Projects StNick's - 1957 Ford Custom 300 Build - Progress Begins!

Hello RON! indeed, I remember you had your girls there. We are discussing making the trip again, plane or drive..... we'll see. I do have my room booked!

As for the springs, I think they will be perfect, a little bit of a rake. They will settle down once we get the body on, a tank full of gas and a battery in the trunk.

I'm getting excited!

 

SHOTGUN!!!!



holy heck, how did I miss this thread?

 

Nice project ya'll got going on ... I'm sribed.

PACO

 

You've been raising care of your kids I'm guessing....



Not too much happened last week, StNick came down and started getting the floor cleaned and painted....



Looks pretty good!!



Last night I finished up the cross members, got them all welded up...



I had to notch the transmission cross member to make room for the transmission webbing..



I also got the ladder bars fitted and the axle housing brackets tacked in.



Just need to do a final fit and finish welding on the ladder bars and they will be ready for paint!!

 

Looking good Mike and Nick!

Have you used the Rust-Oleum paint on chassis and/or body underside before?
If so, how durable and rust-resistant is it?

I've been thinking about using that instead of POR-15 on my Roadster chassis, body underside and inside of the body panels.

Malcolm

 

The stuff your Dad's doing is the shit I hate the most. Except blocksanding!
My 57 was 427 powered for many years. Ran 11:60 back in 1990.

 

Just found this thread and did a ton of catching up. Fantastic job Barn! Love the fact that you're helping Pop out.

I lost my dad in '95 and still miss him everyday....it's great to see you spending quality time with him and helping out his nostalgia! Kudos brother and great job on the custom.

 

Great thread!!!!
I honestly did not know that they sold the Rustoleum professional strength paint in Semi Gloss black. Around here it's only sold as Gloss or Flat!

 

First time using it, I'm sure it will work fine, we cleaned the rusty metal up pretty good and the roller put it on thick enough it should last a while. Rust-Oleum is supposed to stick to rust. I might do something different on fresh new metal?

I picked up a ton of paint from a Lowes that went out of business for 50% off, so I'm gonna use it.

 

StNick and I have been taking shifts on the car, I weld at night, and he paints during the day.

StNick got the frame painted and the hockey pucks painted..





Inner rockers and corner braces are in and getting painted





The paint on the pan and firewall is looking GREAT!!







I'm fabbing the rear body mounts as they have totally dissolved.







One side done!

 

Go Go Go....

 

Looking great!

 

Wow, I love it!! Don't know how I missed it this long!!!

 

Wow ... AWESOME thread! Very inspirational.

 

Yikes, that mill is a bad boy. Love the custom 300 tu-door posts. Rock on guys! ~sololobo~

 

you guys dont fuck around.

 

Spent about 8 hrs in the shop last Tues - fiddlen here - fiddlen there - scrapen here - scrapen there - painten here - painten there - thought I'd go ahead and weld in another body mount gusset - had to totally re-shape the aftermarket piece of s@!t - hammered the new gusset up into its new place between the floorboard and inner rocker panel - got the old welder fired up - put about 2 lbs of welding rod on er - only burned 1 hole in the inner panel - feelen pretty good about it too - - - Ahhhh - got a call from Mike on Wed morning and he was really stoked about the progress - He had a pretty good suggestion though - "Dad" he says - "She'sa looken good - commen right along - say Dad - ya might leave the under-belly welding for me" - Good kid that Mike is - Good welder also - You got it Mike - Where'd I leave that damn wire brush and paint brush - Good fun - the car is really starting to look like a car again - thanks to the many who have been helping on the build - thanks to all - and keep the posts comming - Bob (Dad)

 

And another thing - a couple of posts up on this page is a post from STEPHEN FIELDS - hey Stephen - that is really one creepy looking signature picture you have - I can't look at it again - I'm turning my head now - Bob

 

Got that right about those body mount gusset crap. I spent more time trying to use them than if I would have made them from scratch. Can't remember...the second or third one back will hit the frame unless you really cut it down. Anyway, looking good.

 

Question from a noob.
I'm sure I'm missing something here, but.....
If the ladder bars are pinned (fixed) at the front end, and attached via rod-ends to the brackets that are welded on the rear end, how does the leaf spring move through an arc without binding up?

 

never mind... I see it now.

 

StNick was at the shop last week, two days straight he had the wire wheel and grinder running. Doing the dirty work, cleaning the bottom of the frame, the rearend, the under belly of the car. Dirt & Dust.


We talked previously about the inner fenderwells, could we get them to fit around the tires and wheels by trimming and folding the flange back?
Well, he did that too...




He also left a love note on the car...



I took the hint..





..and followed directions







I drilled some holes in them and rosette welded them in place.

I also finished the last section of the rear body mount.....



Again, rosette welded from the top this time...




It was 9pm & I was pretty pleased, cleaned up the shop and was headed home. Then I got sucked into the car, the body was ready to go on the chassis!

It didnt take long and the car was one again, I added a few shims and set it back on the ground.






I checked the doors, they shut great!

The rear tires, well they are BIG...... it's gonna take more then a little trimming on the inner fender!

In the air..



On the ground..





There's room behind for a different offset rim or room to narrow the housing a bit.






I rolled it back more pictures, I LIKE IT!!!

 

I also sized up the header collector, I'm not sure how or where it's going to go, but here are a few ideas....







and to the inside ....

 

Is there any way to give me a look at the motor mounts please ?? I love this car . And more of the headers ?? Please . I'm having hell with mine . BB Ford in a 78 T- Bird . I know it sounds easy and I thought it would be but .I don't have the money to buy so I have to build . I want to have all the comforts plus the fast too. Got 272's for the road and 433's on a spool for the strip . About 575 hp. Your car looks great. Had a 57 convertible in my kid days . First car I ever financed . 1964 , Red and white . Man what a ride . Great stuff and keep it coming . Thanks .

 

Nice job!

 

Wow! This car is looking great!!

 

Looking good, guys!!

 

More backspacing?!?! RADIUS THE WHEELWELLS!!!!! looking really good guys, in getting alot of ideas for my car here!


-LUKEY-