Update On The Restoration Work On My '59 "Yellow Rose"

[YellowRose]

Update On The Restoration Work On My '59 "Yellow Rose"

Hi Dano!

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed the pictures. I wish Ford had made a brighter yellow color back then instead of the light yellow or cream that they did. I have been toying with the idea of painting it a brighter yellow. However, that would require re-painting the entire car, engine well, trunk, inside the doors. If I just stay with the present Casino Cream, I do not need to have the engine well, trunk and inside doors re-painted. Those areas look pretty good as they are.

I wanted to post those pix of the L bracket modifications so that if others want to change their generator out for an alternator they could see how you can modify the existing L bracket to do so. I know many will want to keep their cars original, but for those of us who would like to modernize and improve the car some, this might help. I will keep my generator, as I am all original parts that are being replaced, so that if I ever sell it, I can sell it with the original parts also. If anyone has questions about the modified mounting I can put them in contact with Rich. I am sure he would be glad to answer any questions.

Ray
'59 "Yellow Rose" VTCI #11178

[YellowRose]

Update On The Restoration Work On My '59 "Yellow Rose"

I am creating a Power Show documenting my '59 Tbird's restoration. It has 33 slides in it now. If anyone would like to see it, you can email me at rayclark07@gmail.com and give me your email address. It is somewhat of a large file (6.4mb) so it will help if you have a high speed connection. You will need Microsoft PowerPoint or the PPView viewer file to see it. If you do not have PowerPoint or the viewer file, I can send you the PPView file. Let me know if you need it. All you have to do is click on it, and it will install. It is right off Microsofts website and it is free. Turn on your speakers.

Ray
'59 "Yellow Rose" VTCI #11178

[tarps3]

Ray,

Let me know if you continue to have problems attaining a new gas tank. I have an original tank in good shape. it needs to be flushed out and cleaned but is otherwise in good shape.
Casey

[YellowRose]

Update On The Restoration Work On My '59 "Yellow Rose"

Hi Casey!

Thank you very much for the offer! I might take you up on that. You can let me know in a PM or email me how much you are asking for it and what the shipping would be. Does it have the drain plug in it? I already have the locking device, neck grommet and an original fuel sensing unit for it. I gather your tank has not been modified? Mine sure was! I should have asked the guys here if someone had a tank they wanted to sell before I bought this one. I am sure I can cancel that buy since they dont have one they can send me right now anyway.

Thanks!

Ray
'59 "Yellow Rose" VTCI #11178

[tarps3]

check your email

[Guest]

Hello Ray, I just noticed your comment about the fuel pump. If that little hole in the pump was leaking and you smelled gas PUMP NO GOOD. I had a 76 LTD and the dealer put sealer on that hole to stop my oil drip

[YellowRose]

Update On The Restoration Work On My '59 "Yellow Rose"

Hi TBird!

Thanks for the comment. The gas fumes smell was coming from the carpet I had in the garage. When we changed the fuel pump we did it in the garage. Apparently, though we did not think we got any gas in the carpet, we did. I took up the old carpeting and found gas stains on the floor and on the back of the carpet. Once I got rid of that, the gas smell went away. It smells good now.

As for the leaking fuel pump that was caused by not getting the new glass bowl tightened down well enough. When we took that fuel pump off the first time, the glass bowl got cracked accidentally by something heavy that was layed on top of it. Once we got a new glass bowl in place properly and tightened down right, any leakage stopped. Now I can park the Bird back in its nest in the garage and not worry. There are no gas fume smells at all any longer.

I checked my newly quartzed clock and installation. It is still running and keeping time! The inside of that Bird is starting to look like a new one. I have some more chrome shining to do, windlace that needs to be replaced, instrument panel and glove box that needs to be shined up. More screws to be replaced out of that exterior/interior screw set I bought. (She has more of those sets available), side panels and seat covers to be replaced eventually, seats to be restuffed, once I get other things fixed. It is coming along.

If anyone is thinking of buying a new '58-'60 gas tank from Northcoast Musclecar save your money. They are out of stock for the present. They told me today their supplier cannot tell them when their new stock will be in from Canada. On that basis, I canceled the order. They are nice people. They were told there was one in stock by their supplier, but when their supplier pulled it to ship it to me, they found out it was damaged and stopped shipment. At least they did not ship me a damaged tank! I am buying the one Casey offered me!

