Features 1957 Ford Fairlane convertible or 1954 Chevy 210

Im faced with a problem that I never thought I would be in. I have to choose which car. Im hoping for some feedback on which way I should go.

I have been building a 1954 Chevy 210 for the better part of 10 years. I have everything to complete the project, and have been working on it very slowly. I got the car because it had the right price, and was pretty complete. I never had too much emotion about the car until I got married. About 3 years ago, a month before my wedding I decided that this car would be my drive away car. The mad scramble was on for paint and body work. With the help of some car club buddies we started a mad thrash to get the car ready. The night before my wedding my car club told me to go deal with the wedding as they would make sure the car was at the church in time. Little did I know they had paid to have the seats reupholstered, straightened and polished all the trim, and put my car together all night and the morning of my wedding. After I got married and walked out to see my car with my new bride it brought tears to my eyes, and I swore I would never sell the car. The work, and love those guys showed me was nothing I had ever experienced before. Fast forward a few years, my wife just gave birth to my first child, a son, Jonas. Now I had a second reason to never get rid of the car. I had something that he would grow up with, and a story to share with his kids. My father was not around much growing up, but I remember working on cars with him, and I cherish those memories. I hope to have the same memories with my son.

A year ago my step grand father had a few strokes and was alive, but not in a good place. The family started to make plans for when the day came that Jack passed away.I didnt get to know Jack much, as I was about 15 when my mom married my step dad, and was a typical teen, and not very interested in hanging with my "new family". Dont get me wrong, they are great people but it never felt like "my" family. When Jack was sick, he wasnt always the nicest person. I never visited because he would see it as me trying to cozy up for a pay out, or at least that is how I felt.

About a year ago, my father in law was in the market and searching for an old car. We started to talk, and Jacks 1957 Fairlane convertible came up. He bought it brand new on his 30th birthday, and kept it in perfect shape through the years, getting 1 repaint in the 80's. During the talks my mom said she would ask Jack if he wanted to sell the car, but she figured he would rather sell the car to one of his long time friends for a few hundred dollars just to get rid of it. At that point my father in law decided that he didnt want to create any issues, and decided to shop elsewhere.

This afternoon my mom called with the news, Jack had passed. When I offered help if needed my mom said that she wanted me to ask my father in law to come look at the car and see if he wanted to make an offer. Little did she know, he had just bought a car this week, and was no longer interested. I asked her how much they wanted, and she said they didnt know because no one is interested in cars in the family, except me. At that point I told her not to tell anyone about it, because I really wanted it.

Even though money is not an issue with the family I am not looking for a freebie, and am faced with my issue. I have no money and would have to sell my car to free up the garage, and have money to buy the fairlane. I understand this is a personal decision, but would like some help/ advice. I feel that my son is young enough that we can build memories with any car I have, and would love to have fairlane.

Should I sell my car to get the fairlane?

Thanks in advance.
Dan

 

definatly dont sell ya chev, im a died in the wool ford fan and 50s fords specaily the 57s are way cool, theres always some where safe and dry to put a second car if your keen enough, tell ya mom ya aint got no clams but youll mow her lawns clean the gutters etc etc ( which is all stuff ya do when pop checks out anyways) take her one some runs in it , hell maybe ya could even encourage her ta join a c/c with it. id definatly not let it out of the family, maybe your son could show some interest in it and do all of the above . id be doin whatever i could ta try n hold onta it, but thats just my 2 cents worth for whatever its worth. but i wouldnt sell the chev.

 

Boy, that's a tough one. Only good answer is find a way to keep both. Your 54 has value as the one your buddies helped put together, and you owe them forever for that, but the vert has something kinda family oriented.

Devin

 

The 57 would be cool but doesn't sound like it holds the sentimental value your '54 does. If it were me, I'd keep the 54.

 

Hands down, I would prefer the 57 Ford, with the chrome trim along the fins and such, they were good looking cars. I used to own a 57 Fairlane 2 dr with all the trim.

The decision on which one is entirely yours. Without the back story, take the Ford. With the history, it is tough and only you can decide.

TJ55

 

personally, i would take a 57 over the chevy, but the sentimental value is a tough one. but at the same time, if we held onto everything with some sort of sentimental value we all would need acres to keep everything. its easy to make new memories in something else.

 

Not many 57 Fairlanes around. Could be a sound investment.

 

This reads like a soap opera but the bottom line is all in the heading. 54 or 57? No question for me, go with the 57. It will be of more value in every way now and in the future.

