#22 curse or sun blindness: Saturday's accident

[RCM]

Maybe you already read this on the HAMB's ford social group. If not, here goes:

Number 22 has always haunted my life and is always on my path. That’s a fact. Don’t know why, or how, just know that every time something of relevance happens, the damned number is there. My mother died 22 Feb, my brother’s rehab house door number, my school number most of the time, my Fords license plate number, and so forth... It is also the license plate numbers on the tractor I struck this Saturday morning: SS-22-something.
I was going to pick up a friend to go surfing. It was 7:10 am. I was aiming for an early session so I could get home with plenty of time to change oil and filter, condenser, points, rotor and stabilizer bar links I had gathered for my 56 Customline, as I had already told Steve (Smtichy), after he had sent me some spares he had. My mother-in-law had set up a great barbeque as usual and my father-in-law was there to lend a hand on the work the car needed. It would have been a great day! But it wasn’t. It was very painful, sad, heart-breaking..
I was coming out of a bridge over a small creek still immersed in the morning shadows, when climbing up the hill that followed I started to aim for the small right side corner that road has... when the rising sun instantly blinded me.
In a split second it happened. Sun blinded I ran into a small tractor a old man was driving (on my lane) to go and take care of his peach trees. I never saw him, nor did I had any chance to avoid the collision.
Fortunately nobody was hurt. I only have a small wound on my nose. I'm not sure what caused it, but I'm thankful, because I don’t have a seatbelt and I didn’t even hit the brakes. I was only doing about 25-30mph, but that would be enough to crack my head open or my nose broke on the steering wheel.
The car is already at the shop, for this is something I cannot take care of myself.

I'm very very sad these past days, and will be until I get it right. It's been years of searching and raising money for a nice roadworthy 50’s Ford, to get it all screwed up in a ... don’t know what to call it... thing. I’ve been driving since 1997 with no accidents.

Today things are better and I'll start working on the car right after work.
I now need to find a direct bolt in headlight (suggestions?) and also need to find what the headlights outer rim (the pointy one) is made of. Antimony? Cast? It needs welding or replacing.

Keep safe friends.

[RCM]

How about these head lights?
http://www.jcwhitney.com/anzo-univer...598y1956g2u0j1

http://cgfordparts.com/ufolder/cgcat...extdesc=sealed beam&searchnumber=

http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/Re...+50026+2026043

http://www.ebay.com/itm/7-HALOGEN-SE...38b33d&vxp=mtr

http://www.ebay.com/itm/7-CRYSTAL-CL...67dc28&vxp=mtr

And these eyebrows?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-1955...a90875&vxp=mtr

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1955-1956-Fo...63677a&vxp=mtr

Any suggestions?

[smtichy]

Hi RCM,

Sorry to hear about the fender bender, but glad you are safe. I bought headlights from this site, but mainly because I have a 6V system http://www.clickonparts.com/

Your '56 is 12V right, so you might be able to locate headlights here locally here in Europe. I will ask around and let you know.

[RCM]

Thanks Steve for helping out again. Mine is a 12v system alright, I believe 56 was the first year they made the cars that way. Dont know for sure.
I'll check that link you gave.
Regards.

[smtichy]

Looks like the universal part number for a compatible headlight is H6024.
Can anyone out there confirm this?

If so I found a place here in Czech that sells them. They note them as spares for a Hummer.
Also looks like '97-06 Jeep TJ Wrangler's use this type, so are available in the EU.

[RCM]

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Steve, if H6024 is the compatible head light, it will be easy to order a pair. There are many available.
Thanks.

[rick55]

If you convert to quartz halogen headlights you will need to use the headlight dip switch as the switch wire to a separately powered relay.
The Ford headlight switches have an inbuilt circuit breaker which will trip out when powering headlights greater than 50 watts. Depending what lights you originally had in the car you may need to convert the headlight plugs to suit the later lights.

[RCM]

OK Rick, thank you for the info. One of the headlight is still original FoMoCo. The other, the broken one, was Bosch I think. Things are getting straight with help from friends. Steve (smtichy) and Jim (retro jim) are two of them.
Thanks

[frank long island]

Don't know what the parts availability is in your country it should be a standard hi/lo beam bulb that was used in all single bulb systems to bad about your mishap i've been working on my 64 ranchero for 5 yrs painted it 2 yrs ago and scratcted it backing out of the garage on a box of parts that i will never use good luck on your repairs and enjoy your car

[Daves55Sedan]

12volt hi/lo beam headlamps are readily available just about everywhere in the US. Don't know about Spain though. The headlight shrouds are made of some type of potmetal. If its damaged, don't know if there's much you can do with it except get a replacement. If you sent off for one, don't get a '55 shroud. It will work but shaped different at the peak. '56 shroud is the only one that will match what you have.

