Were they Really this way?

[Jwawhite]

Moving between cars, this old 56 is a challenge, how so? Did they all squeak, ride like this? Stopping? Have a power booster on 4 wheel drum but you have to apply some pressure to it. How about navigating corners? The ride floats and absorbs the bumps well, so cushiony...what about speed? 60 seems to be the end of a safe? limit..body lines? Fit?.. my, cars have come a long way!

[Dobie Gillis]

Old Ford squeaks and rattles have part numbers.

[Daves55Sedan]

Originally Posted by Jwawhite

Did they all squeak, ride like this?

as far as the squeaking, these cars were designed to be used for ten years, then traded-in for a new Ford. My '55 was 17 years old when I got it. Everything squeaked. Thru the years, I replaced window anti-rattlers, door seals, hood & door rubber bumpers, trunk lid seal, rear leaf spring anti-squeak pads, bushings & rubber in the clamps as well as all the front suspension rubber parts. It ended up being as quiet as a new car (except for my dual glass-pack mufflers) hehe.
As far as the ride....these cars are narrow and have a high center of gravity in conjunction with weighing about 4400 lbs, they are not going to be the best ride. The best you can do is get good shock absorbers, decent tires and good front end alignment. I have overload springs on my rear shocks and they really help a lot since those old leaf springs lost their arch long ago.

Originally Posted by Jwawhite

Stopping? Have a power booster on 4 wheel drum but you have to apply some pressure to it.

Once upon a time, my '55 had the old power booster also. Even after working out the bugs, I still didn't believe that it was any kind of substantial improvement in braking ease, so I eventually just removed it.
As far as having ability to STOP, I suggest checking brake shoe adjustment and inspect pads on the shoes to make sure they are not coated with bearing grease.

Originally Posted by Jwawhite

How about navigating corners? The ride floats and absorbs the bumps well, so cushiony...

Depends upon tires. I have used 670-15's, 710-15's (lousy ride and cornering), G78-15's (a little better), P205-75R15 (best so far as these are radial construction, but you suffer some loss on your outer circumference and difficult to install on the rear).

Originally Posted by Jwawhite

what about speed? 60 seems to be the end of a safe? limit..

I'm inclined to agree that around 60-70 is a pretty comfortable cruising speed on the highway. I had my '55 going 112 mph one time and was scared out of my wits. Never went that fast again.

Originally Posted by Jwawhite

body lines? Fit?.

There's a number of people here that will agree...the '55-56 Ford car body doors, front fenders, etc are not the greatest fit. I have been struggling to get my '55 doors adjusted properly for many years, same for hood & front fenders. It's very difficult to get the gaps even all around while simultaneously achieving proper open/close/latch operation.

[miker98038]

Having owned a stock restored 55 bird, and a stock restored 67 Camaro (could just as well have been a Mustang) it's amazing to see how far cars came in 10-12 years. You can chase down a lot of rattles (start with the side windows and door weatherstripping) and the squeaks (if it's the brakes find a shop that can still fit shoes to drums). But it's part of the old car charm. It's also the reason people like Art Morrison sell rolling frames set up for modern engines. Guys who want a new modern car that looks old. And why big shops get $50K for a paint job, after the metal work to make panels fit to "perfect" gaps. So find an AM station playing oldies and enjoy the ride.

Dobie, I need those part numbers, my squeaks and rattles sound out of tune and I need them back to original pitch.

Dave, you typed faster than me.

[Daves55Sedan]

Originally Posted by miker98038

Dave, you typed faster than me.

I think we were typing at the same time.

[Mike J. CT]

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I bought a low mileage 53 2 door sedan in the late 90's. A Flathead that I put a 78 Granada 3+1 four speed overdrive behind. The fit on the fender, door, trunk and hood seams were extremely good. I removed the nose for engine compartment detailing and everything lined up well on reassembly. I don't recall rattling or squeaking before or after. I have to admit that I removed the dashboard before I drove it much as the wiring was in terrible condition and need complete replacement so maybe that helped.
I did have a 55 sedan before that and the sheet metal fit was not as good.

