'57 Ford Custom 300 Tudor Sedan

[jlsanborn]

I spy a machine tool you could eat off of in that last chassis shot. Motor specs?

[Vic1947]

Originally Posted by Elliot949

LOL... So is your bride ready to Cruise the 57???...

Oh, yeah she's past ready! I think she really misses the RV we sold a few years ago. We'd load up and head out at a moment's notice.

Originally Posted by knomadd

I'm in for this one. Good luck, I'd love to join the power tour one year.

Hey, Duane, if our plans work out we'll be coming thru Houston after Power Tour and spending several days before heading home. I'd love to see your GTO and the truck project. We've been wanting to do the Tour for quite awhile, but never had the right hardware. Bucket list time.

The photos below are from the mid to late '90's. I was traveling a lot with work and other projects were taking my spare time which meant the Ford continued to sit neglected. And the more I looked at it, the unhappier I was. I never liked the way the steering sector interfered with the exhaust port at the rear of the driver side. It had forced us to run a header tube outside the frame which was an unfortunate compromise. Tried a Bronco sector, but it was unworkable. There was a power rack and pinion kit available, but the guy selling them had personal problems and had failed to deliver a number of sold kits, so I hung back and did nothing. Plus, the fuel cell and drum brakes were just so "yesterday". It would sit like this until early 2004.

[knomadd]

Originally Posted by Vic1947

Hey, Duane, if our plans work out we'll be coming thru Houston after Power Tour and spending several days before heading home. I'd love to see your GTO and the truck project. We've been wanting to do the Tour for quite awhile, but never had the right hardware. Bucket list time.

Just let me know when you'll be coming through. I'm in Rosenberg, southwest of Houston, but I may be able to meet you somewhere.

[Vic1947]

Originally Posted by jlsanborn

I spy a machine tool you could eat off of in that last chassis shot. Motor specs?

That was my old Webb mill (Bridgeport knockoff). Loved it, but it was too big for my current shop. As for the engine, it's a 460 with the D0VE 429 heads, which at that point in time were mildly ported. During the second rebuild years later, the heads went on a SuperFlow head dyno and were fully ported and the exhaust ports raised. Terrific flow numbers. It also had a Comp Cams hydraulic flat tappet and roller rockers. Bottom end was Ford forged rods; shotpeened and side beams ground, forged full floater pistons ...all balanced, etc. Dual plane intake with a Holley massaged by the Carb Shop that flows around 950 cfm. Mallory Unilite and 2" headers. Tractor motor ...low rpm and lotsa grunt.

[JayMc46]

Looks like you are ALL IN, got to get Kathy a ride for the power tour.

[Vic1947]

Originally Posted by JayMc46

Looks like you are ALL IN, got to get Kathy a ride for the power tour.

Jay, my man!! Decided to quit lurking and hitch a ride. Now you need to put together a build thread for Big Red! We're definitely "all in" for the final push. Kathy always liked this one best anyway ...big back seat.

By the first of 2004, the project Chevy was gone and I'd acquired a rotisserie for the bodywork. I upgraded the plan a bit and stripped the chassis down to the bare frame and repainted it after removing the fuel cell and etc. Came by a partially completed stainless fuel tank and finished it out to mount under the trunk floor. I added a stiffening rib to the rear housing and had all the suspension parts blasted clean (third time) and powder coated with Anthracite and gloss clear.

I had two 9" Ford rear disc setups, one from a Town Car and the other from a Versailles. The rear setup was easy peasy, but the front took a bit more engineering. I'd heard you could swap in Granada spindles and their front disc setup, but wasn't sure if the wheel location and steering would stay the same. "The Google" was still in it's infancy, so rather than buy more junk for a science project, I decided to make the junk I had work. Machined my own o-ring plugs to eliminate the e-brake mechanism and engineered the brackets to bolt onto the '57 stock spindle. Voila! Four wheel disc brakes.

[jlsanborn]

Outstanding! The suspense is killing me Vic. We're still only to '04? This is going to be killer but are you sure it's closer than Rusty?

