'57 Ford Custom 300 Tudor Sedan

[Vic1947]

New year, new thread...

My name is Vic Cook and I've been working on a 67 SWB C10 and posting to my build thread Crusty Rusty Leaky Squeaky 67. I ran into body mounting issues and decided to put it on the back burner for awhile. My current goal is to get this old Ford running so the wife and I can make the Hot Rod Power Tour in June. Figured I had a better shot with this project so here goes nothing.

A bit of background and then I'll catch up to the present. I don't have a ton of pictures so it should be fairly quick. Somewhere around 1990, I ran across this Ford at the shop of an acquaintance in Houston. He'd bought the car from the son of the original owner mainly for the Y-block and transmission which he planned to transplant into his wife's '56. He also had a couple of '59's and really had no use for the '57. He thought about restoring it and had already disassembled it partially, but when I came along and said it was one of my favorite cars, he was quick to offer it to me for $500.

It had some rust in the usual places and some light scrapes on both sides but overall, was in very good condition ...and it came with the original title, bill of sale and warranty papers. Good buddy Al Strack hitched his truck to my trailer and we loaded up all the pieces and hauled it to my house.

Follow along if you like and I'll show you what it's like to take 25 years to build a hotrod.

[flashed]

Im in .

[Elliot949]

Here I am Vic... Following along...

[Xeen]

Oh this is going to be good, you know I'm in!

[Gus350]

I'm in let's get this thing rolling lol

[texasld]

I'm here too!

[Vic1947]

Welcome aboard, old friends and new! I'll try to keep this moving along.

When I first started on this car back in the 90's, it was all about Pro Street. My initial vision for the car was big motor, big tires, lots of hook but capable of cruising and the occasional car show. Over the years, things have changed along with my vision of the car. But in the early years of the build, my focus was straight line performance.

At first, I worked on cleanup and parts acquisition. At the time, I also had a '67 Chevy II that I planned to sit on an Alston chassis and stuff with BBC power. I had a thumping 454 on the engine stand ready for it when life and work intervened. I was transferred to Kirkland, WA and had to divest myself of the Chevy II project as there was no way to take it with me. As luck would have it, my ex Pro Stock partner had built a 460 Ford engine for a customer who was unable to pay for it. So I traded him straight across for the BBC and had my engine. I'd painted a crew cab dually for my friend Bob Carpenter (owner of Trans-King Transmissions and Converters) so he covered my C6 and converter. So now I had both a car and a drivetrain. We packed it all up and made the trek to Seattle in the fall of '91.

I had the exterior of the Ford media blasted while in Houston, but the frame was still pretty grungy. Once we got settled into a rental house in WA, I began the process of cutting up the frame and floorboards. I grafted a ladder bar suspension with coil overs out back, but found out quickly that very few patch panels existed for the trunk and floor. So I ended up making my own. The fuel cell in the trunk was on the Pro Street checklist. Long gone now.

[Jonboy]

I'm not too late for the party, am I?

[Elliot949]

Originally Posted by Vic1947

Welcome aboard, old friends and new! I'll try to keep this moving along.

When I first started on this car back in the 90's, it was all about Pro Street. My initial vision for the car was big motor, big tires, lots of hook but capable of cruising and the occasional car show. Over the years, things have changed along with my vision of the car. But in the early years of the build, my focus was straight line performance.

At first, I worked on cleanup and parts acquisition. At the time, I also had a '67 Chevy II that I planned to sit on an Alston chassis and stuff with BBC power. I had a thumping 454 on the engine stand ready for it when life and work intervened. I was transferred to Kirkland, WA and had to divest myself of the Chevy II project as there was no way to take it with me. As luck would have it, my ex Pro Stock partner had built a 460 Ford engine for a customer who was unable to pay for it. So I traded him straight across for the BBC and had my engine. I'd painted a crew cab dually for my friend Bob Carpenter (owner of Trans-King Transmissions and Converters) so he covered my C6 and converter. So now I had both a car and a drivetrain. We packed it all up and made the trek to Seattle in the fall of '91.

I had the exterior of the Ford media blasted while in Houston, but the frame was still pretty grungy. Once we got settled into a rental house in WA, I began the process of cutting up the frame and floorboards. I grafted a ladder bar suspension with coil overs out back, but found out quickly that very few patch panels existed for the trunk and floor. So I ended up making my own. The fuel cell in the trunk was on the Pro Street checklist. Long gone now.

