This '55 really got my attention today...

[compos mentis]

The stance, paint and the design of this '55 Ford really got my attention when I saw it on the newstand. The mag has more great pics.

If it was mine I'd keep the wheel and tire look by having DiamondBack Tires graft some whitewalls on some sticky 17" rubber for stealth purposes, put in a Ford Racing crate 5.0 DOHC with 500 hp and a T-56, and set the chassis up for some road course fun.

From Super Rod...

"Hopkins had already installed a ’69 Camaro front clip under the car, so the Thunder Valley crew picked up the work from there. To that Camaro subframe they added Fat Man Fabrications 2-inch drop spindles and air springs coupled with Monroe shocks to lower the car. Using the Camaro parts made it possible to upgrade to more modern Detroit Speed & Engineering steering and a 1-1/4-inch Suspension Techniques sway bar. Wilwood multi-piston calipers and 12-inch rotors provide more braking force than this cruiser likely needs, but it’s nice to know the stopping power is there. Those brakes are hidden behind the 15x7-inch Wheels of Steel rollers, parts that were chromeplated and treated to stock ’55 Ford hubcaps. The tires are Diamondback Classics 195/65 radial whitewalls.

The use of GM components continues at the rear of the car. While so many people have put Ford 9-inch rearends in ’55 Chevys, Thunder Valley put a 10-bolt GM rearend from a ’68 Camaro in this ’55 Ford. A limited-slip differential and 3.73 gears reside within the rearend, while a custom four-bar suspension connects the axle to the frame. Suspension comes in the form of more Monroe shocks and air springs. Likewise, braking components are the same, consisting of Wilwood calipers paired with 12-inch rotors. And while the rear wheels look the same as the fronts, they’re much wider (15x10 inches) in order to mount a fat 255/60R15 Diamondback radial whitewall. To make room for those big tires, the builders relocated the rear framerails."
Complete article link is below.

http://superrod.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=AE61BCE2EFE94FB48E4DC360DD631B8F&tier=4&id=B401C2C0C7EC43DABE04A36EAB0E56A0

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2008/01/55Fordblackslammedsuperrod-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2008/01/55Fordblackslammeddr34fr-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2008/01/55Fordblackslammed34rrdr-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2008/01/55Fordblackslammedengpassfr-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2008/01/55Fordblackslammedint-1.jpg

[PleaseNoSteve]

That is pretty sweet. I wouldnt mind doing a 55 ford PT style.

[NOVA]

Nice ride, new old skool!

[Paul_J]

Beautiful car. Simple, Clean, Classic and performs better than stock!

[kennyd]

i saw that car in columbus last year , its realllllllllly bitchin .

[rocketman]

I have always liked them, Just proves that there are other Tri5's besides a Chevy. There was a good looking one at Barrett this year also.

[StRacerDuke]

I think we are looking at the new trend in Hot Rodding right here.

[BA.]

you may be right Duke. The 50's and early-mid 60's are really picking up in popularity again.

...and with cars like that 55 Ford up above, why wouldn't they??!!? Sweet looking ride.

[brownz]

Not a Ford guy but thats a great looking car very clean cant go wrong with that.

[David Sloan]

The Guys over at Thunder Valley build some bitchinnnn street rods.
I have seen it in person at the local cruzz, it looks as good in person as it does in pics.

[Z06killinSBF]

Wow, nice.

[Beige]

I'm really suprised shoebox Fords and Mopars haven't really taken off yet.
Hopefully I'll have the oppertunity to snag one before they do.

[rellim51]

That was one of my favorite cars out last summer. I love the seat material.

[NOVA]

That was one of my favorite cars out last summer. I love the seat material.

wish there were a few more pics, anyone?

[Young Gun]

sweet ride...great color

[compos mentis]

wish there were a few more pics, anyone?

I was surprised I didn't see any on Thunder Valley's site.

Skip

[compos mentis]

I'm a '55 Chevy guy but I wish it was more compact in size like the 55-56 Fords.

Seeing this one definitely changed my opinion on those cars' potential as a rod.

Skip

[NOVA]

I was surprised I didn't see any on Thunder Valley's site.

Skip

Thanks for the photos! I tried googling there site and couldnt find it?

[compos mentis]

Thanks for the photos! I tried googling there site and couldnt find it?

I googled it this way below. It shows up under 'images' also ...

lamar cline's 55 ford

Skip

[BossaNova]

I saw this car in Cartersville, GA last summer. The car was sitting off to the side by itself. It was head & shoulders above anything I looked at that evening.

The coolest thing about that car was the interior. That was the cleanest & best executed part of the whole build, in my opinoin. I kept going back to the car just to check out the interior. Less is more!

Kudos to the owner for building something different.

-Mark

[compos mentis]

I saw this car in Cartersville, GA last summer. The car was sitting off to the side by itself. It was head & shoulders above anything I looked at that evening.

The coolest thing about that car was the interior. That was the cleanest & best executed part of the whole build, in my opinoin. I kept going back to the car just to check out the interior. Less is more!