Ray
'59 "Yellow Bird" VTCI #11178

[Guest]

That's great on the tank. I didn't finish the pump post. (i goofed) But when they did that they sent the gas into my oil. I couldn't figure out why i had to much oil till i had to put new bearings and fuel pump on it Just thought I'd share that info because if you have great oil pressure It might drip from there. and DO NOT PLUG IT UP. learned the hard way

[YellowRose]

Update On The Restoration Work On My '59 "Yellow Rose"

For the last couple of days I have spent the afternoon sitting in a chair under the carport while striping the tail light sections of my Bird. I used the striping kit that I got from John of Thunderbird Ranch and it did the trick! It took me about 4-5 hours for each of the two sections. I took my time, trying to get the pieces to lay out right. I found that if I took off the taillight lenses it gave me much better access to the work area. It sure looks a lot better!

Here is the link to the before and after pix you can look at if you wish. You can click on each one and view them as a snapshot and read any comments underneath, or you can click on the car that says Slideshow and it will run as such.

http://s259.photobucket.com/albums/hh281/YellowBirdOfTexas/

Ray
'59 "Yellow Rose" VTCI #11178

[Guest]

Ray, That does look excellent. What an improvement. Congratulations on being able to sit there and do it.
Joe

[Guest]

Ray I got real good service on my tank from Auto City classics out of Isanti Mn.$194 including shipping for my 60HT.763-444-5880

[Dan Leavens]

Ray the tail light sections look great after your treatment. Too bad about the oowwyy on the right back bumper what happened???

Dano Calgary,Alberta Canada

[YellowRose]

Update On The Restoration Work On My '59 "Yellow Rose"

George, thank you very much for the information about the gas tank. I will not have to put that to use because a fellow Squarebird here took care of my problem by selling me is extra gas tank that he had no further use for. And at a great price! Another great example of a Squarebird taking care of a fellow Squarebird! I ordered some gas tank sealer from Eastwood to treat that gas tank with. It was suggested that I take the tank to a radiator shop and have it flushed. Does anyone have any recommendations about flushing a gas tank? I have been told that the tank is in excellent shape and I have seen the pics of it and it sure looks that way. It should be here next week.

Dano, the previous owner told me that he backed up the Tbird and did not realize his pickemup truck was to close to it. He backed right into the front of his new truck. Yup, down the road that is going to have to come off, be taken to a company that pops hickies like that out, and probably will have to rechrome it. If it has to be rechromed, the left side will get the treatment also. There are some slight scratches on the left side.

I spent the afternoon pulling the sun visor sections off, and that long center section at the top of the windshield that those sun visors screw over. I cleaned them the best I could, and got a lot of the rust and gunk off. However, there is some bad pitting going on on the sun visor sections and on both ends of that strip. I got all three pieces looking really good with chrome polish and put them back on. I have the external and engine dress up parts to take in to be chromed pretty soon. I will probably pull those visors off and that chrome strip and take them with me to get a quote on them too. If they feel they can be cleaned up, and re-chromed without to much pitting showing, I will probably do them at the same time.

As it is, the inside of the car is starting to look pretty good. The chrome strips along the tops of the windows, down the sides and across the back window have all been pulled and shined up. They look like new strips again. I am going to work on the instrument panel and the glove compartment door next. Bart says that they actually have somewhat of a dull finish to them. I may not use chrome polish on them, but may just give them a good cleaning with a wet rag. Any suggestions about how to get those two pieces looking good? Mine do not look bad as they are. They probably do need a good cleaning though.

Thanks for the comments and support! I hope to have my Bird ready for its first showing later next month. It is not a judged event. The members of the So. Texas Thunderbird Club will be driving our Birds to a small town out of San Antonio and parking them to let people ohhh and ahhhh at them!

Ray
'59 Yellow Rose Of Texas" VTCI #11178

[Guest]

Ray
Your car looks great.Tail lights are outstanding.
Where did you get the fender cover
Bob M

[YellowRose]

Update On The Restoration Work On My '59 "Yellow Rose"

Hi Bob!

Thank you! It was worth the time and effort to get them on correctly. It really does make a difference.

The fender covers are from Larry's Thunderbird & Mustang Parts, 800-854-0393. $14.95 each. Page 106 of their catalog. I like them a lot and they do a great job of protecting the fenders. And they look cool, too!

Ray