Projects 57 Ranch Wagon - the solution to the winter blues.

I was thinking it must be pretty mild where you are, with those gl*** garage doors, then I saw all the snow!

Good luck with the build, it'll be fun to see which way you jump with this one....

 

Neat car. Keep us updated as you continue to tinker.

 

That wasn't our snow but a pretty close representation of it. We're in the Okanagan of BC. Its turns from Arizona summer to Minnesota winter. A Great place to live if you like hot summers and white winters. Basicly about 400 miles north of Seattle.

-And home to some of the nicest hot rodders I've met. *(this is where I say "and I've been around" but that never sounds right. )

 

Here's the gl*** doors from the outside.

This summer the Reaper car club came to Vernon for a meet and greet.
Here's a couple pictures from it...














The 2 57's are mine and the roadster beside it is owned by the Vice President of Mattel Hot Wheels designs. I had sold it to him earlier this year and it hadnt been shipped yet.

Like I say... Arizona like in the summer.

 

That's quite a place you have there. Love the wagon too. I'm itching for a Ranchero of that vintage myself.

 

Nice wagon!! I sure wish I still had mine but sold them a few years ago. One thing that some folks do to these is put headlight buckets out of a late 40's early 50's Ford PU and it diminishes the bug-eyed look that the stock buckets had. Keep us posted on the build progress.

 

The headlight trick is to use the buckets and rings from 56 Ford truck to achieve the recessed look.

 

Like this?


i've got a 57 fairlane that was customised in 62. It works i guess.. pretty simple and clean customising.
I like the bulb eyes myself.

 

With all that's going on in the world of Y-Blocks...ie. aluminum intakes, aluminum heads, finned this and finned that, pop up pistons and the list goes on, why would a person choose any other motor to put in a '57 Ford unless it's a Cammer. Because it's free? I dunno...just curious.

 

Because when something becomes "all thats going on" prices go stupid and so does the stampede to be a part of the crowd.

I ( and this is just me personally (not suggesting that everyone needs to be in the same in crowd)) like the fact my neibour gave me the motor and transmission, thats its rebuild and it'll be a motor I can get parts for in a local wrecking yard at pick-a-part prices, not, "in the groove, "all thats going on" inflated prices.

 

I agree with your approach. A free rebuilt engine goes a long way, no pun intended. There's lots of stuff available for the FE motor at reasonable prices, and you can drive the wagon while deciding if you even WANT to change it.
Some people only use "certain" parts because the have been deemed to be "acceptable". To each his own, but this hobby came to be by guys who used what they could find/modify to suit their own needs, just like what you're doing. I'll take that road every time and laugh at the "cookie cutter" crowd.

 

post #21, the 57' that Tommy had, my brother has a 57' 2dr Ranch Wagon same color everything! I'm helping him get it on the road before the snow flies. 22,000 original miles and we dropped a 600hp 429 in it! Gonna be a sleeper, all stock but with a nasty BB in it! Disc brakes, sway bars, P/S.

 

Gotta love the long roofs,,

Looks like yours in in pretty good shape. HRP

 

I installed aerostar coils in the fairlane (390) and my Ranchero (302) along with lowering block in the rear. It's an easy switch and improved the ride in both of them. I see doing it here too. It dropped them approx 3 inches and took out the corner sway when driving.

 

That sounds sweet. Got pics? How much of a challenge is it to drop a 429 in one of these '57s?

 

made our own motor mounts and we installed tubular A-arms so there's plenty of room for exhaust manifold clearance. There's super cobra jet heads on it and he had the factory cast iron headers for it. Fits good. No pix at this time.

 

How about a little g***er inspiration?,,we saw this car at the Nats South. HRP

 

I may have to Photoshop this a bit, the ww & hubcaps don't seem right for some reason. Btw, Your '54 Ford wagon build is cool!

 

That ranch wagon would sure make a purdy fake sedan delivery

 

Clean looking metal, you have a head start on a fine ride.

 

Something like this?

 

yessssssssss !!!

 

I'm likin the g***er idea. A buddy of mine is doin this with a 56 Nomad and a "W" motor, all period stuff. Pretty sharp.

 

sharp work Eli!

And Steve... I hear ya. Been following the build in our Canuck Mag... almost enough to make me buy one .

 

Thanks Fred, I couldn't resist.

And to Butchers Custom Shop, get your buddy to join the HAMB if he hasn't already and post pics of the W motored Nomad G***er. That concept is cool as hell!

 

Cleaned up a door today fur fun on my quest for rust. Still cutting down to original paint. There's a rust nugget waiting for me in the lower fender about 1 inch and work in the rocker panel near the front. So far no horror stories.



Started on the quarter a bit too. Me thinkst I know why them called "long Roofs!"

 

In my quest to clean off all the old blue paint I've yet to discover any horrific rust. The fender wells are like candy.
Cutting all the panels down to 280 for now, then come winter I'll get into it proper like.





ahhhhhhh...so this is why they're called a long roof

 

Fred, that car is amazing! I'd think it was an Arizona car or some dry place like that with the lack of rust etc. Is that a long time Canadian car?

 

Its been in dry storage for at least 30 years.
The fellow I bought it from got it from his step father and it had been parked when step dad got it so no telling how long its been dry.

The floors will need addressing this winter, both front and rears were water logged at one time.
The vin tag is American so me thinks it spent its like stateside. Come to think of it, I gotta go check the tag to see where it was made.

 

While sanding yesterday my mind started to wonder to colour schemes.. then that turned to custom trim from a ranchero...so a trip to the computer for some tacky mock up work...



Then turning from the roof to the deck lid i stopped to think...

58 nomad ribs?



I gotta go back into the shop... I'm getting a stiffy.