1957 Ford Del Rio Rock'n'Roll Ranchwagon

[djfordmanjack]

Never got back to Gary about the wgn roof you have, because obviously efforts stalled on the project since. Not sure at all if or when I will restore this DelRio, see also this topic: http://57fordsforever.com/smf/index.php?topic=8093.msg73843#msg73843
At the moment I am just weighing my possibilities and what I have here. Of course there are many sweet memories connected to the wgn which has some sentimental value for me.
I made a lot of mistakes on this one, first in buying it at all, not fully understanding its condition, then trying to prepare for European inspection, digging deeper. then I did not stop, to just do minimal repair work when I still had a chance. after sanding into Bondo and seeing the rot, I still did not stop and at this point, while I could have kept it in roadworthy condition I made my greatest mistake in fully disassembling it in preparation of a full restoration I had hoped for. I could have stopped many times, but did not, so I am really the only one to blame for this szenario happening. There is nothing to gain or lose at this point so I thought I'd show some older pics and what the problems are about. this is the main, problem, the roof.

[djfordmanjack]

older repairs, floors, rockers, all corners were just a mess. Bad repairs are worse than simple rust on og metal.

[djfordmanjack]

[RICH MUISE]

More than I could have handled. I think maybe I'll never again say mine was a rust bucket.
How many layers of half-baked patch panels are on that rear quarter? Looks like a 1/2 dozen. What is that circled on the frame pic...a buckle?

[djfordmanjack]

correct Rich, as mentioned many times before the frame is twisted even to the point where it buckled on the pssgr frt kickup from front impact. What makes this worse is that all the rough repair and patchwork on the floors and A pillars has been done on the twisted chassis. Now you can imagine the door gaps, rocker panel alignment aso.... The replacement floors would be solid, even if not pretty. But there is no way to realign the doors and pillars without having to remove all of the repaired areas and start all over again. That, and add the roof rust. it's the reason for my hesitating on this project.

[terry_208]

Could you take it to a frame shop and have the frame straightened?  I don't know IF you have frame shops there but there are a few still left around here. 

As talented as you are, if you could get the parts, the roof repair wouldn't more than a bump in the repair process!

[djfordmanjack]

Thank you Terry!
Yes a longtime friend of mine even owns a large body shop and they have very nice equipment like an 18ft frame jig, hydraulic equipment, electric/torch heat and whatnot. we already discussed the project several times and we think it is absolutely feasable. I have allready cut the torn and bent rear crossmember and frt crossmember braces from the chassis so it will even be easier to realign all of it and weld back the reworked crossmembers after straightening the main rails.
As you said, it is not a question if and how it can be done, but rather if it is worth all the trouble and all the hundreds (thsds) of hours needed to make this a nice car again. so that is really why I am hesitating and going back and forth on my decision. over the past years, several times I was motivated to get going again, but it stalled again, because other things were more important. I guess it is the same story as we hear it so many times from car collectors and how their projects get delayed, and delayed...
...BUT! I have read about many projects that had been stored for years and even several decades, and at some point were actually built and completed. I guess we never know. so that is the reason I still hang onto my 57DR.

[Ford Blue blood]

Hey DJ, just a couple of swipes with the ol tiger hair, a rattle can and it's as good as new! 

Man what a mess.  The "rust free" wagon I got a few years ago was solid as a rock compared to yours!  I would like to think they are all worth saving but sometimes ya just got to cry UNCLE!  Good luck, actually, one way to eat an elephant, one bite at a time....

[rmk57]

   For me personally I'd throw in the towel on that one. Between your family, work, and other stuff life throws at you that is a huge, huge project just in bodywork. You for sure have the skills necessary to do the work it's just the time it takes. I prefer driving type projects, where you can tackle one part of the car at a time. Suspension one year, engine rebuild the next on so on. It doesn't become so over whelming that way, plus I don't have the room for a full blown restoration anyways.

