Best not to get these projects involved in peoples lives. Some people don’t like um Interfering with there life. Clean out your garage. Build a shed on the side to store stuff and make room and you rolling again. Life changing fast. Best off in your zone Bro. There’s nothing going on out there. Except hiring UHaul trucks. Fix your zone Bro. You’ll find somebody to hang with you. Good to see it rolling again.
Got to love the power of Flex Seal, I used some of that stuff before on the inside of a leaky radiator pipe on my John Deere, hasn't leaked since! Glad to see you are still moving forward on Thunderstruck, I am sure the transmission shop appreciates you removing all that old grime before bringing it in lol! Also glad to see you were able to move the car safely, probably the only thing worse than moving a non-running project car is moving one that's in a million pieces!
Great to hear from you my friend! That flex seal works great! I love it! Moving the car was a harrowing experience, however I suppose it was a testament to my handywork seeing that it held up after a 40 mile tow. Either way I'll take it. Best part of it all was that I didn't lose anything in the process.
Peninsula Auto Wreckers in Prunedale, CA has a collection of six or more square birds that are being offered for sale as whole cars right now June 2024 but they will be offered for parts if the do not sell soon. If folks need parts they should contact the yard.
@@walkercustomgarage No worries glad to help just make sure ya keep it off the axle and pinion seals it may destroy them aka it will eat them 100% but it gets grease off and remember to always use eye protection.😎👍
I still have a non rusted parts car. Were you the one looking for B/W interior? You can push start with that transmission but can't tow far or fast with rear wheels on the ground cause they have a rear pump. If you use stock type pistons you can run them with 87 with proper tuning.
I'm glad to see you're still amongst us and moving forward. Yes, life DOES get in the way; oh well. I'm also glad to see there's at least one other DIY guy who refuses to work around dirt and garbage. It does take longer to clean it all but pays off in the end.
Thanks for the support my friend! It does get tough sometimes but we always make it through one way or another. I think it's been ingrained into me through work practices and general life that it's more efficient to work in a clean environment. Doesn't stay that way long but it's important.
No no no pistons and rods are put in according to the firing order! Which is not the same as the order of arrangement. Also an engine which has sat for that long requires a complete overhaul including cam shaft bearings, timing chain renewal, crankshaft, mains, rod bearings, and oil pump, as well as a block purge with new frost plugs installed.
Hey, been watching your videos on this Thunderbird. Its a huge project. Its unfortunate that really messed up cars is all that can be found for a reasonable price these days. I remember when most undriven and forgotten Thunderbirds were still running cars with little to no rust, but those days are long gone. Whats the connection with this bird? Was it a passion to do a 59 Thunderbird or did you just happen to come across it and you said, okay, its as good as any? Rebuilding these 352/390 engines is not as cut and dry as it used to be. There are parts differences in truck motors from car motors and such, so dont trust that when you buy an engine kit, it is definately meant for your 352 car engine. You cannot assume that the balance of the pistons and other parts is correct because it wont be. The rods are numbered for a reason. Id put them back in the order that they are supposed to be. Speak to your rebuilder about that and see what he says. Also, you must balance this engine when it is rebuilt or you will have vibration problems, especially if the rods are in the wrong place. Make sure the rebuilder gives you a balance card. A balance card means that the rebuilder actually did it instead of just saying he did it. Buy a new harmonic balancer and flex plate and give those to the rebuilder so when he balances the engine, he has those new parts to include in the balance. Square birds run hot normally so I would not bore it to 60 thousands. 40 would be the max if you dont want overheating problems. When I first started watching your videos, I thought you were going to try and save that engine and get it running the way it is. Im glad that you decided to rebuild it. You know that a 390 or 428 will fit in perfectly just like the 352 if you decided to get more cubic inches. Hey, even a coyote engine will fit in there too. That would be cool. Anyway, nice project and fun videos. Good luck with Thunderstruck.
Actually, I was actively looking for a project and ran across this one. It was a battle from the moment I laid eyes on it! I sincerely appreciate the advice! I was noticing lately the differences with the motors and it's a bit complex. I'd love to do a restomod some day, unfortunately this is not the one. I'm going to try to keep it as close to original as possible with a few exceptions, so the motor will stay the same, just freshened up.
