Dad's 55 T-bird - The beginning of a long process

Click on the link below - a really nice dedication to Dad:

http://videos.yourtribute.com/viewtribute.asp?fh=ctcfuneral&mv=cracknell.html

Visit the following link to see pics from when we first pulled his Tbird out of storage last summer in preparation for restoration. NOTE: Some are large and may take a minute to load, depending on your connection speed.

http://mysite.verizon.net/cracknell/id1.html

Note tags to the upper left for each month. This page only shows November.

Info: I've had some folks ask why they cut into the body like they did. You may not realize it but the body on this car is one solid welded piece with no seams... from the front end to the fenders to the rocker panels to quarter panels to the rear. You can't just remove or replace a fender on this car. Because of this, in order to see what lies beneath, they may have to cut a hole. If it's badly rotted, they have to cut that piece out and replace it. Sometimes an outer skin that may be somewhat solid has to be cut away in order to get to a rotted structural piece, as with the rear of the fenders in order to replace the door posts.

Dad with his Bird when it was new... In front of "Cracknell's Motel" - built by GrandDad.

Mom & Dad with the Bird (late 1950s in New York?)

Moving the Bird from where it had been stored since 1968. I believe this was in the winter if 1988.

Pulling the motor - Summer 2005. Last picture I had taken with Dad. I love this picture.

Restoration begins!!!

Although I wanted to do some of this myself, the body and frame would need to be done by professionals if it was going to be done right. Dad and I had discussed this before he died - i.e structural/body metal replacement/fabrication vice a bondo patch job. Unbelievably, I found a place that specializes in 1955-57 Tbird restorations that was only 1 1/2 hours from Mom & Dad's House - Too good to be true? I contacted them and after having the shop manager come up and look at the car and then Peggy and I going to the shop to look around, I felt these were the guys to do it. With much hemming and hawing/going back and forth, I've now decided to have them do the whole car... Frame off, ground up restoration. They really know what they are doing with these cars and I believe give a crap about their work. The Bird was towed from Alliance Ohio (where it had sat in one place or another nearby) since before I was born, and was delivered to CASCO (www.classictbird.com), in Coshocton, OH. on Friday Nov 4th. As you can see from the pics below, they've wasted no time. This is just the work they've finished in three weeks - through the end of November. Another interesting bit of info is that I registered Dad's Bird with http://www.tbirdregistry.com/viewdatasheet.asp?RegistryNumber=29293 and they now consider it to be third in line on their list of "Significant Thunderbirds" due to being the oldest Thunderbird to remain in the original family since purchased new (outside of original owner). http://www.tbirdregistry.com/signif/default.htm.

Full picture of the Tbird after arriving at the shop. Door panels and other bits already pulled.

First cutout made exposing the rot underneath (RF fender) - oof.... but expected.

RH Fender Cut to expose and clean up the rot and prep for door post replacement, etc.

RH Rocker panel and door frame removed and/or cleaned up. (bad rot removed)

New custom fabricated frame rail/rocker panel support welded into place.

RH - New rocker and door post welded in...

RH fender and side solid and pieced back together once again...

Right hand dog leg replaced...

LH all major rot removed... prepped for repairs. (I spared you all the detailed pics)

LH - New side rail replaced...

LH Fender/side rigid again.... New rocker panel, door post, etc. in place... fender welded back...

OFF THE FRAME!!!!!

Pulling the body off the frame is a pretty big deal in my book. I believe they needed to repair all major structural damage and rot to the body before this could be done, which is why they did the door posts and new rockers frame-on, so it would not flex and hold it's shape. This is where this month's pics (and my bill for now..) ends. They will be starting on the complete chasis overhaul very soon. I will post more pics next month. I will be visiting the shop when I am in Ohio over Xmas to talk to the shop manager and see how things are going in person. THANKS TO THE GUYS AT CASCO FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK! I would have spent years on this and it would not have turned out as nice as it's going to, I know.