My 64 Ford Custom Project

[Mike P]

Now that I've had a little fun with my "Trailer Queen" Thought I'd fill everybody in on what I'm doing with it.

I picked the car up a while back, it's a 64 Ford Custom (plain jane, very bottom of the line 6 cyl 3 spd 2 dr post). It had been sitting in a wrecking yard for several years after it went into a ditch one night. It got hit hard enough to ruin the hood, driver fender, bumper and grill. I hadn't really paid too much attention to it, figuring it likely had frame damage.

When i started huntiung for a body to put a bored and stroked 352 (401CI) in I took a close look at it. The only thing that was hurt turned out to be the parts I already listed, no frame damage, no damage to the drivers door, and only a couple of very minor dings in one of the quarters. The only rust is a small (about 2" X 6" hole) hole in a low spot in the trunk. I made a deal for the car, good fender, hood and bumper.

I've been collecting parts for about a year now so I have about all I need to put it together. The engine, a C6 from a 68 428 T Bird (the car has a factory 9" with 350 gears). I also have all new weather stripping, heater core and the parts to do a disc brake conversion (79 T -Bird parts are a bolt on).

[Mike P]

The engine (the main reason I bought the car) is an early 60's 352 that was sonic checked, bored .110 and a 390 crank and rods added, the rotating assembly was balanced and uses 390 heads fron a 63 T-Bird with new valves and hardened seats. It is topped with a 63 T Bird Tri-Power thats been coverted to Rochester carbs and Factory cast iron shorty headers. The distributor is a mallory dual point, but that will likely be changed to a uni-lite.


I'm going 60s era sleeper/streetracer with it, black (SHINEY) on the outside, with a red bench seat interior, steel wheels with dog dish caps. The changes to the interior will be limited to a Mr Gaskget Floor shifter (the one that looks like an old 4 spd floor shift), a tach on the steering column and a guage tri mounted to the bottom of the dash.

Just you basic old full size Ford. Too bad Boyds so busy, I guess I'll have to just do it myself

[NTFDAY]

Mike, put a Petronix in the dual point. It's a lot cheaper and should work just as well. I've got that setup in my '66 Mustang and my '73 F100 and I've been very happy with them. I also use their coils.

[Dave Severson]

Thanks for letting us know, Mike. I've been wondering for awhile where the Tri--power motor you gave us a picture of was going!!! Should really be a fun project and a good runner when it's done. Keep us updated.

[Walt Zander]

Mike. This brought a smile across my mug as I read of your plans and expectations for this venture. Always had a fondness for the hidden element of a ride that comes across "clean."
As Dave stated, please keep us updated. Pics. would be welcome if and when you can.
Our son lives in Clarkdale and a vision "in mind", during future visits will certainly ocurr. Best of luck.

[R Pope]

Thanx for the pictures . I've always had a soft spot for '64 Fomoco's, my first decent car was a Marauder with the 315 horse 390. Beautiful car, lousy gas mileage, but who cared?

[Mike P]

Spent yesterday putting some sheetmetal on it, looks a little more like a car now.

My main priority for completion is still the 57 Plymouth, but while it's in the body shop for a couple (few?) months, I figured I could get some stuff done on this.

[Walt Zander]

Hmm.......Can hear it now.

[junkyardjeff]

I bought one just like it back in 91 off of the original owners grandson for a hundred dollars,I dont know how the crank on the six got busted but I put in a 351-W and drove it for a few years untill I need some money to finish my 37 chevy p/u. I would like to have another as I now have two 460s and two 352s laying around,the only options on my 64 custom were a radio and back up lights. Jeff

[Mike P]

You must have had the high buck model, mine doesn't have the BU lights.

[Jerilynne1965]

Oh, I love it when I hear "I spent YESTERDAY putting some sheet metal on it"....UGH! lol.... Geez at this stage in my hot rodding hobby/adventure it's more... I spent YESTERDAY trying to get the hood open LOL!

Seriously Mike, it sounds really neat and you're right, it does look more like a car now hehehe...

[Mike P]

In spite of spending most of last year building the Plymouth I did manage to get a little bit done on the 64 Ford so I thought I'd post an update or two on it's current status.

I did manage to find a transmission for the car it's a C6 from a 428 T Bird. I got to drive the car before it was parted and the tranny worked good so it got new seals and a filter kit and bolted to the engine.

Even though the car was a 6 cyl, the frame mounts are the same whether it was a 6, small block of FE, so all that was required were the right motor mounts to get it bolted in.

The transmission was a little different story as the C6 mounts further back than the standard transmissions or the old Cruse-o-matics. A couple of simple angle iron extensions to the crossmember mounts and a 70s Ford truck tranny mount and that was taken care of.

[Dave Severson]

Looking good, Mike!!! That big old FE looks right at home in there.!!! Did ya take the 6 popper out and give it a good Christian burial?????

[Mike P]

For a shifter I decided what would look correct in the car would be one of the old style 4 speed look floor shifters. I've used these a few times in the past on different projects and they really aren't too bad for a cheap shifter. But any time you see something that's advertised as "Universal Bolt on" and "easy installation" keep in mind they are generally lying. It took me the better part of an afternoon getting the linkage where I was happy with it.

One thing about these shifters is that they only have one detent (park). For peace of mind I took my die grinder and modified it by adding another detent that blocks the shifter from accidentally being pushed into reverse without first pushing down on the handle. It's a nice feature when manually shifting one of these.

[Mike P]

"....Did ya take the 6 popper out and give it a good Christian burial?????..."


I believe so Dave, the last time I saw the poor locked up old 6 it was in the truck of a car sitting in the crush pile (it will come back as rebar).