In my part of the world there are a LOT of estate auctions out in the country and I regularly hit them to find deals on parts I need (or don't know I need). I'm constantly fighting the scrappers and the part-out guys that are at these auctions and more times than I can count I end up dragging a misfit carcass home. This one I spotted in the auction listing and took an interest in because it was so weird/odd it was cool, but I've been on a self-inflicted car-buying ban lately so I didn't expect to buy it, especially since there were a lot of other interesting cars at the sale to draw in enthusiasts. Fast forward and this thing was stalling at a price that was WAY too cheap and could be in jeopardy of being scrapped... next thing I knew I won it and then I started REALLY looking it over more closely. After some staring at it and pictures searching I think it appears this car started life as a '58 Ford Wagon that was heavily modified into a custom Ranchero project. It appears they moved the back window/hatch section forward and grafted it in. It still retains the wagon tailgate and the wagon taillights and rear bumper. They also plated inner "bed" section in. The front I'm still trying to figure out what they had in there, but it almost appears they were replicating a '57 Tbird or maybe an early Vette? I need to stare at it some more to figure it out. The car was pulled out of a barn in Amish country here in PA along with about 15 other cars, motorcycles, and loads of parts. The guy that found it all was holding the auction selling the excess he didn't keep and he didn't have much information otherwise. For now I plan to just get it running, remove the roof rack, and put some better tires/hubcaps on from my parts stash. I may sell it on to someone else to finish the vision, but I'm gonna wait the winter to stare at it some more and decide. I need to finish some other projects before I tear into anything else. Thought you guys and gals might enjoy looking at it either way.
I think it needs to be executed too. Just kidding. Please post some pics after you get it on the road....
The rear window needs some rework; it's too high. Fix that and do some matching custom work to the rear and that could be pretty cool kustom....
If you'd be seriously interested shoot me a message and we can chat. I love the car, but I have A LOT of projects already so this wouldn't get any real attention for years.. which isn't fair!
I like it. Now all it needs is '58 Edsel front sheet metal to really confuse the troops. I initially liked the second seat, but after looking at it more closely, it appears to be completely unusable (unless you and your friends are all less than 5' tall)!
I would likely keep the roof rack too, its kind of neat, but I do agree the rear window needs to be lowered. Either way, cool save and purchase!
Yep, those "way too cheap" deals will get ya. That's how I ended up with my '60 Buick. Nice save and score, it definitely deserves a better fate than the scrappers.
Crazy that the back seat fits in there! Looks like 58-60 T-bird seats to me. I like the rework job on the nose too, really neat car. Well worthy of some work.
That is really cool! The back seat looks like it would hold a fair sized cooler or a well folded drunk---.
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