[rotorwrench]

Drum wear will affect braking. +.090" wear is far enough. The brake shoes on these cars can be centered but it takes one person to apply braking pressure while another loosens & retightens the anchor nut. Auto adjusters can be installed on cars that don't have them. This requires the car to be reversed with good braking action now and then. At each oil change is a good time to do that. If you manually adjust, they should be done at at least 10,000 mile intervals.

The old cars didn't have much roll control like they do now but they handled better than the earlier models did at higher speeds. 70 mile an hour speeds were pretty normal in the 50s. not so much prior to the war but roads had improved a lot after the war.

[Oldmics]

Metal squeaks - Plastic crap not so much

Oldmics

[scicala]

"As far as the ride....these cars are narrow and have a high center of gravity in conjunction with weighing about 4400 lbs, they are not going to be the best ride."


I think '55 - '56 Fords were more like 3400 lbs.

Sal

[Johnnydidd]

I believe you can never back, things are not the same. I had a 56 merc when I was young, tried to drive the wheels off of it, I would cruse at 60 mph windows down, radio blaring, pipes screaming. What beautiful memory. Now wind is to noisy to hear radio, too hot to drive in summer without air condition, I do have power steering on current merc, brakes are hard to push, steering wheel is too big. BUT I LOVE THAT MERCURY

[Jwawhite]

"Gonna buy me a Mercury....". I love the looks also! My first grade school crushs' mom had one. Same as yours.

[junkyardjeff]

My 55 sunliner has a few squeaks and rattles.

[JeffB2]

A lot of guys lower these cars using the progressive rate Ford Aerostar springs with the KYB shocks and it is a big improvement in ride and handling also there are sway bars available in 1 1/8" that help it even more. Spring part # is Moog CC850 around $55 a pair. Articles on adding self adjusters to the drum brakes are in the H.A.M.B. 1952-59 Ford Social Group cheap to do about $35 in parts. The 1967 Mustang dual master cylinder upgrade for drum brake 1952-59's is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXfXKlj2D1I&t=15s

[Herman Munster]

My 56 Town Sedan doesn't squeak nor creak. The gaps are as they should be and the doors close with a nice solid thunk. It's ride and handling is good for the type of car it is but sub par if I compare it to my 01 Crown Vic. It takes some effort to stop and steer since it has no power assists. I'm glad the steering wheel is as big as it is because it makes up for the lack of power steering. It rides on 6.70X15's so I won't try to push its cornering limits but they steer fairly well from a stop with the right amount of air in them.
Oh by the way the car has less than 31K miles so in actuality it's only about a three year old car.

[34pickup]

My first car was a 56 Ford. It was 8 years old when I got it. It was a pretty well kept car. A one owner, owned by the proverbial school teacher. I don't recall any rattles or squeaks until I had had it a while and hot rodded it. I think the doors, hood, trunk, body lines in general fit very nicely. But the brakes? Thats another story. Horrible. I think I even bent the steering wheel by pulling up on it while standing on the brake pedal. It would cruise 60-70-80 well but I didn't like to go that fast except on a wide open highway because it took a mile to stop. Never had it over 104.
I put disc brakes on all my cars now because I think being safe is more important than being original. Keep in mind that these cars are old now and you can't expect them to be as tight as when new because metal fatigues over time with use.

[Herman Munster]

I'll agree the brakes are terrible. I live in a hilly area and the brakes fade bad. I drove to a car show at a local park that involved a lot of back roads and more hills. The brakes smelled really bad by the time I got there. Disc brakes are a must.
I swear the 51 Cadillac I had wasn't nearly so bad as this Ford.

[fordor41]

I don't know about a '55 but my '41 with almost 300,000 miles on the body and frame doesn't have a squeak or rattle in it. Oh if I hit a terrible pot hole I may hear something but normal driving on city streets and interstate highway speeds not a sound.

[dmsfrr]

Originally Posted by Herman Munster

I'll agree the brakes are terrible. I live in a hilly area and the brakes fade bad. ......

Even the newer drum brakes were awful. I had a little '71 Merc. Comet with drums all around... the brakes were totally worthless over 40mph. I almost spent more time downshifting the 3spd to slow the car than using the brake pedal. Solved the problem by increasing the compression ratio of the 302 and putting in a 4spd. Hardly needed the brakes at all after that.

.

