Newbee's 52 Mainline Ute

[Newbee]

Well isn't always the way, recently I was over the West Coast(of SA) and got talking to a bloke who knew a bloke who had a Star model Coupe Ute. Went and had a look and a chat, nice Star Model with a 302W and C4, he tells me his brother has a '53 Anniversary Mainline sitting in a shed where their father had parked it up 45 years ago.

The shed had half the roof blown off in last years storms and he wanted to move it on as he had no time to fix it although he had started pulling it apart and had changed his mind. So this shed and old homestead is on the main highway to WA and I've driven past it dozens of times over the years and never stopped there even though it was free camping (I wasn't in need of camp site as I stay in motels when I'm away working ).

So on the way home I stopped in there and checked it out, of course it's in way better condition than my SS, talked to him and did a deal and its now mine. My main thinking is time saved on the other build, cracked the big 60 the other week so that does come into the thought process. Did a Google search and worked out it's a '52 model.

The whole car is there so I can take it apart methodically and bag and tag and clean it up and paint as I go. The side valve is still in it and it still turns over, so before I yank it out in favour of the 5 L I may have a crack at getting it running, the oil is black but no sign of water or sludge.

Here it is in its native setting. All the grille and headlights are complete, but some bludger had taken the front parking lights that were stored in the back after he started pulling it apart (Big Mistake).

So if anyone has a set of '52 front Park Lights I'd be interested.











This is at home and I've stared cleaning it up, probably 100 kg of dust and dirt came out/off of it. (Hey its SA where its dry and dusty and when the wind stops blowing or blows too hard the lights go out )






It has the same "wood grain" dash treatments of the '53 Anniversary model.









There is of course rust in the A pillar and floor area, sills and B pillar but all reasonably easier fixes than the SS.


I have removed the tar that was covering the inside floor, most has come up really well under the seat and the trans tunnel.



The RHS door still closes quite well but with a little hinge binding the alignment is still OK, the LHS is sagged a little and A pillar rust is worse on LHS.




Regards Newbee

[Chrisso]

Great score Newbee, the old girl shouldn't take too much work to be a nice ride.

[FRANK BASILE]

It is indeed a good score Newbee. Makes you wonder what else is still out there lying dormant in sheds

[Mopar Mick]

Great pick up Newbee.

Just goes to show, they are still out there.

I will follow this with great interest.

Mick.

[steve the ford guy]

this would be the rarest Ford made in the fifties, an amazing find!. You can buy parking lights on ebays US site with persistance in searching,
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1952-Ford-Fron ... P3&vxp=mtr
https://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-1952-Ford- ... .l4275.c10

Also there was an ebay seller in Northern California who specialised in 52 models, (Jim Angel), will try and locate his address for you. I often see a black 53 Mainline ute driving in town, dont see rare cars like that down in Sydney.

http://www.justauto.com.au/justcars/cars/ford/mainline
anything 52 Ford brings top dollar as this link shows

[Mudgy]

Scrubs up very well for its age Newbee. Great find !

Cheers, Mudgy

[tub1935]

good looking ute you have newbee look forward to your build

[jailbar joe]

well done...that will be a great kick along for the project

[Gojeep]

Great solid platform to start with for sure. Been a few swapping to better bones lately!

[Newbee]

Thanks for the encouragement guys. I thinking I'll keep this build a little simpler, still use the Jag IFS the NC Fairlane will donate the Windsor 5 L and BTR and probably the diff on leaf springs. Anyone see any issues with this combination?

All the in cab luxuries like heater and air conditioning (if I can get it to fit), fast glass, stereo will also come from the Fairlane, as will the wiring loom and anything else that will be useful.

Thanks for the leads Steve, I have seen those inserts and the lenses are available as replacements but so far l haven't seen any outer chrome housings or lamp holders, the insert looks good but I need a pair and with freight costs from the States it seems prudent to bundle I few items up.
Amazing in that era each year was slightly different, mainly the lights and grille area.

If you get a lead on Jim Angel that would be great. I'll keep searching.

I will shortly submit my Proposal to Build with the SA TAC.

Regards Newbee

[rx4ord]

Ripper find.
Well done and I will follow with interest.

Tassie Dave

[MickD]

Waddingtons Restorations in Castlemaine Vic turned up new sills for my 52 sedan mate. I noticed yours have just about all but disappeared, like most battle scarred Cussos, the sills were first to rust back into oblivion!
You'll probably get it on the road before I finish mine. Good luck with the build. I'll be following it. It's only taken me ten years so far and mine's still not on the road!.... (But I am a bit slack )
(P.S.) I'm glad you put the pics up showing which knobs went into which hole in the dash. Mine was all dissasembled a few years back & I was unsure which knob went where

I'm still running the flathead in mine just to be different. I've put a T5 behind it just to relax it a bit on the highway. The old flattys don't like to rev too hard, but they do sound nice with a dual system.

I found Dennis Carpenters in the states a good source of replacement bits and pieces. Got all my engine rebuild parts from them. Not too pricey either.

Mick

[ken1939]

Love the mainlines, I recon I have about the same amount of rust in my XB Falcon Ute

Looking forward to the build!

[jailbar joe]

thinking I'll keep this build a little simpler, still use the Jag IFS the NC Fairlane will donate the Windsor 5 L and BTR and probably the diff on leaf springs. Anyone see any issues with this combination?

newbee i am not sure if you realise or not that the chassis on the mainline at the point where the jag ifs will be placed will need to be compltely cut away and straight
rails put in place....when you see the mainline engine bay without a motor in there,it will be more obvious.

seen this conversion done on a twin spinner a while ago....a lot of work but a great end result

[hotrodsteve]

Hi Newbee, I did the jag conversion Joe is talking about. Definitely a lot of work. If you pm your email I’ll send you a heap of photos. It’s not hard just a little time consuming. Steve.