i have a 1955 thubnderbird tHt the temp gage goes to hot.I have heard this is normal. Just wondering will it hurt anything and if so what should i do

Instantly goes to hot when car is started or slow gradual climb to hot?

gradually climbs to hot.We noticed the radiator started to boil and we changed the radiator cap.It has a fan on it but we are thinking it only comes on after it starts getting hot as it does not come on when the car is started

Belt driven clutch fan? If so possibly clutch has gone bad. Does engine cool down as you drive at highway speeds? If so it probably a fan issue.

A 55? Well at that age it could be a bad radiator that may need rodding out, stuck thermostat or even a kinked hose. Try to fluch the radiator and see if the water coming out has good flow and is it clear after the initial rust clears. If so, it is probably the thermostat. Dont rule out dandyour's idea of fan clutch either.

i agree with oldtimer 37. To pull the radiator and have it rodded is pretty cheap. i had mine opened up top and bottom, resoldered and rodded for $95. easy pull too. These cars alway ran hot. On mine i replaced the 3 balde factory fn to a 5 blade, upgraded to a larger radiator, an added an electric fan as i do parades. Now she's cool.

Also to answer your question, Some guys are ok with it going to hot. Thats not a problem as long as its only for a minute or two (my opinion). Anything that runs hot is not a good idea.

She is right about all of them running a little hot. The bigger fan blade or electric fan are good ideas and not real expensive.