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Projects Just got this 1957 ford country sedan. First project in 12 years and I don’t know where to start

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by 57FordWagon, Jul 24, 2020.

  1. Dave Mc
    Joined: Mar 8, 2011
    Posts: 2,575

    Dave Mc
    Member

    Looks like a good one to start with . Check out this load .
    57 Fords.jpg
     
    alfin32 and sgtlethargic like this.
  2. Hmm- some with hubcaps, some without.
     
    Dave Mc likes this.
  3. 6sally6
    Joined: Feb 16, 2014
    Posts: 2,459

    6sally6
    Member

    What kind of "car-guy" are you first?
    Are you mechanically inclined or need to farm out the work? (IF its the second....start saving up$$)
    You better at body work or engine/tranny stuff?
    Do you have a place to store it while doing/getting the work done?
    Do you have the equipment to do the work.....engine stand....hoist....hand tools...?
    Is this "your-first-rodeo"...so to speak or have you restored/repaired(major repaired) stuff before?
    Is your goal to......."just get it running and drive it" or frame up restore to better than new......convert to 2 door(I would!)...trick paint.....hot engine...AC...power everything...or somewhere in-between?
    You have a bunch of questions to answer yourself before a bunch of car guy-strangers start giving advice! WE really like to do that!!
    That 57 wagon sure looks like it has a lotta potential no matter which way you go.
    I LIKE it....alot!
    6sally6
    I'm just glad your putting an FE in it and not a "Shivel-lay"!!
     
  4. Rickybop
    Joined: May 23, 2008
    Posts: 9,605

    Rickybop
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    "Where to start..."
    Great question. Excellent answers.
    Always glad when someone asks a fairly basic question that some of us might be hesitant to ask.
    Basic, yes...but important.
    Even if we "know", it's good to revisit it. Especially if you're sneaking up on a new project.

    I can't add a whole lot more. Maybe a little.

    I like that somebody said to get your support system in order first.
    Lots of prerequisites for a major car project...
    $
    space
    time
    tools
    equipment
    shelves
    lights
    $
    parts
    materials
    $
    knowledge
    skills
    passion
    energy
    research
    diligence
    $
    diligence
    diligence
    diligence
    the blessing of loved ones
    $

    I probably forgot a couple.

    There's stuff you can do if you're limited on SOME of those things.

    A saying I heard. Can apply to almost any endeavor.
    "If you don't know what to do...do something.

    But have a plan.
    Your planning and research only costs time.
    You're starting well by just asking the question.
    Yeah, mechanicals first.
    Then body work.
    Then pretty.

    Good luck. Have fun.
     
    TrailerTrashToo likes this.
  5. Rickybop
    Joined: May 23, 2008
    Posts: 9,605

    Rickybop
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    By the way...

    You said "long term project".
    Try to not make it too long term.
    A lot to be said for just "having the project" and slowly working on it.
    But...time flies.
    I just turned 63. I was 43 like a week ago.
    You're 30. You'll be 50 tomorrow...lol.
    Hurry up.
    ;)
     
    trikejunkie and R A Wrench like this.
  6. Arominus
    Joined: Feb 2, 2011
    Posts: 394

    Arominus
    Member

    Motor, trans, suspension, brakes and drive it the way it is. Running projects are better and you’ll get more buy in from your friends if they can ride in it occasionally.
     
  7. jnaki
    Joined: Jan 1, 2015
    Posts: 9,289

    jnaki





    upload_2020-7-30_4-17-51.png
    Hello,

    With what you have and your experience, do what you can to get it in a driving stage. Then if time and money are conflicting, send it out to someone that can do the difficult parts of any install. As you move along in your build, get it safe, handle correctly, and stop like it should, then the outside look is the next step, whether it is stock or mild, the colors will bring your station wagon to life.

    We have always had Chevy sedans from the 50s to 1963 in our teenage years. But, the 57 Fords always had a great look to them. From the 2 door sedans to the station wagons, with the right combination, it could have been very competitive.