[Johnnydidd]

My 56 merc doesn't squeak or rattle, maybe the pipes are so loud I cant hear them

[Ole Don]

When you compare a 55 or 56 Ford to other cars, what do you compare it too? If you compare it to a car built in the last 10 to 15 years, you do both a dis-service. Compare to other 55 built cars. Our 55 was no place near stock. It had custom wound front springs, lowered reversed eye rears, gas filled KYB shocks, and HD sway bar, and Granada spindles and brakes. When I walked up to the 55, I put my mind back to when it was first built. I bought a 2000 Lincoln LS new. The wife preferred to ride in the 55 because it rode better.

[Herman Munster]

Originally Posted by dmsfrr

Even the newer drum brakes were awful. I had a little '71 Merc. Comet with drums all around... the brakes were totally worthless over 40mph. I almost spent more time downshifting the 3spd to slow the car than using the brake pedal. Solved the problem by increasing the compression ratio of the 302 and putting in a 4spd. Hardly needed the brakes at all after that.

.

I had a 70 Maverick all stock with the 200 ci 6 banger and its brakes were fine except if I ran through standing water. Then there weren't any brakes until they dried out. It was fine at freeway speeds and never ran into anyone. I put a lot of hard miles on that little car.

[Jwawhite]

When I started this topic, I was thinking when the stock car rolled off the assembly line, in my case Dallas, were the cars somewhat, generally speaking a not so great car? Driving my car I can actually see the fenders bobbing a bit--- even though the frame off restore replaced all the bolts and nuts. Were cars really this way?

[Herman Munster]

I never noticed any unusual movement of the front sheet metal when driving my 56, not even the hood vibrated.

[wbedwards]

Cars have come a long way. You really can't compare old to new. My car might have more hash than I remember when I was 16. But the thrill then was to have your own car/freedom. I didn't mind the recap tires, no air conditioning, no power anything, the big dent in the front fender for the thrill of the drive. I love to drive mine but both my boys who are 31 and 27 and my wife don't like driving it. You can't drive it and fidget with your cell phone. Its a full time job. =]

upon edit, preserving one is like preserving a snapshot in time

[Jwawhite]

Herman, while driving on the freeway about 60 or so, I can see ripples moving up the hood towards the windshield. Hood closes tight, it's a large piece of non supported steel, there's no inner frame on it like newer? cars. The fenders are bolted up nicely, I don't think the coils or shocks are bad, the car is level and rebounds great. The tires are mounted to new rims and balanced, perhaps I should ask a friend to drive alongside mine at speed and take a look.

Excuse me, the hood does have two L to R supports...perhaps today that's why they cross on hoods!

[bobss396]

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My '59 rides nice. I have front disc brakes, rear drums. New front end with big sway bar. All the window mounting stuff is new, have Fat Mat on the floor. I get some wind noise, still have to do one door seal to quiet it down inside. I recall riding in old cars as a kid, they were pretty quiet. Of course everyone drove slower than we do today. I had my Ford out the other night and was doing 75-80 with it.

[raceron1120]

Yup, they're a different animal than today's much more refined vehicles. That's just part of what makes them what they are, it isn't just the looks.

Part of the reason I kept my '56 Fairlane stock was for the ride and handling characteristics. It's the experience of driving and maintaining it like we did back in the days that also makes this hobby such a pleasure, IMO.

It has stock manual steering and except for the power drum brakes (not much better than manual drums!) & a 4 speed transmission my Vicky is pretty much as it was when new. I have had it up to 80+ mph. I held onto that steering wheel with both hands and made damn sure there was nothing too close in front of me! But I don't have a 'need for speed' with it. I just enjoy leisurely cruising thru the country or small towns near where I live.

It has few rattles or squeaks, rides comfortably and for me it's a joy to drive it. If I want creature comforts that it doesn't have, I will take my '16 F250.

[Johnnydidd]

I had a 53 Victoria with drum brakes and booster that car would through you through the windshield if you hit the brakes hard. The biggest problem I have with my 56 merc is if you hit the brakes hard it will pull to one side, maybe adjusting the brakes will help

[Dobie Gillis]

Yup, it's a fiddly process. Either find the tight one and back it off or tighten the other side until you get even braking w/no pull. I just went through this myself. Basically you want the wheel to make 1 revolution before it stops when you spin it by hand.

