Frame issues

#1 12-20-2009, 10:42 PM

I have a need to replace the frame in the 56 Mark II we just aquired. From what I have read, it looks as though all the 56 and 57s had the same frame with minor plate modifications. Am I reading that right?

Barry Wolk · #2 12-21-2009, 06:24 AM

There's no difference.

Chuck Lutz · #3 12-21-2009, 11:15 PM

Barry, I thought there was a cross member deleted in 57, no?

linc64 · #4 12-22-2009, 01:01 AM

That was my understanding also. Here's an excerpt from an article in Continental Comments #141.

Roger Zimmermann · #5 12-22-2009, 02:31 AM

In the parts book, there is only one frame noted for 56/57, # 4050571. The illustration in that parts book shows the frame with the center cross member.

Roger

Nick DeSpirito · #6 12-22-2009, 05:49 AM

What is that switch looking thing sticking up on the spear by the gas filler in the above picture that Jim posted? Did that replace the vibration clip? The clip is missing on that car.

Trunk hinges were changed in Mid January of '56. The jack location was changed back and forth from behind the spare to the right quarter. Buddy Holiday did a survey by VIN's and the results were not clear. Seems it moved back and forth between locations on the units he surveyed.

I'm pretty sure the acrylic paint was added, and definitely the air intakes were changed for the '57 model year.

Barry Wolk · #7 12-22-2009, 06:09 AM

The cross member has been discussed before. No car extant is missing the cross member, that anyone knows of. I believe it to be a Mark II myth.

Just shows that you can't go by what was written before.

linc64 · #8 12-22-2009, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roger Zimmermann

In the parts book, there is only one frame noted for 56/57, # 4050571. The illustration in that parts book shows the frame with the center cross member.

Roger

Roger's statement got me curious about something else. Is there only one parts book edition? Would subsequent changes be documented by service bulletins?
Also, that same article says "that it wasn't until December 15 1964 that Ford Motor Company declared a differentiation from 1956 model to 1957." Does any one have documentation of that?
In any event, that article in the Comments has a lot of great info and pictures. If anyone here hasn't read it before, I can post it. Although it will take a while since it's twenty three pages long. It also has a lot of great pictures.
It might be fun to discuss some of the statements that were made by the experts twenty nine years ago.

Barry Wolk · #9 12-22-2009, 09:36 AM

Start a new thread for it.

linc64 · #10 12-22-2009, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barry Wolk

Start a new thread for it.

Will do Barry!

I'll start on it later this evening.