[rick55]

Nowadays, it is possible for some with enough skill (not me) to weld/repair die cast these days. One of my Fairlane headlight surrounds was cracked - cost me $50 to get it repaired. A whole lot cheaper than trying to get a replacement.

[RCM]

Hi there guys.
Thanks a lot for the interest and support.
RaceRon over at the Hamb's ford social group already offered me a 56 eyebrow bezel, I'll only pay for shipment. And since shipment is due, he also offered to get two sealed beams for me. This way I'll only pay that once.
Not all is lost when people support others, even if they dont know each other.
The work is coming along well. Hood is straight and also that part that holds the radiator (dont know the name) is straight. The fender is giving a lot of work, due to its size (more distortion) and the two major wrinkles it has.

Well, thanks again to all for being supportive. Hope to get it on the road again soon, since I've got other issues to clear before the road inspection by November.
Regards

[raceron1120]

Progress is looking good.

[RCM]

Updates on the work:
Keep it up.

[RCM]

The bumper is straight or close to it. Yesterday I was able to watch an old smith at work, and I felt lucky about it. Its is always rewarding to witness an old man at its life's trade. We also took time to straighten the brackets that support the bumper. Then we had a bbq and a couple of beers.
I'm now having doubts as to what the bumper will look like after being clean. I'm not going to chrome because good quality chrome work is not likely to be available and it is expensive.
Any thoughts?

[RCM]

Also I dont want to paint the bumpers. I prefer a industrial, used, beated look, 'cause thats just the truth about the car and what happened to it. Just want it straight, harmounious.
I dont mind and even enjoy the maintenance work envolved on keeping a bare metal part rust free. I like oil! Any advice?

[frank long island]

clean it and apply a clear finish satin or gloss your choice it won't rust

[RCM]

Thats a good simple idea that, because of all the things i've got going, hadnt occurred to me yet. Thanks. I guess it will all depend on how the bumper will look like at the end of the work, but thats a good route.

[scicala]

Originally Posted by RCM

Also I dont want to paint the bumpers. I prefer a industrial, used, beated look, 'cause thats just the truth about the car and what happened to it. Just want it straight, harmounious.
I dont mind and even enjoy the maintenance work envolved on keeping a bare metal part rust free. I like oil! Any advice?

I saw a show with Jay Leno on cable a few months back, and he was raving about a new powder coating that looks very close to chrome. A big cost savings over chrome plating. Might be worth looking into.

[RCM]

Thanks scicala, do you have any other info or remember anything else about this? Was it called Extreme Chrome?

[smtichy]

Originally Posted by scicala

a new powder coating that looks very close to chrome.

Yes I've seen it too, I think it is called Eastwood. One catch is that you can't powder coat over chrome, so you'll need to strip the whole bumper down first. Also there is a clear coat layer that goes over it to make it harder.

Your repairs are looking good.

[scicala]

Sorry RCM, but I don't know anymore about the powder coat than Smtichy already stated. I just figured if Jay Leno thought it was good, it must be pretty nice since he can afford almost anything.

[RCM]

Thanks for the support guys, I appreciate the input. I'll see what happens. The bumper isnt so bad after all. If all the cars chrome was in mint condition, I'd have to chrome. But its not. Everything is harmoniously beat up. I'll think of what to do later, but now, with your advice, I've got options.
The bumper is in place and straight. I thought that the forge's heat would be more noticed.

[scicala]

Nice job on the bumper !

[RCM]

Thanks Scicala. Been absent fo a while.
Here's a couple of pics of current work - priming, 1st primer sanding, 2nd primer sanding (last Saturday).
Thanks.

[RCM]

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Updates: Lower front and inner hood painted.

[RCM]

Paint booth, at last:

[raceron1120]

Looking good. did you find the electrical schematic yet?

[RCM]

Yes I did Ron, here goes: http://www.oldcarmanualproject.com/t...ing/5765wiring diagrams/Ford/MWire5765-194.jpg. Its for the 57-65 fords, but I think overall its the same deal.
I followed a lead left by a fellow barner or hamber on some other post I cant remember.
Thanks for the support.

[RCM]

My welcoming scenario as I arrived at the shop yesterday afternoon:
I assembled the whole front and drove it home later in the evening.
It was a frightening experience because I didnt have the time to finish the electrical wiring, so no lights nor horn... But she had to sleep at home...
I'll take some final pics later.
And then we'll close this thread... at last!

[RCM]

Here's some bad cellphone shots from yesterday evening.
Differences are spotable, but I can live with them.
I'm just thrilled to be able to drive her again.
Thanks for the support.