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Ken Deibert writes: It was not
uncommon when I was a schoolboy in the 1950s to see men in uniform. Many
of the dads and uncles were in the Reserves following the 2d World War.
Mr. Johnson was still USNR and I remember him from time to time in
uniform. Apparently, it was on meeting nights or weekends.
Neil who was age 10, like me, was a friend of
mine. Neil said he was moving. The home, across the street from mine, was
placed on the market. It sold soon and a relation of the Johnson’s
arrived. The Johnson’s were driving a 1951 Ford sedan. I recall my father
was still driving a pre-war De Soto. Before they left, both families had
new mobile homes and new vehicles. Neil’s folks had an ‘aqua’ 1955 Ford
Customline Wagon and the relatives got an ‘aqua’ 1955 F100. Pastel colors
were "in" 50 years ago. The new neighbors across the street had a big,
yellow Buick. A few seasons passed and my next door neighbor, the Cagllia
family, got a 1956 Ford Parklane. It was a blue over blue model with lots
of extras…
Fast forward to 1994 – Enid and I had left
the traffic of the Bay Area for God’s country, El Dorado County next to
the Nevada border at Lake Tahoe. We had been here near 10 years, when a
fire was set at the bottom of our road, which consumed our home. We saved
the animals and address books, but not much else. Old cars lost in the
disaster were: 1940 Chrysler Windsor 5-passenger coupe; 1950 Studebaker
‘heavy’ ¾ ton pick-up and a mostly restored 1962 Chevy ½ ton short
Stepside with all the extra factory goodies such as bumperettes, chrome
bumpers, mirrors and so on. I lost them all…
Because of this 1994 fire I went to a
community meeting where I met Phyllis. She wrote a very interesting book
about our community, left over from the Gold Rush, called Hidden in the
Chaparral in 1979. Phyllis was at the meeting and we became friends from
this devastating fire.
Phyllis and I started working together from
that point and have published 3 more books about the area and its people
starting after the gold excitement of 1848-49. It was one day when Phyllis
was showing me her garden a short walk beyond her home that I saw
Phyllis’s 1956 Ford wagon. The rear wheels were down to the dirt and this
may have kept the front end from sinking. Maybe it got stuck one day and
it was just left? Phyllis, a good businesswoman (she is now 90 years+),
asked if I wanted to buy it. Phyllis pointed out that this was a one-owner
car. She and her husband Don got it new at Paul Swanson Ford, Los Gatos,
California. It had been sitting there a long time and I offered her
top junkyard price for it.
This starts many Ford wagon adventures.
Early one day in 1998 a friend and I were
ready to tow the car from the mud. We came ready with tow chains and ropes
of all kinds and a 1972 Dodge ¾ ton pick up and my 1989 Bronco. After many
attempts I pulled the Ford out of the mud. As you may suspect a good
amount of the dual exhaust was ripped off and lay near where it had been
rusting for all this time. My bud then got his pick-up near the Ford and
pulled it over to his shop.
To make a long story short I got ripped off
about this Ford by my former friend. At his shop he managed to rebuild the
breaks and remove the 312 and Fordomatic for rebuilding. The story goes
downhill from there. I was told the motor was not good and it would be
better to put in a later model engine and trans. My x-friend had given the
312 away and gave me a $150 allowance on a mid-70s 302 and C4.
Others I know were upset about this deal. I
went back to get the 312 but there was an argument about it and being
out-numbered I left… I was so disgusted I made a deal about the 1956 Ford
with a friend who went over and got the car as-is. This all happened in
early 2000. Ron had a garage to put the 56 wagon into. He had a few other
cars, a early GT Mustang, a Studebaker Starlight with ‘propeller’ grill
and a early 70s Firebird of some kind. I felt that I was responsible for
finding the old Ford a good home.
It did not happen the way I wanted. Ron, who
had intended to rebuild the 1956 Ford and install a 429 big block and C6.
Ron likes the outside stock looking, but he wants speed and power too and
the cheaper the better.
Ron move to Arkansas and took everything with
him, except the 1956 Ford. He left that with his bro-in-law where it again
was a yard-car. To my surprise, I got a email from Ron saying if I would
like, I could have the 1956 Ford back, free….
I’ve been a California AAA member for many
years and one nice day I called for a tow. Of course I had the paper work
needed to move a car…a one-day-moving permit. No not really, but I was
obligated to lie to the tow truck man. It was one of them wink and nod
deals. One of the good things about living out in the wilderness is you
don’t have to always follow the letter of the law. Follow me?
This bring my story up to date. I’m thinking
about retirement. I don’t wrench much any more. I’m determined to make
this old car road-worthy again. I teach drafting at a community college at
Sacramento. A 22-year-old student I met at work, Cory, is able to do
mechanical work as well as body and paint. He lives in a rural area also
and is able to work in his "back-yard." I have a deal in progress with
Cory to "restore" this old Ford.
The pictures illustrate how much is needed to
get going. It is better than it looks! The last picture is the author and
car builder standing near the replacement motor. Yup! Regrettably, it is
not a 312 and it will not power a Fordomatic. Cory is building a 1968
(Mustang) 302 CID as you can see (with 1972 heads with hard valve seats.
The C4 is from a 1969 Torino.
Owing to this not being a number match car I
still wish to keep the factory tu-tone colors. Springmist green over
Colonial White, called EW on the door pillar plate. An interesting thing
about the tutone is it was a mid-year option on the 6-passenger Country
Sedan. Thanks to John Rotella for his explanation on the paint layout. As
1956 Ford folks know the brochures and advertisements, many printed in
1955 make no mention of the Fairlane series look-a-like paint on the
Customline series.
Back at the start of this long, long car
story, I mentioned my interest in history. I’m delighted to set the record
straight about this paint option. I expect there is a dealer bulletin
someplace that announced the new spring paint options. Springmist Green
over white is surely a sign spring is near. |
