Ryan submitted a new blog post: Another Featured Classifieds: 1957 Ford Ranchero Continue reading the Original Blog Post
I've longed for a 57-9 Ranchero for a long time. A '57 would have to get a chop, and some variety of angry FE. Black walls on chrome reverse wheels, slicks, and a bit of a hot rod rake. Dark purple with black tuck n roll. No wait, orange... Sent from my SM-G960W using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I've got a 57 ranchero project on the back burner. I've been thinking about letting it go...this makes me rethink that.
Most likely legit, He has been a member since 2017 and posted 15 times, all in the classifieds and doesn't participate on any of the main forums. The truck looks great and the price doesn't seem out of line. HRP
This popped up on St. Louis Craigslist a couple days ago. If I only had the room..... https://stlouis.craigslist.org/cto/d/saint-ann-1957-ford-ranchero/6977574837.html
my favorite year of Ranchero - one in ad says has 352, not a '57 motor and unless built up not that great of a motor - price is good - had gotten a "deal" on one a few years back - turns out they have a lot of areas prime for rust so, buyer beware - mine was sold quickly because of the hidden rust ( from California)
The last great looking Fords in my book. 57 that is. That was one of those rigs that I always wanted and even in the 70's couldn't find one in good enough shape that I could afford. The 352/390 in a 57 is actually a pretty simple use factory style parts swap from what I can remember from a buddy doing on his two door post that he bought the first crate motor I had ever laid eyes on and a new over the counter 4 speed. I think that car was what spiked my interest in 57 Fords anyhow. On the scammer scare thing, If it sounds too good it probably isn't. If enough of the photos aren't recent it can be questionable. I don't think it is unreasonable to request a current photo with the current front page of the local/regional paper in it to show that the guy actually has the vehicle or part for that matter in their possession. There are guys who only belong to the HAMB to use the classifieds to buy or sell and seldom if ever even check the board. Wear a Hamb cap or shirt to a swapmeet and you usually meet a few of them during the day. There seems to be a bit of elitism in that they only do the classifieds as they often tell you that right off.
This looks like the outside alleyway of the Long Beach Municipal Auditorium or the LB Sports Arena. Hello, Nice transition from those Ford Ranchero models. That custom scalloped, 57 Ranchero was pretty well done back in those early days. It looks very familiar as it was in the mags and in those numerous car shows at the Municipal Auditorium in Long Beach, before 1962. After that, it may have been in several shows in the new LB Sports Arena, built on to the back of the old Auditorium. It did not seem like it was a daily driver to a job or school. But, we all drooled over what was done to the Ranchero. The front end with the tube grille, the Appletons, and the custom wheel caps were able to be done by most people, including teens. But, the custom tail lights and truck bed and upholstery was a little over the top for most. The scallops were also rather cool. Is that what we would have done if we had the blank slate of the blue and white stock looking Ranchero? The Appletons, tube grille, custom wheels were what we all could do with what funds we had. But to keep the rest of the car in limbo while the custom stuff was being done, well…it was only for show cars, not daily drivers. Our idea for any 57 Ford was derived from the experiences at Lions Dragstrip. There was a black 57 Ford sedan that had the latest high performance motor set up in his car. It was fast for a stock factory produced car and made most people take second in the class races. Included in the admiration for this 1957 Ford sedan was a 1957 Thunderbird that had the same high performance motor topped off with the factory McCulloch/Paxton centrifugal supercharger. That was what most teenagers liked about the Sedan, Ranchero and T-Bird. The whine of the centrifugal supercharger with each rev up drew suspicious looks every time we saw them in the pits or when they cruised the drive-in parking lots in our area. Jnaki My brother was tired of losing to the 57 Ford Sedan in the stock car races at Lions. But once he got better starts, he started winning each race. If anyone has ever listened to the whine of the centrifugal supercharger revving up and add that to the powerful loping sound of the motor would certainly be impressed… we certainly were. In this race, something happens at the :08 mark with a missed shift or some malfunction. 58 Impala vs 57 Ford Sedan So, a high performance 57 Ford motor + centrifugal supercharger, custom wheels, tube grille, and Appleton spotlights would have been what we would have done to make the 57 Ranchero a cool daily driver. Plus, there was tons of space in the bed for tools, extra parts, coolers full of food/drinks and possibly a hydraulic floor jack. So that is why the custom one in the Renegades Club, as nice as it showed, to us, was a little over the top. That the truck bed was virtually useless, except for mortuary work or car shows.
Looks like the Chebby was just "toyin' with him, and then went for the win they could have had him anytime, they only let him go so long ,out of kindness , I suppose.
I know that I'm easily confused, but something bugs me that no one else has pointed out on the feature car. If it is a '57 with later model parts swapped in (the FE) did they use the hood from the later Ford also? My memory is telling me that's not a 1957 Ford hood. Is it a real '57 Ford? Maybe a '58? -Dave
Been thinking about selling mine- picked it up as a mate for my 57 Courier, but then got the 56 Bird and 65 Caliente- something has to go. Has already been a hot rod, has front discs and tilt column, and had a 390 with a 4spd in it. Could be very sweet...
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