Hey Steve, thanks for the input. I haven’t checked to see if it’s the original engine (not that I really care) but from what I know of the two previous owners I would be surprised if it isn’t. One of them got the Marty Report for the car and it all seems to coincide. It’s a factory 390/C6 car. The engine has been rebuilt so I suppose parts could have been swapped out. And it’s a Chevy version of a Holley, so that’s been changed for sure. I haven’t looked at the list number (or at least I don’t remember looking at it, lol). I haven’t done anything to the engine except reset the points and bump up the timing and adjust the carb. It was so lazy when I drove it home I knew there were tuning issues. I haven’t even pulled the plugs yet. It runs pretty good and with other projects needing my attention, I decided to let sleeping dogs lie. The front springs each have two of those old rectangular spring spacers in them. With the ****** headers, the pipes have a case of the hang downs so I didn’t want to lower it any more. Style-wise, I always liked the big tires in back and the front level or slightly lower, giving it that 70s super stock racer look. It was easy to achieve with this car and it helps with the headers bottoming out problem. Speaking of headers, the PO added a bolt on crossover pipe and being a “bolt-on”, it leaks everywhere so that will be one of the first things that I address. As far as modifications go, I initially started looking for ideas and aluminum heads and intake seemed to be a good direction until I started reading about rocker arms, shaft end supports, and shimming the stands and etc, etc. My buddy at the machine shop said that he would donate a block if I wanted to build a separate roller cammed aluminum headed stroker engine. That seemed like a better plan; put the current engine in retirement and drop in a fresh bullet. But driving it around, it’s kinda nice as-is. It’s pretty peppy and there’s more in it. I definitely want to tighten up the transmission, it was rebuilt but they didn’t add a shift kit or anything and I’d like it to be more snappy at the shifts. All in all, I’m very happy with it. The back end is a little buckboard-y and living where I do it could use A/C, but I like it. I’d really like to get it painted soon but I don’t have anyplace to park it inside at the moment so I’m holding off on that. It gets a lot of attention and thumbs up whenever I take it out. Something about Rancheros makes people smile. Thanks again.
My FAIRLANE is a bit different from norm.1955 Ford post 2 dr sedan,original paint bumpers and all stainless. Factory tinted gl*** all around/redone stock appearing interior—-no accidents,no rust Texas car(mostly Cali) frame on 55 cut at firewall—welded to the existing frame is the entire frt clip from a 95 Mark 8 Lincoln—-engine trans sits in original “cradle”—-ALL ALUM 4.6L DOHC V8(pre Coyote)300 hp 6,000 factory redline—-square engine bore stroke same.Factory Lincoln power steering,struts,sway bar,power disc brakes(99 Mustang GT) Gr8 daily driver—6,000 trouble free miles.Factory hi po radiator& cooling fan. Everything under hood is 95 Lincoln.17 x 8 Mustang wheels.
I like it! ‘55-‘57 Fords have always been at the top of my list. I sold my ‘57 Ranchero to pay off my house. I drove a ‘55 2dr wagon for several years and I really loved that car but it was a painted over rust bucket when I bought it and I knew I could enjoy it for a few years but eventually I’d have to repair a lot of rust or sell it. I sold it and moved on. I was actually looking for another ‘57 Ranchero when I found the ‘67 that I have now, (if they made a ‘55 or ‘56 I would have been looking for one of those). I thought that it “felt” smaller and lighter to drive than my ‘57 and my wife would be more comfortable driving the ‘67.
The Jalopy Journal