Man I just love these 57 Sedans... A Resto Mod on this would be sweet as hell...

[Bishops Trucks]

Watching this long extended build.

[Ol Blue K20]

I'm in too.......

[Russell Ashley]

My wife had a 57 Ford when we got married in 1965 and we drove it on our honeymoon. We'll be married 50 years this year and I keep telling her that I am going to buy another 57 Ford and we will relive our honeymoon drive in it. She isn't going for it but 57 Fords have a special place in my memories so I'm interested in following this build. Hers was a Crown Vic four door hardtop that was pretty much loaded for a 57.

[SamsAutoParts73-87]

Looking forward to this one

-Sam

[Vic1947]

Originally Posted by Jonboy

I'm not too late for the party, am I?

Nope, Jonboy, the more the merrier!

Originally Posted by Elliot949

Man I just love these 57 Sedans... A Resto Mod on this would be sweet as hell...

It's more of a semi-resto, Dan, but I'm too deep in at this point to change direction.

Originally Posted by Bishops Trucks

Watching this long extended build.

This build thread is gonna look like hitting the >> button on a slow moving train wreck video.

Originally Posted by Ol Blue K20

I'm in too.......

Originally Posted by Russell Ashley

My wife had a 57 Ford when we got married in 1965 and we drove it on our honeymoon. We'll be married 50 years this year and I keep telling her that I am going to buy another 57 Ford and we will relive our honeymoon drive in it. She isn't going for it but 57 Fords have a special place in my memories so I'm interested in following this build. Hers was a Crown Vic four door hardtop that was pretty much loaded for a 57.

You know, Russell, sentiment is the main reason I acquired and stayed with this car all these years. One of my best buds in high school had one and we went everywhere in that thing. Can't begin to tell you how many fun memories are associated with it.

Originally Posted by SamsAutoParts73-87

Looking forward to this one
-Sam

Thanks, Sam.

Okay, moving along... I found a place in Seattle that did media and sand blasting as well as powder coating. After back halving the frame, I took it to them for cleanup. Also had them coat some of the parts. Looking back, I wonder what I was thinking with the light gray and blue next to the dark gray. Note the Mickey Thompson rear meats. They eventually dry rotted and had to be replaced without so much as a single burnout. The mini-tubs made plenty of room for them, but I was secretly planning on running drag tires. Years later I put the same size Mickeys on a Chevy truck with a narrowed rear end and a 4/6 drop. Learned how truly unsafe they are in the rain.

Note the rear cross member and driveshaft loop. The idea was to provide a platform for a roll bar and meet safety rules for the drags. Poor planning for a street car, though. No place for the exhaust unless you took it out the side. Most of it is gone now. Mentioned earlier the dearth of patch panels for this car. It's a little better nowadays, but back then only a few people were making anything for old Fords. Tried one guy's floor patch panels but had to return them due to quality issues. So I ended up making my own. In the process I raised the footwells about 1-1/2" which turned out to be a blessing later on when installing the exhaust.

[jlsanborn]

Cool! Can't wait to see today's pics and hear the plan!

[sduckworth13]

I'm in for this one too Vic. I'm was a little shocked to hear that CRLS was getting moth balled, but once I seen the fire breathing dragon yesterday I totally changed my enthusiasm for the Ford. Wow this is going to be awesome!

[Vic1947]

Originally Posted by jlsanborn

Cool! Can't wait to see today's pics and hear the plan!

It won't be long before I'm caught up to the present, John. I didn't take a lot of pictures in the "pre-digital age" which is why a lot of these look so funky. They're scans of the original paper photos.

Originally Posted by sduckworth13

I'm in for this one too Vic. I'm was a little shocked to hear that CRLS was getting moth balled, but once I seen the fire breathing dragon yesterday I totally changed my enthusiasm for the Ford. Wow this is going to be awesome!

Thanks a million again, Scott, for all your help the past few days! I still can't believe you'd never seen the old Ford as much as you've been over here. From now on you'll be in the loop, though.

[green72s]

Happy New Year Vic. I'd been quietly following the CRLS build (in complete administration of your work) and would'nt miss this one.