[Vic1947]

Originally Posted by jlsanborn

Outstanding! The suspense is killing me Vic. We're still only to '04? This is going to be killer but are you sure it's closer than Rusty?

Yep, I've gotten a lot done since '04, John, even working on it only occasionally. It is much more together now than in these earlier shots.

After fitting up the disc brakes on all four corners, I plumbed them with -3 AN hardware. Added an adjustable proportioning valve and a line lock for the ever important burnout ritual. The engine was ready to drop back in once the lines were run. I was still sitting on the fence about the headers. They presented a problem for the inner fenders as well as aesthetics. But the fix was elusive without removing the stock steering box and going to R&P. So they went back on for the time being.

[Vic1947]

With the engine, transmission and rolling stock back in place the chassis was once again down on all fours. Replaced the Centerline wheel cap logos with Henry's logo. The existing collector setup was overkill, plus it interfered with my plans to run an X-pipe. So I shortened them up, added my X and a pair of DynoMax turbos. I eventually would have to truncate the roll bar crossmember to get the rest of the exhaust out the back, but I reinforced the stubs just in case I ever wanted to add the roll bar later. Yeah, right.

[Vic1947]

In late 2004, I pushed the chassis out of the way and mounted the body shell on the rotisserie. One of the key body elements I wanted was smoothness. So the first thing on the agenda was to shave the drip rails. Not sure if you've ever done it, but it's much more difficult than you would think. In an effort to keep the heat from warping the roof panel, I'd do a small section at a time. The main problem was dealing with the sealant used by the factory. After they pinch welded the roof on, they shot a thick, black, tar-like sealer into the seam. Heat would liquefy the material and cause it to run, thereby contaminating the weld. So I had to first carefully pry open the gap with a thin blade putty knife and scrape out the sealant. Progress was slow, but the results were what I'd envisioned. Now when people see it, they'll ask if the top is chopped because the look is subtly different.

While working on this area, I also rounded the upper forward and lower rear corners of the door openings .

[Pick]

In for more.

[Number98]

Cool project, I will be following!

[knomadd]

I love the radiused corners and the shaved drip rail!

[Vic1947]

Originally Posted by Pick

In for more.

Originally Posted by Number98

Cool project, I will be following!

Originally Posted by knomadd

I love the radiused corners and the shaved drip rail!

Thanks, guys!

By November, 2005 there was so much surface rust on the floor, tubs, patched areas and etc. I decided to have the body dipped. I've had a couple done that way and never regretted it, although rust is usually the deciding factor. Some folks swear the caustic solution stays in the pinch welds and will ruin a paint job. Never had that happen, but the place I used in Houston lets the metal sit in a neutralizing solution after rust removal and then power washes it and wipes it down good with a product like GEM Rust Killer.

Once it was back home, the next step was smoothing out the firewall, etc. The body had been on the chassis since returning from the metal stripper, but I needed better access, so I loaded it back on the spinner. These Fords had a nasty pinch weld that ran the length of the f/w as well as several openings that didn't fit in my plan. Welded in patches and started slinging bondo.

[Vic1947]

More firewall, plus a few shots of the dash. I removed the speaker grille and patched and smoothed it out. Not evident in the photos, but I also filled the ash tray opening and windowed the dash for a DIN 1 radio and A/C vents. The defroster manifold had to be surgically altered to fit the Vintage Air setup.

[Elliot949]

What color are you looking at for the 57?....

[Vic1947]

Originally Posted by Elliot949

What color are you looking at for the 57?....

I've been agonizing over that, Dan. I'd planned for a long time to two tone it with silver on top and a medium to dark grey on the bottom. I used the original gold inserts as patterns for a real nice black/grey carbon fiber vinyl to go between the stainless. However, I haven't come up with a good way to do the break between the colors away from the trim. I'm not real fond of the factory scheme but for the life of me, can't come up with much better. If inspiration doesn't strike soon, it may wind up the same solid color as the 68 silver truck. The frame, suspension and engine are all done in various shades of silver and grey, so black, grey, silver and etc. are all possibilities.