Kudos to the owner for building something different.

-Mark
Mark,

The pictures of the interior I saw in print in Super Rod mag are better than what I found and posted here.

I like the story of how the owner's son found and hung onto that '55 Caddy fabric for just the right car.

Skip

[compos mentis]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1955-Ford-2-Door-Club-Sedan_W0QQitemZ110216857411QQcmdZViewItem?hash=ite m110216857411&_trksid=m37

Skip

[Marty G Cars]

The guys at Thunder Valley have finished several extremely high quality PT cars too. They've done quite a few Camaro's, Nova's and Chevelle's.

[Bob Johnson]

I saw the car at the Year One Challenge. It was sitting right next to a 55 Chevy. My first car was a 56 Ford Club Sedan and my second car was a 55 Ford Victoria. I have always liked the Ford body style as well as, if not better than the same Chevys. I had Bill Howell and several other people look at the front and 3/4 side view of both and say just tell me which one looks best. Everyone said the Ford, but they were surprised...It's just not as boxy. I told Alan Johnson about it. When he saw it at the Goodguys show in Atlanta he picked it as one of the top cars there. He was extremely impressed with the clean neat look of the car..I have always told him the 55 56 Fords would make a nice project as would the 57 Custom Ford with the little 300 body..they are bitchin too. I sold Alan Johnson's dad a 56 customline Ford that I bought from George Poteet. It was the Coral and Ivory 2 tone. It is one cute piece too..3 sp with Overdrive..had under 30K original miles..

[ty1295]

My mom still has her 55 ford customline, the car she learned to drive on 40 yrs ago tucked away at home. I am just finishing up my typhoon, been thinking about dragging it back out and building it again. Gotta keep it going and in the family.

[southernfriedcj]

When he saw it at the Goodguys show in Atlanta

When did GG start coming to the ATL? I used to go to GG in Perry every year, then they moved it to Conyers for one year(it sucked at the horse park), then it was gone.

Jim

[Bob Johnson]

they're trying to get a venue down here that works for them. This was the 1st year at AIR..Nashvile worked right off the bat. Everything else down here just hasn't hit it big..Charlotte does pretty good..Perry didn't cut it..The year at the Horse Park, it rained all week end..that hurt it bad. i liked the facility and for a small show, I thought it was a good deal..AIR can stand one helluva crowd...as NOPI has proven..plus Nascar..

[rocketman]

The Goodguys I love there shows, but the show at the race tracks are a pain. Kc, Fort Worth, Colorado etc if they have the race cars going you cant really hear worth a crap, one way in one way out and no shad anywhere. Isn't there State Fairgrounds anywhere big enough for a GG shows. Des Moines is one of the best GG shows there is and the City up there is willing to do whatever it takes to keep. You would think that Georgia, Alabama etc would have a huge fairgrounds somewhere.

[Restomod]

Beautiful car..had me goin till I saw the SBC. It needs a T-Bird 312 REAL bad. I dont mind Fords or Chevys but I dont cross bread.......

[compos mentis]

Beautiful car..had me goin till I saw the SBC. It needs a T-Bird 312 REAL bad. I dont mind Fords or Chevys but I dont cross bread.......

Agreed...too bad it had me goin' also, I like it a real lot but if they wanted something more modern than a Y-block but still wanted to run carbs, there's a nice manifold out there for DOHC 4.6 Fords. Those big heads would look real good under that hood.

Skip

[rocketman]

Beautiful car..had me goin till I saw the SBC. It needs a T-Bird 312 REAL bad. I dont mind Fords or Chevys but I dont cross bread.......


I guess you don't look at any street rods. I would have done a SBF myself but thats just me.

[MarkM66]

The Goodguys I love there shows, but the show at the race tracks are a pain. Kc, Fort Worth, Colorado etc if they have the race cars going you cant really hear worth a crap, one way in one way out and no shad anywhere. Isn't there State Fairgrounds anywhere big enough for a GG shows. Des Moines is one of the best GG shows there is and the City up there is willing to do whatever it takes to keep. You would think that Georgia, Alabama etc would have a huge fairgrounds somewhere.

I agree. I can't stand GG KC. Would never go back.

[Restomod]

I guess you don't look at any street rods. I would have done a SBF myself but thats just me.

No,not a street rod kinda guy. Pro Touring is about as close to SR as I get.........

[rocketman]

I agree. I can't stand GG KC. Would never go back.


If Kansas City wasn't in backyard, I wouldn't go buts only 30 minutes from the house.

[darth_flavor]

seen that car on the internet earlier. there are very few fords that can catch my attention (but then again it looks like a chevy) and this is definitely one of them.

it's nice, but he needs to go the extra mile and CHOP CHOP it down like this:

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

[Munster]

The Ford '55 at the head of the thread, Sweet. I'd drive it in a heartbeat, and I'm not a big Ford. Don't dislike them just haven't had many. Have a '57 two door wagon basket case out in the trees, maybe theres hope for it yet.