    To be different than most, try to get a McCullogh/Paxton centrifigual supercharger for your motor. They came stock in some Ford Thunderbird in 1957. But, a lot of them showed up at the drags in Rancheros and Sedans, too. Original ones are probably hard to find or are expensive. So, the closest to the stock Paxton centrifugal supercharger is the modern Vortech models.

    That would be the sleeper item on your custom station wagon. No one would suspect this nice looking 4 door wagon would have that set up under the hood.

    Jnaki

    If the idea is to build something that you can drive all over on a daily basis, the American Racing Equipment mag style 5 spoke wheels are the tried and true look. It instantly gives credibility to any build. Halibrand wheels are the classic style for most hot rods, but there is no doubt that the American Racing 5 spoke wheels belong on your station wagon.

    Throughout our teen and twenty something years, we wished we could have those American Racing 5 spoke wheels. We also liked the custom look about the 50s cars and station wagons. One early approach to your 4 door station wagon is the slope of the rear door/side panel window posts. It looks perfect, similar to the look of the two door version of the wagon, but better in design and application. The two door wagon looks like someone added on something odd looking. The 4 door just had it designed into the swept back look. So, removing the rear door handle makes this station wagon style have its own cool look.

    Good luck on your project.
    upload_2020-7-30_4-18-19.png
     
  8. Airborne34
    Joined: Dec 4, 2007
    Posts: 633

    Airborne34
    Member
    from Texas

    Cool car, I’ve always attacked my projects based on the old saying. Whoa, Go, Show
    Basically, Brakes, running gear, paint.
     
  9. Boatmark
    Joined: Jan 15, 2012
    Posts: 384

    Boatmark
    Member

    I think it depends on what your end game is for the car, and what combination of skill and dollars you have available to get there. If its just a running patina beater, as several have said just get it running, safe, and reasonably presentable, and go have fun.

    If you are planning a completely rebuilt painted and trimmed car, this is my method:

    1) Title. Until its titled in your name. Full stop.
    2) Plan: Plan out what you want the car to be, and what you need to get there. This doesn't mean you need to pick color and texture, but means you want this level of finish, with these components, and this is the budget of time and money your family can afford to dedicate to the project. Work the plan. Plan what is realistic - I may have a killer motor and high dollar wheels and tires on my wish list, but I can build the car with a basic motor and steelies to stay on budget, and make upgrades to the finished car as time goes on.
    3) Budget: Not only what you have to spend, but when you can spend it. If you can establish a monthly spend their are months you are doing labor only, but I still use that months budget to order parts ahead. I hate being stopped waiting on parts ordered at the last minute. Also be accruing money for when the big expenses will hit. I can do most things, but not upholstery, so I have to plan for that financial hit.
    4)Timeline: Be realistic. A lot of discouragement in a project comes from expecting to have a three year build done in one year. Every project costs twice as much money, and three times as much time as you think. Plan for that.
    5)Commitment: Everyone is different. Family and life can derail the best laid plans, but I set a requirement for myself. I do something on the project every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday. It may be extensive work, and it may be polishing a small part. But I do something. Hopefully I can spend more time, but if I don't require myself, I'll keep putting stuff off. Its a mind game, if I don't give myself a pass I'll keep moving forward.

    Process: Everyone is different, this is mine.
    - Clean it from top to bottom, .inside and out. If really grody strip it and put it in cheap primer.
    - Do all the fabrication work necessary to fit the motor, trans, rear, and suspension. Get the stance right using mock up wheels and tires. Stance is everything to me. Build around the stance.
    - When fab is done get the major component rebuilds in process.
    - Blow the car apart and put the body aside. Start sending out any chrome and polish necessary.
    - Do the complete chassis. Finish welding etc. from the fab period. Blow the everything back apart and do paint, repairs, brake and fuel systems, and if ready the driveline. Put the rolling chassis aside, or preferably in storage. (stays clean)
    - Attack the body. Rust repair, body repair, custom work, and paint.
    - Install body on completed chassis and start the reassembly using the parts, polished trim, and chrome you have be staging along the way. Wire the car.
    - Get everything firing, operating, working, latching, and work out the bugs. The more time in the fab stage you address fit, gap and latch, the easier it is now. Drive the car a bit before upholstery so you have full access to chase bugs. I usually put neighborhood drive time on a project before installing the front clip.
    - Upholstery
    - DRIVE IT AND HAVE FUN.