[Alaska Jim]

I think if you can see the front sheet metal vibrating and moving around, you have a problem somewhere. I have a '51 merc that I regularly drive at 65-70 and have occasionally had it up over 100mph. I did not see any sheet metal moving around at all. the car rides great at 70-75. It still is all original , drum brakes, and manual steering the car stops really well, and stops straight. I had no problem using it for a daily driver in the summer, even in rush hour traffic before I retired.

[paul2748]

I have a 54 Ford and never have seen the hood or any other sheet metal "rippling" at speed. As far as I can determine, the front sheet metal has never been off other than the hood when I changed engines.

[scicala]

Maybe the rubber hood bumpers on the edge of the fenders are worn out or missing and maybe causing the hood to wiggle. Or maybe too big of a gap between fenders and the hood giving it room to move from side to side.

Sal

[Jwawhite]

Scicala, yes there are what I consider large gaps at hood and fenders. The car is at a shop extending my pipes to the new collector boxes off the new Sanderson Headers. When I get it back, I'll take a photo and place in my Album. The inner fenders are tied to frame and the fenders in turn tied to the inner fenders, yes? I don't remember my first 56 wagon fenders bobbing down the road....

[scicala]

The inner fenders are attached at the sides of the firewall and at the radiator support side extensions. There is no contact with the frame itself. Yes, the fenders are attached to the top of the inner fenders and at the base and side of the cowl. Also two bolts on the hood latch panel and splash pan behind the bumper.

Sal

[Daves55Sedan]

Originally Posted by Jwawhite

Herman, while driving on the freeway about 60 or so, I can see ripples moving up the hood towards the windshield.

My '55 hood (basically same as '56) has been bouncing up and down on the highway at speeds around 60mph and higher especially if there is a heavy headwind or wind gusts. Been that way as long as I can remember.
It actually lifts up at the back of the hood at least 1/4 inch.
Once upon a time, I tried to stop this by adjusting the hood hinge supports downward to increase the spring tension at the back, but I noticed that the holes where the springs go thru the supports were excessively elongated due to being opened and closed a million times.
At that point I gave up and let her bounce away. As long as it doesn't fly off altogether, I can live with it.
That center pin on the front air deflector can be adjusted too by loosening the big nut underneath. Don't get the hood down too tight in the middle with that adjustment or it may damage the rubber bumpers at the sides on the front. Just snug it up real good so it won't bounce.

[Daves55Sedan]

Originally Posted by Jwawhite

I can actually see the fenders bobbing a bit---

Check to see if the three bolts that hold the fender aprons to the cowl mounting flange (each side) are tight. There are two more bolts at the horizontal flange on the firewall each side.
Check to see if the two castle nuts that hold the radiator support to the back of the frame front crossmember are missing. Those two nuts are really the only thing that holds the entire front end stable relative to the car frame. The radiator support sits on a rubber pad on top of the front frame crossmember. There should be a thick spring, washer and castle nut at each of the two studs that hold the radiator support down to the back of the frame crossmember.
If all the fasteners are in place and tight as they should be, there should be little to no movement of the fenders or hood. While the '55-'56 Ford car body is cheaper than previous year-models, it was still a pretty solid design.

[bobss396]

There is a lot of hardware holding the front fenders on. I had my radiator support out to clean it up and paint it. I broke a lot of seized fasteners. Ace Hardware has a good selection of j-nuts.

It was a lot of work to get the fenders aligned and tightened up. I started at the firewall and worked forward. I used new hood bumpers, a new cowl seal. Now the car is quiet and has no rattles.

[triumphleroy]

My 55 Fairlane club sedan that I had back in the late 50s was very quiet and the 1955 Fairlane club sedan that I own now is also quiet. Back in the late 50s I used to think that the Hardtops were a lot nosier than the club sedans. The first was clocked by the Texas Highway Patrol In excess of 120 MPH in 1962, and a ticket issued as such. This one I have now have had to 89 according to the GPS. But that is probably tops since I am 75 years old now ! In 1962 I was 20 years young. As is often said i was YOUNG,DUMB and FULL OF JISSUM JUICE or something to that effect?