Proud new owner - 56 T-Bird

[JesseFitz]

Hi All,

I just took ownership of this wonderful car... It's been in our family for decades and I'm looking forward to continuing it's upkeep so my sons can eventually be in the same position.

I'm not the most mechanically inclined person, but I understand the basics. I want to be good to this car, so I'm hoping you all can point me to some good beginner resources for basic troubleshooting, maintenance and understanding of the vehicle.

Thanks in advance for any perspective you have to offer!

This page contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated. As an eBay Partner, and Amazon Associate I may be compensated if you make a purchase at no cost to you.

 

[CSPIDY]

Post some pictures so we can appreciate it as well

 

[JesseFitz]

Post some pictures so we can appreciate it as well

Here's a picture of it up on the jack stands ready to receive a new fuel tank this weekend.

 

[CSPIDY]

Nice, as much fun to work on as to drive for me anyway

 

[kees]

Hi All,

I just took ownership of this wonderful car... It's been in our family for decades and I'm looking forward to continuing it's upkeep so my sons can eventually be in the same position.

I'm not the most mechanically inclined person, but I understand the basics. I want to be good to this car, so I'm hoping you all can point me to some good beginner resources for basic troubleshooting, maintenance and understanding of the vehicle.

Thanks in advance for any perspective you have to offer!

Congrats. My recommendation would be to purchase a shop manual. Not expensive, around $ 40.00. You will get a better understanding of the car, even though you may not do all service or repairs yourself. Well worth it. There is also a wealth of information on this great Thunderbird forum. Encourage you to join. Enjoy.

 

[Pete986]

Congrats. My recommendation would be to purchase a shop manual. Not expensive, around $ 40.00. You will get a better understanding of the car, even though you may not do all service or repairs yourself. Well worth it. There is also a wealth of information on this great Thunderbird forum. Encourage you to join. Enjoy.

I agree!
Looks like you have a hardtop from a '55, we should trade! 🙂

 

[kees]

Here's a picture of it up on the jack stands ready to receive a new fuel tank this weekend.

Thanks for the picture. But it does not look like a very safe way to go under the car. You need more than one stand and you should block the wheels to keep the car from rolling. Emergency brake is not enough. Safety first. I knew somebody that died doing this. Please be safe.

 

[JesseFitz]

Thanks for the picture. But it does not look like a very safe way to go under the car. You need more than one stand and you should block the wheels to keep the car from rolling. Emergency brake is not enough. Safety first. I knew somebody that died doing this. Please be safe.

Thanks for the heads up. Next time I'll post what it looks like while we're actually under the car.

 

[JesseFitz]

I agree!
Looks like you have a hardtop from a '55, we should trade! 🙂

Apparently the hard top was originally white, but my wife's grandfather decided the car looked better all black. Word on the street is that the soft top is still white, but I haven't had an opportunity to check it out yet.

 

[JesseFitz]

Congrats. My recommendation would be to purchase a shop manual. Not expensive, around $ 40.00. You will get a better understanding of the car, even though you may not do all service or repairs yourself. Well worth it. There is also a wealth of information on this great Thunderbird forum. Encourage you to join. Enjoy.

Thanks - will make sure I get the service manual. Re: joining the forum... I signed up and have an account now... is there more to joining than just that?

 

[kees]

Thanks - will make sure I get the service manual. Re: joining the forum... I signed up and have an account now... is there more to joining than just that?

Yes, you can become a member. The forum offers different levels of membership at different cost. They provide a great service for us Thunderbird owners. This forum is very well run but costs money to run. Enjoy.