I really like the motor mounts,unique and simple at the same time. Looking for to seeing you guys start slinging saw dust! HRP
I saved a bunch of parts for this build, but two things I don't have are the seats and the front grille bar. I know there are slight differences in 52-3-4 grilles, but do the front bars interchange? Will the station wagon seats fit the ranchwagon? I'm sure the front will, but are the rear seats the same?
Awesome build...so cool to see some ranch wagons being built. I'm finishing up a custom 53 ranch wagon myself. I have the grille from mine if you're interested shoot me a pm. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Chuck,I wish I had known you needed a grill,I sold my spare a couple of months ago. Shoot FLAT TOP BOB a PM,,he has a bunch of 52-54 Fords. HRP http://www.owenssalvage.com/
The 'Country Sedan' wagon is a four door and the 'Ranchwagon' was the two door, so the four door front seat won't work. But any two door sedan front will... Can't speak specifically to your '53, but most of these wagons (whether 2 or 4 doors) used the same folding rear seat on a per-year basis, so that shouldn't be an issue. The only weird one IIRC was the 8 or 9 passenger version, the 'middle' seat was split.
Agreed.. Well,not really..this is the seat from my 1954 Ranch Wagon. This is from a 1954 "Country Squire" notice the back seat is split. HRP
Right, I noted the 8/9 passenger versions used a split back seat (see the third seat?).... but that was an option (and only on the four door). Not very common even then; wagons without this used the same rear seat whether four or two door.
Today we had to fabricate the tranny mount. The new mounting holes had to be 2 1/2 inch higher, and 1 1/4 inch more forward. We used the existing crossmember, and added the height and length necessary. Here it is tacked together. We test fit it into place to make sure everything was as we wanted, and then pulled it out , reinforced, welded, ground, and painted the bugger. It'll make for a clean installation. Then we went to the back garages and pulled out the front sheetmetal. It was fun to see a full side shot for the first time since we chopped it. We'll be fitting the front end for the next several weeks, but then we can start some WOODWORK! We are so looking forward to that.
Oh crap, the Photoshop gods are whacking me in the head. In the '80s a good friend had a '54 Country Squire that we brought back to life from its "whoknowshowmany" years resting place in a field near Matthews, Virginia. Thats a story unto itself. I always liked that car and thought of different possibilities including a big block Ford, but when the time came for him to sell it I didn't have the money. I have a few pictures of that car and will have to look and see If I have one with the woodgrain. His was the dark green color, alot like HRPs car. I really dig this thread and get a kick out of how y'all address each issue in such a matter of fact way. Been here awhile and will follow to the end. Eli
Is that a vintage trailer in the background? Please tell me that's going to be pulled behind the Ranchwagon. Now I'm REALLY jealous!
It's a 59 Shasta Airflite. The build thread is here: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=825609
I like the visual,the car looks great with the fenders on and really makes the car look longer with the chop. HRP
We took this car apart over 10 years ago and stored all the pieces. Its amazing how much you forget. All the inner fender panels, radiator supports and ductwork came out of hiding today. Here's a picture of the right side pieces....... Just a real mess. We took them outside, sandblasted them, and then Steve painted them gloss black . It was a bit of a puzzle figuring out how everything fit together but we got there. The hinges are also part of the ductwork- not one of Fords' best ideas. There's a space between the duct and the hinge that needs to be connected. I really don't remember how this was done. Obviously some sort of flexible duct, but the shapes of the ends are different. The duct is round, and the hinge is flat sided. Can anyone supply me with a picture of this connection in completed form? I honestly have no recollection of how this was accomplished at the factory.
Chuck your wish is my command,I got mine from Dennis Carpenter. HRP http://dennis-carpenter.com/air-duct-ventilator-connector/p/BA-7001878-C/
I'll start with a couple "thank yous" this week. First off Danny (HRP) Thank you for all your support ,advice, parts numbers and general solutions. You've been a great help. I'd also like to thank DaddyO here for sending me a very restorable front grille bar and Dagmar. They will work nicely. The area where the battery box is located inside the right front fender was rusted through (no surprise I guess) so we replaced that area. I'm so tired of replacing sheetmetal- What a drag! Steve and Dana fashioned a cover for the upper A arm that looks very nice and should keep mud and crap out of the engine compartment. Its pretty basic, but it really cleans up that area. Here's a photo of the front left grille area. Its starting to look as it should.... Nice and clean! By next week we should be able to dummy up our front grille idea. Once again a mild change that will keep em guessing if it's stock or not.
OK Chuck,I get not getting anything done Easter weekend but did you guys make any progress today? HRP
Just read the whole story. Very cool to see all you guys have done. Thanks for taking the time to document it all for us.
OK, We finished mounting the inner fenders, and bolted on the outers. I kinda like the original 53 grille bar, but I always felt it could use some chrome trim below the grille bar. I collected another set of upper chrome, and decided to fit it on the bottom below the grille bar. We mocked it up to see how that would look. Here's a photo of the mockup. We'll find another place for the directional lights, but the look is JUST what I want. It's gonna take some work to make it look just right. We'll have to add about an inch to the lower front fender to lower the gravel pan to make all the spacing just right, but we can do that. Here's a view down the side with the frenched headlights , lower trim, and the hood on so you can see how the rounded hood corners help the visual flow of the front bodylines. The rounded hood corners almost make the hood look "pancaked" - a trick of the eye. Finally here's a shot of one of the upper hood rounded corners and the filler piece that'll be welded in. We are gonna be finessing the front fenders and hood for the next few weeks. Progress will be slow, but the final appearance will be worth the effort.
Chuck,adding the extra trim to the lower portion of the grill is a stroke of genius! This grill design done reminds me of a artist rendering of a 50 Ford coupe by Thom Taylor that I saw years ago,,in the drawing he mimicked the lower portion of the hood under the grill,,it looked outstanding. As for the rounded hood corners,,I love it! HRP
Thanks Danny for the compliment. The grille area looks kinda rough right now, but once we get all the brightwork to the chromer I think its gonna be just the look we're after.... Stock, but not quite.... Just like all the other visually minor modifications already made.
What HRP said x 2 Stuff like that is what makes Strange Days creations so unique. You guys are geniuses.
The proportions are just perfect on this build. Hats off to you for some fine decision making and execution.
Well, now we have to make the grille idea actually work. We have to increase the height of the grille opening, and the easiest way is to extend the front fenders and gravel pan downward. This'll actually make the car look lowered as well. We measured between the gravel pan and the top of the frame. 1 1/4 inch. This is the maximum amount we can extend the fender downward. We made the cut above the bottom so that the bottom bend and mounting holes could be saved. Then we simply cut a 1 1/4 inch strip of 20 ga steel and welded it in. an easy chore. Now the gravel pan has to be lowered. We simply formed two 1 1/4 channels to bolt in as spacers to hold the pan lower. Here's the spacers being bolted to the gravel pan We quickly mounted the fender and pan to check and see if everything would work as planned. It did! Yeah, I was surprised too. Theres still one fender to do, filling in the fender corners and a helluvalot of finessing, but we are getting there!
Hamb down and being out of town I missed this post,I really like the way you lowered the leading edge of the fender and how you lowered the lower splash apron. Chuck,you guys just keep amazing me with your creativity! HRP
I am building a 52 ranch which started life as a V8, came to me as a 6 with OD and a 54 Front clip. Mine wasn't bad bad rusty ,just the usual floors and rockers. I now find myself starved for input from you guys, you have kept me going. Please do the grille! Cheers, jhtdon
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