Good luck which ever way you decide to go.

[djfordmanjack]

I honestly appreciate to hear all of your opinions! It might help me in making a decision sooner or later. I admit that it bothered me alot when I took it apart 5 years ago and realised the amount of work needed. Luckily I found my 4dr Country Sedan 3 yrs ago and was able to do the necessary rust and mechanical repairs on the 4dr over a very short period, when I had the time. the 4dr still needs a lot of smaller things and possibly an engine update, but in all, is a pretty solid, driveable car. I am very thankful for having that and that's why the Del Rio project is not that much of a burdon for me. I'll be working on my decision and appreciate hearing more of your thoughts, negative or positive.

[hiball3985]

I don't know if I would even try to salvage that one. I think the needed time and money required  would be better used searching for a different one and save what parts you can. JMHO
The old saying of making a silk purse from a sows ear.. Many of us have had a similar situation, I remember a few years back when my son bought a Comet and I finally convinced him it just wasn't worth it..

[RICH MUISE]

I know all the forums preach "save them"...........I can't believe some of the saves and made from scraps we often see on the Hamb forum, but there's a big difference in saving a simple 20-30's body and saving a more complex 50's. LOL, I think maybe your waiting for our blessings to let that one go, Gunter.
MHO..........I think it needs to be a parts car....or yard art. If it were here in the US, where a possible roof from a donor car may be had with a day's drive, I'd maybe think differently, but there can't be too many of those in Austrian salvage yards, and shipping an entire roof over the pond would be a logistical nightmare.

[djfordmanjack]

thanx boys. lots of 57 experience in your words ! I have discussed this project with Jay ( Ecode) a lot of times as well.

haha, Rich, yeah I am just going to call the scrapyard now, take a video and the text will read, ' it was Rich advise...' ....hahaha....

no. not at all. Really do appreciate to hear your opinions. Most of it just confirms my own thoughts. Now - I am not going to dump this tomorrow. maybe it just needs time. Maybe a good, very solid and reasonable priced one will turn up, or maybe even the white Robinson built Del Rio will come up for sale again in Germany. who knows. Of course I could put all those restored and powder coated parts into the 4dr wgn.
shipping a donor roof is out of question unfortunately. shipping has become so expensive and difficult, I probably could buy another car over here for what's involved with that.

Funny, Rich, as you mentioned it being yard art, I definitely thought about putting it together again,  (at least the body parts and bumpers on rolling chassis) and put it in one corner of the property. A friend of mine had a 57 Fairlane next to his pond for several years. it looked sweet. but then again I have the Country Sedan and it's parked under the carport and I can see it all the time from my living room, kitchen, first thing in the morning when I get up - even in winter....I like that a lot ! Not a single day I don't see my sweet Country Sedan !

[Frankenstein57]

If the frame can be straightened, you could turn it into a ranchero.

[mustang6984]

So...just as a point of reference...my '69 Fastback Mustang had to have the following:
New corners (all 40) in the engine compartment
cowl vent base
cowl top
radiator support
battery box (DUH!)front-rear-trunk flooring
both quarters (complete)
bot door skins (have not yet done those...may just opt for new doors)
right side exterior rocker
right side interior vent panel
The only piece not replaced...LOL...the roof!
Now...in all honesty...with the exception of the quarter panels, the rest came off of one donor car, a coupe. also used some front suspension parts on a Maverick for an article on disc brake conversion I did for Mustang Magazine back in '04.

So...I understand what you are looking at. Guess my question is (one that has not been asked) is there a solid auto works shop in the area with a very competent metal shaper who could make you a roof in say two pieces that you could then either butt-weld together, or as Cobra Joe has about convinced me to do with some of my work to be done on my Courier..panel bonding glue/cement?
I bring this up...because i suffer from a disease that you may also have...(MANY of us probably have)...a disease for which there is no cure..."It CAN be saveditis"...