1956 ford thunderbird

[dynamo786]

I want to know if this frame is too rusty to use or not. is it sill salvageable or what would i have to do if it's too far gone? help me i'm just trying to surprise my dad with a rebuilt motor but i don't want to waste my money on something that is unfixable

:side note there is a lot of old mud in the wheel wells. its not just rust build-up

Edited March 3, 2018 by dynamo786 (see edit history)

[keiser31]

Knock on the frame in a few places that may look thin to you and see if it sounds solid. The frame itself looks to be fairly solid from the photos. I see some areas around it that look bad.

[dynamo786]

16 hours ago, keiser31 said:

Knock on the frame in a few places that may look thin to you and see if it sounds solid. The frame itself looks to be fairly solid from the photos. I see some areas around it that look bad.

Which areas look bad? The crossmember in the middle looks kinda bad but other than that i'm not sure.

[keiser31]

Well, the shock absorber in the third photo looks pretty rusty and in the second to the last photo it looks like rust through at the top or maybe just flaky. Really tough to tell without actually being there to look for myself.

Edited March 3, 2018 by keiser31 (see edit history)

[auburnseeker]

For a 1956 Tbird.  It looks decent to me.  That 2nd to last photo looks like the only rot I see and maybe repair.  That looks like the front inner fender under the headlight.  I'm pretty sure many rusted there first.  How is the rest of the car?  Chrome interior etc? A fresh motor in an otherwise pretty crusty car is not usually a real wise investment, unless it has something else going for it.  It doesn't seem like you are planning on selling it but if you do in the near future,  mechanical work yields the worst if any return on most old cars,  especially if they are cosmetically challenged. 

[trimacar]

Frame looks OK, as mentioned, looks like some rust in other places, in the third picture down there's a Swiss Cheese piece of metal hanging down, part of floorboard?

 

Unless the car has great sentimental value, you're wasting any money you put into it, judging from the underside of the car.  On an early T-Bird, you're so far ahead of the game finding a nice one in the 35-30K range, and paying the bank monthly instead of paying a restoration shop or individual to restore.  Plus, early Birds are commodities, you can decide what color and what options, and it won't take you long to find a car that meets those wants. 

[dynamo786]

18 hours ago, auburnseeker said:

For a 1956 Tbird.  It looks decent to me.  That 2nd to last photo looks like the only rot I see and maybe repair.  That looks like the front inner fender under the headlight.  I'm pretty sure many rusted there first.  How is the rest of the car?  Chrome interior etc? A fresh motor in an otherwise pretty crusty car is not usually a real wise investment, unless it has something else going for it.  It doesn't seem like you are planning on selling it but if you do in the near future,  mechanical work yields the worst if any return on most old cars,  especially if they are cosmetically challenged. 

 

16 hours ago, trimacar said:

Frame looks OK, as mentioned, looks like some rust in other places, in the third picture down there's a Swiss Cheese piece of metal hanging down, part of floorboard?

 

Unless the car has great sentimental value, you're wasting any money you put into it, judging from the underside of the car.  On an early T-Bird, you're so far ahead of the game finding a nice one in the 35-30K range, and paying the bank monthly instead of paying a restoration shop or individual to restore.  Plus, early Birds are commodities, you can decide what color and what options, and it won't take you long to find a car that meets those wants. 

i dont care about how the investment or cosmetics, as it is not my car. i really only care about the condition of the frame because i want to know if it could be usable as it is (for just cruising around the county a few times a year) or if i would need to do some major overhauling to it so it wont fall apart on me when i leave the driveway.

 

now i do see a ****load of surface rust. would i just be able to grind it back or do i just let it sit, obviously i don't want to do nothing. what would be a solution, how long before i have to start patching holes?

Edited March 4, 2018 by dynamo786 (see edit history)

[auburnseeker]

If you could post some other pictures of the car that would help.  Under the hood, interior etc.  

It's best to stop and seal rust to keep it from advances.  Probably the easiest way if you aren't planning on restoring it right away,  would be to spray the chassis down with a product like Fluid Film.   Pretty cheap and it will help sell it up some without actually grinding off the rust or just painting over it.  

I understand the desire to rebuild the engine to make it drivable but with that will probably come a full brake job, tires, an exhaust system, etc.  It all adds up quick from just one thing like an engine rebuild. 

[trimacar]

The only way to tell is to take a wire brush to it.  Thunderbird frames were pretty stout, if it's just surface rust it's no big deal.  If you wire brush it and start seeing holes, then that's a problem.

 

As far as drivability, I'd say if you had a few holes the size of quarters and the rest of the frame pretty solid, then occasional driving is OK.  If you end up with 50 such holes, or a number of them much bigger, then park the car. 

[dynamo786]

6 hours ago, auburnseeker said:

If you could post some other pictures of the car that would help.  Under the hood, interior etc.  

It's best to stop and seal rust to keep it from advances.  Probably the easiest way if you aren't planning on restoring it right away,  would be to spray the chassis down with a product like Fluid Film.   Pretty cheap and it will help sell it up some without actually grinding off the rust or just painting over it.  

I understand the desire to rebuild the engine to make it drivable but with that will probably come a full brake job, tires, an exhaust system, etc.  It all adds up quick from just one thing like an engine rebuild. 

i will take more pictures tomorrow when im not working.

 

4 hours ago, trimacar said:

The only way to tell is to take a wire brush to it.  Thunderbird frames were pretty stout, if it's just surface rust it's no big deal.  If you wire brush it and start seeing holes, then that's a problem.

 

As far as drivability, I'd say if you had a few holes the size of quarters and the rest of the frame pretty solid, then occasional driving is OK.  If you end up with 50 such holes, or a number of them much bigger, then park the car. 

and i will also try this thank you for the advice

[1957Birdman]

When was the last time this car was driven? To get it back in driving condition will probably take the following at a minimum:

• Complete brake service including new lines, hoses, wheel cylinders, master cylinder, and brake linings
• Cleaning out gas tank and changing the hose to the fuel pump, rebuilt carburetor, etc.
• A transmission service
• New tires
• New battery 
• Going through the suspension to make sure it is all right.

In other words, a rebuilt engine is only the first step to getting the car on the road. Is this an east coast car? From the amount of rust underneath I would guess it is. That is just another fact to consider. I agree with Trimacar, better to put the money into buying a better car.

Good luck with it,

Lew Bachman

1957 Colonial White