I know a "little" about the cars.  Certainly no expert, just enough to be dangerous.

If the channel you are looking for is the metal u-channel that attaches to the bottom of the door glass, your best bet is to get repros.  I just found out mine were really rotted out.  Tee-bird prods has them for about $35 ea.  P/N: B21458-C for right side and B21459C for Left side... They are really pretty nicely made parts; nice heavy guage metal.  How do I know?  I just got mine from them friday!  However, they do not come with the corner bracket to attach the bottom channel to the "L" shaped trim.  For new parts, the guys at tee-bird products have always been spectacular to deal with.  Huge catalog, and VERY helpful.  For used parts, Ive dealt primarily with Bob Burgess in Bellbrook, OH.  Both advertise in hemmings and fomoco times; let me know if you need their contact info.  Also, be aware that there are a few odds n ends that are interchangeable between some t-birds and full size fords, but they dont always show up as listed compatible.  for example, the instrument jewels (rings/lenses for turn signal indicators) is the same on the 56 as it is on the 55 or 57 t-bird.(not sure which one.)... takes some sleuthing to figure out.  Another example is that the t-birds used a polished stainless cap for some of the pivot pins on the convt top (at least they are sold new from suppliers). I used those to cover the pin heads on my top frame for the pivots that were riveted in place.  I also used some of the smaller diameter pins to replace 2 that were missing on my top frame... i had to JB Weld in the groove and dremel a smaller groove for the e-clip, but it was the only option i had.... sorry i digress....T-birds catalog has good diagrams, as do the service manuals, etc.  Im mentioning all of this assuming you havent found these resources.... apologize if this is redundant.

As for the interor parts, on the 56's, the rear side panels are made up of 2 parts.  There is the lower portion that goes to the door opening and has an itegral arm rest, and an upper portion that is about where your shoulder/forearm would be if you sat in the rear seat.  Does that make sense?  If those are the parts, they are both metal, and the lower one in particular are prone to rot.  Also, if you dont have them, the lower mounting brackets for where the power top cyls mount are getting to be really hard to find....start searching now if you dont have them in your parts bin.

Hope this helps.  Let me know if you have any questions or need any pics, etc.  Ours is a 56, but they are more similar than different!  And good luck!!

Ron Grove

Wauconda, IL

Looks like someone is in for a lots of fun.  Good luck and keep the pictures coming.  Gerry

Lake Forest California  5th inf 77 Armor Div. VN 68/69

If you put your town and state in your signature

help might be closer than you think.

Daniel,



Looks like a great project...I had to google Silverhill to find it, and I have lived in Alabama all my life!



looking forward to seeing the progress!!



-reed

Reed Patridge
Birmingham, Al
1936 Ford Pickup, Flathead powered cruiser
Model A Roadster, 292" Y-Block "project" vehicle

I took the photos of the car to church this morning - all the fellas were telling me what a good deal it was, etc, etc. You should have seen most (not all) of the women! Hilarious! Some of them quipped, "there's nothing left to restore..."

My mom had to chime in. She has been supportive since I was 16, getting into my first Y block. After she saw the photos I e-mailed to her, she said, "you got a good deal. people were paying more than that 25 years ago!" Go mom!

She needs some sheet metal work, no doubt - all that bondo has GOT to go. The inner fenders are in excellent shape - they are really solid, with no pitting.

Michael - About the U Haul trailer, this is the first I have rented from them. My buddy who has a 68 Charger with a real bad Hemi that Goldberg tried to buy one time (don't ask me, I don't know much about Mopars, but Mike's a good guy) was going to let me borrow his nice trailer. One of his employees dropped the thing, the eletrics all went out, etc, etc., so I had to rent one. I called ahead to double check fitment. This one was perfect. The car went on with 0 clearance issues. How old it is, I don't know. I can remember that the fella on the phone had asked me if I wanted a 1 axle or 2 axle car trailer. That may have made a difference.

I "found" this one on the Ford barn website. I have bought a few parts from people that list items on the site, but never a whole car, and never this much money. The owner said that quite a few people had e-mailed him to buy it, but no one ever called him to speak with him - evidently I was the first, so I got first dibs, and he was pretty good to me. Threw in all that he had - even a new convertible top pump, new ignition switch, a couple of extra fenders that can be repaired, etc.

rgrove - I don't need the stainless around the door windows, but I do need the actual glass channels (both pass and driv sides) that the regulators attach to. Sounds like you know a little about 55/56 convertibles. I have only helped on a 67 Mustang convertible for my brother. Question: there's jsut about no interior in this car, not even the old panels, etc. What kind of material were those rear door panels (the ones that hid the sides of the bows and doubled as armrests I guess) made of? metal? fiberboard? Looks like they would have been a few pieces to make up the whole panel.

On a different note, I have heard tell that the best replacement sheet metal to buy outside of NOS is EMS brand panels???

Daniel Jessup

Lancaster, California

aka "The Hot Rod Reverend"
check out the 1955 Ford Fairlane build at www.hotrodreverend.com

No problem-It"l buff out 

Nice score,Oldmics

Keep posting pics on your progress, I can't wait to see it completed.

John F

Ballwin, MO

You know the paint doesnt quite match, right?

Seriously, congrats!  I am jealous - I need another project!  How did you find it?  Do you know the history (how many owners, etc?) 

The x-frame makes trans stuff really hard.  Had I known then what I know now, I would have converted to a modern trans while i had the body off.  Probably not that big a deal now, but I dont have a lift to work on the car which would really complicate things with the x-member.  Of course, the fordo works pretty well too.

BTW, I have the stainless window frame for the drivers door glass (big "L" shaped piece that goes on the window that rolls up & down) that I was going to be listing on ebay.  Let me know if you need it and maybe we can agree on a price?  Its in good shape, just needs a polish...rather have it go to someone here...

Ron Grove

Wauconda, IL

Daniel,

           good luck with that project, looks like a handful. I have a question about the Uhaul trailor. We tried to haul a 56 4 dr. on one  a while back, and it wouldn't fit up on it. It was too wide and I think too long as well. Didn't know this till after we rented it of course. Did you have any problems concerning that?? Maybe Uhaul has a couple of differnt size trailors?

                                                                            Michael

Michael

Sandy Valley, NV

good on you dan & i would believe the frame underneath our utes used the sunliner chassis so i have the same x member they sure are massive & yes it is tight in the transmission area my fordo is almost shoe horned in but a later tranny with a shorter extension  housing might fit better but then you may have problems with the tailshaft over the x member.

moz. geelong victoria australia.

graduate 1980, bus, truck, car, hot rod, boat, submarine, hovercraft, hydrafoil, firetruck, mobile home, jet, helicopter, cruise ship, motorcycle, bicycle, santa's sleigh, clock, alloy bullbar, alloy fuel tank, lens, dr who's tardis, matter - anti matter warp drive buffer & y-block lover

A picture tells a thousand words. Keep em comin Daniel.

Hang loose and enjoy the ride.

Brisbane Australia