Every year I go to the Detroit Autorama. It gets my blood pumping, gets the ideas in my head racing, and generally awakens me out of my automotive slumber during the long winter. Unfortunately, my career, work, home we've been renovating, etc. have taken enough of my time that I haven't been able to build anything meaningful since my '57 Ford in 2010. But the Autorama keeps the coffee warm, so to speak, and gets me primed for a new year of cruising and a little wrenching. So this year while I was rambling on the ride home from Michigan about all the ideas in my head, my girlfriend Ryann says to me, "Hey, I kinda want a car." So I told her to look around, see what she likes, and if it's a good platform, she should buy it and we'd build it together. This is what she found. '59 Edsel Ranger 2 door hardtop. 292 Y block with 2 bbl and dual exhaust, Mile-O-Matic 2 speed auto and a 3:10 rear. Already has a load of body work done, no real rot anywhere (which is unfathomable for an east coast car). Unfortunately the PO has shaved off all of the side trim, which will be put back on. The 292/M-O-M will come out in favor of a 302HO/C4 combo. Since this is Ryann's first old car, the most important thing is that it's safe, reliable and essentially maintenance free. Obviously every car is going to need regular maintenance, but she's not going to be adjusting valve lash every 1000 miles. Looking to build this as a mild custom, with a primary white pearl paint job. We trailered it back home from Central PA and straight to our buddy (Hellcat138) Russ's shop, North Jersey Customs, where he sprayed a quick coat of HOK KD3000 on it to prevent any rust. As soon as we finish the renovation in the first floor of my house, we're gonna get on the engine swap, and a build thread will follow.
The Jalopy Journal
