I'll chime in...not really a '57 and not all that wicked either. Back in about 1980 I bought a wrecked (front end) '58 Ranchero for $50. Replaced front end with '57 sheet metal because I couldn't find a decent '58 parts car. It was a 6cyl car so I threw in a 390, 4spd. The frame ended up having a very slight buckle under the pass. side firewall from the accident, so it never really drove right.
I remember East Oakland's Louie Hill bringing "Ole Blue" to the Camp Stoneman Sunday morning outlaw drags in Pittsburg, CA in the early '70s... Blue(obviously!!) '57 with (supposedly) ex-NASCAR 427 that would routinely "whup" whatever else showed up... No clocks, of course, but probably a legitimate low 11/high 10 sec street car.. & that Bro could DRIVE!!! Unfortunately no pics... Anybody else from that era/area remember the Sunday Stoneman scene?
My Buddy Pat's 57.... a Long Tall cool Texan who builds 57VR superchargers.... the dude knows his stuff
Jeff As I've said before, I'm a Chevy guy and the 1957 one-fifty sedan has always been a favorite of mine but I can see myself owning that one.
I waited 18 years to put the 57 in my shop, drove it for another 12 years. 410 5- speed, Rory's 59 Meteor is 428 4-speed. Terry
Installed a transmission blanket this last weekend.It seems the high dollar CSI shield from 2002 was no longer passing tech.
Yes sir.... all kinds Not sure if this was the original "Torture Test" 57's .... (there were 3) or a recreation.... but they did numerous torture tests to see if they would fail. .........they did not.
Hello, “Wicked 57 Fords” is a great topic. With the inclusion of the fact that 57 Fords could rule a stock car drag racing class was almost unheard of, unless one were Pete McCarroll or Les Ritchey. We saw all kinds of drag racing as we were participants in the A/Stock class from 1957 Fall to 1960 Spring. But, those stock car races were just as competitive as the other modified build classes. It just happen to have several supercharged 57 Ford Sedans and Rancheros that won their respective classes. One black 57 Ranchero did a number on most others. As a stock car class racer with a 58 Impala, while using the Impala for daily driving to high school and cruising around, we never saw a supercharged 57 Ranchero on the streets. Yes, a couple of T-Birds, but no Rancheros. This particular one would have ruled the streets of Bixby Knolls and at the local Cherry Avenue Drags location late at night. Jnaki When originally reading the Drag News byline under the photo of the 57 Ranchero, one thing popped out fast. A 321 cubic inch blown 57 Ford engine. Wow, no wonder people thought it was fast and challenged the fact. It was a misprint and should have read 312 cubic inch rated 300 h.p. “Pete Mc Carroll after repeated protests was torn down under the watchful eye of J.C. Hart, found legal, and then proceeded to set a new class record at 108.51 with his 321 cu inch blown 1957 Ford Ranchero. Tuning chores for this super stock hauler are handled by L&M Automotive, Long Beach.” So, he was fast and definitely legal... despite the misprint. Then, it happened fast… a lucky person was going to be the next caretaker of one of the fastest Fords in So Cal, let alone the whole USA. Note: So, all of these years later, is this 57 black Ford Ranchero, the original one, preserved and cruising on the coastal highways to enjoy the So Cal beach lifestyle? YRMV It might have been a rebuilt version, an upgraded version or an original, buffed up black 57 Ranchero going down the coastal highway. It was called the “miles of smiles” as seen on the owner’s face as we drove by him going the other way on the highway.
This is the one I grew up with Dave Grady's High Spirts....and for those who know "Grady's brains make finer power" Rest in peace Dave, you are missed.
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