Thanks for doing this. I just picked up a 59 bird as well. Nice to see what's ahead and what I'm looking at getting into. Have you found any decent place to find parts.
Awesome man! It's going to be an enjoyable ride. I've gotten several suggestions from subscribers on here, but the best one I've found so far has been the Bird Nest or tbirdparts.com. They don't have everything your looking for but a very large selection of parts you'll need. I've found that I get a lot of parts from ebay and amazon as well.
Tackling a job that great on your own is a big challenge. Please be careful, and I hope the project turns out well and u can enjoy your 59 thunderbird for years to come.👌😊
The exhaust manifolds if true and not warped don't require a gasket. Use nickel anti seize permatex on the exhaust studs/nuts , this will prevent future removal & rust
Looks like you're using the original heads, won't feel the difference with high compression heads/stock manifolds, low octane more important. On non performance engines the umbrella seals do a proper job. Do NOT restrict the rocker shafts even for high volume oil pump and make sure the rocker shafts are clocked correctly. Some gasket brands overlap ports. Bead blast after hot tank? Not me, I just have them hot tanked and chase the threads. Have your balancer rebuilt, may be long lead time. Solve grooved/pitted front crank seal area with a seal sleeve. Last step before engine start borrow an air pressure oil priming tank, far better than spinning the oil pump. Prime until oil exits rocker shafts. Did you find one different length head bolt each head? They are important in correct holes.
Great advice as always! Thank you. I haven't looked at the head bolt just yet, been too busy with all the other stuff but I'm getting there. I'm pretty sure they are all there.
I appreciate that, thank you! She will be something amazing for sure. I can't wait to get started on the body work. That's when it will really start to pay off!
That thing you said you didn't know what it was. Looks like part of the trunk lock tumblr assembly to me. I have a 60 Thunderbird myself. It is diamond blue with a black top and black interior it was left to me by my late Uncle. Mine is a what they call A J bird, which is A J in the vin. Which means it has a Lincoln 430 engine. My Uncle took it all apart and put everything in boxes. So it will be a project. I am enjoying watching yours. I'm sure it will help me with me with mine.
That's awesome! Gotta say, I am a bit jealous you have yourself a J code model. That's what I was hoping for but... just happy with what I got. I agree, that is likely something to do with the trunk lock assembly but I'm just going to get a new one and not have to deal with it. I'm happy to have you along for the ride my friend!
had one like that in high school abojt 50 years ago mine had the 430 engine i always had overheating problems replaced thermostat radiator and water pump still didn't fix it i loved that old car seeing these videos bring back a lot of fond memeries looking forward to next videos
Very nice video as always, and thanks for the shoutout! You are making some good progress, and also that weld on the exhaust manifold came out fantastic, hard to believe it's the same piece!
Anytime my friend! You deserve it more than anyone I know. I think I got lucky on that exhaust, it came together pretty well. Just hope it holds up, but I've got some tricks up my sleeve...
So you have gotten a hold of a power washer, great! As I said before you need to get a hold of a body rotisserie, then you can move this body around and do all sorts of things to , and you'll have a lot more access to it !
lol, I would love to get a body rotisserie but I don't have anywhere to put it. It certainly would make things a lot easier. Maybe when I get a bigger shop... Carol!!
Not exactly....but effectively yes. Nah, that's my girlfriend and she set me up with the shop. She's been real supportive of me and everything I do. Love her to death!
That would have to be a very massive rotisserie, these ain't normal cars. My good 4 post lift is my most important tool, right after that is the jib crane that swings over it..@@walkercustomgarage
Looking Good. You been busy. Moving along fast. Plastic sheet your walls and tape it to the floor for pressure cleaning . Isky cam shafts are very good product..they will give you great advice if you give them dimensions of over bored engine. Weld nuts to broken studs. Heat up around area. Great news on a bottom end. Id ditch the cast manifolds. Once cracked always cracked.. port and polish heads with hardened valve seats. and mini four branch headers. Get good flow. Excelent finish works on engine parts. Good luck.. Have a good week.