 

You hafta find a way to keep the Chevy and get the fairlane. They both have special meaning to you. Make some kind of arraignment to buy it.

 

A convertible, and in good shape? A no-brainer..... get it!

 

Sounds like you could offend your friends by selling the chevy unless you talk to them about it before you try to sell it.
It also sounds like you may be wanting to slip in and buy the ford before anyone else knows about it and that would be ok in my opinion if you plan on giving a very fair market value price for it,(sense its kind of family)otherwise you may put your mom and you in bad standing with your step dads family after they figure out they sold it too cheap.

Oh and also make sure it isnt just the intrigue of knowing the secret about the ford thats pulling you in.(like a so called barn find)

If the car was sitting downtown on a lot for full price, would you still be as interested?

 

Dump the Chevy.. 57 Fords are way cooler!!! John

 

A one-owner 57 convertible or a car you been working on for ten years. Money value the 57 is worth ten times what the Chevy is but you really only have one choice. Keep the Chevy and work out something to get the Ford.

 

x2!

 

If it were me hands down keep your Chevy. Sounds like a lot of cool memories with that car. Next I'd ask if you could make payments on the convertible (since youd be buying it from family member) and assuming you have garage space for both. Even small payments go a long way. Where there is a will, there is a way to figure this out. Are you planning to buy the ford to flip it or enjoy it like you do your Chevy?


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I would go with the '57 vert and since I have one I am very partial

 

I am just finishing up a 49 chevy fleetline ( simular to your 54 210).

There is not enough money in this world to get me to attempt another 49-54 chevy...!!!

And I am a true chevy lover.

Save your sanity, go with the ford.

 

Get the 57

 

Drivability wise, the 57 is an easier build (if there is little rust). The 54 closed driveshaft and the front suspension make for work to upgrade. The Ford takes newer engines easier, and the 312 was a good engine to start with, and getting scarce. The 235 6 are great engines too. It's a tough choice.

 

UPDATE: I now have both cars. I couldnt pass up the opportunity on the Ford, and the sentimental value of my chevy is more than I could ever sell the car for. So far it looks like the car will be mine with a very long extended loan from my parents. As money was never the point behind them selling me the car, they dont care how long it takes, it was more important that the car stays in the family. Some might wonder why they would sell me the car instead of giving it to me. I dont know that answer, but I will hold my head up knowing that everything I have has been worked for, and paid for by me. Here are a few pictures of the car in my garage. The chevy is holed in my buddies garage until I can clean out enough space to park them side by side. I will do a write up on the Ford, but so far I am told that is it all original, with a few minor bumps and scrapes repaired over the years. It has a 312 Y-Block, and 2 speed auto trans. The only plans I have for the car are to figure out why the instrument lights dont work, fix the neutral saftey switch, check on a few leaks, and maybe get some dings fixed on some trim pieces. It is not a perfect car, but a survivor, and the most beautiful thing I have ever owned to date.

Thanks for the feed back guys, it meant a lot, and ultimately made me realize how important both cars were to me.

 

Here are some pics of the new Ford.

 

Congrats on getting the Ford! Now you can hang out here: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/group.php?groupid=332 That is a real beauty too !

 

Cool! That's a real beauty!!!

And just to let you know, the Ford actually has a three-speed auto. In drive from a 'normal' takeoff, it will start out in second, but if you floor it will drop into low. Or you can select low manually, then shift into drive.

The dash lights could be a fuse (on the light switch itself) or possible a bad rheostat in the switch. Should be an easy fix....

 

Crazy Steve is correct. I had a bunch of 50's Fords when I was young. You can wind the bejesus out of them in low, and then momentarily move the shifter to drive and back to low and it would hold 2nd gear till shifted to drive.

 

WOW! Glad you didn't have to pass that up! Congrats!!
How 'bout a photo of both Cars together?

 

congrats!!"thats a clean ass ford!!

 

Wow! Now I get it. Glad it worked out , that is one fine Fairlane.

 

Car looks great,
nice that you were able to keep the Chev and get the Ford.

 

Congratulations on getting the Ford! What a beautiful car! I always thought the ragtop Sunliner was a better looking car than the retractable Skyliner an dthese days it seems llike you see two Skyliners for every Sunliner.

Looks like all you'll need to is a clean up, fix up, drive kind of resto. Maybe add a three-deuce manifold, a set of T-bird valve covers, and some '57 Dodge Lancer wheelcovers to spice it up just enough?

 

Congrats dude,great car,post some pics of the Chevy. You owe your parents bigtime on this one,they could have sold that car in less than an hour for a good price.