|
|
 |
|||
|
|
||||
A clean, red oxide body returned with the standard problems of rocker panels missing, areas with more holes than metal, and a trunk floor flapping in the breeze! Replacement rocker panels from Obsolete Ford Parts (cheap to buy, expensive to import - first lesson learnt!) were dispatched to a friend (still?) for welding together with the bare shell - minus doors, fenders, hood and trunk. I awaited its return... Eventually, after the inevitable exchange of money, she returned: holes had disappeared, foot wells and trunk floor repaired, and new rocker panels replaced the gaps that were between the doors and the floor. Once again the body was raised off the ground, this time very much more securely than in those earlier, reckless taking apart days. All the joints were seam sealed, primer coated and generally made as water tight as I could. At this stage I opted to underseal the whole of the underneath. Nothing is going to get in (I hope). The chassis was rolled under the shell ready to finally reunite the two. Problem. Body mountings. I could only find a few people who said they could supply these, but researching (learnt my lesson last time) I found these are just cut from tyre sidewalls and sold as a set of mountings, or to put it another way c**p! If anyone needs them, mount kits are available for retractables, but not the rest of the 58s. A call to Metroseal in Paycocks Close, Basildon, courtesy of Yellow Pages (look under Rubber Products, but explain to your friends/partner before you start, to save embarrassment) followed by a quick journey, they tested the good mounts I had, and supplied the right grade rubber block for about £12. Two evenings, a hole cutter (not a good idea) a box of scalpel blades and a beautiful set of interlocking mountings materialised. Mounting caps and locknuts restored, new shoulder bolts from the local engineering company, a weekend swearing, two broken finger nails, numerous cups of coffee - and at last the two were united. As all this was going on I was trying to find a good source for all the parts I was going to need to carry on with the restoration. After a few more false starts (story of my life, that is) I contacted Dennis Goodman of Eagle Pass Cars in Canada. Once again, having checked him out I opted to use him to locate the parts. So far this has proved to be a good move. In order to raise some capital I either had to sell the family silver or persuade the other half to get a night job (if you get my drift). As neither was acceptable, a garage clear-out raised sufficient funds for a major shipment. I know a lot of people told me not to buy parts from Canada, but Dennis sources stuff from the west coast and is an agent for most of the main U.S. suppliers e.g. Carpenters, A.B.C., and not only Ford! So far I have always found that everything has been as described. As his costs are in Canadian dollars it usually works out cheaper than buying direct from the U.S. Something to do with American/Canadian and Canadian/English exchange rates or which way the winds blowing - something like that, anyway. He also accepts credit cards, and runs a '55. An order was got together for a good used hood, a pair of fenders, trunk lid, gas tank, fender skirts, lamp bezel etc. The rear outers are especially difficult to find in good nick, but Dennis located a pair and had them replated - a real neat job. Also on the list: a grill, bits of trim, a decent radio and loads of other parts. On receiving a price quote I was so pleased, I had enough left over for my favourite bit - a continental kit. A little information here: I had previous quotes for this item and they were cheaper, but the reason is that they dropped the spare wheel downwards, whereas the more expensive one swings up and across, and needs smaller rear lamp lenses, but they come with the kit. You also get plated bumper extensions and panel chrome. < Previous Page  |
||||