Thanks my friend! That was my plan, cover the walls, tape everything then have at it. I also plan on doing a port match on the heads. Little steps. You have a great week as well!
I first try the nuts on stuck studs but seldom works on ancient exhaust manifold bolts. The weld in the hole trick isn't dependable either. If they twist off I just LH drill and re-tap.
lol, well it's not meant to be any significance to an area code. It has several different meanings but for me it represents teamwork and a desire to succeed.
Extremely easier to restore a 59 than any birds after 1960. I'm real glad I built my engine for low octane gas, those engines have plenty of power regardless. I long ago gave up on those extractors. I use LH drill one size under tap size with drill guide bushing and carefully re-tap, rarely had to keesert. If you have electric wiper motor just use a later model fuel pump. Is the steer shift collar ok, usually cracked or pin loose, I have a spare good collar, actually a spare good entire automatic column/box. If you keep original steer box store it with seal swell in it, refill with stp or special steering box grease.
I'm about to get into the steering components and I'll take a hard look at everything. The shift collar is in real good shape actually. Despite everything being coated in a thick layer of dust, the interior (except the vinyl) is in pretty good shape overall having been sitting for 47 years.
My 138K 60 bird sat without moving for 31 years in San Diego garage, ended up replacing every single roller and ball bearing stem to stern including diff carrier bearings and T85. I started with the wheel bearings and kept changing until all the vibrations were gone. I hadn't had that bad a problem with other cars but may have been they were rough riders to begin with and the bird is creamy smooth and quiet. @@walkercustomgarage
Get the genuine Ford factory manual for that engine and read it before moving forward. Don't assume that things are "correct" as found. Otherwise you will prove the adage: Never enough time to do a job right but there sure as hell is enough time to do it over." Don't be that guy. Thanks for sharing and press on!
I'm working on it believe me. I don't have the slightest clue to how any of this is "supposed" to work, just an overall concept. You are absolutely right though, I will get the manual and look into getting things put back the way they are meant to be, doing it right the FIRST time. Disclaimer though: mistakes WILL be made lol
I don't know what state you live in, but there are now several T Bird places to order parts from. I have a '65 Tbird and I have ordered a whole bushing kit and springs from them for my rear end and it was a quality parts and all installed. New gas tank from them too. place called the Birds's nest in Portland Oregon. Good luck and God bless.
Poll is over and we can crown a winner! Thank you to @AngellsGarage for the winning submission for this project that will now be known by the official name "Thunderstruck". If you folks don't know, @AngellsGarage is currently working on restoring an awesome 1963 and 1964 Thunderbird. He does an amazing job at detailing the difficulties of a complete restoration, so take a moment and go check out his channel. Thank you to everyone who submitted a name for the project and a special thanks to everyone who cast a vote!
to be definitively efficient against rust, you should put grease everywhere. grease is the only thing very efficient. put grease between metal and carpet, inside door, behind metallic bumper, under the vehicle, behind the repairs you can make (everywhere inside the body, cavities - hidden erea - instead of using paint), hollow areas (necessarily hidden, so no need to be aesthetic). For rear wings unreachable with a paintbrush, use an extender and poor old oil everywhere each year.Handyman Experience - 35 years. From france
Excellent advice! Especially in the areas that won't be seen. Problem with underneath the vehicle is that dirt will stick. I plan on using an undercoat to make sure rust won't be a problem again.
@@walkercustomgarage my experience says to me that dirt is not a problem. Grease will be dirty but does not lose lts power protection. that is the important thing.
to be definitively efficient against rust, you should put grease everywhere. grease is the only thing very efficient. put grease between metal and carpet, inside door, behind metallic bumper, under the vehicle, behind the repairs you can make (everywhere inside the body, cavities - hidden erea - instead of using paint), hollow areas (necessarily hidden, so no need to be aesthetic). For rear wings unreachable with a paintbrush, use an extender and poor old oil everywhere each year.Handyman Experience - 35 years. From france
