Art & Inspiration How about a 1957-1958 Ford thread?

This is totally cool. We have all seen the 57 Corvette wagon concepts projects, but I have never seen a 57 T-Bird wagon. THIS IS BITCHEN!!!

 

I love the soft tops...great looking car Allan. Hard to find model nowadays...they didn't survive as well as the retracs. BUT.....a freakin E-code conv. wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

"Chris" - that '58 convert is sweet, love the colors for a '58. "Gotgas" - is that Edsel ranchero a factory body or customer front end added to Ford - never saw one before so sure different - & good looking.

 

The "Edsel Ranchero"is an Edsel front end adapted to a Ranchero. I've seen about a 1/2 dozen of the conversions. For some odd reason those front ends look better on a Ranchero than they ever did on an Edsel! The last one I saw was at a Pavillion Cruise night in Scottsdale, and another at the nsra show in Oklahoma City.

 

had this one since 1975 resurrected so many times ,cant hardly remember what I done to it lol,I have to be careful where I park it at night the sound of it rusting keeps people awake

 

Couple more pics of the one I'm getting. I'm excited to get it home!

 

My '57 Custom on a beautiful summer evening last year. Set up with a 292 four barrel and 4 speed. Love this car!

 

What are you all coming to Oklahoma in April for?

 

It really is a nice looking survivor. With the front fenders in primer I must ask, Is it a real 58 or did someone put the 58 clip on the front? Either way a great project!

 

Nice score, Chris. Looks pretty solid.
Guthrie...because that's when My friend is coming out. At least I talked him out of March, LOL. Yep, I know nsra show is the week after we'll be there, so I may be returning the week later ....finally as a participant instead of just a spectator!!. Being from Amarillo, I go to Oklahoma year round...I do my best to support the local Native Americans at numerous locations there. But, to answer your question, mostly sightseeing and rt 66 stuff probably. I'll leave it to him what he wants to see and do as this will be his first OK visit. If you have any suggestions, send me a pm. It would be much appreciated!
Fedman..the side trim is '58 also. If it were a passenger car, you could tell by the roof. The '57's are smooth, the '58's are ribbed. Not positive, but I think the '58 Rancheros do not have the ribbed roofs.

 

Thanks for the heads up on the trim, I like them, but I am not really up on them enough to know the difference.

 

It is a 58. Factory FE car which is the first year for that engine series. Like mentioned above the trim is different, as is the hood, nose piece, bumper, etc. I'm guessing these primer fenders were nicer then the originals so got swapped at some point. The car has has a little metal work done to it, but all by a guy I know and very nice.

 

Growing up I thought these were the ugliest cars ever made, never saw how Ford sold a single one with the '57 Bel Air & '58 Impala on the market at the same time. Now days I have grown to love the '57 and like the '58. I need to find the picture of my dad standing next to his brand new '57 when he was 21 years old.

 

I have always loved 57's and think 59's are just crazy enough to be cool. But I never liked 58's. But in the last year or two I've found myself looking at 58's, and beginning to like them. Then I found myself looking for a 58. Funny how that works.

 

I liked only GM stuff as a teenager and in my 20's, as I have gotten a little older I have started liking more and more 50's & 60's Ford products and some Chrysler products from the Exner days and 60's Dodge trucks. Still a lot of Ford and Dodge products old and new I don't like but things I used to not like i'll droll over now. Kind of scared about what I appreciate in another 20 years.

 

That`s some nice rolling stock.Thanks to all for posting.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

 

Just my honest opinion but I think the 1957 to be the best design and '58 & '59 went downhill fast. Throw stones and insults at me if you must but it's just an opinion I have.

 

Having an opinion is OK. Voicing it isn't always necessary. Being I own a few of all 3 years I'll be sure to not invite you to the B-B-Q.
The Wizzard

 

Chris the 58 is cool
always lov'ed 57's liked 58's hated 59's
now I love 57's love 58's still hate 59's
they look like they are trying too hard
oh wait did I say I still hate 59's cause I do
B

 

That is one year for certain that Ford outsold Chevy, yet you almost NEVER see one at a car show and you can't go to a show and NOT see a Chevy.

 

Have you realized as you get older, that Cars you would not give a second look are starting to look really good now........ And you go....... not bad, not bad at all.
Same applies to woman......
Man..... I am getting Old!

 

You do know the difference between a Dog and a Fox right???
3 drinks!

 

Here's an all three pic from Jerry's Classic cars website...check their website out, for more pics. They specialize in 57,58,59's.

 

Which is kind of nice. When I do rarely go to a car with my 57 Ford there is always a few people standing around it commenting on it,
While the tri-fives there go mostly unnoticed. There are so many out there
People just pass by.

 

When I grew up in the 50's in Minneapolis, all of the 57 and 58 Fords had the headlights falling out of them from rust. They dumped salt on the roads to combat the ice and it really did a job on the 57 & 58 Fords, more then most of the GM cars. The Chrysler products had the same issues. I think that is why you don't see more 57-58 Fords at car shows. My neighbor junked a good running 57 Ford 2dr that he bought new because it was so rusted out.

 

After you do a total restoration on one of these, you start being thankful they don't build cars like they use to, lol BTW, in '63 I repainted my dad's 55 chev convertible, but before doing so I had to patch both rusted out fenders over the headlights. That was in Mass. As a comparison, how many 2008's do we see rusted out?
I guess in retrospect, it wasn't so horible because back then 70K was a high mileage car not far from hitting the salvage yards.
As RMK57 said, I'm very thankful we don't see alot of these at shows. Having something unique is the whole point of driving classics, what ever style, imho.

 

1957 Ford Courier. One of the rarer models by production numbers at 6600. All stock on the outside, but much more fun where it doesn't show.

 

Actually the Ranchero in pic #3 is a newer version of the same Ranchero in pic #9. I believe it used to belong to HAMBer "Nitro Flattie".

 

I always thought the '59s had the most style. Front ends are a little weird but I like the first version of Ford's dinner plate tail lights.