[knomadd]

With a quick search I found a few images of two-tone 57's. I'm just not sure what your trim looks like. You may have seen these already, but just in case...

Brochure or ad for the 300
http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/stati...rochure-02.jpg
http://www.regresspress.com/catalog-..._300_id920.jpg

And a feature car on another website (says it's a fairlane 500 though.)
http://www.cruisenewsonline.com/1957...00Feature.html

[Vic1947]

Originally Posted by knomadd

With a quick search I found a few images of two-tone 57's. I'm just not sure what your trim looks like. You may have seen these already, but just in case...

Thanks, Duane. My trim runs the full length of the side like below. My dilemma is that I've filled all the seams, front and rear, so there are no natural dividing lines. Plus I never liked how the tail light housing was one color and the quarter panel another. Up front, the factory scheme accentuated the "bug eyed" look by having the lower color surround the headlights up to the eyebrow. I do like the look of the Fairlane 500 up front, though. I'm reluctant to have long stretches of the parting line between the colors exposed. A very thin pinstripe might work to hide the break. Just need to think on it some.

[tune_1]

Hate to hear the news on the pickup but I am glad to see the thread on the 57. I enjoy watching how you approach and solve problems. Good instruction.

Dwight

[ratty 46]

OK Vic ... I'm game. The 300 '57 is on my list of one of the best looking cars EVER.

I've always had an affection for post cars ... having had 3 chevy 2 sedans & 2 Fairlane sedans. I am also on a trek to complete my '64 fairlane right now. It's a bit more race carish with a complete tube frame, struct front & 4 link rear but plans are for street duty.

I'll follow along.

R 46

[swamp rat]

Found the link and subscribed! Thats one sweet project!

[Vic1947]

Originally Posted by tune_1

Hate to hear the news on the pickup but I am glad to see the thread on the 57. I enjoy watching how you approach and solve problems. Good instruction. Dwight

Originally Posted by ratty 46

OK Vic ... I'm game. The 300 '57 is on my list of one of the best looking cars EVER. I've always had an affection for post cars ... having had 3 chevy 2 sedans & 2 Fairlane sedans. I am also on a trek to complete my '64 fairlane right now. It's a bit more race carish with a complete tube frame, struct front & 4 link rear but plans are for street duty. I'll follow along. R 46

Originally Posted by swamp rat

Found the link and subscribed! Thats one sweet project!

Thanks, guys! Great to have you along for the ride.

The firewall was fairly complete, so I moved around the corners and cleaned up the cowl areas below the A-pillars. To make room for the Vintage Air suitcase, I had to remove the rain gutter area of the cowl. This left a large area open adjacent to the windshield wipers. I welded in patches to close it up as well as the rain channel ports on both sides of the cowl. No water allowed inside. After the bodywork was done on the entire cowl / firewall I applied sound deadener to the underside of the roof. This helped quite a bit while doing bodywork on the roof. By now it is mid 2006 and I was about ready to drop the body back on again to finish the trunk area and exhaust hangers.

[swamp rat]

I'll bet nobody chem dips in Washington do they... Wish i had the option to concider..

[Vic1947]

Originally Posted by swamp rat

I'll bet nobody chem dips in Washington do they... Wish i had the option to concider..

Yeah, the guys doing chemical stripping ...and chroming ...and plating have had to clean up their act over the last couple of decades. Nearly everything they use is now regulated as hazardous. Takes a lot of dedication to stick with it and many have gone by the wayside.

On a similar note, a few years ago in MO they passed a law that requires salvage yards to have a title for all cars they're parting out. Apparently there's no grandfather clause. A lot of yards with old classic cars couldn't meet the requirement, so they're crushing the cars and selling them for scrap. My custom bumper setup on the Ford wasn't developing the way I'd hoped, but I had a plan B that involved acquiring a front valance off a '59 Plymouth. Put out feelers and have had no luck. I wasn't aware of the issue until just recently. Guess it's the law of unintended consequences.