    *** One variation is to do all that except final paint. Drive it for a while. Then blow it back apart for paint. I could do that on a Highboy, but I know on a later model complex car I'd procrastinate if it was completed and upholstered, and it would never come apart for paint.
     
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  10. toml24
    Joined: Sep 23, 2009
    Posts: 1,620

    toml24
    Member

    This was our red and white 1957, back in the day. Lasted up to 1969.
    1957-ford country squire station wagon.jpg
     
    sgtlethargic likes this.
  11. I've turned a wrench on one of those. It's where I got my start, good luck with yours.

    31350897_10215831007784949_5867896955312537600_n.jpg
     
  12. A Boner
    Joined: Dec 25, 2004
    Posts: 7,419

    A Boner
    Member

    How about starting by looking for a nice Chevy engine for it? Haha.
     
  13. rpu28
    Joined: Jan 17, 2006
    Posts: 195

    rpu28
    Member
    from Austin

    "I was a young kid back in the day when I’d be on this site asking questions in regards to my old 58 fairlane. But now I’m 30, got a house, a stable job, and I have patience to work on a long term project."

    30, huh? Almost over the hill.
     
  14. RMONTY
    Joined: Jan 7, 2016
    Posts: 2,540

    RMONTY
    Member

    I am in the "get it running and driving, then make it pretty" camp. If you blow it apart and can't have fun with it, and have people telling you how cool it is while you are driving it, you will soon tire of it being "in your way" for what gets your attention next.....my $.02 worth.....

    Very cool wagon btw!
     
    flatford39 likes this.
  15. Is that you in the picture?!
     
  16. 58 Mustang
    Joined: Sep 4, 2020
    Posts: 38

    58 Mustang

    I remember clearly going to Welman Ford in Tujunga CA and riding home in our brand new yellow and white CS, 292 Fordomatic and a radio, Wow, quite a difference from the old 40 Fordor. It shifted all by itsself and didn't shimmy at 25 mph. I was 10 and to me it was like a Cadillac
     
  17. panhead_pete
    Joined: Feb 22, 2006
    Posts: 3,487

    panhead_pete
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    If it was me I would take this approach.

    1) Brakes
    2) Steering
    3) Suspension
    4) Tyres
    5) Drive line

    I would be too tempted to drive it in a possible unsafe condition if I did the driveline 1st :)
     
    Last edited: Sep 18, 2020
  18. Yes, fifty + years ago.
     
    sgtlethargic likes this.
  19. Easier to do all of the plumbing and wiring with the motor and transmission out of the car. Love them wagons :D
     
    Last edited: Sep 19, 2020
  20. oldtom69
    Joined: Dec 6, 2009
    Posts: 583

    oldtom69
    Member
    from grandin nd

    put an S-10 frame under it and an LS engine!!!--just kidding,I'll take my medication now
     
  21. Add running gear, brakes, shocks, white primer and go ridin' around .
     
  22. Elcohaulic
    Joined: Dec 27, 2017
    Posts: 2,212

    Elcohaulic

    1) Forget the word perfect!! Build a fun car..

    I would remove the chrome, primer it, spray the chassis with drying spray grease after rebuilding the suspension pieces, try to update the front control arms for more positive caster for better handling. Look into installing a Saginaw steering box, get one from Lee. Clean the chrome up. install the engine and tranny. Dont get crazy with the 390, a stock one will move that car with ease.. Lumpy cams on the street are misery...
     
  23. Confucius says: hed the advice of your elders, their time will save you time.
    Tools? Don't buy unless you are going to do this again......borrow or rent
     

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