1957 Custumchero

Heres pics of my 1957 Ranchero that I have been working liek a dog on! You may have seen the car before at shows and what not but I've been tinkering with it. Rebuild the motor with stock replacement parts but a mild RV camshaft. Dropped it in and it runs. Cleaned up the motor compart ment wiring and built a battery box. check out the pics!!

 

I Cant wait to see the whole car. Like what I see so far

 

What's that grill out of?

 

I've always had a soft spot in my heart for the 58 Buick grills. Looks great. Stu

 

looks to be in decent shape , best of luck with your project..

 

Looking good. I like the motor color. The world needs more custom rancheros.

 

I love the grill you have on it.

 

Looks like a great start. I'd consider recessing the headlights with 1956 pickup headlight rings to be a
simple improvement, as seen HERE:
http://www.carnut.com/cgi-bin/02/mopar.pl?/show/02/skat/kat128.jpg

 

please post more pics as u make progress... i love 57 rancheros

 

58 Buick. So obvious once I read it. But somehow it was just too far out of context in the Ranchero for me to think of it on my own.

Great choice.

 

Thanks guys for all your comments on the car! I will have more pictures for everyone soon with updates. The grille is out of a 58 Buick thats I got a while back and finally put in. I still am looking for turn signals to put i nthe grille, any ideas? I was thinking about sinking in the headlights, but I probobly won't, I like the lazy eyes. Happy Easter everyone!!!!

 

Here's the picture of the car when I first got it 2 years ago. The next picture is of it first really done and ready for show season.

 

you honestly just persuaded me to go with white for my 58 ford fairlane now. i debated whether or not to paint it that color, even if it was temporary (which it will be), but yea, this is one of the sickest cars i've ever seen, definatley one of my favorites

 

Yeah I am going to paint mine all white, its called, toyota crystal white, it has a lil bit of flake in its, its on new toyotas check it out! Thanks man I love my car and I know it's gone through alot thanks to my friends and family. GOt pics of your 58?

 

My friend is working on a 57 Ranchero in Vacaville also. I have told him about yours, I have seen it on here before. Will you have it done by the Vaca High show. I love the grill.

 

toyota crystal white huh? is it in a spray paint can? is it a flat white or more of a glossy white?? whatever it is i love it.

and yea dude i got TONS of pics of the 58. im at work, so when i get home ill post a reply with some pics, i have some videos coming up in the next month to. im putting a y block in my 58 and im gonna tape it when i first fire it up

 

sweeeeet!

 

Whose your friend? I might know him! There will be no Vaca High show this year, sadly, and it's my senior year. It's ok though haha. Thanks!!

 

It's a glossy white, maybe in a spray cani I don't know. But yeah man let me see your pics soon! I really like 58's, my uncle has a stock ass 58 Bird that's awesome.

 

Love it !

For the front indicators, I'd get some 1/4 inch thick clear perspex, shape and sand to match the buick grille 'squares'. Install some LED's in the back and clear silicone to some support behind....I wann do this with some frosted perspex bullets in a chrome bullet grille....

(hopefully that made some sense?)

Cheers
MAIKI

 

worst thing i have ever done was painting it flat black... i wish i never would have done that. but your ranchero gave me the idea to paint it flat white, and rims black. i was going to do the rims black for a very long time, but it wouldnt match the flat black/ faded gray color it is now. so now that im putting a 292 v8 in there, i thought it'd be a great time to resand it down and repaint it

 

I like that thing, it way out of this world haha! So are we as custom car builders. What made you want to put a 292 in it and not like a 289 or 302? I painted my car with quarts of Rustoleum from Wal-Mart and used a real gun. Not really the best pic for paint, but It's lasted its time. After I get the motor in and running it's goin srait to the body shop to get painted that Toyota color.

 

Yeah it took me twice to read it haha. I have right now 55 Merc turn signals that I might make float with come more piece of the Buick grille, but I still haven't gotton it right yet. Making them would be pretty cool tho!

 

i decided to put the 292 in there because 1. y-blocks are the best in my opinion the sound, power, everything is awesome. 2. the 292 slipped right into the 58. if i got a 289 to put in there i'd have to change everything up to make it fit. 3. the motor was in fresno for 500 bucks, which is pretty close to me, and the new transmission was in palmdale which is really close to. so i got a good deal i think on both.

how much did the paint gun cost you? i think im gonna try that this time, rather than using Osh flat white, i'll actually try something that'd look GOOD. and i think im gonna steal that idea with a bare metal roof. i wanted to do something bare metal on mine but wasnt sure what. i tried it with the fenders once but they rusted up after one day. how do you keep it so clean/ not rusting???

 

Nice Ranchero! clean and understated. The white walls really help define the look. I really like the blue block too. One of these days when I have my engine out, I want to spray it lime to match my body paint.

BTW, i used to run around Vacaville in the 80s while stationed at TAFB. I really loved it there (and the Vacaville girls, too).

 

Yes I love them Vaca girls hahaha. Really you lived here, have you ever heard of Vasquez Deli? It's my uncles business where I work at now. I really love you car man, paint the block lime it will be off the hook!!!

 

yeah, I really did live there, but it's been so long now I can't even remember the names of the girls let alone a deli

I still run through there sometimes getting to visit friends in Sac, maybe I'll swing by some day.

 

Haha, thats cool man! Yeah swing by and say hey !!!

 

What kind of tires are those - they look awesome!

 

They are Denman G-78-14's, they have a pretty good ride ot them even though their bias plys.