,  Meridian, ID

You're right miker.I forgot about the wagons.They all came with the Dana 44 also.

 

Paul,

Boonville,MO

Not to widely known or usually considered but the 9" Ford has a terrible pinion angle to the ring gear costing HP. Most don't care or use them for their strength. Not sure on the pinion placement but I would look at the 8" Ford also. Back the day the Olds/Pontiac was the rear of choice Even tho the Ford 9 came out at the same time. The angle on those are much better. Some of the newer "oriental" pickup rears are better yet it there would be "some assembly required" . Good Luck

56 Vic, B'Ville 200 MPH Club Member, So Cal.

IIRC, station wagons did also. Might be a difference in perch height.

miker
55 bird, 32 cabrio F code
Kent, WA
Tucson, AZ

As others have posted,most 56s came with a rear end unique to early and mid-50s Fords.However,all police,taxi and 312 cars came with a Dana 44.

 

Paul,

Boonville,MO

If I remember right, all axles are the same '49 thru' '56.  Bearings are probably the same also.  You don't need new axles, used are fine but replacing the bearings and bearing retainers should be done before driving too far, old bearings can be dried out and fail, I had it happen.  Replacing them is not easy, requires a torch to cut off the old, a press to press on the new.
82warren