Peter

[Vic1947]

Originally Posted by green72s

Happy New Year Vic. I'd been quietly following the CRLS build (in complete administration of your work) and would'nt miss this one.

Peter

Happy New Year to you also, Peter ...and to all my friends on the forum!

In keeping with the Pro Street theme at the time, I'd installed a ladder bar suspension with coilovers. I opted for this setup instead of a four link because in my experience, it's a bit less violent and finicky. While the four link has a much greater range of adjustment, it's also much easier to get lost in the setup. Most of the components in the rear suspension photo have been upgraded, but then, lots of other things changed over the years too.

We were in Seattle until the summer of '93 when we moved back to Houston. The last shot I have is with the engine strapped into the chassis before loading it on the trailer for the long haul. The rental house we had in Houston when we first moved back only had a small two car garage. During that time, I traded out some work with good friend and chassis builder supreme, John Harrison. He put in a new trans tunnel, modified the motor mounts for the 460 and built a set of headers for it. In exchange I did the bodywork and paint on a Cobra kit car he was building for a customer. By the time all this was done, we'd found a place to buy that had a 3 car detached garage with an extra 10' added to the back and a double door opening to the back yard. Oh, and it came with a house too.

It quickly became apparent to me that to do the kind of job I wanted to do, I'd need a rotisserie. Hanging the body from the rafters was a bit nuts.

[sduckworth13]

Always glad to help you out Vic anytime.

[jlsanborn]

As I'm cleaning shop today, thinking can't wait to see your time-capsule parts stash! I would've lost all that stuff by now. Sure hope I can remember how to put mine back together

[NONHOG]

This is cool! I'm in!

[Vic1947]

Originally Posted by jlsanborn

As I'm cleaning shop today, thinking can't wait to see your time-capsule parts stash! I would've lost all that stuff by now. Sure hope I can remember how to put mine back together

No kidding, John, I moved all the boxes from the storage shelves to the shop yesterday and did a quick inventory to see what I need to order up. I'm almost scared to look in the box that has all the rubber gaskets, etc. They may have turned to dust by now. Kathy surveyed the shop with a slight frown and commented that the Ford looked almost complete until all those boxes got stacked up next to it.

Originally Posted by NONHOG

This is cool! I'm in!

Welcome!

Okay, the time period around '94-'95 was not all that productive. I'd acquired a '55 Chevy 2 door post from a buddy of mine that came with a spare body. The car was running but rust was popping thru in various places. One thing led to another and the Ford got shoved aside while I started a second frame off on the '55. I was cramped for space as I also had a '57 Olds 2 dr. HT that I was trying to keep dry. I did manage a few things on the Ford, though. I pulled all the light gray parts and had them blasted back to bare metal and powder coated black. (This would not be the last time recoating these parts.) I also felt the engine had been assembled for so long and I'd never seen the inside of it, so I tore it down, inspected it all, re-lubed all the parts and then reassembled it. Still eat up with my drag racing roots, it was set up with a crankcase vacuum pump, MSD 6A and rev limiter. All gone now.

[Elliot949]

Originally Posted by Vic1947

No kidding, John, I moved all the boxes from the storage shelves to the shop yesterday and did a quick inventory to see what I need to order up. I'm almost scared to look in the box that has all the rubber gaskets, etc. They may have turned to dust by now. Kathy surveyed the shop with a slight frown and commented that the Ford looked almost complete until all those boxes got stacked up next to it.

Welcome!

Okay, the time period around '94-'95 was not all that productive. I'd acquired a '55 Chevy 2 door post from a buddy of mine that came with a spare body. The car was running but rust was popping thru in various places. One thing led to another and the Ford got shoved aside while I started a second frame off on the '55. I was cramped for space as I also had a '57 Olds 2 dr. HT that I was trying to keep dry. I did manage a few things on the Ford, though. I pulled all the light gray parts and had them blasted back to bare metal and powder coated black. (This would not be the last time recoating these parts.) I also felt the engine had been assembled for so long and I'd never seen the inside of it, so I tore it down, inspected it all, re-lubed all the parts and then reassembled it. Still eat up with my drag racing roots, it was set up with a crankcase vacuum pump, MSD 6A and rev limiter. All gone now.

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

[knomadd]

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