Re: 1956 Clipper Deluxe

Posted by Brian Wilson On 2020/3/31 18:00:15

Hello Don

Thanks for your comments. The chap who owned this car (and restored it) was a race car designer/builder so I would guess you're right that he most likely measured it up fairly carefully. But I don't know for sure, so will double check.

There are quite a few other things about the car which suggest he was a pretty good engineer. I don't know why he went that way with the wheels. I suppose there was a plentiful supply of Ford wheel centres around in Australia then, so it may just have been easier than sourcing Packard senior drums. I know he bought the wire wheels from somebody in the US, so perhaps could have sourced drums etc then.

This same guy was the one who changed the paint colour. Some people quite like the original yellow/white roof, but not him or me. The paint job was done thoroughly then (body off), so I don't need to worry now about the engine bay, door frames etc. The cost of a full repaint in another colour would be eye-watering, and easily exceed the value of the car. Not that I'm thinking of selling it. I enjoy driving it too much!

I do have quite a bit of spare trim items, which came off another Clipper which was converted to a Ute (pickup), then scrapped.

I also don't want to dismantle it too much for painting, for fear I'll never get it back together and all working properly again!

Cheers

Brian